Thankfuls, Part 1

I was busy enough with things last weekend (including enjoying some surprise summery weather) that I didn't remember to post.  Then we had the last few days before the midterm elections, and work has been scrambling to meet some deadlines.

I did start posting Thankfuls on Facebook, thanks to a friend's reminder, and here is what I have so far:

1: A good meeting of the leadership for the Association of Corporate Counsel's Intellectual Property Network. I enjoy working with these colleagues, they are bright and energetic and we accomplish wonderful things for the IPN members.

2: Attending Robert C Fullerton's monthly concert with my grandmother. She really enjoys his music.

3: Thankful for local farms such as Clatter Ridge Farm, which delivered many yummy things for me today from their "online farmer's market", and The Farm Truck at Hein Farm, whose 2023 CSA has just opened for registration. I look forward to their farmstand being open for the holidays, so I can get some goodies as gifts, and a few treats to tide me over until they reopen in the spring.

4: Thankful that I found out in time that my local pharmacy closes on Sunday and I'll need to find another if I have a prescription. This one was conveniently within walking distance from the post office I use, so I will definitely miss the convenience.

5: Thankful to be able to celebrate with others at Congregation Beth Israel for the 18th anniversary of our Rabbi Pincus' arrival. It was good to see Rabbi Dena Shaffer, if briefly, as she joined the festivities.

6: Thankful for technology that allows me to hang out virtually with people I never would have gotten to meet in the Before Times. Today it included people from all over the world who are Franklin Habit's Patreon subscribers, for his weekly "From the Workroom", then the KnitTalk group which is mostly a dozen or so regulars. While a few of us had met one or two others in the past (including with some only-fiber-people-understand stories), and some of us have supported others through group gifts or gift swaps, we likely wouldn't have seen each other's faces.

7: Thankful for lovely weather (unusually summery for the start of November, mid-70's F) and not having early meetings so I got in a nice walk before the work week began. I remember a couple years with major blizzards at the end of October, this is really quite a contrast.

8: Whatever the outcomes (and I am sure some will be unpleasant, given allegations and comments made in the last few months), thankful to be in a country where I have a right to vote as I choose.

9: Glad to have the opportunity to join people in online theatre! I started performing with Plague Mask Players after enjoying a number of their productions. I had a small part in last night's production of Sophocles' Antigone, and ten minutes before we began was asked if I would also take another role, filling in for a performer who had an emergency. It's slightly less nerve-wracking to do it when online, but not by much! I joked about how both of my characters (Haemon and Eurydice) ended up dead - as did most of that family.

I also stepped in to take minutes for the Illinois State Bar Association's Intellectual Property Section Council meeting, because the secretary couldn't attend.  I am glad that the secretary for the Association of Corporate Counsel's Intellectual Property Network attended and took minutes for that meeting. Doing chair and secretary at the same time is quite a task, although I did it for much of last year. Later in the day we had a planning meeting for the ACC IPN so it was quite a day of non-work meetings. I very much appreciate that my job allows me to do these extracurricular activities. Maybe that should be my next Thankful?

The crazy quilt of responsibilties.

I didn't post for the last week because I did a whirlwind two days in Texas going to three plays and a local church's fall bazaar.  I would have added a fourth play but I had to go to a conference, where I was part of a panel on Sunday and then extremely busy at sessions and doing leadership-level stuff most of the week.  When I finally had downtime, there was work to do.

One of the leadership things is heading Team Turtle, which goes out every day for a walk.  I started it in response to the runners group, as not all of us can run.  Team Turtle's mascot joined us for the walks:

We passed the deli every day but didn't stop to sample, which I plan to do if I get back to Las Vegas someday.

My conference badge shows how much I do:

                            

As I said when posting it on LinkedIn, the crazy quilt at the bottom is legitimate roles and responsibilities; the black ones are just for fun.  I've been told they are just as legitimate.

The networking activity didn't go quite as I had planned, but people had fun and since we had more prizes than people I let everybody pick something.  Despite the chaos people told me they had fun, which was the important thing.  I already have an idea for next year's activity.

I had a very busy work day when I returned home, after working on the long flights and layover, then Saturday went for a final stock-up before the farmstand closes until the holidays.  I placed a delivery order with another local farm for additional items, which will arrive on Thursday.  This should keep me until I go to family for Thanksgiving week.  After I got home I pulled some chicken from the freezer, and cooked it using the instructions on a packet of seasoning I purchased during a friend's Pampered Chef party.  I substituted vegetables I have on hand (sweet potato, onion, corn) for the carrots and peas, used the drained tomato juice and a splash of wine for the liquid, and it came out very tasty.  I have enough leftovers to last until the other items are delivered.

Happily, a loaf of oatmeal raisin pumpkin spice bread I bought at the fall festival survived the travels other than being slightly squished, and thick slices have been yummy breakfasts since I returned home.

Finishing Things

While I haven't finished all my resolutions, I have made progress.  I finished another book, which means I have read thirteen so far this year - more than my blog commitment and my Goodreads commitment.  I am almost done with another, that I took with me on the trip.

As far as knitted and crocheted items, I still need to begin the cardigan and complete the second sock but have finished almost everything else listed in my resolutions.  While traveling I made a scarf for charity and started a second, and after getting home finished another that had been so close to finished I didn't want to take it with me.  In addition to the knitted one started whilst traveling and which I left in the car, I began a crocheted one and did 29" yesterday while in various online gatherings.  So far the tally of things finished this year is 47.

Genesis 1:3

I am slightly chuffed about this morning's accomplishment, imperfect though it is.

Yesterday morning, when I went for a glass of tea, the refrigerator was dark.  Cold, but dark.  A quick check of the freezer showed everything was still frozen, and I noticed a hum, so the machine was overall working.  Thus, the light in the refrigerator had burned out.

My parents made sure I could do basic repairs, including changing light bulbs.  Of course, appliances use a certain size and I didn't have one in stock.  And on Saturday I do a yoga class, then Torah Study, and I had a Stitches@Home class, so it would be afternoon before I had time to go to the store.  I decided that unless I had a reason, I could get a new lightbulb first thing on Sunday.

Plus, on Sunday there is free parking in the center, where the local hardware store resides.  Then I realized that the grocery store probably also carries the lights, and I could pick up a couple other items.  An online check, I made a shopping list, and this morning headed over at the time it would be first open to get the items I wanted.

I didn't find the package I'd identified online, so a bit of study of the options (LOTS of options, for all kinds of lights) I selected a package that I decided would work, remembering that I probably should have removed and brought with me one of the bulbs.  One had always been dark; it was the second that died on Saturday.

At home, I got to work.  Quickly I realized I needed a work light, and luckily have those handy.  A bit of study, and it turns out the light cover is held by four plastic-headed screws, one of which is a bit stripped.  I could not move them by hand, so pulled out my power screwdriver, which required removing the top shelf for it to fit.  So I washed the shelf.

Three screws removed, I could remove the light cover, and after a bit of trial one of the bulbs loosened.  This may be why only one has worked for as long as I have been here.  I replaced it with one of the new ones - and light!

It's not as bright as the old one, but I didn't think I needed a high-intensity light.  Maybe someday I'll get the other light replaced, but there's enough light for now.  Cover back on, top shelf replaced, most of the items returned (some were questionable and have been relegated to the compost bucket), and all is well again.  As I said, not perfect because only one bulb was replaced, but I see the refrigerator contents again, it's good enough for now.

Two other things I did this week.  On Wednesday, I participated in an online play, and I had a somewhat large role, of friend-of a couple of the leads.  I needed costume changes, background changes, props, and watching entrances and exits.  So of course I rehearsed, and panicked, and all the usual.  But it went off as well as could be, and was fun when I got to watch the other performers.

On Tuesday I voted.  My primary had only two items on the ballot, which still seems odd to me after years of voting a lengthy booklet in Chicago, but I wouldn't miss the opportunity.

And yes, like a good Chicagoan, I went early.

This is some of what I picked up in my CSA share on Thursday:

Not shown are cherry and regular tomatoes (I also picked up a few 'seconds' to use in sauce), eggplant, and okra.  It's a delicious summer so far.

Badged

I was going to write over the holiday last weekend, and didn't.  I rather enjoyed being able to step away from the computers for a day.  Unlike past years, I did not feel compelled to work because it was a Monday; at the previous job, where my work was so global, in the other 190+ countries the 4th of July isn't a holiday so email piled in and somebody always had an emergency.  The new job, while just as busy, is mostly USA-based so the inbox was stunningly quiet.

Of course, many of my friends didn't see that it was a holiday worth celebrating this year, and I know there is much to say and read on that topic.  I just hope that the non-conservatives don't split into multiple parties as they did in 2016 and 2020, and thus weaken the opportunity to vote non-evangelicals into office.

Then there was the shooting at the parade in Highland Park.  My mother's family has lived there, part of them have, for about four generations.  My mother remembers the crime scene from her high school years.  It was late in the day when we learned that all of our family members are safe, although some were within two blocks of the shooting and are extremely rattled.

On a very different topic, I've been forgetting to post this:

I was surprised to receive it in mid-June as I don't pay attention to badges and goals (other than 10,000 steps a day) and just walk.  I've finally been back to my morning wanders, except on Saturday when I have an early yoga class.  Most days I do at least 8,000 steps during my walk and when I can it's over 10,000 steps, usually on Sunday and holidays, or if I get a really early start.  One day I walked to the grocery store because I realized I had $3 store credit that was going to expire, and there were a couple items on sale that I would buy, and walking meant I couldn't do any spontaneous buying.  I did anyway, as unflavoured gelatin was on clearance, and I use it for making marshmallows, and it hasn't been on sale for a while.  But those are small, light boxes and easy to add with the fish and tortellini I was buying.

My CSA pickups have begun, so I didn't need to get produce.  First week I received pickling cucumbers (which I just eat), garlic scapes, zucchini and summer squash, blueberries, sweet peas (pods are very edible also, so these are just quick snacks), and several ears of corn.  The week before I'd picked up a produce box at a farmer's market I used to frequent (when I could use a nearby makerspace as an in-town office, and walk up there to get lunch and goodies), which contained zucchini, onions, parsley, blueberries, a huge bag of tri-color quinoa, and bread, and for each one purchased another was donated to a SNAP recipient.  I also purchased snap peas, green beans, radishes, raspberries, red leaf lettuce, and a huge bunch of basil from some of the farmers.  Plus pistachio biscotti, and of course lunch (which also served for the next day - their portions are large) from the café that hosts the market.

It's Stitches Expo this weekend, and I wanted to take classes but they included Friday sessions and I couldn't take yesterday from work.  So I've done the special lectures and vendor talks and last night's pajama party.  I wasn't going to shop, but then I won a gift certificate from a vendor, so.......

Status on Resolutions

It has been a while since I reported.  So far this year, I have finished eight books so I have completed that resolution.  I said on Goodreads that I would finish an even dozen (one per month) and I am ahead of schedule.  A couple have been fairly slight, and I've started some others that I decided aren't worth the time and they went into a donate box unfinished.  It feels good to be reading again.

I am one for two on each of the pairs of UFOs that I posted about, but I have finished another UFO:

This is something I think I started when I lived in Texas, which means over a decade ago.  I know I purchased the yarn there.  There are glitches in the lace pattern, but it's a tote bag, so I don't care.  When I found it I realized the strap was almost done, so I knitted a few more rows and grafted it, then did a row of single crochet on each side for stability.

I should finish something else - and I've found another UFO that needed frogging and a lacy bit - but I've started a new project.  One of the instigators on KnitTalk issued a "CHALLENGE" (as she typed it) to create something of two colours of yarn.  After some stash diving I decided to do the Falling Leaves Shawl in two shades of Periwinkle Sheep's Watercolors II:  "magic forest" and "the witches brew":

As I've knit, I determined that the instructions and the photograph do not match.  So I am freestyling the leaves a bit.  I've progressed to the third one (of ten, according to the pattern) but I don't have a further photograph.  Maybe next weekend.

First Sunday Brunch

A friend has been hosting a brunch on the first Sunday of the month for years.  I was invited to join the group a few years ago, and attended when I was in town, meaning I got there about two of three months.  One person would always cook scrambled eggs, breakfast meat (bacon or sausages or both), and potatoes (meat and vegetarian versions, with sweet peppers and onions), and the rest of us brought whatever we liked.  It could be donuts, fruit salad, vegetables, quiche, various baked sweets, orange juice and sparkling wine of some sort.

Then the pandemic hit, and there hadn't been one since March 2020 until today.  A small group of us gathered, and the weather was good so we could use all the outside spaces and move through the house in threes and fours.  It was interesting to be in a group.  I was the only one who kept a mask on almost the whole time, but I felt more comfortable that way.

I'd been thinking about taking fruit salad or just fruit, then I found a recipe for Nectarine Upside-Down Cake, and decided to make it because nectarines are available at the farmstand where I have my CSA share this year.  It came out a bit darker than the photograph, and a bit dry because I forgot the oven was on convection and I should have dropped the temperature and/or baking time.  But it was liked well enough, and there isn't much left for me to take to the bicycle shop this week.

I'd made another recipe from the same blog for the local cooking club (we don't meet in person, so it's not quite as fun as when we could taste each other's cooking) earlier this week.  Most of the ingredients came from the farmstand and this is definitely something I will make again.

Resolutions Report

Another month when I didn't do the end-of-month report, but we were busier than usual in the last few days because my uncle suddenly took a turn in the level of care he needs, and it turned out the place where he had been living couldn't provide it, so we had to find a new place and get aides to give the extra care he needed until we did and get him moved and settled.  When I say "we" I mean that my parents, who live near him, did most of it, although as his legal representative I had to sign a lot of things and tomorrow I go to a bank to get one notarized.  Conveniently, if you can call it that, the tax payments I mailed to our town mid-month seem to have gone missing so I have to go to their office (paying on line incurs over $60 in service fees) tomorrow to pay, as it's the deadline.  And stop payment on cheques.  So while I am out and have to visit the bank anyway........

I did have some time to do some knitting, and made progress on the Omega Shawl.  I am now working on the mesh border, and so far I am not a fan, but I persevere.  I'll see what I think after one full repeat of the stitch pattern is finished.  I've also made progress on the charity sweater and am about halfway up the yoke.  Since the yarn is solid black it's a challenge to keep track of the decrease rows at night, so I am alternating between the two and steadfastly not casting on something new except as I need it for dentist knitting.  I finished the hat I had, so I need a new one OTN before Tuesday when I go to get the new implant checked.  Yes, I broke a tooth and there wasn't enough to save, and this is the best option.

Where I'm not today, with a shawl

According to the itinerary, today on the Craft Cruise we would be in Dublin, "the home of Guinness Beer, numerous literary greats, and the rock band U2; a fun city that is currently enjoying the status of being one of the hottest and most livable cities in Europe."  Instead, as for the last four months, I am home.

Upside of being home in the summer is the fruit arriving at the local farmstands, and I have had to ration myself on blueberries and peaches or I would eat little else.  Ditto corn, which is so sweet and fresh you can eat it raw!  I am already planning to freeze portions for the winter.  Tomatoes are not yet in enough but when the season hits, I'll be ready.

I get my CSA share about every other week, sharing it with three other people and we take turns.  Yesterday was one of my weeks, and to my disappointment I seem to always miss the weeks with fennel.  I did get parsley, celery, zucchini, eggplant, purple basil, green beans, chard, scallion, and garlic.  My share partner got the napa cabbage instead of chard because her stove is disconnected for kitchen remodeling so she could take only things that can be eaten raw.  She did get the two bigger zucchini as I got the eggplant.  Otherwise we split fairly evenly.  We're both going to farmstands for fruit this week.

Since I planned to start the Boneyard Shawl the day I should have left on the cruise, I had time to finish a hat and scarf for charity:

Scarf folded at left is about 66" long.

Other side of the hat.

These were made from leftovers of my grandmother's holiday vest from last winter.  Lion Brand "Ferris Wheel" in Buttercup.  Just a simple 1 sc 1 dc pattern, hat made up on the fly.

I also started a scarf in the Uzume pattern, using some Noro Silk Garden that had been waiting in my stash for something to happen:

She's right - it's pretty in a shaded yarn.

Shannon Okey, the designer, had mused on Cooperative Press' Facebook page about how it would look in a shaded yarn, and offered to send yarn to a knitter interested in making one.  Since I had yarn in my stash I figured I'd just go ahead, especially as I knew I'd put it aside midmonth.  More photos when it progresses.  The pattern is fairly easy, I've had just one blip when I didn't do the correct cable row in sequence and I decided to frog.

July Mini-Resolution Update

I did start the shawl on July 11th, the day we were to have set sail from Amsterdam: 

The yarn is from Hedgehog Fibres, their merino aran in "Ferrum".  Not one of Stephen West's yarns, although I bought it in his shop.  And ..... I just wasn't feeling it.  It's lovely yarn, quite silky-soft, and the colour glows, but somehow as a shawl it wasn't thrilling me.  I kept seeing me wearing it as a vest instead, even though I don't usually wear autumn colours.

So I went back to the yarn I'd purchased in his shop last year, which included a handful of miniskeins from an Amsterdam dyer called Undercover Otter:

I remember having plans to make mittens out of these but have decided the shawl will be a better use.  Handily, if I were traveling "for reals", it is a very compact item, even though it is growing quite nicely:

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3 - Yes, I added a stripe of Colour 2.

Day 4 - Finished Colour 1.

Day 5 - On to Colour 3!  Currently 12" deep, 24" across top.

Clearly, this is Meant To Be.  Yes, if I were on the cruise I couldn't have done the switch, but if I were smart I would have begun and learned the issue before I left home.  Or made the other choice before I left.  Or purchased more yarn in his shop......

Summer came in

Riffing on "Summer is icumin in", the old song celebrating the Solstice.  I watched what I could see of the livestream from Stonehenge, but they seem to have had a typically overcast British morning and the sun didn't blaze through.

I'm about a week behind for a midmonth update.  Much has gone on in the greater world, and locally.  Right now about 60% of the states are seeing an upward climb in confirmed cases, hospitalizations, and deaths from COVID-19.  I live in one of the few with a decline, but we're not confident that will hold, especially with the state reopening and people refusing to wear masks or follow basic kindnesses about keeping distant from each other.  Also, when I walk past some of the outside dining areas, it seems the tables may be six feet from edge-to-edge, but that doesn't allow patrons to be six feet apart.

Some people say they are eager to eat at or in a restaurant to keep a local business going.  Others say they will continue doing take-out as they feel it is safer.  I've thought about picking up a pizza, but that requires preordering and being at the store when you say you will, which I think is not worth driving specially and I haven't had time when in that area to add it to my travels.

My CSA made the first delivery this week.  I split it with friends, and ended up with lots of radishes, two types, which I am eating raw or cooked.  I went to the farmstand to get yoghurt, and some of the season's first tomatoes, which I've eaten in various sandwiches with herbs on top.  I roasted chicken with Thai basil stuffed under the skin because I didn't want to fuss with breaking down the chicken for Thai Basil Chicken; while it roasted I did a stirfry of snap peas and garlic scapes, with Asian chili sauce, for a side dish.  With rice the meal was something of an upscale, deconstructed version of Thai Basil Chicken, and yummy.

Also yummy the local strawberries which are starting to arrive, and which I am eating daily.

Resolutions Update

I finished the sock:

Now I have to start the second one.

Nothing else that was OTN has been finished, but I did complete the secret project, with enough yarn for a second item.  I'm also designing the second one and it is going much more quickly (even with a measuring error that required frogging) and I should be able to put the package into the mail next weekend.  Pictures after they are received, in case the recipient follows my blog.

Pop-Up Purchases

I went to a pop-up market this evening.  Now that the show has opened and we are not rehearsing every night, I can get out occasionally.  There are free jazz concerts in Bushnell Park (with perfect weather for it tonight), and since there are two sets I could opt to hear one, then go to the market.

These are essentially temporary flea markets, and while the Hartford Denim Company has a large enough indoor space to host one, this one was outside.  And unfortunately, a number of the merchants packed up before I could circle back and shop, due to lack of light, including one who does fun ornaments that have reflective eyes, or spots, depending upon the item.  I've purchased from him at a popup market in the past and thought about getting something this time, but he was gone by the time I circled back.  I did manage to purchase a few items, and chat a bit with some of the vendors as well.

First purchases were at the Vintanthromobile.  There were many tempting items but also a crowd, so I picked items I was sure would fit and I could integrate into my wardrobe:

I was very happy to find the shawl - I have wanted one of them for some time!  Yes, even with all the shawls I make (I had one with me tonight, in case it got cool), I covet ones I cannot make!  At right is a flirty skirt, yellow is not a colour of which I am fond, but with the orange flowers and trumpet styling, it's very cute.  The bag - well, of course I bought one.  This is like a basket with straps, and came in handy as I shopped more.

While I was paying, the owner saw the shawl I'd brought with me in case of chill (and never needed) and asked me about it, and whether I make things for sale.  No, I told her; for fun and gifts and the occasional commission, but I am afraid that if I set up a business, I'd promptly not have time to make enough items.

I love woven blankets like the one on the right:

I have purchased many over the years at various mercados in Texas, and this one is so soft I could not resist!  It's light enough to be a perfect summer blanket.  The vendor seems to specialize in vintage camping items, or maybe it was just the setup tonight.  The dress on the left is a vintage Hawai'ian dress, which I could tell by not just the fabric but the styling.  A key item is the sleeve:

That particular overlapping-petal style is typically Polynesian, and not found on similar garments that are made for mainland crowds.  Although I've always thought of these as something for older women, they are VERY comfortable to wear around the house, especially when it's warm.

There were food vendors, both the prepared kind (if you wanted to arrive hungry, or got hungry in the course of the evening) and farmstand:

Yes, I am part of a CSA, but some items we haven't gotten yet - or I ate what we did get, and the next delivery is on Thursday.  From one vendor came the potatoes (red and purple), onions, and one cucumber.  The bigger cucumber (which reminds me of the ones that grew in the little plot under our one window air conditioner, and so were constantly watered by the drip, when I lived in San Antonio as a child) and the cherry tomatoes (I seem to need more than my CSA is likely to give me because the tomato tarts I made for the green room at Sunday's show were very popular, especially the vegan one - I need to make at least two of those this week!) came from another vendor.  They are also the source of the bread.  Because of the heat I wasn't baking my own, but I didn't get any at the farmer's market on Sunday.  My starter is sulking from being banished to the back of the refrigerator and slow to slough off the hibernation.  So I was happy to buy a loaf, and can report it is very nice bread.

These went into the little inside pocket of my own bag, not with the others in the basket-bag:

The unmatched fused-glass earrings are more likely to be pins for me.  I love the one with the polka dots!  OK, I love polka dots.  Since I don't have pierced ears, I need to convert them to other uses, or to clips, and I just like the idea of using the one on the left as a lapel pin.

The other is a pendant from a glassblower who had many interesting items; I almost bought a spiderweblike suncatcher to hang in one of my office windows.  But that pendant attracted my eye because the inclusions look so much like lithops, which I like.

I browsed items from a third vendor, whose items come recommended, but all the rings I liked are too big for my fingers.  Ah, well, I was running out of cash.  I did get a bumper sticker from Hartford Prints! on the way to my car, but I won't put it on until daylight.  And I need to work up a cord to go with the pendant.

So glad to have had tonight off!

A month of being thankful

There was a meme on Facebook to post something each day about which to be thankful.  My final post got a bit large and FB kept freezing, so I decided to move the whole list here.

1) Coming through safely the storm, and also my loved ones and friends losing no more than some fences and trees at most. We were very lucky.

2) That I can work as a volunteer at the Mobile Foodshare truck today instead of being a customer - and that I can help the people who do need food distributions.

3) I am thankful today for all the people who helped make breakfast and lunch a success - we fed two crowds! Five people helped cook and serve, plus to husband of one for dishing "Gypsy Soup" (that his wife made - vegan and everybody RAVED about it, we served many second portions) and helping some people carry their lunches to their seats.

4) Today I am going to be thankful that someone else is cooking breakfast - and lunch too, if I am lucky!

5) Thankful that there is just one more day of insanity before the election!

6) Thankful to be in a country where I can vote, where I will not get shot for voting, and where almost anybody of any colour, creed, gender, or economic status has the ability to vote.

7) Today I am thankful that I am working out of a home office and did not have to try to drive home in this weather.

8) I am thankful the temperature warmed and the snow melted and I could get my car out of the snow with no trouble.

9) I am thankful to be having supper with a bunch of "Chaotic Peasants" tonight.

10) Thankful to have spent an evening with good friends at an interesting and to get a blue-frosted cupcake with a Cyclops (X-Men, for the uninformed) pick at the concession stand.

11) Today I am thankful for our VETERANS.

12) Since my thankful yesterday was for our veterans, my thankful today is for those serving in our military, because they will become our veterans.

13) Thankful for our cast and crew, pulling together to solve problems and make the show run smoothly. And especially for people like Greg, who is basically rebuilding a major set piece overnight (with some help from Adam and Paul), and Barbara who is coming in to finish all the painting the set designer/builder couldn't get around to doing.

14) Thankful that we have a day off from rehearsals tomorrow.

15) Thankful it was the last CSA delivery of the year. We got some great stuff (including romanesco, which I am very happy my share partner let me take from our share, and apple jam and kimchi in the last salty/sweet share) but it’s getting pretty cold to be outside at the distribution site for 2-3 hours.

16)  Thankful that tonight is OPENING NIGHT for West Hartford CommunityTheater’s “My Fair Lady” and we can get that show on the boards!16) Thankful that tonight is OPENING NIGHT for West Hartford Community Theater's "My Fair Lady" and we can get that show on the boards!ple jam and kimchi in the last salty/sweet share) but it's getting pretty cold to be outside at the distribution site for 2-3 hours.
16) Thankful that tonight is OPENING NIGHT for West Hartford Community Theater's "My Fair Lady" and we can get that show on the boards!

 17) Thankful for the cast and crew who made today's doubleheader (matinee and evening show) not just possible but fun and terrific.   (Although I have to admit, ditching the cast party for a cast nap instead does seem like a good idea...........)  Also thankful to the director for treating the backstage crew to supper from Noodles & Co. tonight (Japanese udon with tofu for me).

18) Thankful for my Jacuzzi tub.  (Posted after strike of a show with four performances in three days.)

19) Thankful for insurance, and how much of prescriptions it covers.

20) Thankful for understanding and supportive boss, boss-of-boss, and matrix boss.

21) Thankful for my family, in so very many ways.
(Except maybe the teeth-of-chalk, wide feet, and bad eyes. And my dad's sense of humour about half the time.)  (OK, also not so fond of the fact that my nieces are both my height or taller. SHEESH!!!!)

22) Thankful that we live in a country where people can write, sing, and enjoy a song like this. And so many others.

23) Today I am thankful for my baby brother, born on this date a bunch of years ago. While there were times when we were kids that I would gladly have sold or traded him to gypsies, pixies, or anybody who would take him, since I was almost three he has been a constant in my life - companion, confidant, conspirator. He is also a great father (even if my nieces are already taller than I - he should have worked that out a BIT better, maybe not until they are fifteen or so?), a great husband (so says SIL), has his name on a patent, an MBA (gotten while a father AND traveling a lot for work – I am very impressed), published photography, and mad chef skills.  Which we are giving him a break on for his birthday with takeout from Outback and dessert from Kilwin’s or Carvel.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOB!!!

24) Thankful to have spent money locally today - local merchants, local restaurant. Couldn't do anything about the cinema but I do recommend "Lincoln" - there was hardly an empty seat and the audience reacted as if it were a play, laughing, cheering, and applauding at various points. When they did the roll call, you could hardly hear breathing!

25) Thankful for a weekend with the family (and random gekkos), full of laughter, music. food, games, swimming, and ice-cream. Also thankful that SouthwestAirlines got us all there and back with our luggage - and letting us take luggage at no additional charge so that we could do our usual Christmas-at-Thanksgiving swaps.

26) Thankful for a good Monday.  Work done (and I didn't forget my passcodes after the long weekend of food-coma!), errands run, boxes moved into livingroom in prep for sorting exercise. And speaking of exercise - new elliptical is set up and working. I just have to figure out the display stuff..........

27) Thankful that I have a warm, secure house with enough food and warm clothing. On "Giving Tuesday," what did you do to help those who don't?

28) Thankful for my bestie Judy and fellow Texan Laura, who drove me to and from surgery, today!  Also to the Brenners for keeping me overnight, just in case.

29) Thankful to be home again after a successful Surgery Part 1, hoping for a rapid adjustment. Now that I know what to expect, I'm looking forward to Part 2.

30)  Looking back on the month of thankfuls, I see that I have a really good life and a lot of things for which to be thankful – and yet so many other things that I could include:

·         Art museums and galleries, and the artists who fill them.  And the fact that you can experience them by more than just walking around, through things like Second Saturdays forFamilies and the living Clue games and other activities.

·         Theatres, and not just because I like to play in them.  Places that transport us, entertain us, enthrall us, and sometimes challenge us.

·         Cinema, because there are some things that don’t fit into theatres (and it’s cheaper).

·         Travel, because I like to do it and can afford it and get to visit some of the above and other places and experiences all over the world, from the Mariinsky Ballet to The Reclining Buddha to the Grand Canyon to almost touching the sky in New Zealand.

·         Music.

·         Public television and radio, without which I could not enjoy some of my favourite shows and without which I would not have learned a lot as a child and teen.

·         Having really good doctors and access to medical care, which has saved my life a couple of times and is now restoring my sight to a level I cannot remember having.

·         First responders, who protect and serve.  Policemen and firemen and paramedics and all the others who are there when we need them and do things that others wouldn’t dare.

·         Having a warm house and enough clothing and food and things, and being able to help those who don’t.  I know I said this earlier in the month, but I’m still thankful as I read about people who don’t.

·         That there are good people in the world who DO try to help others, and make the world safe for them and the next generation.

·         Speaking of the next generation – baby giggles.

·         Being able to experience the world with children and learn from my elders.

·         Ice cream.  And naps.  Had both today.

·         Friends, and not just the ones I have on Facebook.  People with whom I can be myself and be silly, and discuss things for hours or sit quietly and enjoy each other’s presence, do “what can possibly go wrong?” and have stories to tell on the other side, who I can rely upon even if we don’t see each other very often anymore.

·         Family.  Because according to a lot of people I have a good one – and I agree.

·         For living in a country where, whatever you may think of it and its leaders, we have a lot of freedoms and opportunities that you might not get elsewhere.  My forebears came here because of that, and I see it today, especially with all the griping that people are able to do about the government “of the people, by the people, for the people.”  I have been in places where this freedom doesn’t exist, or didn’t so recently that people still whisper.  Having the freedom to speak out, the ability to make changes, and just plain being able to vote, is a real treasure that we should cherish and respect.

·         Freedom of religion, and freedom from religion.

·         Creativity.  I may or may not have it, but I can enjoy it from others.

·        Books.  And public libraries.  The former can take you anywhere, anytime, suck you away better than time machines and magic carpets.  The latter make them accessible to all.