At Least I Didn't Wedge a Ship Sideways in the Suez Canal

 So how's your week going?

How is it possible that I spent a year without anything pressing to deal with, and suddenly my calendar is filled from late March through the start of May? I've been out of the house more in the past couple weeks than I have all year. I'm still unvaccinated though, so I'm wearing an N95 mask with a multi-layer cloth mask over it when outside the home, and for Jury Duty I'm planning to add a face shield as well. Our cases locally have been the lowest since last summer, but I fear that will change once the Spring Break Covidiots return from Florida. God forbid we start to actually make progress. 

I am having the glasses re-made though they won't refund me the cost of the frames, so if anyone wants a pair of wire rims, get in touch and I'll sell them to you at a deep discount. I'm still wearing them until the new ones come in. I'm using my old cat-eye frames as I know that they look good on me. They're heavier, but that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. The woman at the shop was pretty horrible to me, suggesting that I have some sort of mental issue with the way I see myself and that there's nothing wrong with how the frames (that she pressured me to purchase) looked on me😒. She's the same person that suggested I was "hiding" behind big frames. It was all I could do not to react, but I just want to get my glasses finished and never see her again. I guess if I decide I want therapy I'll be able to get it at the optical shop. Has the pandemic made us all behave too familiar with strangers now, or is it just a general decline in manners?! I can't imagine speaking to someone that way even if I thought they were batshit bonkers. 

The photo is four years old, but these are the frames I'm going back to using.

Speaking of derranged...Melrose the Bunny is back on display for Easter. We named him Melrose because that's the company that made him. Nightmare fuel, that one. 

These two are considerably less frightening. Danny bought the felted Easter eggs at a fibre arts show a few years back. 

This one was only terrifying to Danny when he was little-still no idea why. I've had it since I was a small child. The chick used to pop up when the lid was lifted and make a squeaking noise. Now it just sits there...thinking. About stuff. Nothing menacing here, at all. 

These are also from my childhood. There's another smaller brown bunny but their tail needs re-gluing. My mum bought them for me at a small, over-priced shop in Plaza del Lago sometime in the early 70s. I remember being bribed with them so I'd behave during luncheon at the undoubtedly also over-priced restaurant memorable only as one of the few places in Chicagoland you could get an espresso in the 70s.  

Anyway, that's the decorating done. The flowers were a bargain purchase on the "last chance" rack at the grocer, but they're still living, and doing well in some fresh water. I wouldn't spend "real" money on flowers for myself, but it would have been rude not to bring these home for pocket change. 

Most of the Bakelite bangle collection stays unworn during winter as I'm always afraid of the plastic cracking in our extreme cold, but come the first day of spring, pieces begin to emerge (like bears from hibernation, but without the hunger and general bad mood) here and there. This bangle was one of the better pieces I've thrifted as it is heavy, not scratched at all, and still has an appearance of being polished. Bakelite can get dull over the years, though there are companies now that specialise in re-furbishing vintage Bakelite. This one already looked new-so much so that it wasn't until I tested it that I was convinced it was in fact, Bakelite. The green/gold swirls are beautiful, though it is frustratingly hard to match with much of my wardrobe. I have another with hints of blue and brown that's even more difficult to wear. Shade and tone can really throw off an outfit. I don't need to match colours exactly, but accessories ought to be in the same family as the overall feel of an outfit. I find that the hardest part of getting dressed, honestly. 

Sometimes though, it comes together easily. You'll see the yellow bracelets aren't exact matches but they work with the other bangles. It is a good thing I'm not a painter-I'd drive myself mad mixing paint.

Well, this one didn't take much thought😁

These did. I must have switched out a dozen bangles until arriving at these. 

Another easy bangle selection. 

This should have been trickier than it was. That reverse-carved lucite bangle goes with everything.

Shall we look at a recent online purchase to add to the brooch collection?

It was too beautiful to pass up. The crack has been repaired and the agate feels otherwise secure so I am happy enough to have this for the very small sum I paid. After 200 odd years I expect to see a few flaws. It is a large piece too-a few inches across. I also picked up a tiny gold knot ring from the same seller, so as I was only paying one shipping fee it seemed silly not to grab it. 

Otherwise, I'm really not spending money on anything except necessities. 

What's cooking these days? Nothing terribly exciting, but colourful anyway. 

Cauliflower and chickpea curry served over salad greens and "rice" made from chickpea flour. The brand I bought was Banza. It isn't going to fool anyone into thinking it is rice, but it does serve the same purpose with a wet curry and you get the bonus of some extra protein. I tossed some pickled red cabbage at it all for crunch and visual appeal. 

This was a salmon fillet baked with grainy brown mustard and tarragon served on white beans, tomatoes and cucumbers cooked with onions and herbs. 

This was a pound of button mushrooms I needed to use cooked until browned and then added to courgettes, red bell peppers, garlic, and smoked paprika. For the boys I added meatballs made from ground lamb and cooked until well browned on a cast iron pan. Nothing terribly recipe-worthy here, just using up what I have in the vegetable bins. The sorrel is going well in the garden right now so I guess that's the next thing I need to deal with. I've tried convincing them to like schav (cold sorrel soup) but they both spat it out last time so that might be a hard sell. I grew up with it, so the cold, sour taste isn't strange to me. I guess I can always toss the smaller leaves in salad and use the larger ones to bake fish. I can't even give it away

-believe me, I've tried! If nothing else, it does add some bright green to the otherwise dull garden this time of year. 

I'll leave you with a quick look at some of my recent outfits-they're all things you've seen here before

And because Jan F asked for a big smile last week, here you go. I wouldn't do this for anyone else😀

Have a good week.