Friday Random-ness

Hello there! I hope your week has been a good one. I've had an OK week, but nothing to get excited about. I think I'm coming down with a cold, and though I'm not seriously depressed at the moment, I haven't felt all that great emotionally so it's just been a week of kind of blah-ness. It happens.

So I don't have anything really to show you knitting-wise, though I have been knitting away on some projects - just no photos taken. And I haven't been in the mood to really go anywhere or do anything much, so I have no riveting tales of any adventures. But I didn't want to abandon you for a whole week, so here is some random-ness for today.

Do you ever get a specific taste for something, and you know you won't be happy until you can make it? That was me this week with potatoes au gratin. For some reason I got them on the brain, and then made them for dinner a couple of nights ago. They turned out perfectly, and frankly it was a nice treat, since we usually only have them (or scalloped potatoes) on big occasions.

I think I've mentioned this before, but I get really annoyed by people who have podcasts, or blogs, newsletters, whatever and then move some/all content to Patreon. I realize that it doesn't actually make a big difference in my life, because I don't "subscribe" or whatever, but it's annoying. You'll be reading along or watching, and suddenly they'll tell you that if you want to know about [fill in the blank], you should sign up for Patreon because that's where it is. Part of me thinks that they should just go ahead and do everything there, instead of talking about it all of the time. But it mostly annoys me because I'm not willing to have a million "subscriptions" that are for small amounts to track or care about. Anyway, my opinion and that's over for now.

The kitties are pleased that it's gotten cooler - it means that they have more places to seek heat and relax. The other day I caught Pip and Esme lounging happily on the bed in the spare bedroom. 

Esme is still pretty shy and skittish, though she is making progress, and she and Pip get along just fine (though Pip gets along with everyone and everything). I'm pretty sure they spent most of the day there. 

Alfie, on the other hand, was simply exhausted yesterday, since it was laundry day.

I can certainly understand how it can be tiring, though I do wonder how tiring it is to simply be on the bed next to or actually sitting on the dry clothes after they have been folded. But I'm sure it's a cat thing, and I wouldn't understand ... 😉

Our next door neighbors are having major renovations done on the outside of their house, and it's been really annoying. The workers are not very good at cleaning up after themselves, and they also keep blocking the door to our house so that you can't easily go in or out. They are also using our roof to store things, even though we have asked them not to do that. Ugh. Supposedly it will all be finished by mid-November, so I hope that is actually going to be the case. I won't miss the noise and the mess.

Are any of you doing the Stephen West KAL? I wasn't even aware one was happening until a guy came into the yarn store to buy some yarn for it, and told us about the controversy surrounding the first clue. That surprised me, since Stephen West never struck me as controversial, other than people thinking he uses too many bright colors. But this guy said that the first clue upset a lot of people because the design looked like a swastika. Apparently then Stephen West took that clue down and designed another one, because of the outcry. Then I was watching the Salt City Knits podcast, and Emily mentioned the whole issue. She said she had not been offended by the design, and had already completed it by the time he created a new one. She didn't want to re-knit it, so she was just continuing with what she had. She then showed it:

and I have to say, it doesn't look like a swastika to me either. But I also give Stephen West credit for taking the time to re-do the whole first clue, and addressing it right away. I really think that probably keeps it/kept it from becoming the next BIG THING in the knitting world. I feel like there have been enough BIG THINGS in the knitting world and the overall world lately, so one of them being lessened works for me.

Tomorrow we are going to see a production of "Assassins" by Stephen Sondheim at a local theater. We haven't been to see a play for a while, so I'm looking forward to it. We are big Sondheim fans, so when we saw it was being produced here, we decided it was worth it to treat ourselves.

Unless I am excused, I have to report for jury duty on Monday, and I have to tell you - it gives me such major anxiety when I have to go. I mean the kind where you lose sleep, feel nauseated, etc. I'm actually hoping that I live to be 75 years old, because then you are excused from jury duty, at least in Pennsylvania. (From the files of Stupid But True In The Life of Bridget.)

I also hope I won't get picked for a jury because next Thursday I have an appointment with the cardiologist, and I've been waiting a year and a half for it, so I hope I won't have to reschedule. Every time it would be getting near the time of my appt, the office would call and say they had to reschedule, so I really want it to happen without further delay!

Next weekend is our wedding anniversary, and I just remembered the other day that I already have a gift for The Tim - I knit him those Mistake Rib Socks in the tweedy yarn, so they are ready to go! That was a good realization, let me tell you! I may get something else like a bottle of the scotch he likes to give him with it, but that will be easy enough to acquire. YAY!

And that my friends, is all of my random blathering for today. I hope you have a good weekend, and if you are one of the knitters heading to Rhinebeck, I hope your travels are uneventful and that you have a good time. For the rest of us, enjoy and take care.