You Can't Go Back

to Vista (which they say is too old) or Windows 7 for under two hundred bucks... because I got Windows 8 for a very special price (probably because it's such a pain nobody's buying it), so I bought an "8 for Beginners" Kindle book for ninety-nine cents that I'll work my way through and if I'm still in the dark (and pissed off about it) I can spend a few bucks on a Windows 8 for Dummies book.  Hmm, maybe I'll just do that anyway, I think I have a few bucks left on a Barnes & Noble gift card.  Skully and I are walking at the mall (ugh, the mall) across the street from B&N so I can zoom across to see about it after our trudge.  

Then I get to go over to feed peelings and stems to "the ladies" Henny & Penny and take Porter out to play in the backyard.  This weekend's the next "family supper" on Saturday.  DIL1 gave her dad cooking lessons for Christmas so JZ's making supper; we're tasked with bringing dessert.  I had a brainstorm.  We'll either get some small glasses at either Goodwill or the $ Store, or use some green Depression glass pudding dishes Mom gave me (I'm thinking we'll use what we've got) and make tiny chocolate pudding "pies" with a spoonful of graham cracker crust on the bottom, homemade chocolate pudding, and a strawberry on top.  Yeah, that's what we'll do.  It'll be just enough for a little sweet after, um, what'd DS say?  Oh yeah, prosciutto-wrapped shrimp, pasta carbonara, and a salad.  Could you die?  Little chocolate pies will be perfect. You so wish you were coming too.  Even though the official Chinese New Year is on Sunday, Feb. 10 (it's the Year of the Snake) we won't be celebrating our Chinese New Year until next month when it's Durwood's and my turn to host.  We were supposed to host it in January but with the way I felt it just wasn't happening.  Besides, since we're not officially Chinese, not anywhere close to it, I'm thinking we don't need to adhere to the strict date.

BTW, I can't believe how much better I feel every day that I'm not taking that thyroid med.  I have energy, I don't fall asleep at random times, I get things done, I'm happy.  See? Better.  What's even more incredible is how awful I was feeling when I look back at November and December.  It kind of creeps up on you and then you're in the pit of despair with no clue how to dig your way out and then you land in the ER for an entire day with IVs and EKGs and X-Rays and all sorts of initialed tests being done to you.

February 5--Sudan, Mahdist Peoples, Tunic (Jibbeh)  The rectangles of muted colors on a natural ground please me.  Someone had taken care when they cut the fabric for the tunic so that they were in just the right places.  The thin black outlines were exactly right as were the inverted crown motifs placed at random.  The effect is modern, like it came from the 1970s so I'm surprised to see that it came from Africa in the 1880s.  Is design that simple?  That timeless?  The pleasure that looking at it gives me takes me by surprise.  It also makes me want to sew.

Okay, that's it for me today.  Time for some Crispix (see?  I can change) and go walking.  Walking is good, makes energy.
--Barbara