totchipanda

Fri, 29 May 2026 15:17:18 GMT

IUD follow up: short n sweet! I wasn't sure if it was going to be like that or if they wanted to poke and prod and I was NOT ready to be perceived. But it was just some questions, how's it going, see you in 5 years but call if anything happens.

It's been ridiculously hot, not for you southerners but for here, and of course it's pollen season. When I got home I was sweaty and I could FEEL all the pollen stuck to my face. UGH. I've been putting off an everything shower for too long, so last night I finally got in there and spent literally half an hour cleaning up so I could wear skirts and sleeveless items again without feeling gross. (There's some commentary in here about beauty standards and capitalism, I 100% do this for myself.) And then of course I had to change my sheets because I was not getting into bed with freshly shaved legs without it. I opted not to put my weighted blanket back on (see: hot) and slept under a sheet and duvet cover. Still hot but I slept OK. I know i'll miss the weight, but waking up sticky and damp is worse.

Yesterday my sticker subscription released some Canada geese stickers and I simply had to have them (they are so ridiculous) and got a 3-month planner too. It won't be here for June (lol) but I can still start it then and see how it works. I have not prepared my last page for May in the journal. Maybe having to plan it out myself is the problem? Either way, I can prepare it for June and maybe reconsider how I lay it out. Experimenting timem!

Stay-cation starts in 7 hours!! I am so excited. I have many plans and we will see how many get done. Bring on the hunkering down!

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Wed, 27 May 2026 21:51:18 GMT

Yesterday I had a therapy appointment, and we talked about vacuuming. It sounds silly, because we really did discuss it a fair amount, but it wasn't entire about vacuuming. It was about breaking cycles and what to do when you feel stuck. It started with me still pondering a new job and is it "wasted effort" if I end up moving east in a few years, and moved into house chores of which vacuuming is the number one "if I did this my place would look and be cleaner. It ended with how being stuck in the cycle guarantees nothing will happen and how do we take steps to move past that.

So I grumbled and dragged my feet, but when I got home I picked up most of the objects in the hallway and then vacuumed it and as far into the living and bedrooms as I could reach. OK FINE YES IT WORKED I do feel better about having taken that step towards a cleaner house. Ugh why does doing a thing for our stupid mental health usually WORK.

I am on a stay-cation next week, woohoo! Aside from taking M to and from the airport, I have no major plans. I want to do chores and a day of laundry, but also things that are fun! I really ought to get some sewing projects lined up so that I'm not scrambling when it comes time to stitch. There's always the cross stitch too. The 100 day project wraps up on Monday or Tuesday, and I haven't made nearly as much progress as I wanted. I should read some audio books while doing said fun things. I have review copies to read.

In a little under an hour from this posting I will be headed out for the follow up to my IUD insertion.

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Mon, 25 May 2026 14:55:34 GMT

A very relaxing weekend if I do say so myself :D

Friday I had a very delicious but wheaty bun with my lunch (it was free) and after the cheese buns all week and cupcakes and other wheaty items through the week, my tummy was BIG MAD. I ended up not having a proper dinner at all, I was so uncomfortable. Saturday I had a granola bar and a GF sandwich and nachos through the day, so that was good. Yesterday was granola bar, GF grilled cheese, and parmesan roasted potatoes. And the wheaty graham cracker crumbs on the bottom of the cheesecake I baked.

Yes, I made a cheesecake. I haven't made one in literally 20 years. I bought 2 packs of cream cheese, which was not nearly enough for a 9" pan, but I had it and I wanted to use it, so there we go. I will definitely do it again, it is very yummy! I did not use a water bath and only had a couple of cracks and browning on the edges. I was inspired by "cheesecake gate" on Threads, where someone ordered a cheesecake from a home baker that had been recommended on their newly-local neighbourhood Facebook group and it was really expensive for what they got. It went viral and it was a really fun weekend of cheesecake everything.

Sewing wise, I put the bra together as much as I could without having any elastic. I will have to get it done up fully to assess fit, but just holding it up, Lefty is busting out lol. It's a soft fabric bra, cut on the bias, so not intended for heavy use. We'll see.

Yesterday I cut out K's dress at LONG last, I bought the fabric at the end of February. I even made myself clean off the table (by tossing what was on it somewhat neatly into the pantry closet, which was useless because the cats got into a LOT of trouble trying to climb it) because the skirt pieces are so gigantic. And I am now very sad because I need to order more fabric. My scaled layout was very tight and I did not account for needing to adjust if the width was less than 44". I got everything cut out except for sleeves. The shop is local to me at least, and they only have a couple yards left. Honestly considering just getting the whole lot. I'll use a little over a yard for sleeves, and the rest would be for me.

Towards the end I was getting hangry which is when I had the granola bar (because my bread was frozen and too little was left to force apart, I would have had chunks and I really wanted a grilled cheese). Then I HAD to make the cheesecake because the dairy components had been sitting out for a couple of hours already. Finally got to rot with the cats and never went back to sewing.

Not gonna lie, part of it was because I need to change the serger thread.

Also put a couple threads into the cross stitch. I added a different colour which was more exciting than the near-black I've been working on, and hit the top right corner. Very exciting to see that right angle lol.

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Fri, 22 May 2026 19:28:22 GMT

And just like that, the week is over.

Dance went well, I spent my birfday evening watching murder documentaries and colouring in my book, and yesterday's dentist trip went well. I think it was the shortest visit I've ever had. Since I was in the 'hood, I went to visit my dad and sibling as they had a bin of fabrics for me to look through, and I had yet to see their new place. Plus I wanted to see my girls' mama and sister! Mama accepted some skritches, Sister sniffed my hand and ran away.

Then I picked up more cat food as said girls appear to be on a hunger strike (turds). Bookstore to use my coupon on a book and card, lastly $40 of gas and I went home. Am now broke so definitely not going to the ball (sob). I shall sit on my couch and sigh dramatically.

So, weekend plans. I really want to sew, which I say every week, but I mean it! I bought a cami pattern that I've been eyeing for many years, which is simple enough, and I have my mind on some fabric bits for it. I have a bra cut out that I need to stitch up bc I'm sure it's going to be too small. SOOOO many other things to decide on, cut out and sew! Come on, self, we can do this!

One thing I forgot from the other day, I expect to receive a notice about my annual inspection any day now (mid-June 2024, late-May 2025). I have been a full hermit for months and the place really needs some attention. I want to make a list (I have found a list online) and start working on it a bit at a time so that I'm not panic-cleaning for several hours. I'm even considering moving furniture so I can vacuum underneath it. So perhaps I'll get that enacted.

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Wed, 13 May 2026 15:38:34 GMT

Not really a busy week yet, but also kind of? I did not, in fact, stitch anything on Monday, curse you decision paralysis. Yesterday was dance, and I had a nap before I went. She made us do barre exercises, and my legs in the midst thereof were trembling so bad it probably measured on the Richter scale. Weirdly, today it is my arms that are stiff, not my legs.

Yesterday's afternoon trains were a little borked and this morning they are still borked. My lovely Scottish driver explained that there was a collision yesterday with a train and they can't get more out of the depot, so they are only running four trains from (two stops south of me) to downtown. At the south stop, you have to change trains to another one that's running a further 2-3 stops and then take a shuttle bus any further. What happened?? Well, a Tesla sedan decided it wanted to ignore the VERY LARGE VEHICLE next to it and run straight into it and catch fire.

Long weekend coming up. Saturday I am helping a friend move (she recently separated from her husband), we have a Broadway show on Sunday, and then Monday is all mine! It's also like 10 days until the ball (which I have not committed to) and I haven't started anything for it besides pulling some images of fashion plates so... I guess we'll see XD

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Weekend Success

Mon, 11 May 2026 14:38:52 GMT

I opted not to go to blood donation. I wasn't sure how soon after an iron transfusion one should give their blood away so I rebooked for after I see the gyn for a follow up at the end of the month. So I didn't leave, and that meant I didn't go to any stores.

Pulled out Jenny the Janome for buttonholing. She was struggling with forming stitches. I pulled the bobbin race open to reset it, and then tested the bobbin for tension. It was really really tight! I had to loosen it a full turn and a half of the screw! What the heck was I doing last? Buttonholes all done, I lost bobbin chicken on the very last one but luckily the vintage device and striped material meant I could line it up for a new pass pretty easily. Then I put on all of the buttons, and finally sewed on two pant hooks into my Lucille trousers. Woooo!! Successful day!

Yesterday I rotted, mostly. Made my week of journal pages, made a food, knit two rows while Calcifer was sleeping, played silly video games, both on my phone and on the Switch. Discovered a poor little spood in the sink who refused to be helped, a deceased one in the whizzer I was going to use for salad dressing, and a big black one in between the inner and outer doors, and swore off doing anything in the kitchen. It's their kitchen, I'm just working in it.

On Saturday night I was oozing deeper into the couch and thinking about how the thing that would fix me is a new sweater. (Narrator: this would not, in fact, fix them) I've been poking around the vintage patterns in Ravelry for ideas, so we'll see. I am DETERMINED to have more me-made makes this year, especially for winter. It is going to take me forever to knit a sweater when, even napping, Calcifer still woke up long enough to thoroughly investigate my project. Must be considered hehe.

Tonight though, I just need to make a food and my evening is mine. Definitely want to do some sort of stitchy something. We'll see.

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Fri, 08 May 2026 14:36:23 GMT

You know how it goes, you start a week so hopeful or at least with a sense of what you'd like to do during a week, and then the week is almost over and you've done none of it.

And I am writing this at work so had to do a work thing in the middle of that sentence, returned to my email to read the weekly newsletter from the account I followed regarding the goal setting I mentioned last post, and the writer said "one of the biggest challenges I face when it comes to getting stuff done are side quests" and then listed their side quests after writing that sentence. GIRL. Here I am writing about the same thing XD

On that note, I started the week hopeful lol. I took a nap on Monday, and on Tuesday (and was late for dance class by like three minutes). Both nights I still managed to get to sleep at a reasonable time. I have slept through the night, more or less, all week. I put two threads into my cross stitch on Wednesday. Yesterday I decided I was going to get serious about my journal, as it was the 7th and I hadn't set up anything for May except the monthly overview and my finance log and "Intentions" page. (Both pages are empty, too.) So I made the first 10 days last night, then made a grilled cheese sandwich on GF sourdough, added 2 threads to my cross stitch, and called it a night.

Now I am refreshed for the weekend, and my emails are calling me the fuck out lol. So, plans are:

Pick up meds
Pick up some smol food items (like cream)
Do my travel survey
Go to my blood donation appointment
Visit at least one thrift store
Maybe the fabric store
(I have reasons, i need a belt buckle and maybe buttons)
Set up the second machine for buttonholes
Stitch buttons and pant bar on the Lucilles
Have three new items to wear for spring in one fell swoop!

Also make some foods in here, make my next week of journal pages, get serious about cutting out more clothing pieces so I can have shit to wear, and put some more threads into the cross stitch. I guess I ought to do some chores too. Phew, it's looking like a busy one, but in a good way.

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Mon, 04 May 2026 14:26:07 GMT

As far as weekend plans went, I accomplished them lol. Dress is finished except for buttons and buttonholes and a belt (I need to get ambitious and set up a second machine for them). Yarny fest was really lovely. M and I had delicious coffee and caught up on stuff, and went to Walmart for a couple things before calling it a day because the weather was stupid (I always forget how windy this part of spring is) and the people were stupider.

Yarn fest! Picked up my friend and we tootled out. The venue was really well set up, taking up part of the exhibition building with a good amount of space for the vendors and attendees. My friend and I always do a lap to see what's there and talk about what we're looking for and what we're seeing, and then a second lap to start our purchases. Then we did a third, shorter lap for those "maybe...?" options, and then just as we were about to walk out the door, Friend had one more "I need to see this one last time!" All in all, we spent almost two hours, browsing and chatting and talking to some of the vendors.

She bought yarn for a couple projects she had in mind, we debated and compared colours at two or three other booths, and a big project bag for her sweater projects. I bought two skeins for projects I didn't have planned but immediately thought up ones for (one is a bright fun colourway called Cupcake Sprinkles and it will be a hat because I only have three right now; the other is called Spring Strawberry Fields and came with some pretty stitch markers, it will either be a hat or a one-skein shawl), stitch markers with "50" marked on them (that's how I count my larger projects) and a project bag that yeah, I could have made myself, but the fabric was so fun and that I didn't have. Every time I saw it sitting in the backseat afterwards I went "hee :3" so it was the right choice.

We had lunch on a patio as the weather was perfect, it was a delicious burger, and then we headed into a nearby city to check out their yarn store (so cute, and also they had a large embroidery selection) and then an indie bookstore that was opening that day. Very pretty, and a good selection of genre books.

Spent the rest of the weekend rotting. Thought about stitching, did only a little bit of knitting, and otherwise just vibed with my windows open. Lovely days.

In other "news", I signed up for a goal setting challenge which is much more low-key and realistic about how to work towards them. I started doing the accompanying workbook last week, and since I am so not practiced in thinking about this stuff, let alone doing it, it's been percolating through my brain very slowly. One of the exercises was making a chart for the next "cycle" (essentially quarterly; the current round runs until the end of June) in terms of when you already know you are not available. So I have Tuesdays blocked off because that's my dance class and I am simply not available to work on any goals. My current goals are looking to be habit building -- getting a cleaning schedule going, starting to walk more, etc. The email for week 6 (this week) said to focus on STARTING. And honestly, it's kinda working for me. I need to sit longer with this, it's been less than a week, but you know what, I did start haha. Already a win!

In that vein, I am thinking about what I am doing this week. Tuesday is booked. I have an appointment on Saturday that I may or may not attend. I... should probably get that second machine set up for buttonholes, shouldn't I. Dang it.

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Fri, 01 May 2026 14:35:51 GMT

Hockey season is over as we suffered a not quite crushing but still sound loss to Anaheim last night. I am now cheering for Montreal as the only Canadian team left. I listened to the end even though it was pretty clear by the end of the second period that we weren't going to rally without some heckin' miracle. Ah well.

I can't do two audio input sources at once, so I turned my show off to listen. I pressed and sewed the hem of my dress. Put the collar together, then took a break to watch the video tutorial. There are no written instructions that I could find but I was OK with that as the video was done by a multi-generational tailor. I have done almost no collars with a collar stand, so it was nice to see a pro do it. I then put the collar stand onto the dress as directed, then the collar and stand facing in one go. By then it was nearly 10 and I needed to do some pressing, which I had already turned the iron off.

New pack of pins required the sacrifice. Right in the center of my finger pad. Yeep.

Also collected up the bin of recycling materials, washed a pan of dishes, swept, and made and ate dinner. All in all a productive evening.

Weekend plans! Yarn show in a nearby city with my yarny friend tomorrow. M has a whole weekend off so we can hang out on Sunday. We are both broke though so it won't be anything exciting. Try and finish my dress. Maybe cut out K's dress?

Oh, there's a ball on the 23rd, I guess I should be planning my outfit?

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Wed, 29 Apr 2026 21:10:49 GMT

Hockey playoff dreams are still alive for one more game! They crushed it last night, so it's back to Anaheim for tomorrow.

I did laundry on Monday and I had enough across my account and on the card to do a load of sheets/fabric too. So that's done. While I waited, I cut some interfacing for the collar pieces, and a small strip of the "lambswool" fusible I bought in the summer (it's the stuff Gertie uses to stabilize zipper openings) for the collar band. Way too late to do the front edges. Then I made dinner while the last load was in the dryer, a veggie stir fry with chicken dumplings, and rotted for the rest of the night.

Yesterday was dance class, which was lovely as always.

Tonight I would like to take out a lot of my take-out-ables, garbage and green waste and recycling. No idea what I will make for dinner yet. Then I should like to work on my dress, and maybe the cross stitch. My friend sent me a photo of one she worked on, and said that the photos of mine inspired her to pick it back up. I can't fall behind now when I have inspired someone!

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Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:39:54 GMT

Hockey playoff dreams are on the rocks, friends. We lost last night too (to a STUPID goal) and are just one game away from being ousted. Tuesday will be the night if we fight a bit more or if its over.

Spent Saturday afternoon taping patterns together and then was feeling antsy about getting home (IDK why), plus doing all this on the floor is murder on my back. Sunday morning I cut out my dress (and did not watch the prep video where he talks about interfacing the collar and taping the front edge of the dress!) and headed out to feed my friend's cat. When I left, I had 56 km left in my tank so I was going to be hitting "--- to empty" after the next drive, so I went to Costco to fill up. Then I decided to go in to Costco (eek!) where I walked out with socks, granola bars and GF sourdough bread. Got an ice cream cone for "breakfast" and went home to watch the dress livestream. And even sew a little bit!

But then we hit "we're going to take a longer break" so I made a sandwich and made the mistake of sitting down. Calcifer lay on me and we took a long nap together. I did not get back to sewing (they were working on the collar when I fell asleep and I definitely want to watch that part; also see earlier statement about not having watched the prep work video and interfacing...) and then I had to leave before it was over to pick up M for the game.

Been feeling less enthusiasm for my cross stitch of late, and barely worked on it all week. I'm saying it's because of insomnia + health, but really it's bc I don't care. I need to get back to it though, there's still a month in the challenge. I can do hard things!

Tonight's exciting plans are laundry so maybe I will finally get that fabric washed.

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(yawn)

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:51:27 GMT

Feels like nothing exciting is going on, even though some things are. We are in hockey playoffs again, so my evenings have been game mode (we won Monday's game but lost last night's). I stitched a little bit the other night but not much. The one pattern I printed out was a soft bra, which I cut fabric for (probably in the wrong size) and have otherwise ignored. Dance class has started again and I missed the first week but went this week. Nothing like some squats to humble you when you think you've been feeling better after migraines and anesthesia. Plus I was yawning my face off. Still, it was good to dance :)

Grandboss came in Tuesday and her and my boss talked for literally an hour and a half. It's been very chill since. Loud and I were just saying this morning that we're waiting for the shoe to drop, but hopefully things are a little less volatile now. Still gonna be looking.

I've been watching a lot of planning/journaling videos on YouTube lately. I know I want to use my journal MORE, though I don't really know HOW since I'm not a planning sort of person. I have some extra stickers in my subscription that are for Hobonichi Cousin (A5) books. I used a few stickers from the January sub in my other journal but have purposely not used February or May (didn't get the sub in March/April), thinking I can move the unopened kit along if I feel like/get around to it. But then I started thinking about how I could maybe use a planner more at work? Maybe? And maybe put stickers in it because stickers are great and make everything more fun?

In that vein, I wondered if I could find some free printable planner-type sheets to see if it would work for me. I was delighted to discover that Hemlock & Oak (a Canadian brand) offered not only printables, but FULL downloads of their planner pages. Like 576 pages of a Hobonichi-type B5 planner downloads. THANK YOU H&O!!! Their books are beautiful but expensive and I was reluctant to buy one if it isn't going to work for me. I downloaded the full book and printed off the last days of April, the month layout and most weeks of May. This gives me a range of pages to try out over the next little bit to try out. Printer paper isn't nearly as nice as the kind they offer in the book, but it'll do for a test.

Weekend incoming and that means wishful dreaming! I am cat-sitting for a friend and she has lots of open laminate floor space and her cat is 10, so I absolutely plan to make use of that and cut out fabric. Sunday is a group shirtdress sew-along by Tailor Academy which will take up most of my afternoon, and then I have a watch party of the hockey game at the arena. Next couple nights will be pattern printing, fabric washing, and collecting of items to travel with me.

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Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:14:19 GMT

Looking at my last post, my weekend was very successful lol. I puttered and cleaned off my kitchen/craft table. Slapped a bunch of labels on envelopes of pattern print-outs until I ran out of tape and glue. Catalogued 99% of the patterns my aunt gave me last month (or in February? There were a few that we not in Threadloop's database). Picked up my books (they are so beautiful and also smelled amazing). Dinnered with the fam-jam. Did absolutely no housework or stitching of anything. Printed one lone pattern because the antique laptop is a pain in my ass and also I could hardly remember what all I wanted to print. Whoops.

Also did not do the heckin' grocery shop. I got lazy and didn't want to leave the house, knowing that the main road towards that store is down to one lane with no left turns but there's always someone who thinks that doesn't apply to them. Ah well. Soon, promise.

Today I must investigate shops for brake service. My sister thinks I can get away with pads only on the front but may require back rotors. I definitely do not have copious amounts of $$ to spend on this but it does need to get done. I'm due soon for another eye check up (in my insurance, this time) and I'm pretty sure I need a new prescription again, I feel like some distance reading isn't great. We shall see!

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Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:21:37 GMT

My sister is in town for her birthday (today! The big 4-0!) and last night she ended up with an extra ticket for the last regular season hockey game. I don't keep up much during the season because it just stresses me out but my coworker said that we're in the playoffs, but the outcome of last night's game would determine if we started playoffs with home ice or not. I don't really know. Game was good, we won! I have wrecked my voice though, I can't really project much lol. She said something about a family lunch tomorrow, so I am looking forward to that.

Hopefully this weekend I am not sick! Besides lunch, I have to go to FedEx and get my books, do a heckin' grocery shop, tv date with my friend to finish our show, and... not much else. I plan to open up my antique laptop to do a whole bunch of pattern printing (since the chromebook doesn't do layers) (ooh I should make a list of everything I want to print, too). I have season finales of The Pitt and Drag Race to watch. I'd also like to sleep for more than three hours at a time. And read a book, maybe.

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Hadestown on Broadway

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:55:34 GMT

I was puttering around my kitchen last night making mac and cheese with broccoli and washing dishes, listening to the recording M's friend made of the show we saw in February while thinking about writing up a love letter about it for Tumblr, and realized I hadn't written one for it here. Whoops. I was way too tired to start it last night, plus for Tumblr I want to add some photos which means loading up the antique Windows 7 machine. Yeah, it could wait til today when I have time and a nice keyboard lmao.

So, some back story. Like many musical theatre fans, I was aware of and enjoyed the short performances that had been put on by the Tonys and Good Morning America. If you are not familiar, it is a mostly-sung version of Orpheus and Eurydice with some Hades and Persephone for depth (ha) and set in an industrial Hades + unnamed town with a railway line leading there. It's very moody, kind of niche (the non-Jack fan of our group didn't enjoy it as much) and honestly took me a couple tries to get into it. When the play was developed, it actually played here in the city in 2017 before debuting on Broadway in 2019. It toured through here in late 2023 and I was really excited to see it. I don't remember a ton about it, beyond a few of the songs catching me (Wait for Me, the main "hook" song, in particular; besides being a banger, the stage direction and use of lighting is phenomenal), but I enjoyed it, listened to the soundtrack a couple times, went on with my life.

Then Jack was cast, not long after I stopped sleeping on his talent. Oh shit, we said, do we need to go to NYC? Like we've been wanting to for years?? In hindsight, there was no world in which we did not travel all the way to NYC and not see Hadestown regardless of who was in it, but this was an excellent excuse and a perfect opportunity, and we took it. I knew I would want to see it a second time, so I pre-purchased a seat before we left. Having now seen two different shows and listened to the Live in London album (abbreviated; they don't cover every song), the OG cast recording is so soulless. You don't get nearly the same amount of power and emotion in it, and even performances like the ones linked above are better. It's still GOOD, and is the only for-sure near complete recording, but missing a lot of heart.

Ready for some fangirling? Buckle up. ( And on the road to Hell there was a railroad line... )

On our last day in NYC, wandering through Times Square, M wanted to walk past the Outsiders theatre again as her first photos from Tuesday were blurry. While getting lost (again), we were talking about our favourite shows. Hers used to be Rent, but it has dropped down to 2nd place. I don't know if Hadestown would be number one... but it's up there. Phantom of the Opera was my first show all the way back in 1993 and I was insufferable about it. I'm only slightly less insufferable about Hadestown now lol. Wicked, Hamilton, Waitress... there are so many good shows. This is when I realized that there was no way we would have come all this way and NOT seen Hadestown no matter who was in it.

OH! Also, Hadestown is debuting their proshot this summer in theatres across North America! See the show without needing to travel very far. It's the OG cast but filmed in London. They better show it here, I will go every night.

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VINDICATED

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:54:31 GMT

First of all, slept all of three (3) hours last night so the likelihood of me showing up at dance tonight are greatly reduced.

Thought my appointment with my doc could have been an email, but it was actually not terrible that I did see him. A nurse took my height and weight (I have lost 1.1 kg since Friday lmao -- that's 2 and a bit pounds -- not a surprise considering I was physically incapable of eating for almost three days), He came in after to talk about "so you saw the gyn and have an IUD now?" and I said yes, and he wanted to talk about my blood results some more. ( more medical stuff ) Anyway, hopeful that this will improve. He then said "go to the pharmacy for some iron supplements" and I said "actually they made me sit and wait for FIVE HOURS for an infusion". Ok great! We'll check back in about three months and see where we're at.

Not many brains last night, but I put four needles worth of thread into the cross stitch. It's nice to know that with the periods managed and the iron boosting my blood, I should start feeling more like a human again. The track of more energy = more sewing time was not lost on me. You mean I'll have the wherewithal to care about doing something AND actually do it will happen?? WOW will medical wonders never cease!

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I live!

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:08:24 GMT

Short version: it went well, I am now the proud owner of an IUD and 500 mg of iron.

( Long version, including some TMI )

Saturday I was absolutely flattened by a migraine. I was roasting then I was freezing, then roasting while freezing, nauseous, throbbing pain, could barely open my eyes longer than it took to get to the bathroom and back and closed them in between.

Yesterday I woke up with some lingering pain, but I felt a whole lot better and managed to spend the day upright on the couch. I knitted a bit and finished up my April journal pages, and a lot more silly games while the cats napped on me.

My GP booked an in-person meeting with me today, probably to talk about my low iron levels lmao. This should be fun. Whatever, I get to leave early! Also, our annual safety manual project is done so it's back to resume-reviewing and cover-letter writing so I can get outta here permanently. And maybe some fic-writing.

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Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:37:08 GMT

Last update before surgery:
I am the first person of the day, and I need to be there at 5:30 AM. Transit is not running that early so I am now having to figure out a way to get there. I got clarification on the fasting instructions. I will pack my go-bag tonight with IUD, knitting, a book, slippers, something warm to wear. Prep anything else I need prepped before going to bed. I've been waking up at 3 am all week, but watch, tonight I will sleep through the night and it will be a struggle to get up. Ah well. Upside is, I'll be home before noon!

Holy forking shirtballs, this is happening. OK, everyone calm down, play it cool. Deep breaths. I got this.

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best laid plans...

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 14:33:11 GMT

Weekend was just a wash ahahaha. Made it across the city in rush hour traffic (which was not so rush hour, I'm sure a lot of people skipped early), was even earlier than the time suggested, sat in the parking lot waiting to hear from my dad or sibling that they had arrived, sibling finally messages me to say that dad had accepted some overtime, dad finally messages me at 545 to say that he was stuck at work, ok then let's reschedule. I was mostly annoyed that he didn't say anything BEFORE I drove all the way across the city. Fine, I went to Walmart and got some chicken nuggies and easter candy before heading home.

Friday was lovely, coffee and stitching, watching crime documentaries. Took a long nap in the afternoon. But then... dun dun dun, started feeling unwell. Body aches, absolutely freezing etc. After an hour or so of that, I was suddenly ROASTING. Took my temp and my fever topped out at 101 F before dropping back to normal not long after. I had a headache all weekend and spent a lot of it sleeping. I was averaging 5 hours of awake time with 3-4 hour naps in between. Cancelled on Easter dinner because I couldn't bear the thought of stepping outside into sunshine and being upright and sociable for that amount of time. (Ended up napping through the majority of that time anyway.)

Yesterday it was messing with my eyes and it was hard to look at screens, even the glow from the TV to listen to a show was too hard. WTF. Finally concluded it was a migraine and I was so glad I had the blackout curtains up because the sun shining in around them on Saturday was a heckin' lot, I can't imagine how bright it would have been without them.

Nothing got done. I put a few threads into the cross stitch on Friday. Knitted a few rows on socks on Saturday and Sunday. Total waste of three glorious days off but at least I don't have to listen to my boss whining about me taking time off sick.

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Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:58:15 GMT

LONG WEEKEND TIME AND THANK FUCK because I was over this week before noon on Monday.

Tonight: dinner with dad
Saturday: dinner at aunt's house
Rest of the weekend: MINE MINE MINE

Plan is a whole lot of stitching! I've started working on sky in the cross stitch, which is almost done on this corner. Foliage is up next, then I'll work on the lady and her parasol. Dinner at aunt's house is the perfect time for knitting without little helpers. I'd also like to do some sewing. The trousers LITERALLY only need a hook and bar. I have so many other things I want to sew! I even have fabric washed! It's just doing the dang thing, pinning and cutting and all that. I CAN DO THIS. I am getting so bored of my winter wardrobe, it's really time get 'er done!

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Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:50:46 GMT

Talked to doc about the cyst, and it is just a cyst lol. 1.7 cm though, which is just over 5/8"! Like a whole modern seam allowance!

Blood drawn on Saturday morning, where I first went to the imaging clinic instead of the blood draw clinic, which was closed. Oops. At least it was heckin' early. I was home by 8am.

On Friday M and I went to Costco just to have poutine and catch up. We went to the north-ish west-ish one, which was SO CLOSE to a fun store that has candy and drinks from all over the world that we popped in to see if they had any Reese's Take 5 in stock. They did not, but I felt bad walking in and also they had Pusheen-themed mystery candy tins, which I both love Pusheen and mystery items, so I got one. I now have a small round tin with Pusheen and Bo the Budgie on the lid and enjoyed the vaguely black cherry flavoured candies inside. Win! The guy was super nice and gave us some Squid Games cookies lol.

Saturday, post blood draw, I sewed up the rest of my Lucille trousers, including hand stitchings. I just need to press the cuffs and tack them into place and put on a hook and bar and they are DONE DONE DONE. Put in some thread to the cross stitch before discovering it was the wrong colour and needing to take it out (oops).

Sunday was the dance show, so I spent my morning preparing, then time at the show, and then dancing in the show. After the show I went to the store for a couple essentials and went home. Pretty chill weekend over all, but I felt like I needed one more day.

So now I have a couple weeks before classes start again. Time to get on my spring wardrobe bullshit which -- surprise!! -- is also my autumn wardrobe bullshit hehehe. And work on K's dress. It's still snowing here but proper spring will be around any time now!

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Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:51:54 GMT

Lefty has been resquished and they did a proper ultrasound with the little wand. It appears to be a cyst. The tech was lovely, and said that she had seen the records and could clearly see that the ABUS ultrasound (with a plate) noted a cyst exactly where the abnormality was located on the mammo, but whatever, docs wanted rescans, we are doing rescans. It looked HA YUGE on the screen, but it is likely very small.

It started snowing last night and was and is still snowing now. I left for my 8:45 appointment just before 8 and arrived at 8:40. But then my u/s was scheduled for 9:30 and she was done with me by 9:22. So, small wins. I got home just before 10, the drive home MUCH easier than there lol.

At home I finished attaching the fly to the pants, then sewed up all the legs, pressed seams and pinned up the hems. Just hemming and a waistband left. And then I made a food and took myself in to work! Tonight I plan to make chili for dinner, maybe even cornbread.

I dibs'd out of dance class night because of the snow. I will practice practice practice, I promise!

IUD has been picked up, now I need to book my other tests for the week before my surgery. I also got my last tax form so I can do that soon, probably tonight. I'm not expecting much, but as long as I don't need to pay, I'm fine with it.

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BLESSED SPRING!

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:06:52 GMT

I don't know what to tell you, I woke up Saturday morning feeling BETTER! First I woke up at 4 am, back to sleep around 6:30 and slept until 10-something. I felt great! I didn't need to immediately drain my sinuses! I had some energy! Sure it was snowing, but it's also spring time OFFICIALLY!

Y'all... I wanted to sew. So I did! I have sewn pockets into pants fronts, stitched back darts, and then had to pause because I didn't have a zipper of an appropriate length or colour. Cross stitched for like 3 hours? Four? I have no idea anymore.

Yesterday I met the internet strangers (aka the local journalling sticker group) for coffee and sticker fun, where I had the best dang coffee I've ever had in my entire life and a really great croissant. On my way home, I stopped to pick up a zipper and some other small things. Then I put the zipper in, though I still need to top stitch it in place and add a fly shield. Only a couple threads into the cross stitch, but I considered it a highly successful day.

Tonight I have the make-up class for dance that we missed thanks to snow in February, and again on Tuesday for our regular class. Recital is on Sunday.

I need to call the gyn's office as the online pharmacy rejected the prescription, so I took it to my regular place on my way home, and it is over a year old, so, expired. They couldn't take it. No worries, I knew that was a potential problem, I will get it solved.

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Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:49:51 GMT

I got nothin' this AM. I was full-ass awake until 330 AM. I tried to sleep just after midnight, lasted 10 minutes before realizing that I was really heckin' restless and just gave up. I'll sleep when I sleep. Which was 330. I managed to drag myself to consciousness at 6:50. Heckin' tired, yo.

Hoppin' mad all day yesterday. I put one thread into the cross stitch and otherwise just let myself rot.

Thank fuck it's nearly the weekend. I have Things To Do (tm) but I can't wait to turn into a mushroom and only interact with people BY CHOICE.

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Mon, 16 Mar 2026 14:11:54 GMT

Ended up booking the blood draw later on Friday, as first the clinic called to schedule another set of scans, and then my doctor's office to book a phone appointment. I was offered Monday, Wednesday... chose today just to get it over with. Sometimes technology is wonderful, my scans were already posted to my health account online, so I was able to review the report. (mumbles soemthing about how a gov't that is actively gutting health care and is basically Mini America shouldn't have access to this stuff, but public health care is great when it works, mumble mumble) Mysterious Object in Lefty Wot Can't Be Identified Immediately, scans to be booked at patient's convenience. So it's not an OMG GET BACK HERE NOW. I'm not surprised, as I always have to do the squish and an ultrasound bc my tissue is dense. If I understand the wording correct (which is of course in medical-ese) I didn't feel a darn thing lol. But the spot in Righty which is tender is there and unchanged.

Woke up Saturday with a HECKIN' sore throat, I was fine breathing but swallowing felt like eating glass. Did a couple threads of cross stitch but mostly laid around moping, playing silly games and napping. Sunday was Mucous City but being upright did calm a lot of it down, and I wasn't swallowing glass anymore. More stitching, more napping, more paying someone to bring me soup bc ahahaha no way was I gonna be able to stand up long enough to make it myself. I HAVE to sort out cat food today though, they are out of dry and will eat my eyeballs if I come home without it. The rest, we'll see.

In good news, i found the prescription for my IUD! Now I can get that ordered so I am ready for April 10th.

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