Making Tifo

One of the cool benefits of having kids is that you get to learn new things, either with them or because of them. Last year I added a new word to my vocabulary, thanks to Jake. Tifo is a word of Italian origin that refers to the staging and apparatus involved in putting on a display of fan support for a sports team, most often football (soccer). Tifo usually involves scarves, large banners and flags. Today Jake came over to make flags. He brought the materials and the designs he had engineered. I supplied the serger, sewing machine and the tools and technical skills. Jake had it all figured out in his head, but transferring that to my head and then to the actual project took some careful planning.

Just like a carpenter, measure twice, cut once.

I had practiced the stitch we would use before he arrived, but the actual fabric presented a few challenges. I made it work.

Jake spread the seams and lined up the next pieces to sew.

TA DA! It's a flag! We won't win any prizes - there were a few bumps in the road that are evident upon close inspection, but we learned a lot and had fun. We actually were quite compatible in our problem solving, which is saying something about both of us, given our temperaments.

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I have two more flags to finish off at my leisure. After about four and a half hours we declared we were done and the three of us went out to eat.

Pie!

I just baked my first lemon meringue pie!

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Oh, I've baked lots of pies in the past, but always fruit pies, because that's what you do with fruit. Right?

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But not a lemon meringue pie. So why now? Well, because I had lemons, of course.

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I bought a bag of lemons at Christmas time, at Costco, because it was cheaper than buying just the few I needed from Safeway. And I still had some hanging around. Besides, today is a gray, drippy Saturday here in Seattle.

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I also used pre-prepared pie crust, another thing I've never done before. I've always made my own pie crust, but I just didn't feel like working that hard today, and the Safeway store is only four blocks away.

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There's only one problem. The pie doesn't use enough lemons. I still have some left!

Tom's Projects

Tom was gifted at Christmas with PhotoShop Elements, and since them he has been viewing tutorials and trying out aspects of this photo program. As a practice project, he has been extracting pics of Irene wearing clothes that I made for her. He has combined them into this composite photo.

He has been having fun, learning along the way, and admitting that at times the work is tedious. He plans to use this program especially to clean up old family photos that he has scanned as part of his genealogical work.

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Tom began doing family history in 1983, back when he had to go to archives and study microfiche one frame at a time. He spent many hours at the local stake center of the Mormon Church, ordering film to study in their Family History Center.

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Over the years, technology has made research much easier, and he has documented many generations of Vandervorts, Olssons, Olsons, Andersens, Norquists, Hofstetters, Manns, Slawsons, on and on. But while he started with the Reeders, he soon hit a dead end with his great great grandparents, Charles and Rachel Reeder.

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Then recently he heard a reference to pension records. He looked into it and placed an order. Yesterday a packet arrived from the National Archives containing pension application records for Rachel, and contained within, new information.

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Rachel is the mother of Seneca Reeder from Ohio, who fought in the civil war and eventually came to Washington State. He is Tom's great grandfather. He had a brother, John, who no one could find anything about. Now we know why. He died of typhoid ( or the measles) in 1861, at the age of 17, while a soldier serving in the Ohio Volunteers of the Union Army. Rachel's husband, Charles Reeder, was older than her by about 30 years and died in 1867. Rachel applied for a pension from her husband, and then in 1890, at the age of 69, she applied for a pension from her deceased son. At that time she was living in a Poor House in Ohio. That's the last we know of her so far, but Tom is hoping this new information will supply a loose end to continue to pursue.

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Tom loves the searching and hunting for bits and pieces of information. While it's not my cup of tea, I enjoy knowing the personal details we learn along the way. I can only imagine the hardship many of our ancestors suffered and they struggled to survive.

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While we have yet to discover anyone rich or famous, their stories make us realize how fortunate we are to be living now and in the style to which we have become accustomed.

Another Project, and Other Stuff

My kids might recognize the jungle print from long ago, when it once hung on the wall, on a stretcher, as wall art. But maybe it was too long ago even for that.

Now it is place mats, which I backed with Green Earth fabric for my ecologically minded grandchildren and their parents. This was yesterday's project. I quilted the mats using my sewing machine and a walking foot. Then I finished the edges using my new serger. For the table mat, I even used the serger for the piecing. I'm making progress in mastering my new toy.

This morning I had another new experience. I had an electrocardiogram.

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At my physical last week my new doc said ,"You have a heart murmur", to which I responded, "Yes, I've had it since childhood".

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But it has been only in the last year or so that it apparently has been noticeable again to the docs. Does that mean it's more pronounced? So the doc referred me to cardiology, and today I went downtown for the test.

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When I was finished, I said to the technician, "Well, I guess you heard the murmur, and I guess nothing's a big problem right now." She said, "That's exactly right. If it wasn't, you wouldn't be leaving the hospital."

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So I'll wait for results. I came back home and went out for a hill climb walk.

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This afternoon I boxed up the place mats to ship to Colorado and went off to the post office. Good grief! There were three Spanish speaking young people who appeared to be shipping their worldly goods to some foreign country. Box after box had to be weighed, registered, and the Priority Mail paperwork filled out. The final tab was in the hundreds of dollars, paid in cash, of course. Then it seemed like everyone else in line had some exotic issue that took time, until finally, about 30 minutes later, it was my turn. I took about two minutes.

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Why am I always the fast one? Why is everyone else's business so complicated?

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Lastly, I'm already really tired of the analysis of the President's speech last night. I'll start out by saying I thought it was a good speech, and that he challenged all concerned to get on to the business of governing. But apparently it was way too polite and non-specific for the progressives, and just all the wrong policies for the Republicans, who in rebuttal still have no alternative solutions to offer.

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So the beat goes on. And on. And on. We're all frustrated.

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But I still have hope.

Finally Finished

Here it is, the finished product. I just had Tom help me hang it in the downstairs bathroom. It looks good and I'm happy with it.

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It took me long enough to finish. I don't know where the time goes. Today it's already three o'clock, and what have I done? Let's see:

- I got out of bed - that's an effort these days.

- Checked email and face book and a few blogs

- Showered, got dressed and went downstairs

- Walked out to get the paper

- Made my milkshake breakfast, and then voted while I drank it. (Co. Library levy)

- Skimmed the paper while listening to Dave Ross on the radio.

- Got organized, then got in the car to run errands - mail the ballots, pick up my prescription for Naproxan, buy a dowel to hang my hanging, get milk and a few things at Safeway.

- Back home, I put stuff away, then headed out for my "gotta' keep movin' " walk. -50 min.

- Iced my ankle while I sorted the mail and started the crossword puzzle.

- Warmed leftovers for lunch, then chocolate and coffee while I finished the puzzle.

- Sewed hanging straps for the wall hanging. Got Tom to help me hang it.

- Took photos for this blog, and posted.

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And there you have a typical day, not so productive, but busy non-the -less. It's a little after three so I have some more time to devote to projects. I'm going to attach my new free motion foot to my sewing machine and practice quilting. Then I'll organize the next project based on stuff I've dug out of the forgotten projects stash.

Hazardous Fun

Saturday Tom and I went to an antique show at the Puyallup Fair Grounds. This is a very big show, over 400 vendors, and on Saturday morning it can be very crowded. We arrived about 11:00, after the first rush, but with the hall full of lookers. About five minutes into it, still trying to gear ourselves into dealing with lots of people, I was run over by a motorized wheel chair. I was trying to get into a booth the entry of which was being blocked by a very large man who was standing there looking but not allowing anyone else in. I hate that. Don't block the entrance! I was just about to say "Excuse me" (we are so very polite we ask to be excused when it's really someone else's fault, don't we), when I was broadsided. As I quickly tried to assess first what happened, and second, was I alright, I looked down to see a big, fat wheel on my foot and the frame rammed against my ankle, and my bad ankle at that. Well, I couldn't move and the elderly lady was apologizing all over the place, so I had to ask "Could you back up?" I don't think she realized I was still under the wheel. Flustered, it took her a bit to back off my foot. I didn't seem to be too bad off, but before I could walk and try it out, I had to reassure the lady that it was alright. She shouldn't worry. After all, she was in a wheel chair and I am able to walk, I hope. Then I limped off. Tom got to my side and asked if I was OK. I replied, as I blinked back tears, that I would be. And I was. I gimped around for a bit, and then recovered enough that I was able to spend most of the next four hours on my feet, with a short time out for lunch. Remarkably, by the time we left a little after three, I was tired and stiff, but not really in pain. Hurray! The other hazard, besides to my physical well being, is, of course, to my pocket book. We weren't really looking for anything, so we just had fun looking. However there were a few items that called to me that I did not resist. The first was this heavy porcelain baby's plate. I love these things and I'm always attracted to them. I have resisted collecting them because they are usually over $100. But I found this charming little English plate, circa 1940, that was only $25, and it made me buy it.

You can click on the photo to read the verse. These plates were made to sit on the back of a wood stove and absorb heat so they would warm the baby food and keep it warm while the baby was being fed.

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We have Tom's mother's child plate which would be from 1910, and I bought a little probably 50's era plate a year or so ago. They needed company. Now I'm afraid I may be starting another collection!

A collection I do have is McCoy pottery, mostly in matte white. I have been collecting for about ten years and have pretty much stopped because I'm running out of places to display them. But I found this little jardiniere in the leaves and berries pattern, circa 1935. I love this old, almost clunky stuff from that era, with it's heavy thick clay and factory imperfections all covered in heavy matte glaze. It was a good price, so I bought it. Last Christmas I was wishing I had some little glass bowls to use with my china for serving cranberries, or a scoop of sherbet for dessert. I found this Heisey Glass berry bowl set for the reasonable price of $29. It was in good condition and a pattern I liked. So I bought it too.

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I have already looked on line for more little dishes to add to it. I didn't find what I wanted yet, but I did find this same set, minus one little bowl, for a starting price of $39.95 So I guess I did OK.

I don't really feel bad about spending money when the price is reasonable and it's something I like. No, I don't really need any of this stuff. But I figure my spending money may mean someone else can stay in business a bit longer. So, Hey, it's for the good of the country! Right?

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Oh, and one really cool thing happened there. I met a vendor who was from my home town, Molalla, Oregon. I heard him mention Molalla to someone else so I asked him about it and then said I was from there too. In talking a bit we discovered that he knew my dad. He was just a boy then but he remembered that my dad had worked for his dad as a logger for the Olson Brothers Logging Company. Small world!

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We had fun and although Tom found lots of stuff he would like to own, none of his finds were in the inexpensive range, so he abstained.

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Then we headed for a Starbucks to refresh.

Greet the Day

It's amazing:

How much more you can appreciate a sunrise after a good night's sleep.

How for a brief time the rising sun can set the sky afire, and then so quickly fade to gray.

How easily one could miss such a show.

I was up at seven this morning, not my usual hour, but feeling good after a real night's sleep. Instead of getting going on the day, I planted myself in front of my computer, to catch up on blogs. I have a window that looks out through the trees toward the southeast.

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I suddenly caught a glimpse of glowing red. I hurried downstairs, grabbed my camera, and was out on the front porch. But with so many trees and houses in the way, I had to walk farther. I grabbed heavy slippers and found myself standing at the end of our long driveway, in my robe, out in the street, in the cold gray dawn, taking pictures of a fiery eastern sky.

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By the time I got back to the house, it was gone.

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The saying goes " Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning", and I do know it is going to rain later. That's OK. I have indoor activities planned.

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But I greeted the day in a spectacular way!

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And I even picked up the newspaper while I was about it.

How To Respond?

I'm still upset about yesterday's court ruling. Money corrupts. Power corrupts. More power in the hands of those with more money results in more corruption. But the court has spoken. What can be done? I'm upset with the Democrats in power in Washington. The health care issue is so disappointing. The Dems have let the Re-pubs define all of the issues. It's not really health care reform, it's insurance reform. Tea Baggers, whose brilliance is shown by their sign saying "Keep the government out of my Medicare" are controlling the debate. Where is the rebuttal? Where is the common sense? The Dems are now in a tizzy because they lost the Massachusetts Senate seat. Scott Brown won't support health reform because his state already has it. When asked about the rest of the country, he responded that each state could do the same. The fact is Massachusetts has a system similar to what the White House and Congress were trying to pass. Brown voted for it. A column by Froma Harrop stated some of my feelings. Politically, the Massachusetts program could serve as a national model. Pass universal coverage now, fix it later. Even though their reforms are superior, Democrats in Washington could have done better still by not trying to please everyone. But despite their control of the White House and Congress, Democrats seemed capable only of reacting to critics, cringing with fear under even the most ludicrous attacks. If you don't have the courage of your convictions, it doesn't matter whether your party has 59 or 60 or 65 seats in the Senate. Under President Bush, Republicans got whatever they wanted with 50 senators. Now we'll see piecing out of the health reform bill. But what to start with that isn't somehow linked to the rest - regulations on insurance companies are linked to the cost of coverage, for example. And will those in power find the will to reform the banking industry? Will they put back the regulations that have been eroded since the Reagan administration? But most of all, will the American people ever realize that what took 30 years to break might take some time and money to fix? Obama has had one year. The Re-pubs have seen to it that he now owns the problems while standing firmly in the way of any solutions. The people are hollering that he hasn't fixed anything yet, and are suddenly concerned about the deficit, a deficit that didn't seem to bother them under Reagan or Bush. The democrats in Washington need to find their voice. They need to become audacious in countering the clatter of the ludicrous. They need to shout out the outrageous truth! Many people shrug all of this off, saying all politics is corrupt. It's true that there are people in elected office who are in it for themselves, but not all. Some are truly good. Some are truly smart. We elected a man for president who is both good and smart. Such a man should not be allowed to fail. How to respond? It's natural to feel jaded, to want to duck and cover for a while. But this stuff is important to us and to our children and grandchildren, to our nation and to the world. How to respond? I can only stay informed, and use my small voice whenever or wherever I am able.

Exxon Is Now A Person

The Supreme Court has spoken. In a 5-4 decision, the court has established that corporations and unions have the same free speech rights as a person under the first amendment of the constitution. They are now free to use their considerable wealth to openly influence elections. Remember all that clatter about "activist judges legislating from the bench"? Well, that's exactly what they did. The supreme court threw out a 63 year old law designed to restrain the influence of big business and unions on elections. The court overturned two of its own decisions as well, and threatens similar limits by 24 states. The basis for the ruling was that not allowing this "speech" to corporations was a form of censorship. "The censorship we now confront is vast in its reach," said Justice Kennedy. Justice Stevens, in dissenting, said,"The court's ruling threatens to undermine the integrity of elected institutions around the nation". "It's the Super Bowl of bad decisions," said the president of Common Cause. Ads will now be allowed to run right up to the moment of an election and allow them to call for the election or defeat of a candidate as well as an issue. The loudest voices will be those with the most money. And you thought it was bad now?

Sunny in Seattle

We've been having the most extreme weather here the last few days. It's dry! Even when it's not dry, it's warm! Yesterday it got up to 60 degrees! Sometimes it's even sunny! Like today! I finally took down the holiday greens and the wreath by the front door. They are replaced by a pot of little daffodils. No snow on these snowdrops. After my walk yesterday I took some time for "recliner therapy" while I worked the newspaper crossword puzzle. They're always easy early in the week, and it's satisfying to be able to finish one in under an hour. Then after lunch, I tackled that sewing learning curve. I'm working on a wall hanging using a printed panel I bought about two years ago. Remember, I'm digging out unfinished projects. Anyway, the next step called for free motion quilting, or outline quilting, which I've never done before. I've previously limited my quilting to straight line. So I layered up a sample - top fabric, batting, backing - attached my walking foot to the sewing machine, and practiced. After about an hour, I got tired of that and decided I was ready to try the real project. I spent the next two hours quilting my wall hanging. I outlined the herons and did contour stitching on the background.

I'll show you the whole thing when I get it finished. I already know how to make bias edging and attach it. That will be next.

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By the time I finished, it was dinner time and I was tired. Tom took me out to dinner.

We did not watch our usual MSNBC programming and only a part of the national news. We did watch the Chuck episode we missed Monday, on the computer, no less, since I forgot to record it. We did watch the previous nights Daily Show with Jon Stewart, which we record every night. And we were going to watch The Good Wife, which we like, but it was a repeat, so I went to bed with the latest copy of Time magazine and read until my eyes wouldn't stay open.

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It took me a while to fall asleep, and I did wake up frequently during the night, but I actually went back to sleep each time.

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I feel better today. In about an hour some teacher friends will be joining us for a field trip lunch downtown via Link light rail.

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It's a beautiful day!

Sleepless in Seattle

I am plagued by insomnia, so I am not at my best. I am plagued by conditions in Haiti, which seems to me to be misery at it's worst.

I am discouraged by politics, which seem stalled in nothingness.

I am stalled in my sewing projects until I learn new tricks. I'll need time to re-establish my sleep patterns. Haiti will have to endure unspeakable hardship while it takes too much time for aid to come and restoration to follow. I may need to watch less coverage. I can only hope in time the political maneuverings will bring about positive change. And I need to give myself time to learn, practice, and find joy again in creating. Meanwhile, my physical health requires me to push through discomfort and keep moving. Here time is not my friend. It's not raining, so I'm going for a walk. Maybe when I get back I won't be so "me" centered.

The Old Iron Kettle

Remember that one about the pot calling the kettle black?

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Well, this is one old kettle who's proud of her color.

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Vonda at littleeggfarm asked me for my beef stew recipe. That put me into a stew. Recipe? What recipe? I don't know if I have ever followed a recipe for things I cook in this kettle.

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And that's the secret of the stews and pot roasts and short ribs and whatever has been brought forth from this pot - the pot itself.

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This old cast iron pot belonged to Tom's grandmother, which means it could easily be 100 years old. It is well seasoned. And there's nothing like an old, well seasoned, blackened cast iron pot for slow cooking beef.

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As to the stew, I start by thoroughly browning the lean, well trimmed stew meat with a bit of vegetable oil. After it is well browned and all water is evaporated, I add chopped onion and celery and brown a bit more. Then I start dumping.

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This time I added some plum tomatoes I had in the freezer. Did you know you can just rinse off whole fresh tomatoes, put them in a zip lock bag, and stick them in the freezer. When you want to use them in soups or stews or sauces, just remove what you need, run them under hot water to slip the skins off, and cut them in chunks. Into the pot they go.

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Then I added water to cover, salt, pepper, chopped basil I also had in the freezer and some dried marjoram. Put the lid on and it all goes into a 325-350 oven, where you forget about it for two hours. Then in the third hour add the vegetables. Cut up carrots and potatoes take about 45 minutes in a 350 oven. I add parsnips and turnips and maybe cabbage for the last 30 minutes.

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Sometimes instead of tomatoes, I add red wine and mushrooms after browning. This changes the flavor somewhat, for what I call beef burgundy stew.

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I'm sure most of you don't have Grandma's old black kettle. so use a heavy dutch oven, but be sure to brown the meat well before stewing. That's the other secret.

Domestic Goddess

While getting my beef stew started and into the oven, I was watching Martha Stewart. Her program today was about blogging! I guess we all know how to do that!

Now the stew is stewing and filling the house with mouthwatering aromas, and the promise of a hearty dinner on this dark, rainy day.

Before that, I finally finished a pillow project I started a long time ago.

I found this wonderful fabric at a shop in Freeland on Whidbey Island and had to use it for something. I did some preliminary cutting, and then ran out of time. The garden called, the grand kids were coming - something like that. I don't remember for sure.

The bad news is the shop closed last summer. I loved going there.

The good news is with all these machines I have now, I had just the impetus and the tools to finish the job.

January is the perfect time to dig out all of those unfinished or avoided projects, and complete them. I'll have to see what I can find next. I'm sure there're more.

Progress?

Progress is often defined as two steps forward, one step back. While that makes for slow progress, it still results in a net gain, so I guess that's a good thing. I thought I broke my seger today. I was working on my first project, when I guess I jammed something and broke a needle. I unthreaded everything, took out the needles, and the rethreaded the four threads and struggled to replace the two needles. Finally I was ready to try it our and assess the damage. It wouldn't sew. Great. I broke it already! So I stopped for lunch, and then packed it up and took it to the sewing shop. Linda, who I have worked with recently, checked it all out, started it up, and it was fine!!! What a relief. I think I forgot to throw an unlock switch when I rethreaded it. So much to learn. So I brought it back home and finished my first project - a cover for this very machine. I had a piece of upholstery fabric, so I engineered a pattern and sewed it up with the serger, slick as a whistle - except for the the interruption for the near disaster. But I'll get better at all of this. It just takes time and practice, and a panic induced call for help now and then. Oh, and I got the results from the ankle xray today. Sure enough, arthritis. And as if the proof wasn't enough, my ankle has been screaming at me since I got back from my walk this morning. Staying healthy is hard work. Two steps forward, one step back.

Time Flies.....

...when you're just doing stuff. I'm not sure where these last two days have gone. I don't seem to have much to show for them. Rain has returned. Real rain. Rain that is endless. Rain that floods. And yet I haven't paid much attention to it. I even got out for a 45 minute walk today during a break in the deluge. Yesterday I saw yet another new doctor for my regularly scheduled physical exam. We belong to Group Health Co-op, which is both a health insurer and health care provider. I consider us very fortunate to be a part of this not-for-profit system directed by a board of members. It is rare in this country, maybe one of only two like it in the nation. We have assigned docs, but can see anyone if ours is not available, which means you can usually get prompt care if you really need it. But in my slot at our local clinic, the doc rotation has been frequent, so once again I have a new primary care physician. Because we were getting acquainted, I scheduled a double slot, claiming chronic conditions. I had to wait much longer than usual, but finally got to meet Dr. Wilkerson. She is a petite young woman whom I liked very much. And when I told her I had scheduled a double slot and then came prepared with lists, she was impressed with me too. "You are a very good patient", she said. So we hit it off. As far as I know I am healthy, just sort of falling apart. I had an x-ray taken of my right ankle, since it hurts often and is the only part I don't have a recent picture of. I suspect it will show arthritis. I have been doing my physical therapy exercises regularly, even though I hate it. Oh, I got points from the doc on that one too. Today I picked up my sewing machine, newly serviced and ready for projects. I am in the process of setting up both the sewing machine and the serger, using a new station in the guest bedroom. While I was at the shop I signed up for more classes. I think it's time to see what I can learn from others. I'm not much of a joiner, and have to push myself to get out there and participate in opportunities provided by others. It comes from my being a control freak. But I usually like it when I do. So we'll see. I received some bad news today. I got a short note from one of the cousins I met in Sweden. It was Yvonne, who's house we met at when we were there. She lost her husband to lung cancer in October. The cancer was due to work related causes - exposure to harmful chemicals. He was not an old man. What a loss to that family. I don't know what kind of hazardous work standards they have in Sweden, but it could have been exposure of 20 years ago finally taking it's toll. At least there was full medical coverage . Sweden does get that right. Will we?

Urban Trekking ; Lake Washington Ship Canal and Fremont

I love days like today! The weather was dry and balmy for January - 55 degrees! We went urban trekking. It's so freeing to just leave everything behind and go enjoy new surroundings. And I love being a tourist in my own city. Today we headed for the quiet side of the ship canal, the south bank, and walked the trail to our destination, Fremont.

There were large rafts of these scaups on the canal.

Across the Fremont Bridge, and into "The Center of the Universe", as Fremontians like to call their village within a city.

We were headed for the always fun Fremont street market, a year-round Sunday happening.

I loved the colors at this "antique" vendor.

The Raw Corn street musicians were entertaining.

At this stall you can buy regular chocolate or hemp inspired flavors.

I studied these old valentines a long time, but finally resisted.

I did not resist these charming little vases made from old silverware. I now own one.

And I couldn't pass up this $10 glass bobble, especially since it matched my shirt.

This treasure might only be meaningful to folks who have grown up in Seattle or the region. Tom is holding a homemade toy hydroplane, a Miss Budweiser, made in 1967, according to the inscription on the back. It belonged to a Thomas Eugene Baker, and it definitely has been pulled behind a bicycle, as these toys usually were.

We had lunch OUTSIDE at the PCC deli.

I joined those "Waiting For the Interurban", in a famous local art work.

Tom posed with his treasure at a photo op.

And I posed with a famous Seattle TV star, JP Patches, and his side kick, Gertrude.

We walked down to Lake Union under the Aurora bridge.

House boats and sail boats line the edge of the lake.

As we walked back to the bridge, it was opening to allow a sail boat to pass under.

And then we headed back down the trail to the car.

I love the red berries on this cotoneaster.

A merganser was enjoying a canal swim.

Kayaks and sail and motor craft were out for a day on the water.

After some rest up time at home we had dinner out with the guys, Jake and friends Tad and Russ.

Now we'll settle in for the evening. Chuck is back!

What a perfect day!