Here’s the loot: three skeins of sock yarn from @dyemadyarns.bsky.social (including the show special colorway), a double stranded sock blank from Grilliant Creatives, and two hanks of Polwarth fiber from Oink Pigments that will either be a combo ply or two-color brioche.

I’m winding my way up through the country to meet a friend for lunch in a western exurb of Indy. I missed the same turn in Bargersville that I missed last time I was here. But at least the major construction that had some roads closed and others backed up for miles seems to be finished.

Dawdling at the coffee shop didn’t make me late, but it did keep me from being early, so I didn’t get to park in the shade. It’s too bad, because after making the rounds through all three buildings, I really would have liked a nap. It was 93F in the car with the windows down, though.

The regional coffee chain where I've gotten my latte on the way to the fairgrounds in the past now has a location in my town. So I tried a new café. No drive through, but nice vibe. Wish their outdoor seating was covered though.

Hotel is undergoing a major renovation, which was disclosed by the reservation system. Ordinarily that would have made me book elsewhere, but this time I didn't think it would impact me. I walked out the door just as the workmen were setting up. And the price was $40 less than I'd expect.

Ooooh! First Asian grocery has fresh lime leaves. I hadn’t been able to find them anywhere on the north side. I didn’t buy any today because I still have some in the freezer (I had to mail order them and pay overnight shipping), but now I have a semi local source.

Spending the night on the south side of Indy tonight so I can be at the Hoosier Hills Fiber Festival when it opens tomorrow. I /could/ drive to the festival directly from home, but experience has shown that I won’t. It’s also an excuse to have a night to myself with nobody asking anything of me.

A gem from the pre-visit online form. I wasn’t able to add any of my actual family history (a search for breast cancer came up empty!). Note that three out of the four suggested conditions have to do with weight, even though this was a non weight related appointment.

Now I am going to wind a ball of yarn and pet a kitty. I tried touching grass yesterday, but that resulted in a couple of large itchy bug bites.

"Where's the STRAIGHT pride parade?" It's at Tractor Supply. Shut the fuck up.

Luckily, in spite of being already distracted and cross, I looked behind me before backing out of the garage this morning. Otherwise I might be dead. Somebody* left the gas grill out last night, directly behind my car. *not me

I have to see a new health care provider this morning and I estimate a 99% chance of drama. I've never been there before and the practice has already pissed me off in three specific ways during pre-visit communications. Plus it's a practice specializing in pain management and weight loss, neither

I have cast on 420 stitches in fingering weight yarn for a 60 inch cowl and joined to work in the round. I really, really hope it isn't twisted.

Spouse's employer FINALLY posted the SBC (Summary of Benefits and Coverage) for their terrible new health plan yesterday, the last business day of Open Enrollment. They were legally required to provide it by the FIRST day of Open Enrollment, but laws don't seem to matter any more.

I'm delighted that I've finally spotted a Great Crested Flycatcher. Nice of him to land on a low branch of the redbud tree right next to the screened porch and queep for me. Meanwhile, an Eastern Wood-Pewee is calling from the west side woods.

Yesterday there was a song sparrow perched on the railing of my elevated garden bed in the rain. Every couple of seconds, he would fluff out all his feathers and shake the water out like a dog.

Looks like we have nesting Eastern bluebirds. I don't know exactly where the nest is, but there's a pair we've been seeing nearly every day for a couple of weeks, and there are plenty of abandoned woodpecker cavities near the wood's edge.

I was already out of today's fucks by 9 a.m. I borrowed against future fucks in order to keep an 11 a.m. appointment. I ain't cooking dinner

I got snowed by the Big Lie (cat edition) this morning. She insisted, loudly, that she had not been fed EV.ER, when in fact, she had just eaten her (first) breakfast really fast.

I can attest that a fair amount of downstate Illinois hates Chicago.

A year ago, I had to take Gus to the emergency vet in Indianapolis on Race Day, so today is not as bad as that.

My husband gets mad at me when I criticize NPR but COME ON

Repost with the Russian agent who spies on your posts

We made pork butt in the pressure cooker again. This time it was with New Mexico chilies, tomatoes, and lager. I have shredded and refrigerated the meat and am now babysitting the reduction of the sauce for all eternity.

Him: Would you choose the bear? Me: I AM THE BEAR

The great crested flycatchers have started their Queep! calling for the year.

Here's the knitted shrug I'm going to rip out. I'm having some difficulty finding another construction that will play nice with the striping of the handspun yarn.

Somehow I managed to order two jars of Penzey's Seasoned Salt instead of two jars of Sweet Paprika. Totally my fault, not theirs, but I need to rehome the second jar; I don't think I'll use two jars' worth before it loses flavor. Also, I still need paprika. Sigh.

I'm "specimen rejected"

If you've ever thought "Hey! That's not legal! I have rights! I can sue!" be warned, you may not be able to find a lawyer to represent you, no matter how solid your case may be. Nobody has any rights in this country except companies and extremely wealthy persons.

Yesterday I found myself trying to comfort a distressed government employee. The civil servant had been diligently trying to help me, but their supervisor told them hey, cut that out, stop doing your job. So that's where America has come to.

You know what, I just don't want to bind off in pattern, I'm gonna bind off in all knit stitches and you can't stop me

I am somehow neither good enough nor evil enough for this timeline.

The screaming inside me that is trying to get out is drowning out all other thoughts. @infinitescream.bsky.social

Ugh this health insurance drama is making me grind my teeth.

I was knitting along, thinking to myself, "Oh, I need to do QuickTask, I'll do it as soon as I get to the end of this row," and some time went by and I still hadn't reached the end of the row... and then remembered I was knitting 🧶 in the round.

Quote with a fictional band that isn't Spinal Tap: The best ever death metal band out of Denton/ Never settled on a name/

Forget sharing the last picture you saved, I want to see the very first picture on your phone. Scroll back until your fingers bleed.

I got the basil plants in the ground (sweet, Thai, and holy varieties) and hauled the sturdy potted rosemary out from its winter abode. Still need to repot the mint and oregano seedlings in a larger pot; last year I learned that they don't love as much sun as the basils.

I have to make a phone call at exactly 4:30. Waiting mode engaged.

I also acquired a dozen seedling pots of herbs and prepped the raised bed. Hopefully I'll be able to plant tomorrow.

I have acquired a 3-cup bottle of fish sauce as well as several cans of the good quality coconut milk and a bunch of Thai basil. Turns out the local Asian grocery has a lot of the items I've discovered I like to keep on hand, although one does have to check expiration dates.

Ugh. I am not coping well with the idea of new "health insurance" that does not provide any meaningful protection against financial catastrophe. WHAT EVEN IS THE POINT?

Today is my last migraine preventative treatment on the current insurance. Hope I can talk her into an OV before insurance changes. I printed out a couple of EOBs to give the doc to show just how much the upcoding is costing me now and how much worse it would be on the new insurance.

Fusion dinner. Pressure-cooked Vietnamese coconut lemongrass pulled pork in fresh homemade bao, with a peanut sauce made from the reduced cooking liquid. I didn't get the carrot and daikon pickled on time, so I made a tomato and cucumber salad with fresh lime juice and mint.

Got another migraine and had to put down the iPad. Since I had just had my morning meds and caffeine, I couldn't beat to just lie down and do nothing. Ended up sitting on the shower floor scraping soap scum off the tiles with a plastic scraper.

I have allowed my household to run out of fish sauce. I hang my head in shame. (I expected to go on a shopping trip in the City by now, and Red Boat is way more economical in the larger bottles at the Thai grocery, so I only bought one of the little 3.38 oz bottles that are available locally.)

Thai beef noodle salad. There was no Napa cabbage at two grocery stores, so we substituted half romaine and half green leafy parts of bok choy. Four red Thai chilies went into the dressing. So much chopping. Tired now.

I have a migraine but I also have a free pound of jelly bellies, my feelings are very confused

Noise gate for incoming emails