rsc

The other day, I was looking for some granny square chicken ideas. I googled and then clicked on images and fairly quickly found a viable candidate but, on the way, I also spied a very cool looking fish. Made with a granny square base with nose and tail added and then outlined in black. I thought it was an Etsy image but I could have been wrong about that. It was not a professional image. I noted my search terms and figured I'd go back and find it later. Only now, after two days of searching, I cannot find that sucker anywhere! I have googled the universe looking and nope. Nada. Nothing even close. I no longer care about the fucking fish but I am major bummed about my personal fail.

I just tried again and Google suggested I try Gemini. Fair suggestion. And an even bigger fail. Now I need to see if I can stop looking. It's obsessive.

I had the entire pool to myself this morning, not even the sun joined me. It was lovely.

Before I left, I loaded the laundry in and got it started. It's now got about 40 minutes til done.

I made Bonny a welcome home sign.

And that's about it so far today. No big plans - no little plans for that matter. But, probably I should get dressed anyway.

susandennis

Thursday - volleyball, Timber Ridge Times distribution, Wegovy. Done. Done. Done.

I have thought a lot about but not written too much about the Wegovy "journey". I'm not sure why but now it is beginning to feel like the elephant in the room and has there been a more/less apt metaphor?? In the old days, when I would go on a diet - aka reduce the number of calories I consumed, I'd starve myself and dream of the day when I was thin and could eat all of the stuff I was denying myself. This time is different. For two reasons. I am really not starving and I have every intention of taking some sort of GLp-1 drug for the rest of my life. It's been a bit of a learning curve. I've learned to eat when I am hungry. Even just a snack. And not eat when I am not. This latter takes a little more learning but I'm getting there.

I weigh myself the first thing every morning. Last month, I got really bummed out because I was not losing enough and not fast enough. Initially, the goal was just to be able to move and walk more comfortably. My years of watching the numbers was a muscle memory and not having them go down quickly was depressing. But now I have remembered my original goal and I'm on track again.

I'm very comfortable with what I can eat when I can eat it and enjoy food. And my weight loss trend is downward so that's fine, too. Plus, I've learned that if I use my big ole fat belly for shots, I can barely feel them going in.

I have a check in appointment with my doctor next Tuesday and I'll be interested in hearing what she has to say about it all. I am grateful to her for suggesting it in the first place. I would have never considered it otherwise.

In other news... I get headline alerts from the Seattle Times and the New York Times. And I have a Google news feed that scrolls on my phone. And none of that even hinted at the strong (nearly 4.6) earthquake in northern California early this morning - near lots and lots of people. I read that here on Dreamwidth thanks to Spiffikins. Yes, I know Trump is a racist, rude idiot and is doing unconstitutional things and random judges are trying to stop him. I do not need that particular headline 5 times a day. I would like to know things about shit flying off shelves south of here. Thank goodness I have Spiffikins!

I do think I'm going to FedEx today to do that Amazon return.

Oh and speaking of returns... The cats won the food fight. $85 worth of food that they will NOT eat. I was looking on Chewy to see if they had some kind of 'my cats hate this food' policy and they do!! But, apparently, not for this prescription food. But, I hopped onto chat to see if there was some kind of something. Chewy chat is either the best AI in the world or real people who are sitting there waiting to talk to me. I've only used it a few times and never had to wait more than a minute. Last night was no different. I explained that my cats hated the new food and he immediately gave me a total refund and told me to keep the stuff or give it away - no return needed. Every once in a while, I feel like ordering their food from Amazon would be better, easier, more efficient. I get a discount on Chewy which matches the discount I get on my visa from Amazon orders so the price is the same to the penny. And while I love Amazon, Chewy wins the customer service award. Every time.

I found the complete Season 9 of the Canadian Bake Off yesterday on YouTube and have been wallowing in it. I do like the judges on the Canadian version. And it's great crochet TV.

I have enough chickens now for Elbow Coffee on Saturday. Everyone else always brings food to elbow coffee - everyone but Ingrid. When she comes, which is, thankfully, not often, she just brings complaints. I bring Krispy Kreme donuts once a year. And I supply all the paper plates and napkins. But this Saturday, I'll bring a platter of hens. And then, once everyone on this floor has what they and their grandchildren want, I'll start putting them on the shelf.

susandennis

The cats and I are having a food fight. They do not like the latest acquisition but 1. we have 24 5 oz cans of it that we are going to eat come hell or high water and 2. it's especially formulated to relieve stress. So they do not have to like it but they are going to eat it all up. It could be a long cat food month.

Amazon is ever increasing its options for returning stuff. I remember when my nephew first moved to his teeny tiny NW Iowa town, the first thing he told me about it was that the closest Amazon return site was an hour away in Nebraska. That's living off the grid in my book. Anyway, around here, they have now added Fed Ex. Like UPS, you just take your item in with a QR code and they provide the package and the label and the shipping. It's a schosh more convenient than UPS. So I thought I'd try it. I have one item to return but I also have 30 days so I'm in no hurry.

It probably won't be today. The Mariner game is an afternoon game today. Chicken TV!

I'm now reading the second of the 5 books that the librarian offered up. Proof by Jon Cowan. It had a rough start - lazy plot development/writing but now I'm at the 50% mark and he's hit his stride. Interesting plot and I'm hooked. So far, of the 5, 1 was a huge success, 1 was a total fail and now we're on this one. I'm still on hold for the other two.

I was debating skipping the swim today but now I've changed my mind. I think I'll just suit up and head on over. Such a luxury to have such a lovely pool such an easy walk from here.

susandennis

I spent all of yesterday tending to my flock. Trying this and then trying that and then, finally, I think I have a pattern I'm happy with.

One issue was the eyes. They end up needing to go into where there is a hole in the crochet. Summersgate said she's been sewing over that hole and I tried that and it kind of works. Another issue is that there was still too many holes and the stuffing shows through. So I dropped a size in my crochet hook but then the chicken was too small. Then I added a row and then the chicken was too big.

So I had a think. And changed my granny square to a granny round square with a special corner for the eye. I like the results a lot. There will be a lot more chickens, I believe.

Here's what I'm doing.

1. 12 double crochet (12)
2. 2 DC in each stitch (24)
3. 2 DC, then 1 DC, then 2 DC, etc (36)
Then I make a square
4. 2 DC, ch 1, 2 DC in 3 corners, [2 hdc, 4 sc, 2 hdc] on 4 sides. In the 4th corner, 5 DC's.
5. 1 DC in every stitch and 2 DC, ch 1, 2 DC in 3 corners and fill in (1 or 2 DC's) in that one corner.

That one corner becomes a nice, stable area for the eye.

I put an eye on each square and then put them wrong sides together and do a single crochet around the three edges leaving the one opposite the eye open.

Then I add the top comb. With the eye on the top left hand corner, I count 8 stitches over from that corner and start - 1 sc, 3 DC, 1 sc, [1 DC, 1 TR], [1 TR, 1 DC], 1 sc, 3 DC, slp the last stitch.

Then round the eye corner I skip one stitch from the comb and start the beak. 1 DC, ch 2, 1 DC in the first of those 2 chains, 1 DC and then a slip stitch to end.

Then I stuff her and close up the bottom and add the chicken feet: [ch 3, TR] 3 times in the middle of the bottom.

DONE!

susandennis

I got the official word yesterday when the Director of Health Services replied to my email. Jim Across The Hall is no longer Across The Hall. He has been taken to a memory care facility "until we have room for him here". So he's history. Our memory facility really stays booked.They only have room for 20. They can't remember shit but still they live on. I got to thinking about it this morning and think that moving him will be/is so disconcerting for him. He won't know anything. BUT moving him out of Timber Ridge is probably his best bet. Nothing will be familiar. Moving him to our memory care unit might have been way more confusing. He'd be locked in and not able to wander about like he liked to do. But, not understanding why.

So now, his sons will need to clear out his apartment. That should be interesting. Also new blood in the hood!

Yesterday was chicken day and today will be, too. Except for when the house cleaner is here.

I'm not totally happy with my first crop. BUT I have plans for chicken improvement.

Maju, this morning, talked about various Easter traditions and it reminded me of ours growing up. Easter Sunday outfits. New clothes, new shoes, little girl hats and little girl purses and little boy suits for my brother and a fairly bad photo of all of us in front of the house. We did some Easter egg hunting but it was not a huge thing. We were really into the Easter Parade in New York City although I'm not sure how or why. We were a church going family but not that religious actually. But on Easter we were sure fancy.

I also remember we had this very modern strip mall. It was the first of it's kind. It meant that now you didn't have to get dressed up to go downtown if all you needed was a spool of thread. (You ALWAYS got dressed up when you went to town.) Anyway, this strip mall which we called a Shopping Center, had a very large Woolworths Dime Store and a really large grocery store. And both of those stores, every Easter, set out a large sales area outside stocked with chicks and bunnies. And the chicks were died Easter colors. And we always wanted one of each. Not every single year but most years, Mom relented and let us get a chick. Never a bunny. We kept them in cardboard boxes with grass. It was very exciting for about a week. They either died or Mom rehomed them.

ahhhh Easter!

susandennis

It's so foggy here this morning that the end of the part of the building across the drive is no longer visible. It feels like we are in a cocoon. In the pool this morning, it was just like swimming with the shades down. Cozy.

No news on Jim Across The Hall and there may never be. It occurred to me that they may have moved him to the same place where his sister lives which is about 45 miles north of here. They apparently never got along at all when they had marbles but their disorder is genetic so now that they neither one have any marbles left, maybe they will be friends. At least it would be easier on the family. We will know when his stuff is moved out but that may end up being the only news we ever get. Bonny comes back on Friday and she's a good dirt digger so maybe she'll unearth something.

If you are weary of my bitching and moaning about baseball broadcasters, I have some seriously bad news for you. I have found a group - an entire group - that is way way way worse than our own Mariner broadcast team. The guys (and on field chick) that Peacock sets up to run their games are just hilariously worse. In every possible way. They spent most of the game bitching about how cold it was. Apparently, they confused Seattle with Miami when they were packing for the trip. They tripped over each other all game long. And, they had clearly only met a day or two ago and had no plans whatsoever. It was pretty excruciating except the Mariners were winning. I hope we don't have any more of Peacockium.

I did end up going to Safeway yesterday and laying in some snacks and some zero gaterade which is now my go to thirst quencher. So today have no errands which is fine by me.

I made some little chicks like

summersgate has been making but I couldn't finish because I didn't have any eyes. I could have embroidered some on but Amazon is bringing me eyes today so I'll finish up. I played around with different granny squares and found one that I really like so there may well be a whole lotta chicks this Spring.

susandennis

Jim Across The Hall was not across the hall all day yesterday. And he's not there today. I think they have re-homed him. I'm going to ask tomorrow. It's so weird to have him just disappear but there is no reason why they should tell us - his neighbors - except to say he's ok. Yesterday, during elbow coffee, the security guard who makes checks* was by and we asked him to check and he came back and said that Jim was fine. He did not, in retrospect, say Jim was there. IF Jim was on his list of People Not Home, then he would say Jim is fine.

Yesterday's and today's newspapers are outside his door and the door has not been opened since Friday.

*The doors have a sensor and if you do not open yours by 10 am, they are alerted and call you or come find your dead body.

I sent the head of Health Services a note just now asking about him. We may never find out a thing. Oh well. He was a nice neighbor to have.

The Mariners lost again last night. It's kind of nostalgic. Like the Mariners of old who rarely won a game.

Today's game is on Peacock which is weird. As basically a non-sports person, I see no reason to sprinkle sports shit on every single airwave. For real sports people, it must be a nightmare. For me, it's just annoying to have to wade through sports shit to get to real TV streaming on every single stream. Get off my lawn.

My Peacock account runs until the end of April and I haven't decided whether or not to renew. But, at least I have today's game. It will be interesting to see if they use local commentators or bring their own.

I do want to get a swim in. And I might want to go to Safeway, but there's nothing on my list that can't wait so I might hold off.

It looks like the sun might come out so I think I'll go swim before it does.

susandennis

Volleyball was good and elbow coffee was not as bad as it could have been but now it's all done and the rest of the day is mine. There will be TV and knitting and crocheting and baseball and no doing anything I don't want to do.

I was sitting here playing a daily challenge on my phone and I heard all this yelling. I could see see where it was coming from. On a hunch, I went down to Bonny's apartment. Here's is on the very end of the building and overlooks a play field for the middle school that is just below Timber Ridge. She's always talking about the stuff going on on that field and, yep, today there is a wild lacrosse game going on with a fair number of sideline cheerers. Fun and nice to have the mystery solved.

Baseball slashes my normal book reading time. And I have a good one just checked out from the library so I think that may be the start of my afternoon. But first some lunch.

susandennis

I've lost a shit ton of money this month. I made a shit ton in January and February and all that is gone now. The only redeeming feature is that I just know this stock market downturn is a nightmare for Trump and I'm totally willing to make the sacrifice if it ruins his day/week - here's hoping for more.

I got my little tiny laptop all working. It was not easy. Finding mobile media that works across platforms was the first challenge. Then, turns out, this little bugger has a very odd processor. Gemini was just stumped until finally figuring it out and showing me how. It's now perfect. It's a little smaller than 10" and no one makes one this small any more. I have two - both very very old. They have not been eligible for updates in years. I'm not even sure how I was able to do it today but Gemini did let me know that they will only work until August of 2027.

I'll just enjoy while I can. I'm glad I didn't toss 'em out.

I'm looking forward to tonight's baseball game. In a week or so, I'll be frustrated with the coverage or the play or the broadcasters but right now I'm just glad to have baseball back.

susandennis

Not long ago, I bought a very large tablet for two main uses - taking notes (it has a stylus attached) and watching baseball. I gave away my bedroom TV and only need to watch TV in there when the baseball game goes past my bedtime.

The tablet is really too big but after some trial and error, I found it works very nicely for taking notes. I use it to record the Food and Beverage meetings and it's excellent for that.

And, last night, I learned that it's an AMAZING bed TV. It is really too big but the too big comes in very handy when you are watching baseball. It's actually a much nicer watching experience than the giant TV in the living room.

Of course, last night, the first game of the year, I got to watch them lose which wasn't wonderful but it was nice to have baseball back.

I stayed up late so I slept in late-ish and then piddled around and didn't get to the pool until nearly 8:30. And then I swam extra long so now here it is nearly 10 am and I'm still naked in my swim robe and haven't even gotten the day started. And I don't care!

Retirement rocks.

Today's big ticket item is to revive my ohsovery old Acer tiny Chromebook. It's just a lovely size for having next to the couch but it is too old for chrome updates so won't sync with my other stuff. BUT I can install Chrome flex which will give it new life. So that's today's project.

But, first, I think I'll get un naked.

susandennis

Volleyball has been played, The Timber Ridge Times has been delivered, The Wegovy shot has been shot. The baseball season starts today but not until 7 pm so too close to bedtime to see a whole game. Sigh.

It's time to change the bed linens. I have this mattress topper that is wonderful but every couple of months, it needs to be recentered. Today's the day.

Several of us finished the puzzle yesterday and we have a new one ready to go. I may spend some time rooting out the edges and turning the other pieces right side up. Someone needs to invent a machine to do this. It's tedious.

My afghan kit came with instructions but it's a basic corner to corner crochet only done the most complicated way. I started it. I ripped it out and started it again. Now I'm going to start it a third time but this time I have a better plan.

Bonny's papers both came today so I guess I'll need to read those. I've actually already read the headliner stuff electronically so I can just get to the other when I get to it.

And those are the headlines of me so far today!

susandennis

So my modus operandi apple wise is to leave them on the counter until it's their time. Then cut the next one into 8ths and put it in the fridge. I snack on a slice now and then and often have several with my lunch. Every day. And my go to is Fuji.

But yesterday, in Trader Joe's, they did not have any single Fuji's! They were very apple-light. So I got another kind that was on an end cap display. I pulled off the sticky labels and put them on the counter except the one I sliced up.

Today I had some cheese and crackers for lunch and some apple. OMG OMG OMG!!! What is this apple?? It's like the candy of fruit. And all crisp and juicy and perfect. But, what the heck was it?

With the apple situation as it was at Trader Joe's, I was pretty sure they would be rearranging soon and all I knew was where these were yesterday. So I just got back into the car and went right back to Trader Joe's.

And turns out that they are available at all the grocery stores and year round. Why have I never heard of them before???

I have a stash now. The Internets say 6 weeks in the crisper. I only got 10. No way will they last 6 weeks.

susandennis

It's a non-volleyball day aka sleep in. Which I did. It was lovely. Soon, the sun will come in the bedroom and kill that sleep in joy but for now, it's still good. That sun was blasting into the pool room by the time I got down there but Erica - the director - was standing there talking to someone and when she saw me she said "here, I'll get those shades for you." Nice. The water was the perfect temperature and my music was good and my swim was really wonderful.

So it's early yet but so far GREAT day!!

Bonny is not getting her papers which is fine by me but I do wonder why. She's gone for another week and a half yet. Maybe someone is getting them before I do or maybe there's a problem. At least we know they are not piling up outside her door!

I started a new afghan yesterday. I do not need an afghan but I wanted to crochet something and the kit was on sale so ok. It's a squares thing - big squares - so I can do a monster and then do a half square and then a monster, etc. Baseball season is coming up. This allows for more intricate work.

I have a few little household things I want to get done today but not too much and non involving other people. There's a nice puzzle in the elbow. So if I need other people, I'll go out there and entertain myself and get some passersby action.

So just the usual lovely day here at the cult.

susandennis

All I did yesterday was hem pants. I finished the last pair just before bed. Whew. They are all now in the wash. A totally done deal. Yeah.

Today it will be back to knitting. And yeah for that.

The pool was back to normal warm this morning which was delightful. Tomorrow's laps will be way better than yesterday's for sure. Two of our regular players are out for a few games so there weren't so many of us but we had a good time anyway.

I got the text yesterday to refill my Wegovy for the last time. Last time, that is, before my doctor check in. And then we decide whether to up the dosage or not. Honestly, I can go either way. I'm not sure I need a higher dose but then I wasn't at all sure I needed this in the first place and I was sure wrong there. So, whatever the doctor wants to do is fine by me.

I think I'll make a quick trip to Trader Joe's today. I have 3 things on my TJ list. Also it's house cleaning day.

Ok, laundry done. Everything put away. No newspapers today. I don't know if that's a newspaper issue or a Timber Ridge issue. It would annoy me if I were a regular but I'm not so whatever.

Oh Biggie is up here to cause trouble which means he wants something to eat. Guess I'll get going on the rest of my day.

susandennis

I washed the hemmed pants yesterday and put on a pair today. Very close to good but they need to go up a half inch more so I'm very glad I put the brakes on the project. I'll correct the rest.

Yesterday the pool seemed a little cool. Today I went down for a swim and it was FUCKING COLD. Turned out someone let the boiler go out. Nice. Not. I got a good 20 minutes in before I gave up the freezing ghost. Tomorrow's volleyball is now in jeopardy as it takes a while to heat the pool back up. But, at least it's a weekday/work day so the staff is here and on it.

So all this talk about proof of citizenship for voting got me thinking... I do not have a valid passport. I have an old one so I suspect that getting a new one wouldn't be a gynormous mountain to climb just a PIA and $. I've got no use for a passport - I ain't goin' no where. I have a birth certificate. It's a photo copy - literally a photo of the original. It was how they gave you copies of original documents in the olden days. Black with cepia colored text. BUT it reflects the name I was born with which is not the name I have used for the past 50 years. I do not have a marriage certificate. So I dug around in the Burke County, North Carolina internet of records and found me. Well, I found the book number and page number that our marriage was recorded on in the county records. I stopped there.

By the time Trump and his troops pass any law requiring me to prove my name and citizenship, and said law gets through the legal battles necessary to make it a reality, I'll be 109 years old or older and not being able to vote will likely not be up there on my top 10 list of things to worry about.

I am really sleepy for some reason this morning. I slept fine last night so I'm not sure what the deal is.

For some unknown (to me) reason, the fire door at the end of hall shut a little bit ago. Probably some alarm tripped somewhere. But, the main problem is that it's driving Jim Across The Hall crazy. He can't deal with the door closed. He keeps coming in to tell me it's still closed. I've taken him out there and showed him how to open it. He does not need it open. He's not going anywhere. But, still... I think this will be our theme this morning.

But, first, I need to read Bonny's newspapers and then get to hemmin'!

susandennis

Bonny always offers me her newspapers when she is out of town. I recently found out that the truth is her subscriptions are tied to a phone number she no longer has and making any changes promises to be a herculean task so... me. Which is fine. She gets the Seattle Times and the Wall Street Journal. I actually enjoy the Wall Street Journal. Last year I almost thought I'd get a subscription myself - digital, of course - but never did. Now we're back. The Sunday Seattle Times is no longer even a shadow of its former self but at least now I know I'm not missing anything. And the trash room is right next door.

I hemmed pants yesterday. Hemming black pants is not as much fun as you might imagine. I only got four pair done. There are so many more to do. If I were smart, I'd wear and then wash the ones I have done and once I'm sure they are fine, continue on. I think I'll do just that but I'm not going to put away my supplies. I'll leave them out as incentive to pick up the project once the proof is in.

Coming back from the pool this morning, there was a team of first responders coming in with a gurney. The had come in the wrong entrance and one of the residents had led them to the correct elevator. That resident is a man I know. Even knowing he has absolutely ZERO sense of humor, I conversationally as we were walking down the hall "This place is really hard to navigate when you've never been here." "It sure is AND they even had the wrong date on the brunch menu this morning." Yeah, life saving first responder misdirection and an incorrect date on a menu - equal horrors fer sure. (Sunday is the ONLY day they serve brunch so even the big clues aren't enough for him, I guess.)

Oh, there goes my friend, Maggie, out with her great granddaughter and her dogs. Maggie is very able bodied (her husband has Parkinsons) and lithe. Today she's got on very attractive slim jeans and boots. It is hard to wrap my head around a Great Grandmother is slim jeans and boots, but there she is. Neither one of my grandmothers ever even wore pants in public. I mean what if someone saw them????

Major League Baseball starts on Thursday. So this will be the last Sunday til Fall with no baseball game.

I have good TV to watch today and knitting to do and there is a puzzle going in the elbow. So my day is set. Guess I'll get it started.

susandennis

Volleyball was good. Elbow Coffee is next on the agenda. Then, at some point, hopefully, Amazon will deliver my order to the locker at the Dollar Store and I can pick it up along with toothpaste and the greeting cards that Bonny asked me to get. On the way home, I'll drop off the Amazon return.

Ok Elbow Coffee is done. It was ok. Bonny really is a key ingredient and she won't be there for at least one more Saturday. Today Noelle said her computer did not come back after the electrical outage. So after coffee I went in to look. Her computer is 9 years old and took a good 20 minutes to go from off to fully on. She's a Gmail user so I took her my spare Chromebook and showed her how to use it and told her is was a way better bet for what her uses, but not to decide anything until she'd used it for a while. She has an appointment with IT on Tuesday so I didn't even bother hooking up her printer. Let them do it. She has both computers up and operational now.

My pants are too long. I wear the same pants every day. They are actually yoga pants. They are nice looking and plain with perfect pockets. They launder beautifully and stretch 4 ways but pop right back to the original size. They are comfortable and I have about a dozen pair. They have always been a smidge too long. Not long enough to require hemming but longer than I would like. Now they are unattractively (and probably dangerously) too long. I don't need a smaller size - and actually, the smaller sizes have the same inseam length. I just need to take up the hem in all the pants. All of them. That's the project today.

Also I am near the end of Death at the White Hart by Chris Chibnall. I can probably stretch it out two days but I probably won't. I've enjoyed the heck out of it. His only other book is Broadchurch. I did not like the TV series but maybe I'll like the book.

I'm beyond dismayed to hear from multiple people that Project Hair Mary - the movie - is great. I could not imagine how they could make it credible, much less great. I'm still not sure I want to see it. But now I probably will. I did love that story so very much.

My Amazon is out for delivery so should probably land pretty soon. I should get a snack for lunch before I head out.

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rsc

December 2025

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Page generated Apr. 4th, 2026 01:49 pm

Reading

Google major fail

Thursday

Wednesday

Chicken details

Tuesday

A new week

I think Jim is gone

And the rest of the day is mine

drive bys

Good news - bad news

Thursday

Return to Trader Joes

Warm water swim

All hemming no hawing

Good pants move

Sunday papers

It's time to hem the pants

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December 2025

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