How to Do Stuff…

The summer heat is here, although not as bad as it will be in September. It’s muggy and the air moves slowly, though, and I just sweat no matter what. My head is full of chaos…making decisions is difficult at the moment. My head is doing all the trip planning, making sure I have everything I need. The bathing suit top came in today and fits perfectly (thanks to the goddess of boobage), we ordered a new ice chest last night that will stay cold longer, and this morning, I started packing things up into stuff coming in the car vs stuff being shipped in a box. Weight is a lot of that or if it can spill or if I can live without it if it doesn’t show up. All stressful. I bought a new ironing pad that can survive the heat of the car…no matter what, our trip is going to be overly warm. Crater Lake looks like it will be in the high 90s (ugh). The wonder of traveling in the summer…this is why we like spring instead.

Quiltwise, I finished stitchdown yesterday afternoon…after doing some on Friday night, almost done.

We were gone for about 24 hours Saturday/Sunday, so here was Sunday afternoon…

Then I found a backing, washed the batting, cleaned the entryway floor and tried to clear it out enough to spread this thing out…

It’s not very wide, about 40″, but it’s 80″ tall, so not small. And complicated as hell, of course.

Last night, before I started quilting, I fixed two pairs of pants that had been waiting about a month. One pair is going with me, and the other is ready for the start of school. SCHOOL. Yeah, I know, but I’m coming back right into it. I’ll be quilting today. After I decide which dyes to take with me and whether to take anything else to color things with and whether to take another slow stitching project, because I don’t have enough? Crazy really, considering what I’ve packed up. I don’t think I need more stuff. Really. I do hate being bored or not inspired. But I don’t think that will be the case. So pick the dyes I’m taking (I’m not taking all of them), then figure out how to pack the dye stuff containers that are too tall for the boxes I have OR go through the garage for a bigger box OR ask the boychild if I can borrow one of his, because it’s not clear and will protect things from light? IDK. I’m in waffle mode. I can’t make decisions. I did well so far this morning; went through my dye info from last year’s self-directed residency and made some decisions about what materials I needed.

I finished the squirrel block, so I can leave it behind.

I’m bringing a few more for the first part of the trip, plus brainless sitting around, which does happen.

The Man and I went to Julian for his birthday…went to two cideries (England v Norway).

The second cidery…

We then checked in and headed to a winery for the end of the game (sound only) and to get some food elsewhere (beginning of Argentina v Switzerland)…

Crows were active. Back to the room where the Man took a well-deserved nap and I tried to finish a book that was returning to the library today (don’t worry; I finished it a few hours ago, which is why this is late).

Then onto the last place for the finish of the Argentina game.

We’ll be in Lassen National Park for the final. Not sure we’ll be able to watch it; might be hiking, and that’s OK.

Julian was pretty dead. It was hot and warm and cloudy and muggy, but it was a good break from being here, I think. We’ll be repeating the experience but a long way away starting Friday. The Man is going to help me drive up to Bend, with lots of nature on the way, and then he’ll fly home to work and deal with animals. I wish him luck. He’ll probably appreciate the peace and quiet and the bed to himself (plus four cats and a dog). He’ll live on hot dogs, burritos, and beer (nothing new there). All is good. I’m revising my food list based on the Cyclospora outbreaks…that’s the last thing I need. If I can find a farmers’ market for a few veggies, I will, but I’m shifting toward the stuff I can cook. My brain keeps a never ending cycle of how to do stuff going on inside, so I don’t forget silly stuff like tape or Saran wrap. I think I’d live without them, but it’s easier to have them. The notes I took at the last residency were useful–reminded me of things I would need for this one. Smart former self helping today’s self.

Meanwhile, one of my quilts finishes up in an exhibit at the New England Quilt Museum on July 20, and then ships to this exhibit…

That’s a detail of Dale Stuart’s quilt in the show. Amazing work. I’ll hopefully be starting drawings for the next Soul Stories piece for 2027, plus another piece hopefully for a show here in San Diego. If I get in. All I’m getting are rejections at the moment. I take a deep breath and power on. I go through phases where nothing gets and then it all gets in. It’s not a reflection on myself or my work…it just is what it is. So in response to that last rejection, I entered another show for a group I’m in that I’ve never shown with…so hopefully that will happen. If not, enter again. Make more work. Enter that. Repeat.

Ooooh…here’s another possible topic for the next Soul Stories quilt.

I’ve got some work to do in the yard to help with this. For when I get back.

From the book I just finished…

This might be a good summary of how I work. I do these painstaking drawings, number each piece, trace them, etc. And then pick all the colors out without a color master, just to drive all the perfectionists bonkers. Yup. That’s me. Hell, I drive part of my brain bonkers every time I do it. And yet, it works.

OK. It’s the middle of the day and I need to consider eating lunch. I have physical therapy today for my knee/heel today (she took on my heel, which I appreciate) plus book club. Don’t remember which book, but I know I read it. I need to pick a smaller number of dyes to take with me, decide if I’m shipping one box or two, decide what I will store things in during the trip, cut some paper for large-scale quilt drawings, start quilting, and breathe. I really should also sand the fascia and do a second round of Bondo in there. Go through my written supply lists and make sure I’m getting those things packed. That’s just today. Tomorrow is a whole ‘nother list of lists. And notice I didn’t even mention ceramics…yikes, I think I’ll stop by today after PT. And see how things are going. And I’ll try again the next three days, see if I can get the torso ready to bisque fire. If not, it can sit, and I’ll bring the neck home and put it in the damp box for the next month? I guess? Ugh. So many things to consider.

The Eve of Destruction

Happy day before the 250th anniversary of our country…as it goes down burning. Arresting people for touching the reflecting pool liner, but pardoning all the crazy shit on January 6…and some of those people have gone on to do heinous things they couldn’t have done if they’d still been in prison. Not sure how to celebrate this level of crazy. Women being prosecuted for having miscarriages…women DYING for having a miscarriage. People being arrested by ICE for no legal reason. A president who admits his children are benefiting financially from his position…illegal, but hey, since when has that stopped them? A Supreme Court with justices who do not understand the letter of the law. A senator who has disappeared for 17+ days and is probably on life support, but we’re gonna hide that too in case they replace him with someone more woke, more left-leaning.

Today, though, today is the day before we celebrate all that. Today is the day…I go to the dentist for my 3-month cleaning. Exciting, I know.

I did start ironing the quilt together though…not sure how I’m going to get it done in time. As I get closer to my leave date, more and more shit gets shoved into those days. But here’s about 3 hours worth of ironing (for those who think it looks quick).

And here’s last night, after another almost two hours. I’m about 370 pieces in or so…out of approximately 1440. My days are full of tasks and people. These aren’t bad things, just complications to the art process. I can’t take this thing with me to Oregon.

I can take this thing though, so I sandwiched and pinbasted it. It’ll take about an hour to quilt it and then I’ll debate putting bindings on before I leave. I can do all the handstitching in Oregon. I have another one to work on as well that is quilted and just needs embroidery.

Yesterday, I drove the Man up to his show in Solana Beach, but had to wait for the show to actually start. Found a winery with the soccer on (although I also read my book).

They played at the Belly Up, opening for two other bands.

I was up front and could barely see the Man.

Luckily someone taller took video.

This is Bowie trying to intimidate Luna into leaving the cat bed.

This is Simba…super tired. He would like to go to bed earlier.

We already had these showing up at school. Annoying. I don’t want to police glasses and phones and watches.

I wish people understood political/theoretical systems better. I’m ok with a lot of socialist ideas, including this one.

Only Michael survived though…

Reality here.

And there we are going into the holiday celebration. The Man’s band is playing tomorrow down at the bay with all the crazy traffic. I’m going but we plan to come back before the fireworks, both for the dog’s sake and our own. He’s ok with fireworks; just barks at them. I know this because they were going off at 1-2 AM last night…and so was he.

I made it to the dentist, where I wrote half of this, and now I’m trying to finish it on my phone. I also made it to ceramics. More about that next week. Now I’m going to Pilates and then down to Liberty Station to see some art and eat dinner…then back here to iron. Looking forward to that part.

Decompress?

Note: I did NOT finish this yesterday in the airport, as may be obvious. I didn’t even finish it when I got home. It’s now Tuesday morning. It also did not process any of the photos, so I’m doing that now too.

Straight up, not sure I will finish this before I leave San Francisco. My flight was rerouted from SF down to San Jose, and it took some effort (and time) to get down here. More stress than I really need, but I got here in time, so all good. (The flight was almost empty, but this screaming 2-year-old girl with inept parents made up for that. That said, we got in mostly on time.)

I had a pretty quiet weekend with the girlchild (lots of World Cup games watched). I got to meet Margaret Fabrizio again (it’s been a while) and see her gallery space.

I might have to wait until I get home to load pictures; airport internet is too busy helping kids watch annoying videos without headphones 😂.

That is my piece above the fireplace; we traded a few years back.

I love that I see the negative space in these and not the clothing parts that make them. This is one of my favorites (I also totally see boobs and a weird stick figure).

I also really like this one.

After that, the girlchild and I went to Oakland/Berkeley. We watched one World Cup game, then shopped for thread for the girlchild’s new embroidery obsession…and fabric for me to make crazy pants. Then another game.

I embroidered through all the games.

Wait, here’s the night before after a drawing on the plane and a little embroidery in my room.

So you can compare.

Lots of bridges…

Actually maybe only one but in two versions.

Sunday was embroidery lessons and more soccer.

We practiced on a tea towel and then she went right into stitching her shirt.

Wait, this was after making a delightful breakfast from leftovers.

Both kids cook better than I do. She finished the shirt and wore it to dinner.

She actually was very fast and a very even stitcher. Good genetics.

I’m sitting her watching and listening to a woodpecker on the tree outside my office. I’ve been watching the birds and squirrels all morning. Very peaceful. I really need some major recovery from the school year. Trying to get there.

I didn’t go to dinner with her the last night (long story), but had a delightful meal in a fun little restaurant where I drew and read my book.

Good music. All the words were from the conversation next to me, which was a bit obnoxious.

This was the view out my AirBnb window.

I found this heart at the grocery store before I left…it said something about finding the heart and keeping it, so I took it to the airport and left it in the banana basket at the Pannikin. Hopefully some kid found it.

Here’s the insanely expensive fabrics I bought to make pants out of.

There’s an owl and a jaguar as well. The one on the right is delightfully chill. One crazy, one chill.

From the book I was reading…

Ideas for quilts.

Not as much art exposure on this trip…definitely more soccer in bars and at the girlchild’s place. But here was one mural on the walk home from dinner.

And a tableau the likes of which are only seen in a big city…

And more quilty ideas…

Plus these yarn paintings in the San Diego Airport, but so hard to photograph due to the lights.

I ran around doing errands yesterday, made it to pilates, then into the studio (sigh, relief).

I almost finished the 1000s. I was trying to remember if this had 1650 pieces or 1450. It’s the latter. If I had time today, I could finish, but I don’t. Haircut and meeting an acupuncturist…trying all the things to solve this foot problem without it taking another 3 years like last time. Not a fan.

This is so true. Watching them sing is a balm to the soul.

But humans are not always the best, are they.

Also, I did not know this…that people didn’t all have this.

Is it just silent in there? Weird.

OK. So I’m busy today. Hoping to get to ceramics in the afternoon; we’ll see how that works. Just added four more things to the to-do list this morning. Could do without that. Trying to explain to non-teachers how we play this game of catchup when we get to breaks, and that it’s INSANE how much stuff we put off because there just isn’t time. And they pile up, and this first week, I really just need to decompress, but I do it while running from one errand/appointment to another, like a crazy person. I need to leave soon because I don’t even know if I’m supposed to pay cash (new hair person) and I have like 7 dollars. Fun times. And it’s Tuesday and I normally post on Monday. Ah well. Welcome to summer.

A Threat Call…

I woke up at 1 AM out of a deep sleep, heart pounding, dog growling, as the two adult barn owls screeched a threat call. I wouldn’t ignore that if I were another animal. I don’t know what was out there, but I do know the babies were back to squawking away within 20 minutes, so it must have been OK. Scared me though…and the dog. Maybe a barn owl needs to make it into this quilt too.

So this new quilt comes from a drawing from last summer, which I did at the first all-staff meeting (before kids showed up). They wouldn’t let us have our computers open and they literally read to us from the slides, so I drew. I had copied the drawing back in December or January, but got sidetracked by other things that needed to be done. Originally, I was just going to make it into a quilt, just the drawing, but the world impinges on that, so I added paper above and below, and started drawing a couple nights ago.

Yes, Scribble is lying on the part I was drawing on. Why do you ask? I got some stuff roughed out in pencil…

And last night, I inked that and added more pencil…

And last night, while I was trying to fall asleep, I took notes on a couple more things that could go up here. And more down below. Although I am enjoying branching out into the dye paintings, there is a certain sense of relief about going back to how I ‘normally’ make quilts. My brain likes it.

I also drew, inked, and numbered a baby quilt drawing…

It’s taken me a year to do this, I think. It’s supposed to go in here…

And although it doesn’t look like it’s the right shape or size, I’ve shoved the paper in there and it works, plus I added an inch all the way around for marginal errors. So that’s on my list too.

Monday, I made it back to ceramics…and decided I didn’t need to attach the heart…I could just lay it on there.

It turned out bigger than I thought, which is funny, because I literally had the torso there in front of me when I made it.

I added some veins to the fabric piece, and then flowers to the arm.

We have these punch things, not sure what they’re actually for…cookies? I’ve used the leaves before. I was going to make flowers, but these were more fun.

I made three. I’m going to go back and texture the centers and add stems and leaves and maybe bugs.

Fun stuff.

I was trying to finish my book…

My lap charges a premium.

Our school is doing teacher appreciation week this week. Yesterday was nachos, but they weren’t ready during my prep. I was supposed to eat them during lunch, except I can’t usually substitute like that. Oh well.

But yeah. Give me back my time, show up outside, do the things, follow through…please.

I’m in. Although I can’t really eat ice cream unless we hike three miles in the forest first. Hopefully you’re up for that part too.

OK. Today I teach rock layers. It’s really hard: the rocks where fossils are found usually form in layers. It’s sedimentary rock. The oldest rocks are on the bottom, so if you find fossils down there, they are usually the oldest. The newest ones are on top. There, I’m done. Y’all, it will take all period and some kids will never get it. I’m doing the speedy version, not the fun one where I give them cards and they have to figure out the layers. The state science test is in a week. I’m panicking a little. Oh well. I started planning next year, in that, I made a copy of this year’s calendar and I’m changing all the dates and holidays. That’s it. That’s what I can handle at the moment. It’s fine.

After school is a union meeting. I’m already tired. Tired of meetings and kid drama and adult bullshit. I should start a new book (seriously, I finished that other one last night, so I’m allowed).

Crafty People…

Well I’m still trying to kick this cold, but that’s all it is. It makes me tired, but so do lots of things. Coughing up an occasional lung is fun. I have two. It’ll be fine. I did go out and do a few things this weekend and then came back and slept on Saturday. Not Sunday. I really am better…just not healthy yet.

Quiltwise, I finished the pink head embroidery Friday night…

And Saturday night, I sewed the sleeves down and did 4 out of 5 sets of bug legs…

Last night, I did the last set of bug legs…

Now I need to prep the canvases I sew them to and get that done.

And I started embroidering a third dye painting.

I’m not sure I can finish this one in time to get it photographed for the show I’m entering, but I figured I’d try.

It was the SD Book Crawl this weekend. Saturday, I got up and made it to two stores that were close to each other, walking distance actually. Then came home and did the only SAQA conference Zoom I could do (the others were during the work day). Then went to two more stores…came home and slept. Then we went out to dinner next to a 5th store. Then Sunday, after pilates and grocery shopping, I went to the 6th so I could get the patch. That was all I could deal with. Most of these were already on my TBR list, so that’s cool.

In fact, one of them is a book club book I need to finish in the next few weeks, which I couldn’t get from the library in time, so I was glad to find that at the last store. Especially because I had already looked for it and NOT found it, wandered around the store and tried again, and it was magically there, just one copy. Woohoo!

Do I need more books? Yes. Yes I do. Shit week last week. I get to sit through a meeting today because girl drama (not a kid and not MY drama). I love listening to people tell me how hard they work and totally ignore any work I have to do. It’s great. Really my core response to all the drama is…go get therapy. This job will not get easier with that level of shit. I mean, this job never gets easier, but I am definitely in my FUCK OFF era at the moment. There’s tons of things I will do for kids to get them through, but enabling parents and enabling teachers drive me nuts. Both need to do their jobs.

So there’s that. I didn’t finish grading things (when do I ever? Oh, in June I do.). So there’s more of that.

I totally skipped that thing in my 20s. I was already doing my own thing and have only cared less and less about people’s opinions since then? Yeah well. If I’d cared, I wouldn’t have kept making art.

OK. Today. Stupid contentious meeting that I have to be calm for. Right now, I’m calm. Boss hasn’t actually sent a meeting invite yet…wonder if he knows how? Not my problem. I have work to do; real work. Whatever. We’re done teaching sex ed! It was hellish this year. I hate the new curriculum. All I do is read. And doing it two months early sucks. Now we have to grab all these kids back into doing academic stuff because state testing starts next week. Ugh. 37 days left. Back to natural selection and evolution though…fun, but not a lot of hands-on activities we can do. Not enough time. Just gonna do our best (not to go nuts). Staff meeting after school and then hopefully I have the energy for ceramics. I don’t right now, but who knows. Book club meeting tonight too, but on Zoom, so I don’t have to be particularly functional. Then more work on the green face. I need to find a local yarn store too…might Google that later, like during the staff meeting. I think there’s one locally near my ceramics studio. I need something specific looking. Of course I do. I do have yarn. I just don’t have the RIGHT yarn. That’s how it is with us crafty people…we’re either setting spells on you or trying to knit a hoodie for our dog (I really think he’d like one, but I don’t knit that well).

Need More Leg Parts…

Back to school today. No time has passed. The yard and house are still disasters. It’s all good. It happens every year…mostly because I like to travel over break (it makes it a real break from what I’ve been doing). The cleaning and yardwork are constants. They don’t go anywhere. Even when you clean, you will just have to do it again. So it doesn’t matter if you did it over break or on a Monday after school. I did clean almost all the floors over break, so that’s OK. The rest will happen or wait. Whichever works.

Did I finish grading things? Almost. But no. Grades are due in another two weeks, I think. Fun times. Sex ed starts in a week, early this year, thanks to the school board and the state, working against each other, but also against the teachers and the kids. Also fun times. Two-hour staff meeting today about stuff that can’t be done right now. Also fun times. In other news, I’m reading a good book and I’ll be going to ceramics today. Plus my bro is coming to visit. Not me, the parentals, but I’ll probably get to see him.

Artwise, I’m all over the map. It’s OK; I’ve been here for a while now. I’m working on embellishing this dye painting with Scribble’s help.

Nope. She’s really not helpful. At all.

So far, I’ve only done some of the blue-green color.

I’ll do some pink and purple and whatever that combo color is. And add some beads and sequins. Oh yeah, some black.

It’s time-consuming. Then I also started dealing with the bugs I ironed while I was in Virginia.

I’ve stitched two down and picked backings and found batting for all of them. Tonight, I’ll finish the stitchdown and start quilting. Some need more leg parts, but those are hand-embroidered after the quilting. Some of these from the previous make are on Etsy and some are at Visions Museum. Two of these are spoken for and the other three will eventually be on Etsy. Small brainless things right now…good plan. Although I need two more dye paintings done and photographed by June 1. Should be fine.

This is honestly when many afternoons look like…competition for my lap.

Usually this is when I read, but that’s my book on the table, so IDK what I was doing. Doomscrolling. Zoning out. Considering my options. The other option for Simba is to keep one of my feet warm.

Just one. Whether I need it or not. Nights are still chilly, so I’m good.

Bowie takes advantage of my open office window to sample Spring.

He likes it. Also he’s a klutz and knocks my tea over. Tries to be all sneaky to get up there and then is a disaster about it. He is a boy…

Well. There are times that this is totally true. And it’s not ‘drawn to’…it’s ‘appreciative of’. Mostly the men here are OK. They just have their moments. I’m sure I do too. Being a post-menopausal woman. Although young women also get it…

I spent some time yesterday deconstructing two big branches I pulled off a tree (they were dangling; they’d already broken off). The weeds are out of control. But my sinuses are OK (not great; just OK). IDK what it was in Virginia, but I was allergic to something there near where we were staying.

Let’s end on a positive note, because the world is a shitshow.

I am still trying. On all the fronts. Today, I’m teaching…well, I’m introducing a new unit that will be bisected by sex ed because my school board are idiots and the state doesn’t listen…or care, honestly, I think. Certainly, I couldn’t find anyone who had a brain in their head. Did I spell bisected right? It looks wrong. Shouldn’t it be like dissected? No. It shouldn’t. Glad we had that moment together.

Then staff meeting, then ceramics! yay! Where I have to decide what to do next. Minor issue. Don’t have a plan. Nothing new there. Then come back, eat dinner, read book, not in that order, and sew bugs. Repeat. Slight differences each day, but repeat.

A Better Place…

Hey. Early Monday, too many things going on, too many things need to happen. I need to come up with a title for the piece I’m working on, and I don’t even have an inkling (no, I don’t want help…I just need headspace). Usually I stare at the picture, read some online stuff about the topic, stare at it again, go heat up my tea, stare at it some more, look up quotes, shake my head, go out and plant something or sweep something, pretend it’s a normal day, go to bed, and just as I’m falling asleep, it comes to me, and hopefully I’m smart enough to document it somewhere. But often not. And then I have to wait for it to wander back into my head.

Yeah. Fun times. OK, fast and furious here. I didn’t iron Friday night because we went to watch a co-teacher dance in a local performance.

I got home super late and went straight to bed, pretty much…and then spent 22 minutes finishing my book. It was good. What can I say? The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. Because this…

Too true. Saturday, I ironed for about 4 hours…avoiding most other tasks. Dude, I’m on a deadline.

There’s a certain stage when you’re ironing tree parts and freeway interchange parts when it is pure overlapping chaos.

Scribble in the room! Also, all those random things piled on the ironing board are weights to keep the rest of the piece from sliding off.

It’s heavy at this point. And still chaotic.

But getting there.

Then last night, I almost finished.

I just have the owl on the top right and then need to iron it onto the background. And come up with a title. No, I still don’t want your help. Thanks.

Sigh.

I hiked Saturday; the wildflowers are starting to bloom.

It was nice, except for the ebikes.

Annoying. No engines in nature, y’all. Unless they’re rescuing someone or something.

I think I need more hikes. I used to hike after school…ok, not in winter. It gets dark too early.

OK, I scrolled a lot in between grading and ironing.

Not surprising. And here’s Charlie Kirk on it all.

We’re there. The tyrannical part.

Humanity is the least humane thing out there in the US right now.

Please…arrest more people so we don’t notice how many rich white males are on the Epstein list. Take them all! Jail them all! I don’t care about their politics or what they do for a living. They belong in jail.

Yeah. I’ve been saying white men are the problem for years.

Sigh. So if you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you may have noticed we’ve got some family stuff going on, trying to find the Man’s sister. She’s in danger. If you live locally and you see her, please call 911 and reach out to us if you can. I know it’s unlikely most of you will see her, but just in case…you never know.

I have an early meeting (hate Monday meetings), then I’m teaching the electromagnetic spectrum, and going to a physical therapy evaluation for my very cranky knees. Then hopefully to ceramics, but also have to pick up a handle arm thing for the toilet that broke last night (couldn’t break Saturday so I could go to Home Depot over the weekend, could you?), plus pick up meds that got sent to a local pharmacy instead of ordered online like I asked, then not sure what else. Maybe grading, definitely reading to dissociate, then ironing an owl. Good times. May the world be a better place by the time I get there…or at least not a worse one.

Lurking…

Hey. The weekend, it was messy, wasn’t it? Whether it was extreme weather or extreme authoritarian government actions, it was difficult for a lot of people. I called my Senate and House representatives (unfortunately, Padilla doesn’t have voicemail…so I guess I try to call while I’m teaching? Not particularly convenient for your constituents sir). I’m hoping the ICE funding doesn’t pass the Senate, hoping no more Democrats slip over to the dark side. They aren’t MY reps, so IDK what their logic was, although I’m sure it’s somewhere on the internet. At some point, all that news gets to be too much for all of us. That said, thank the brave folks of Minnesota who are still recording the bullshit, even as we hear it out of the government’s mouth, but it doesn’t match the videos. It’s wrong.

I saw someone that I know post that if the sanctuary cities would just hand over the illegals, none of this would happen. So ignorance of how the immigration system works (I’ve been through it with my ex) and why people might immigrate to another country…and the fact that all us white folks are immigrants here. We overran the place, destroyed so many existing communities and families…why? We wanted freedom! And land and resources and power and money. And forgetting that part of the story is boggling.

This country was built (correctly or not) on immigrants. And so many of the people being rounded up are going through the process legally, showing up to appointments, following the rules, NOT breaking the law, NOT gang members. Especially now, in Minnesota, how many of the people being harassed, thrown to the ground, dragged out of their houses…how many of those have already been outed as whoops, we didn’t get the right person? It’s insane that this hasn’t been shut down, that the funding is still there, instead of protecting people, feeding people, making sure they have the medication and healthcare they need. This is what you want your tax dollars spent on? When food and electricity costs are going through the roof? Insane that some of these people can’t even look at the weekly grocery bill and see the effect all this is having on them personally. And lying about it.

We saw all the videos, y’all. Where are the gun people? Why aren’t they screaming about their 2nd Amendment rights? Why aren’t they on the news for that? He didn’t pull a gun…he recorded bad behavior. And they killed him. He was innocent and they killed him. And he’s not the first and won’t be the last. Sick.

The climate stuff is supremely worrying. We’re making it so much worse. It will take years to get back to where we were a year ago. The scientific ignorance this government propagates is mind-boggling. And to prioritize machines over people’s lives? This is mind-boggling.

Shut it down. We need regulation so humans can live.

So did I make art this weekend? I did. I also had three art meetings and the Man’s band played at the Music Box on Friday night…so I went to that too.

Sometimes the guitar player stands in front of the Man the entire show…

Photos are hard. I did come home and manage to cut stuff out for about an hour before I fell exhausted into bed…

I cut again on Saturday…

And I was really hoping I’d be done last night…

But I needed about another 30 or 40 minutes and I had to go to bed to get up today and teach.

So you can see in the top bin that not much is left. I’ll finish those tonight and sort them all, and start ironing this together tomorrow night. The next part is not quick and it’s a tight deadline.

One of the art meetings Saturday was at the Mingei…they have this cool mini-exhibit of aardvarks in the front.

I’d never really thought of the artistic possibilities of an aardvark, but now I am.

My quilt was sighted in one of the pictures from MOCA Connecticut…

Very cool.

I finished one book and started another.

Today after school is a school social event that I need to be part of, but…

I always wonder this. Pointlessly. I’m hoping to go to ceramics after that. We’ll see. Mondays are delightfully quiet at the studio. But I have book club tonight too, so time is an issue. I did finally finish my grades (there were so many issues with grades this time; crazy stuff). I’m pretty convinced I forgot to do something I was supposed to do this weekend…there were things I hoped to do that I didn’t get to, because everything always takes twice as much time as you think it will. And I didn’t factor in having to yell at the government again (although maybe that should be a weekly allowance of time, based on what we’re seeing). Sigh.

Here’s the most recent quilt, in case you haven’t seen it…

We Hold These Truths…that’s a body bag in the left bathtub. Way too real right now.

OK. Today. I teach. Something. Um. Digital vs analog. This week is a mess. Lots of talking today I think, unfortunately, and tomorrow. Then testing Wednesday, except for the kids on the walking trip; their test will be Thursday. Which means adjusting shit for that. And I’m talking Wednesday morning off for an art thing, so I need sub plans. My co-teacher is out (sick)…I thought I was coming down with something yesterday, but today, it seems to be gone? Knock on wood. So either I kicked it or it’s lurking. Fun stuff. Then an hour meeting about bullying and another hour or so of socializing (not my favorite), then hopefully clay and book club and cutting things out. And sleep, glorious sleep. I’m still so tired after this weekend. Did not recover from last week. Ah well…we soldier on. Hopeful.

Make More Tea…

Well I’m a bit tired. Not uncommon I know, but cat night shenanigans were at an extreme level last night (not mine; she was quietly asleep by my leg) and my sleep was stolen with a pillow over my head mostly. It’s always fun to go to school when you are already really trying to get your eyes to open and you’ve already had your shower. It’ll be fine. Really. It will. Grades are due, mine were done, until I realized the ending date had been set wrong (not by me…higher up), so the last stuff I put in is not counting. The district reset the date to January 14 now (it was December before), but no clue why, because the trimester closes on a Friday? Whatever. If you want your employees to stop giving a shit, keep doing random things that make their jobs more difficult. Seriously. I guess the kids will have the grades set as of December because I don’t have time to go back and redo everything, and it won’t even count the one grade I input for that week because it was due the 16th. Whatever. I do the best I can for the kids DESPITE the adults. It’s all I can do.

Still trimming tiny pieces. It gets hard to tell the days apart by looking at the bins, especially in the middle. Here’s Wednesday night…

And last night…

I got through a big chunk of the flesh pieces, so it looks like a lot. I don’t have a clue how far along I am; I just know I probably won’t get much done tonight. The Man has a show, and although he’ll be done early, the second band is friends of ours, so we’re probably staying. That said, we’re both exhausted and cranky from the cat crap, so maybe he’ll want to come home early (I’d be OK with that). This weekend is also a shit show of meetings, plus I’m trying to regrade the things kids did this week so the improved scores go on their progress reports, but realistically, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to pull that off.

Scribble wants to help…

You know, usually, she just sits next to me on the couch and sleeps when I work here, but lately, she wants to be asleep on my lap, which is cute but more complicated. Easier to just read with her there.

Apparently she was interested in the book, because the boychild sent me this yesterday.

Bowie is still isolated in a room, so she hasn’t had him to play with. I’m hoping he can come out soon too. We offered it last night, and he hid under the bed again, which is really unlike him. He is eating more and peeing, but has a hard time seeing water in the bowl…that has always been an issue. Anyway, not sure what is going on with him, but the Man has been sleeping in there with him and his other two cats were scratching at the door all night, which is why I had a pillow on my head. UGH.

I finished the last Sue Spargo Rooted block last night, finally.

This was a fun mini-block-of-the-month…

Now they just have to be trimmed, sewn together, and bordered. I think there’s more embroidery on the border, but not as much as on the last one. These are a nice size of block to travel and stitch on. They’re fun to do. I can’t really carry my art quilts with me when I travel, and these are more mindless for me, so easier. Not that I travel a lot, which is why it takes me forever to finish anything. I do have the next one all appliqued down and ready for stitching. I didn’t sign up for the mini one this year…I have a lot of these; I’m way behind, and sometimes they don’t appeal to me…like this year’s. The Christmas tree one my mom and I did together…that was nice because she got to do all the embroidery and keep it. I think I have three minis saved up. Plenty to work on. Hell, I always have plenty to work on.

OK. Today. Will be long. Luckily, no meetings today, just teaching digital and analog signals, and mostly, it’s the kids working independently. Halle-fucking-lujah. I’ve been ON for days. ON ON. ONONON. Singing too (frequency, highs and lows, and my voice is shot). Played guitar, explained cassette tapes and records and old phones and video recorders and cameras (actual FILM cameras) and CDs and Walkmans. It’s been a lot. So it’s good that today is more on them than me. We’re behind in planning, so I just finished Monday’s worksheet last night and copied it after school because one of the copiers is down. So I have worksheets for Monday and Tuesday…don’t need one Wednesday, and I have no clue what’s happening after Wednesday. Light, I think. So hopefully the copier gets fixed. My partner has dance performances coming up, so she’s trying to grade at school, and so I’m trying to do things on my own, and realizing my teacher brain needs someone to bounce stuff off of…which I knew, seriously, that year when she was out was hard, but I’m not sure this one is easier. Her kids are lower than mine; I have all the honors kids, so we do kind of plan alone…together…sometimes. And support the new guy. And then all the union crap. And walking field trip crap. And and and. It’s a lot. It always is. I haven’t gotten home before dark any night this week to paint the wall next to the deck so I can start putting plants back up against it. Hell, I haven’t been able to do anything with the deck since Monday. Ah well, we do make decisions as to what to do with our time. I will be at ceramics after school this afternoon before coming home in the dark and then heading downtown for the show. It’ll be fine. It’ll all be fine and eventually we will get more sleep than last night and everyone will stop being so cranky (cats included). Maybe. Until then, I’m gonna make more tea.

Peace and Joy…

Hey. It’s the last day of the school year…of 2025. School has changed a lot in the last 25 years…I realized this as I was watching a keystroke video of a kid editing their test after school earlier this week, so I could let the parent know that they will still have an F after I grade it for realz. Luckily, mot kids had to submit during class, so they couldn’t do the cheaty thing. Well, she had to submit during class too, but unsubmitted later, and I’m sure saw the message that said I wasn’t accepting them any more. Fun times. I miss the days when…OK, never mind, kids have always found some way to cheat. Back in the day, I allowed a notecard for tests (before I went all standards-based) and kids would try to bring a big card or more than one card. It’s not like we teach them to study…and for my current tests, they don’t need to study. They do need to turn their brains on…longer than it takes to ask AI the answer. What’s mindboggling is that I showed that class a similar video of a kid cheating, and she still did it. Ah well. Some of us learn all the things the hard way.

The quilt is progressing! I got it pinbasted on Wednesday night with the help (not) of two cats, one kitteny.

I pinned fast. Because cats. Then last night, I started quilting…

An hour in. Still on the first bathtub. I’ll be here a while. Hopefully done by the end of the weekend. Finishing early! A miracle. Maybe. Knock on wood. Which means I need to figure out the next one, because it’s on a tight deadline. School is gonna need to back off a bit…a lot. I’m not sure how that’s gonna fly, but I’ll have to make it work.

Lots of kitten pictures…lots of kitten sitting ON me.

Definitely have a lap cat…at least for now. Nova is also a lap cat, and was a little offended by having to share. Scribble doesn’t care about the others; she will sit wherever she wants.

It’s the right attitude for this house. Each evening, I try to read for a little bit before I have to do all the other things.

There’s a lot of furry beasts around when I do that. Sometimes there’s a dog too.

He also doesn’t care when I have other beasts on me. Honestly, it’s the best part of my day sometimes. I mean, I like making art too, and they sometimes come in when I’m doing that, but it’s loud right now with the sewing machine and Scribble doesn’t like that, but she was in here with me when I was ironing.

I’ll have to add her to a quilt soon, in the great tradition of Nida’s cats living on in her art. Her face is going to be more complicated than Kitten’s was. The hardest part is making sure they show up on whatever background there is. I did one quilt with Midnight (an old cat of ours) and because she was all black, I had to add like an aura around her so you could see her. She rocked the aura.

Yesterday, I had to pick up a quilt from a closing show and then do some holiday post office and shopping stuff. Shockingly, both places were empty, mostly I think because everyone and their mother was on the freeways.

It was a 2-hour trip in the long run. Traffic could have been worse. Maybe. I did get this treat of a view…

The palm trees at Costco/Ikea. Nice.

OK. Today. Is a test. Ha! And they turn in a packet. And I have to lock up my room because stupid Winter Academy will be in here and they steal stuff and break stuff. It’s annoying. Plus they’re going to clean my floors. I’m not putting all my shit back for the academy people. They can live without it. Not my problem. Hope they know how to set up the projector. I’ll leave the tech on the counter, but they move my teacher desk for floor cleaning, so I can’t leave it where I normally do. Frustrating. I shouldn’t have to go in over break to set stuff up for other people. I have a packet to grade, a homework assignment, two easy just-record-the-numbers assignments, and two academic assignments. I started grading one of those last night. While they’re testing today, I’m going to try to finish the homework papers and clean up. I’m not fully planned for the week we come back, which sucks. Our prep periods got sucked away this week.

I’m fully looking forward to three weeks off. I’d like to reinstate a drawing a day, but realistically, it’s been hard the last few years to pull that off. Pre-COVID me could have done it. I need to finish this quilt and start the next one. I have a million yard and household things that need to be done (always). The girlchild is home for a quick week. I just want to get some extra sleep and exercise too. That would be lovely. I need a reset. School has been a bitch. Not the kids…they’re relatively decent this year. Just the rest of it. The rest of it needs to fuck off. And with that note, I’m off to work. Maybe there be peace and joy at school today, unlike the last four days.