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Greetings!
I’m determined to keep this upbeat and interesting today. It looks like the sun is trying to come out, I just saw a bald eagle fly over and I had a piece of cold pizza for breakfast. Huzzah!
I only have 5 hours of work tomorrow, then I’m off for the rest of the week. Huzzah!
Tomorrow afternoon we get to drive up to Skagit Valley and pick up our annual order of 10 chickens from Well Fed Farms. They’ve devised a contact-free pickup system and our window is 3-4 pm. We just stop by, get our chickens out of the freezer (not live chickens, silly), pay our balance by check and off we go. Huzzah!
Washington state implemented a mandate that masks shall be worn at all times when in public, indoors and outdoors when social distancing can’t be maintained. I wish they’d just do away with that “when social distancing can’t be maintained” because it gives people an out. I am happy to report I’ve seen more people wearing masks when they’re out walking, and we’re no longer the only people wearing them. Huzzah!
I dyed my hair again last week, and bought two more batches of a slightly darker shade so the purple hair will go on through the summer. Huzzah!
My Crocosmia bulbs have erupted from the ground. Huzzah!
My hollyhocks are blooming. Huzzah!
Sacha Baron Cohen pranked a right-wing militia rally in Olympia yesterday. Huzzah!
According to social media posts from event participants, Baron Cohen disguised himself as the leader of a political action committee who wanted to sponsor the rally, dressed in overalls and a fake beard.
He brought his own security team who prevented organizers from kicking him off stage once he began singing and turning off the power to his microphone.
He escaped in an ambulance, then returned in another disguise to film an in interview taking place with the organizer…
My latest monthly Sketchbox arrived a few days ago. I’m really enjoying the influx of art supplies that show up each month. It’s always something a little different, and it’s fun to try things I would normally not consider. This month’s box included walnut drawing ink, along with some sepia-toned pens and other assorted brown things. I did this little piece with the walnut ink. Huzzah!
The sun has finally made an appearance so I’m going to wrap this up and spend some time outdoors.
Until next week, when I will report on 4th of July quarantine style.
Cheers!
Tidbits
How the Virus Won - a sobering visualization of how and when the virus began to spread across the U.S. from the New York Times
Extra time on your hands? Love messing around with Excel? Why not make music in a spreadsheet?
Making: Keeping busy with the Index Card a Day challenge, which continues through July. I’ve got some plans to mix things up a bit - even more than I already have. This week I used old library card catalog cards a couple of times, and here’s one with mostly new sepia pens and pencils…
Recently eaten: Michael made lasagne, and instead of using ground beef he used ground lamb! SOOOOO good.
Reading: Finished two books this week! One was Incognegro, a graphic novel based on real incidents in the early 20th century when lynchings were common in the American south. The other was Rushing to Paradise by J. G. Ballard. Like the other books of his that I’ve read there are some really unlikeable characters and just when you think it couldn’t get worse… it does. Next up for my “holiday” reading is Neuromancer by William Gibson, which oddly I have never read.
Listening: an excellent afternoon of music on KEXP with DJ Riz. Unfortunately it will be over at 3:00, but the archived show should be available soon! Well worth your time if you want a hit of dance music that will have you thinking you’re in a club.
Video of the Week
We can all be an army of one and make that change happen together.
Question of the Week
If you feel like answering the question, hit reply to this email. Answers will be shared in next week’s newsletter - anonymously. Don’t be shy! General public commenting is available too at the end of this post.
What songs remind you of your childhood?
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Last week I asked what’s the most unusual thing you’ve ordered and had shipped to you during quarantine?
i admit that most of what i've been buying has been art supplies (fabric! elastic! thread! paint!) but the strangest thing for me has been ordering booze through grocery delivery apps. primarily because i feel guilty doing it! must be some residual catholic guilt, but i feel like bourbon isn't "essential" but also, mama needs a cocktail on occasion. i also ordered myself a ridiculous pair of shoes as a pick me up. here they are!
After many years of temptation, and months of restlessness, I ordered a machine that makes cotton candy out of hard candy. Mostly, because my sweetie got me a monthly Japanese treat pack, and it always has delectable hard candies that I eat one of, and they throw in a drawer. It arrived yesterday...
We order almost everything online, and were avid online-shoppers pre-COVID. I guess the most unusual thing we ordered was early on, a refurbished laserjet printer. It has been a great purchase and enabled us to mail things from home without going to the post office. Brilliant!
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