totchipanda

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.

Do you like ghost stories? Queer stories? Queer ghost stories? Please watch Dead Boy Detectives on Netflix. It just came out and I freakin' LOVE IT. As I have mentioned in the past, I am not at all familiar with the source material (being side characters for one Sandman issue that then generated a fair bit of their own stories, when I am only vaguely familiar with Sandman to start with), but it looked interesting even though I was still mad about the cancellation of both Shadow and Bone and Lockwood & Co. It came out last Thursday, and on Wednesday there was a premiere with a cast panel and the first episode. I loved it right away but I did not have a chance to watch it until after I got home on Sunday, when I binged 5 eps that night and the final 3 on Monday morning. And now I'm watching it again.

Y'all, it's so good. George Rexstrew is *perfect* as a horribly repressed gay boy in Edwardian England who was sent to Hell bc of a clerical error, coming to terms with the fact that he is in love with his best friend Charles (Jayden Revri, who is also perfect as an 80s alt kid). Charles is pretty unphased by this development and they go about solving ghost crimes. There's a Cat King who I am OBSESSED WITH. The antagonist is fabulous. They meet a girl who can't remember her past because she was possessed by a demon and shenanigans ensue. The girl lives above a butcher shop, which is owned by a goth lesbian, and the girl across the hall is just the cutest girl in love with love. None of the queer stories are treated with disdain and they are all up front with no hiding. It's just wonderful!

(Someone did ask if this show was going to be queer, with the implication that they didn't want it to be, and Neil replied with something like "it's a queer show. it always was and it was always going to be and we didn't dumb it down." And quite frankly I didn't expect the show to be so up front about it. But it was, and I loved it. Edwin's sexuality was a core element of the storyline, but it wasn't the focus.)

On Friday I got home DETERMINED to do some sewing. I wanted to make another project bag, particularly for the shawl I've just started. The one that I wound yarn for the other day. During lunch I got it up to the point where I would start the decorative elements and it has been living with my sock knitting, so it was time for it to have its own bag.

The absolute irony that I was in the midst of sewing the bag when I thought, I need to get a drink, turned from the machine and found the sock bag on the floor, clearly devoid of the shawl project. "Oh no," said I, picked up my water bottle and went in search of the kittens. Where I found my project in the middle of the hall, partially de-needled, its string leading to the remains of the ball and then the giant pile of spaghetti tucked up against the chair just inside my bedroom door. Quickly scooped it all up and shoved it into a space away from their prying claws (I want to say it was back into the sock bag but I honestly can't remember now). Got my water, finished my new bag, put the mess that was to be a shawl into it, and hid it under a blanket.

Fortuitously, I had another aunt's birthday party the next day where she has dogs but no cats, perfect for trying to untangle the yarn. I arrived at 2:15, and at 4:45 (with a break around 3 for lunch) I finally got the last knot out. I was hand winding it into a ball because there was no WAY I'd be able to use the winder with how much "and now the ball has to go through here..." was going to be going on. I'm going to rewind it soon. Currently I'd like to get the socks pushed through, and also perhaps the other shawl project I couldn't finish due to lack of yardage, which is currently on the needles I want to use. So there's that.

Saturday morning I started pulling apart my stays so I could fell seams down. And overhand all of the places where I cut the tabs to the basting line. Don't do that! It took most of the weekend to get 8 out of 10 panels done, with more bag sewing in between. My zippers arrived so I excitedly finished off the wristlet I'd made the week before, sans zipper, and then a pyramid bag for socks yesterday once the kittens let me up from the couch (they were so cute and sleepy, to make up for the absolute terror they reigned on my knitting).

I am headed south this weekend for an expo, and y'all I am STRESSED about it. I have a fistful of dollahs to my name for the next two weeks and this trip is going to eat up all of them, and more. Why not cancel, you ask? I'm so glad you did.

A: my tickets are nonrefundable (unless the guest cancels, which is still a possibility). That's $176 I'd be out of pocket regardless.
B: I am the driver. I don't want to force M to find alternate arrangements, plus eat the cost of the hotel.
C: Her friend is coming up from Colorado for this. I don't want to force HER to find alternate arrangements too.

M offered to help with some gas costs and I plan to ask my friend who is vending if I can borrow some $$ to keep myself fed. I knew this was going to be tight, budget wise, once I agreed to getting the dental work done and after paying my taxes, but I didn't really have an idea of HOW tight. It hurts. I'll get through it, but ouch.

In seeing all of the wrap-up posts on Instagram, I realized I did not have NEARLY the creative year I wanted to have, and also realized that that's ok. I spent a lot more time protecting my time and energy which was so needed with all of the uncertainty from February to September. One of my local peeps wrote out a list of everything she'd made in the year, and that inspired me to do the same. I made 26 things between knitting and sewing, only four of which was costume-related. I am proudest of the fitting I did on a dress that still needs buttons, and of the bras which solved another fit issue I was experiencing. My most worn make is the Orchidee dress out of floral poly and rayon, it's so floaty and doesn't cling and I love it!

Today marks an anual challenge hosted by one of my author follows, which is "Begin as you mean to go on", spend 15 minutes doing something you want to do more of in the coming year. Last year I chose spinning which went precisely nowhere, but this year I am choosing reading. There's about 8 other things i also want to spend 15 minutes on with intentions of building habits, but one thing at a time lol.

More challenges I've tasked myself with: self striping socks to be finished before the end of February, and 12 pairs of socks in a year, 1 per month. This was always something I could have taken on, people are always posting about this, but I found a yarn dyer hosting one and decided that this is the year. I have SO MUCH SOCK YARN, it's time to start using it and having the cosiest feet ever. I have exactly two sets of self-striping, both of which have already been made into socks, so I think im going to sit on those for a bit. I need to get another 40" sock needle because I foolishly left the WIP unattended on the couch, and Calcifer chewed on the cable. Thankflly I also have a 32" one that is fine for legs and feet, but tighter than I'd like, and is supremely not useful for turning heels.

Also want to finish up some WIPs. I wrote all of them down on little pieces of paper and I will find a pretty jar to put them in and take one out whenever I feel like I want to work on one/have nothing else to do. (actually that's another great item for the 15 mins/day) It's just time to get them out of my life and off my mind. One of my ravelry groups used to host a challenge for this, work on WIP a week and don't work on anything else, but at the end of that week put it down and pick up the next one. I like that too.

If you follow me on Instagram, I posted my newest sewing machine acquisition, an 1891 Singer fiddle bed vibrating shuttle no. 2! I had seen it on Facebook marketplace at least a day before, and when it popped up again, I told myself at least reach out, it may not be available! But the seller responded right away, said can you come tonight? So we made a plan and off I went, and it came home! I paid $80 for it and its table, which has seen slightly better days, the coffin case is missing but the shuttle was still inside, WITH a bobbin. The guy told me that he has a vintage rental company and the machine was just never in demand, and I thought that had carried over to its sale because I saw it at least 24 hours apart. I never see them locally, and what ones I have seen have been listed for sale at at least $150. These are one of those machines that is OBVIOUSLY an antique, the fiddle bed is just not common compared to all the 27s and 201s. I am very pleased with my acquisition and i promise there is not many more that I want! (priority given to a Featherweight for less than $100 and mid-century green machines, and bra sewing with the modern machine makes me want to have a vintage zigzag-capable one.)

I hope everyone had the new year's celebrations the enjoyed the most, and that the coming year brings comfort and joy. And go write your elected officials for a ceasefire.

Weather continues to be a rollercoaster, with highs of Too Much, smoke blowing in from the west (one of the towns evacuated in early May was evacuated again...) and a couple of promising thunderstorms (that ended up being nothing but rain and some very rude wind).

Saturday I sat outside a yarn store with a friend and we knitted for Knit In Public Day. People were inside knitting, but it was really a lovely day despite the high smoke and wind. After I got home, I was going to work on some sewing, but once I finally decided that I was going to make mockup #2 of the Lora dress and make it in a nicer fabric, I pulled that fabric out, realized it had never been washed, and it definitely needed to be after first coming from my aunt's estate (age unknown) and then surviving my asbestos-laden flood. I then realized I definitely had A Colour I Buy A Lot because there were three other lengths of various fabrics in the same colour family so they all got washed. That was nice at least.

Audiobook got put on while I waited for the washer to finish, and I sewed that tank top from the other day.

Sunday I fitted the bodice with a bra on, and tried it with both my regular one and a bralette that I like. In the end, I liked the fit of the non-adjusted bodice better, with a lowering of the armscye and taking in the sides a lot. Over lunch, I noodled on how best to adjust some of the fit, because I kept struggling with it? And then I had an epiphany. I kept trying to account for fit at the side seams because EVERY GUIDE EVER says that's the preferred way to do it, but that's not where my issue is. My issue is FRONT AND FORWARD. So I made some slices and added both width and length to the front piece, which resulted in a bigger dart but you know what, it f'n WORKED. My fabric is no longer escaping towards the side seams where it thinks it belongs.

Yesterday I sewed it all up and tried it on and I am so happy with the fit. I also pressed a few hems that had been waiting, and today I am wearing my BRAND NEW ME-MADE TANK TOP and I actually love it! I was worried about the fit (I made a size too small) and the fabric (this is the most polyester fabric I own outside of various taffetas) but it's super great. The fabric drapes beautifully, so it falls off my boobs and hangs. The smaller chest means it kinda hangs towards the back, but it looks intentional. It doesn't touch so much of my skin that it makes me want to crawl out of it, either.

The beanies have their first ever vet appointments next week. They're so close to being 100% ready to be adopted (teary eyes)

Rollercoaster weekend. Overall good, but the highs were high and the lows were low. To whit...

Lows

Thursday evening I had.. a panic attack? I think? that was continuing into Friday morning, and I think it even messed with my meds. My brain was a little zappy on Saturday and that night I had a bout of sleep paralysis. The zaps happen when I don't take my anxiety meds, and they worked REALLY WELL on the sleep paralysis, but I have definitely been taking them. That was uh... fun.

Yesterday I was feeling "pangolin-y". You know how a pangolin will walk around with its forefeet held in front of it almost like it's wringing them together? Like that. I had about 18 things I could do and I just needed to PICK ONE and do it. The only one I didn't want to do was work on the puzzle we have on the table, because I spent 4 hours doing that on Saturday and my neck was feeling it lol.

Mids

Grocery shopped early on Sunday and picked up a roast with the intent to have a dinner with all the fixin's including Yorkshire puddings. I thought I was doing well, but it all ended up being done at nearly 830pm! It was delicious, but oh so late!

Decided to try a fitting method for pants known as "top down centre out". Fit the waistband first, then a one-legged mock up with very generous side and waist seams to fine tune the fitting. I watched a series on YouTube from someone who used it and showed the changes made with diagrams. With a regular fitting (to the tune of 2+ mock ups), she would have basically redrafted the pattern with several adjustments. With this one, the extra allowances give room to play and also preserve the design intent of the pattern and in the end, she added some height to the CF and CB waist and that was it. It was fascinating so I thought yes, let's do it! ( Pants fitting )

Highs

Speaking of the puzzle, I filled in one corner and found a few singletons that had been plaguing us since the early days of it being on the table. I also put in some pieces that connected the entire bottom from one side to the other. But as I mentioned, I was feeling the effort in my neck the next day so I swore I would not work on the puzzle! I did put a few pieces in but... I consciously walked away.

Once I settled on a project, I finished my rewatch of Shadow and Bone while working on some knitting. Not only did I finish a pair of socks, I also finished a headband. That's TWO projects off my needles yessssss. I also decided to rip out some colourwork on a pair of fingerless mitts I had put in like... August? I need more practice, my colourwork gauge and tension is horrible.

Since I prefer shorter socks, I have a significant amount of yarn leftover. I think I will turn it into a hat to wear with the socks. Same for the headband, I have more than half the ball left, although that will become mitts. I love matching sets.

Astronomical

MY DAD'S NEW KITTEN HAD KITTENS.

My sibling started messaging me on Friday saying that Peri (approx 8 months old) was pregnant, because she was having kittens in their closet. WTF??? She's still a baby! But there she was, dropping 5 lil beans. I knew she had come from someone else, not through a rescue or anything, and they obviously had an unneutered male around, and she likely went into heat and was knocked up before anyone even knew she was ready. Extra suspicious because all of the beans are the same colour. I was scared to ask where she had come from, because I had a suspicion it was people I knew who have had a TERRIBLE track record of "she just got out!" (bull fucking shit). My dad mentioned that while she had come by way of these people, she was living with someone else before, and reportedly everyone was "totally shocked!!!!" and "had no idea!!!!!" Dad needed to take her to the vet, needed to get her spayed, but he just couldn't make the numbers work yet. And then she got rounder and rounder... Y'all. Can you see the twitch in my eyelid.

My annoyance with the humans aside, Mama Peri and the beans are doing good. I was going to meet them yesterday but the day got away on me (and I was waiting for an invite? I should have just invited myself!). My dad is nervous because his lease only allows two pets and he currently has SIX (though five of them are not going to be independent for months). He said he would ask me to foster them all until the beans are older except for Roomie M's severe allergies. (I asked anyway, they would have been confined to my room for the first couple months). So if his rental company says absolutely not, he will be looking at other foster situations and is aware that he may lose her in the process (like he would have to surrender her).

BUT THERE ARE TEENY TINY BEANS and even though I can't foster them I live a literal 5 minute walk away! BEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!

I had my fancy pens and ink shipped to my work address because it's winter, and I didn't want a package to sit on my step for potentially hours and freeze. Y'all, UPS cannot get their shit together. It's been "out for delivery" three times (as of today), and around 5pm it reverts to "on the way" with "end of day" still listed, before changing to "we'll update the estimated time closer to the actual delivery!"

This morning I discovered that this changes around 3am. My office is open 7:30-4:30, so why the fuck can they not get it here on time. If it doesn't come today, I will sign up for a fucking UPS account and have it redirected to the house. Even if it sits on the step for a few hours, it's better than another day of waiting for the UPS guy to never show up.

I also ordered some fandom related things, one of which is for my roommate, and it was delivered yesterday, but they left a notice instead of the package. I have to go to the worst post office in the world, a drive through. Y'all, it is -33 C right now (IDK what that is in F. It's fucking cold) and I am NOT driving my car anywhere. It'll be warmer in a few days, but it's fucking Christmas and the post office-slash-couriers will be closed!

Shipping fails :( I just want my murder children and fancy ink!

I did, indeed, get sick, but not with what my roommates had. I THINK I had an ear infection, because my ear was painful, especially when I swallowed, and it was all down the right side of my neck and mouth. By Saturday, when I was realizing that I did not have whatever cough they did, I thought if it hadn't cleared up by Monday, I would go to the doctor. Thankfully, it DID clear up, and I do not have any lingering other-symptoms, like the cough that still plagues my roommates.

Went to work sick on Thursday, but went home early, crawled into bed, and stayed there until Sunday afternoon.

Vacaciones! I sewed up the sleeve mock-up, did a quick fit test with the completed-to-there dress, deemed it Acceptable and carried on. Sleeves were stitched and basted into the armscyes before I left for work. Tuesday morning I fitted them on the dressform, got into stays to test how they looked on me, and with one minor adjustment deemed them Acceptable and carried on. After a costco visit they got fully stitched and straps placed and stitched, and then removed all of the basting.

That means my Angelica gown is DONE, minus any of the extra bits that really make the look. My inspo gown has a small ruched trim on the neckline, which I think I will copy. Pictures still forthcoming because it was late, and then...

Downhil after that. I woke up on Tuesday at 8:30am and aside from a brief nap yesterday at 9, I have been awake util 6am this morning. Yes friends, if you're keeping track, I was awake for 45.5 hours and I do not recommend it. I don't think I've ever been awake that long before. Awful! Zero stars! Never go here again! I couldn't *do* anything because I was too tired, mentally, and I spent the two nights-into-early-mornings reading an absolutely banger of a Bridgerton fanfic that was 188k words. I am TIRED still, I only slept for about 5 hours total, but it's more normal and less... whatever that was.

I spent some time on Tuesday with my fountain pen and wrote out a big list of projects I want to consider. I'll write those in a different post.

I don't what it is about thursdays that triggers my "must post" feelings, but here we are.

Boss has left (sob sob) and other well-trained coworker is on vacation, so it's me and a bunch of newbies. We're getting through it, I guess. I'm trying very hard not to micromanage, or even manage, bc that's not my role, but I am jumping in wherever I need to. (TBF, my interim manager was the manager of the site for several years, and the other person is crushing it at 4 months in)

Wedding is in 2 days. My outfit has not arrived yet, with no updates since the 14th. We aren't sure if it's one of those items that disappears once it gets to Canada or not. I have an emergency plan of hitting up a bridal store Saturday morning if required.

Saturday was Con day. It was underwhelming. Roommate and I spent more on our ticket than on anything else. We stayed for 3 hours and then peaced out.

Sunday I pleated up my Angelica skirt and basted down many of the pleats. Once that's complete, it's "pin to bodice and try on everything. Again." time so as you can imagine I am not especially eager nor properly energized for that.

Especially since these first few days without my boss and after spending a weekend peopling, I've needed to take naps when I get home. So like nothing has happened at all. I haven't even knitted despite having 2 timed knitting projects, one of which I was aiming to have done by Sunday (I haven't started). I've played video games and typed a few words and that's it.

( Other stuff aka: brains, why )

Roomie's heart is fine, but there was something going on in his chest wall that was causing the pain, so he was held overnight with regular blood pressure checkups and blood tests. Some value was at a 6, and if it had been 3 or less he could have come home, but it wasn't so the technician said see you in three hours and Roomie was left trying to sleep on one the tiny emergency beds. I'm glad it is not more serious.

I was EXHAUSTED last night. I was so sure i was going to start on the shorts, but then I wasn't feeling super great (probably from reading on the bus), Jeremy was cooking so I waited until he was done to make my own dinner, but by then I was so tired I decided to go to bed. Bc anything I had the energy for, I could do while laying down. And then of course my brain was running a million miles a minute so even when I lights-out and tried to sleep, I suddenly wasn't tired at all. Sigh. So I am similarly tired today, but hoping for a better distribution of energy later.

It's also hot. Yesterday hit 32C/89F and today is expected to be similarly toasty with a chance of severe thunderstorms. Please understand that I am far more equipped to deal with -40 than this garbage, and thankfully the house has AC. If it doesn't rain later I will have to go water my plants, they will be so thirsty!

Edit: Direct link to the initial guide I was using to construct the waistcoat