Bacon

Yesterday my daughter got a package in the mail from Open Masters.  It is more or less a masters program for homeschoolers and lacks accreditation.   That definition may not be as accurate as can be, but it will do for now.  I'm hoping to be able to utilize this program too.  It looks like it will be very rewarding and I am excited to see where we can go with it.

After getting my flu shot I went for a short walk along a rail trail.   Ice is starting to form in areas with little sun.  The cold and exercise left me very hungry and on the way home I stopped and got some already cooked bacon from a diner.  It went well with the macaroni and cheese for dinner.  Bacon and hugs from friends are my happy things today.

Some sights from my walk including a millstone.

And I finished something at craft night.

🥓☮🥓

Organize?

This morning's TEDx were brought to me by hoarding.  Okay, maybe not hoarding, but decluttering life.  It was a good drive.  I almost stopped at the storage unit after work but there is not enough room in my car right now.  There is a plan simmering in my mind to help me sort through the stuff better.  It is the motivation and time that I need to make for myself.  Well, time that I need to use more responsibly.  There are TED shows on that too.  Follow this link for the one that started me off today.

The stop at storage didn't happen but I did make an appointment to get my flu shot tomorrow and saw the chiropractor.  I also went for a walk tonight and managed to get my steps in.  As I wind down and work on writing this blog I realize that the year is coming to a close.  If all goes well, in another month I will have finished off another year with writing a little every day.  The new year will be bringing many changes for me and now is when I need to start thinking about how to organize next year's blog.  A year in the life of a baroness of the SCA maybe?  Maybe not. More hikes?  Performing?  Poems?  Getting myself into better shape?  Games?  Crafts and projects?  Maybe I should concentrate on more photos.  Or the sky and weather.  So many things going on.  Not always good, but I will continue to look for the good where I can and include something happy.  Today that happy is that I have so many things going on.  So many things, and most of them aren't items, but involve people.  People are a precious limited commodity that should be enjoyed and appreciated as often as possible. 💓

Sparkly lights are up!

Mer-people ornaments.

Not my style, but wow.

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So much Better

Things today went well.  My mood was improved, the atmosphere at work was improved and even the weather cooperated by being mostly sunny and above freezing.  In Science we rearranged Fruit Loop atoms into different molecules to represent the ingredients and products of cellular respiration.  In Social Studies we are learning about maps.  After work I went to my friend's house and got our steps in with a brisk walk around the neighborhood before dark.  I've been working on embroidery and had a nice talk with my friend from Texas. 

As I prepare to rest my weary head from the days activities I am drawn to write poetry. This is my thankful and happy thing for today. It has been a while since I have wanted to play with words that way.

Sunrise

Sunset 

Slowly
   Losing
      Excess
         Energy
            Plop

Soon the 

Lack of 

Energy will

Envelope me

Peaceful rest

😴☮🛌

Wrong Side of Bed

Some days, things just don't seem to go well.   Today began with fumbles and spills.   It continued with problematic things at work.   Most of the day I just wanted to scream or cry.  After work I didn't want to people.   I went and got my mail and then tried to take a walk where I used to bring my dog all the time.  I haven't been there since he passed.  There were tears from the day, but the walk didn't last long.  The trail was very muddy.  For my health and that of the trail I cut the walk very short and headed for rehearsal.

The day had gone so poorly I considered not going out.  I worried that my mood would be obvious and bring others down with me.  I listened to random TED Talks on the drive.   I stopped at the grocery and picked up a little junk food, but a salad and some more healthy options too.  I talked with a coworker on the phone.   I arrived early and went for a walk.   I arrived to rehearsal tired and a bit worn from the day, but the funk from earlier was starting to fade.  Then there was ice cream and conversations and the funk started to be a memory.   The drive back to my friend's house included even more TED Talks and a salad, so by the time I arrived,  I was in a much better mood.   Body language, brain chemistry, hand gestures are a few of the topics I listened to.  TED and hugs from friends are my happy things for today.

Babbling Brook

Sunset

The Charles River

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If it is Monday it must be DnD

Today the weather included rain and fog.  Tonight this could turn to snow.  Then in the morning,  back to rain.  Welcome to New England weather! 

With the Dungeons and Dragons campaign the students and I mostly completed the current quest.  They seem to have had a good time and will most likely be ready to play more, hopefully with a level up on their characters,  in a few weeks.  Getting this part behind me is my first happy of the day.  The second happy is a new windshield wiper.  My passenger side wiper was stuck on and rapidly deteriorating.  Z helped me remove the stuck one and I got a replacement on.  No more flappy flappy when it rains.  

☔☮☔

Rainy Sunday

It feels like I have accomplished very little today.  The dishes were done, laundry will be done before I go to sleep, I did a little bit of embroidery and have been working most of the afternoon on organizing the regional exchequer files.  I have fallen a little behind with that and need to make the decision whether or not to step back and let someone else do this job.  Part of me is thinking yes, just let it go, there are so many other things that I could be doing.  The other part is pretty certain that finding a volunteer to take over will be difficult.  My feelings of not having accomplished anything most likely stem from my not getting any exercise all weekend.  The weather and my motivation have worked against me.  Tomorrow is another day, but no turkey trot this year for me.

On a lighter note, and my happy for today, there was a face-time conference call with C and E.  It looks like the plans are mostly made for them flying up in January for the Investiture.  They will only be here a couple days, not much time when we will all be so busy, but I am so excited that they are able to make it.  K's dad should be coming as well.  E is trying to get her parents to come to the event from Maryland too.  So much will be going on in January. 

The only picture I took today.

My pillowcase is falling apart so I added it to my Christmas wish list.

The cases are on clearance and I may just get one sooner.  😏

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Shoes

Shoe making is exhausting work.  All afternoon I visited with friends and they guided me through making shoes,  well one shoe.   One is as far as I got.   Being able to do this and having such patient and supportive friends are my happy things for today.

We made a duct tape pattern with a sock and my foot that then went into paper.  Seam allowance is added then the pattern is traced into the leather. 

 Don't let the R fool you, these are for my left foot.

Some of the tools used. 

My stopping point for the evening. 

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Black Friday

Tomorrow I hope to make myself a pair of shoes.  Today I bought the leather and hopefully other things that I need in order to do this.  It has been quite a while since I have been in a Tandy Leather Store.  In hindsight, I am a little disappointed that I wasn't overwhelmed upon entering by the rich scent of leather.  Leather was purchased though, a rather large piece that will be more than enough for a pair of shoes, maybe a few pair or some boots.  We shall see if I get this right the first time or not.  I hope I remember to take pictures. 

Today we worked on taking the design that we chose to be my favor and fitting it onto fabric and sewing it together to form a pocket.  My favors will not be completely period, but they will hold things if needed.  There were four of us working on this today and we each took a few home to work on over this week.  We are each taking a slightly different approach as to how we are implementing the design and will compare them next week.  The plan is that I will put together a tutorial as to how we prepare and assemble these for people to use as a guide to make for me to then give out to others.  So many things to do!  😊

About a year ago I got a free pdf by Tim Ferriss called 5 Morning Rituals that Help Me Win the Day.  I found a podcast that is a little different by him here (#105) to share.  I had problems reading the file when I first got it and then only skimmed it.  This morning I finally read the pdf.  I already do one of the 5 suggestions every morning.  There is one of them that I can't do because it involves caffeine, I may look for a caffeine free alternative.  The other three are things that I could do, possibly with some modifications,  if I make more time in my morning. 

My happy for today is that I again got to spend a day with friends and we were all productive together.

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Happy Thanksgiving!!

This year my daughter's family and I spent Thanksgiving with some of our chosen family, rather than those that we would regularly see.  It was a day well spent.  We watched the parade while the turkey cooked, had a delicious meal with laughter and conversation, and later my friend and I finished watching the Firefly series.  It was a great show, I am surprised that it was canceled.  Going into the show, knowing that it ends without getting a second season, well, I guess being prepared for something like that has its good parts.  We still need to watch the Serenity movie. 

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  No presents, just good food and pie, but mostly spending times with family and friends.  It was a great day and is my happy for today. 

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Just a Happy

Didn't sleep well last night.   Other than being tired I felt fine today until just before going to bed.  My happy for today is getting pies made.  Now sleep so I can feel better come morning.

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Snow Day

School was canceled today because of snow.  I want to say that I spent the day being all productive and stuff, but I didn't.  Eventually I uninstalled the game I keep playing, but then started playing a different one.  Ah, well, I will have no excuse to be stressed over the holiday then, what with all this relaxing and stuff.  Too bad relaxing doesn't really help with anxiety.  Thankfully I don't expect to have too much anxiety this holiday.  Gideon did have school but wasn't feeling well and stayed home.  He never got sick though, just his normal cough.  His parents both had to work today so it was fortuitous that I ended up with the day off.

After dinner we moved the cars to the parking garage. That is what one does when there is a parking ban and there is no driveway at the house.  I had wanted to go to the gym after but decided I was too tired.  When I started the walk back from the garage I couldn't just go home, I had to walk by the capitol and down Main Street.  It was much busier than I expected for 10:30 on a Tuesday night.  No work tomorrow I guess.  The gold dome shone bright like gilded ice cream with marshmallow snow.  The shops downtown have decorated for the Christmas holiday and the wreaths are hanging off the street poles.  Walking home tonight is my happy for the day.

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Dungeons

During afterschool Dungeons and Dragons today I realized that the plot needed to move along.  One of the things I've learned from watching some of the YouTube videos about the game is that the Dungeon Master makes and breaks the rules, and to be creative.  When one of the characters made a dice roll that could have been a miss, I had him miss in the wrong direction and kill the monster (he was aiming for the arm) rather than miss entirely and complicate the mission.  Next week is our last week this session and I want to be in a good stopping place by the end.  We will most likely start a new session the next week, but some of the students could change.  Playing D& D is my happy for today.                                                                                                     

Another snow bank.  More snow is expected tomorrow.

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Flowers and Favors

Today I learned about Bindweed.  This climbing plant with a lovely bell shaped flower is related to the Morning Glory which is one of my favorite flowers.  Bindweed, as the name suggests, will wrap itself around a plant to climb it and is invasive.  Morning Glories supposedly are not as invasive, but they are both part of the same species.  This came about when I listed Morning Glories as one of my favorite flowers but I couldn't find conclusive evidence in a quick search of them being medieval European.  It seems they are from Asia.  Which would be fine if I had an Asian persona in the SCA, but I don't.  (A quick search brought me to this site which does an okay job of describing an SCA persona at step number three.  My disclaimer is that I didn't read the entire article and I saw at least one spelling mistake.  Not that I am the best speller... a few days ago it should have been bouillon, not bullion. 😮 )  For the purposes it would be used for, my preference would be something that someone with my persona-12 century Norman-would at least be familiar with. 

The other flower that I listed as a favorite is the Bachelor Button.  The reason for these is that I am looking for a design to use as a favor to hand out once I am Baroness.  Here is a close-up of the one I have from our current Baroness:

We have been collecting ideas from people and will choose one on Thanksgiving.  Maybe.  If the decision is too great, we will narrow the field and poll the Facebook group with the top three.  The flower is a suggestion, one among many, that folks could use to come up with an idea.  I look forward to seeing them all.  There have been eight submissions so far.

Gideon seems to be completely over whatever had gotten him sick and so far the rest of us are fine.  I took another step in getting things out of the car and brought in the knitting machine.  I looked at it, watched a YouTube video and purchased some yarn that was on sale.  I didn't get brave enough to try and set it up, that will be for another day.  Today's happy is the completion of the seven days of stretches.  After Thanksgiving I may look into another.

Just some snow in the parking lot by the fabric store.

☮💮☮

Short-just a happy

Yesterday Gideon was feeling miserable, today he was much improved.  I stayed home and watched him and did dishes and laundry and things like that.  It was a very mellow day and that makes it my happy for the day.  

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Illness

Tomorrow I was thinking of going to an event.  Instead, I will be taking care of Gideon.  He came home from school today with some kind of a stomach bug or something.  Poor kid.  If it is a bug, I hope it moves through fast, there are holidays next week that I would rather not miss, especially since I have things to do for them.  I'm okay with not going to the event this weekend.  It will give me a chance, I hope, to get other things done around the house.  Maybe get my car cleaned out the rest of the way from the storage unit trip.

Last night there was some snow so my car had to be parked in a city garage.  This gave me some steps before going to work.  The snow was pretty, the driving was not.  The city roads were slushy.  The first part of the highway I was on wasn't too bad.  The second part had two or more inches of slippery slush.  When I went onto the last highway it was cleaned off much better.  The closer I got to work, the better the roads seemed to be--and a little less snow there too.  Most of the sidewalks weren't cleaned off yet.  The pretty snow is my happy for today.  I wish I had taken more pictures! 

☮

Storage Unit

It's cold, but I had made plans with a friend who was willing to help me with the storage unit and so I went.  I got there a bit early and put a couple of things in the car that I knew I wanted and then sat in the car and warmed up.  When she got there we went through a few boxes and the were able to condense some down and bring some things home to be gone through more later.  Getting to the unit is half the battle.  If I can commit to it a little more I might actually start to see progress. 

The seasons first snow has begun to fall outside my window.  School has already committed to a 2 hour delay so maybe I will be able to sleep in a little.  Our cars are all in a city garage where we will walk to in the morning to retrieve them, or pay parking for the day, if school is canceled.  It is pretty coming down and I love the way sound changes when it snows.  First snow fall is my happy for today.  Tomorrow, it may be my enemy, today my happy. 

Red sky this morning.

Just a dusting so far. 

❄❅❆❄❅❄☮❄❅❄❆❅❄

Cold

According to my Facebook memories, last year we had our first snow of the season on this day.  It was just a little more than a dusting and if memory serves, there was no snow at work, just at home.  Work is closer to the seacoast and the temps tend to be just a little milder.  Our first snow this season is expected to start tomorrow night and last into Friday morning.  This time we are expecting 4-8 inches at home and 2-4 at work.  Also freezing rain and rain.  Driving will be miserable if it turns to freezing rain and shoveling gets tough too.  My precipitation preference is snow or rain, please,  not freezing rain or sleet or hail.  Too bad I have no control over the weather.  😂

For one of the classes today at work we had to go outside, in the cold.  Most students haven't quite started wearing their winter jackets yet.  I remember being the kid who didn't want to wear a jacket.  I still don't like to wear one in the car when I am driving.  At my old job I was in and out of grocery stores and would often not wear a jacket into work.  Now I have a locker and wear a coat and when it snows I will be wearing my boots and bring in some shoes to keep in the locker to change into.  It is like I am pampering myself to wear a coat and be able to change my shoes at work.  😜  Really though, I am just no longer a kid!

This is my third day in a row stretching and I also got in over 10,000 steps today.  It is too soon to tell, but it may be helping my mood.  Paying a bill and getting in those steps are my happy things for today.

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Ice Cream

Yesterday I started a challenge to stretch for 5 minutes once a day for the next 7 days.  This is the second day I have completed this.  I found a fairly easy 5 minute stretch routine on YouTube.  It is a small step toward living with more healthy routines.  Trying to eat well is a whole different thing for me. 

After rehearsal tonight I joined some of the group for ice cream.  It was delicious.  Sweet creamy peppermint ice cream loaded with calories and artificial colors that would turn Gideon moody or cause a friend of mine to break out in a rash.  It was yummy and my happy for today.

Thrones

The Barony is in need of new thrones.  Today K and I went to visit a friend who helped us design some.  It was a lot of fun and is today's happy.

 This is NOT the thrones we are hoping to make, but someone else's.

 This is just trying it on for size.

After much designing on paper and then computer,

a prototype was made with a laser cutter. 

Here is the little prototype.

Ignore the surrounding disarray.

This will be made out of wood and painted up all pretty.

It is kind of messy working with parts that are cut by burning.

🏰☮🏰☮🏰☮🏰☮🏰☮🏰☮🏰☮🏰☮🏰

Veteran's Day--Short

When I got up this morning I had wonderful intentions of being productive.  Shortly after breakfast I fell asleep on the couch while trying to download pictures.  Next thing I knew it was almost 4:30.  And I was still without energy.  As I head off to bed and consider my happy thing for today it was Gideon sitting by me, snuggling and playing on his iPad.  He leaned in saying that it was so nice to be so close, then lean away saying that we were so far apart.  My grandson is adorable. 

☮

My dad and his twin.

Army Veterans.

Gym

For the first time in many months I went to the gym this morning.  Maybe, if I work harder at building a routine, I will start using this membership that I have been paying for instead of not using it.  There is something about the holidays that I suddenly tend to want to get in shape and eat better.  There a some food I think that is definitely making me not feel as good as I should, and I don't think it is just my age.  😜

This afternoon Gideon and I tried to play Minecraft together but we couldn't get the program to work correctly so instead we played separate games in the same room for a short time.  The big thing today was going to a barn dance party this evening.  It was good to see people and listen to the music.  I didn't get to dance, but that is okay.  I don't know the dances as well as I would like to.  More practice is needed, but more training first.    For today the happy thing is getting out to the party to see all the people.

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Friday

Things at work were rearranged to allow for another para educator to hopefully begin next week.  Ideally this means that more of the children who need extra help will be able to receive extra help.  There was an assembly to honor Veterans's today.  After work I took a nap. 

On friday there is often a craft night in town.  I decided to walk there tonight and K brought my craft bag in the car.  For a change I actually worked on some embroidery.  I've had a napkin that I have been working on very occasionally and I pulled that out to work on.

As the rain beats down on the house I am thankful that a new roof was put on a few weeks ago.  This is my happy thing. 

Sunrise

 .

Random trees pic.

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YouTube

On the way to work today instead of listening to D& D youtube programs I went on the self-help/motivation/empowering type of shows.  This was a good choice.  One of these days maybe I will figure out how to program what shows I want to listen to and remove some mystery from the mix.

On the way home from work I got to talk with my friend in Texas.  She has been trying to find a job, no, make a career, and didn't get the position she wanted the most.  We talked and I did my best to come up with suggestions but know too little about her field of expertise.  She got herself some beautiful flowers and we shared some laughs (once the tears were done).  Friends are important.  I missed seeing one this week because I haven't been feeling the greatest.  Tonight we went to see other friends for a meeting of sorts about the upcoming years that K and I will be wearing the Baronial coronets.  It went well.  We have heads of staff, and this is my happy thing for today.

Sunrise

 

K got a bunch of Pergamenata to use for illumination.

Out with friends.

 

Ted Talks I listened to today:

Kristen Rivas

Gabrielle Bernstein

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