awander
Feb 8,2025
Reporting from Santa Rosa again, where we ended up in our separate rooms somewhat under the weather from the stress of several aborted projects. I am trying to up- or down-load some cajun music from V’s collection, but my laptop refuses to play nice.
Seems I’m on the screen all the time lately. I have only done a couple of drawings, I know not where they are. I have been decluttering my mounds of paper, and sorting categories in the studio. I used the fabulous new bobbin winder to transfer thread from about 2 dozen old Kenmore bobbins (from about 40 years ago?? When did I have that machine?) to the 301/featherweight, and model 66 bobbins. I was inspired to make some hotpads using the refurbished 301A and some charming quilting squares my hoarder neighbor had left out on the curb to moulder in the rain last year. I washed them and dried them in the sun and packed them away last summer. Suddenly overcome with the thrill of the smoothly-functioning machine, I tore apart and remade two hot pads from new fabric and old padding.
Bear has a little flaw on her head. I think I will embroider her a little orange party hat.
I also got some brown wool-poly fleece on sale and copied a pair of fleece pants from REI that I have been wearing for 20-some years. They have zippers at the ankles to pull over snow boots. The new fabric made the same pattern larger, although I copied the pattern exactly. Interesting. Much seam ripping and resewing ensued, but they turned out great, for pulling on over leggings or pajamas for a quick trip out to the van, to the trash cans in the cold mornings, or just loafing about.
Meanwhile, some gear upgrades. I updated the OS on my laptop to Catalina, I think I am now living in 2016. I have been wanting to do this for forever, but I was so deeply triggered by the very word–the fact that I can do it without hyperventilating now is a testament to the last two years of work and struggle to find my center. I will miss you, Mojave, but those changing desktop photos of the Eureka Valley dune are always available. This is a life lesson. Also I found and purchased a clean iPhone 8, though I’m still using the 6 as a phone for now–so at last we have electronically achieved 2017. Somewhere back there things went sideways, or was it ever straight? So long ago, so strange, no?
And then, my vehicle is early 1983 . . . so there’s that. Ah, Emerson Street, before CCAC. Probably my best Art year, drawing at Laney College with Jean Steingart. Sorry to have left, another mistake.
After blowing out the new 30-watt speakers in the van I wired in a “pair” of mismatched (40 watt Realistic, 50 watt KLH) bookshelf speakers I had scrounged to replace the lost speakers I had for my Stanton turntable and LP setup. Days after i got those set up behind the driver and passenger seats, I found a matched pair of KLH, marked 0-100 watts at the St.V. de P. in Rohnert Park. They appeared to be priced at $6.99 each, but the clerk charged me that for the pair. Good deal! All of these are clip attachment style, so I can easily switch them out to see which ones sound the best.
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