T

So, last week I woke up with a sinking feeling. My Mind "skittered" away when I tried to focus on it so I left it alone. It got worse and worse till about 1330 Tuesday when about 90% of the Feeling drained away. It's gone up a tick but seems steady at the moment....
My UPG? The Establishment Dems will take control and we'll be fkkt. They'll squander the chance
Troth,
Patrick Thomas Duffy(BTW, Wednesday's Runestave was Thurisaz)

I've begun the serious signs of becoming a serious Fountain Pen Nerd;>! I've bought about 15 so far in the last 4 yrs. In my defense, 10 were Chinese so only 2 actually worked and only one was more than $20.00. I bought actual Fountain Pen paper AND(the worst sign of nerdiness) started an ink swatchbook.
Basically, that is a booklet of ink samples and samples of writing with it. The full-blown sign is inking up a pen, writing the make and nib of it and then writing the name of the ink. Then, some writing examples and a smear. I've only one of the latter.Most are done with my glass dip pen. The next level is a gold-nibbed pen. Thankfully, I'm on Social Security to at least THAT level won't be crossed;>!
My present fav ink is the one I ordered with my newest pen, a TWISBI ECO with a 1.1 mm stub nib. It allows Calligraphy-type effects while using normal cursive. The ink is a Shimmer type; Colorverse Blue Dragon,Silver Shimmer. Hard to describe. Think dark Teal with almost microscopic Pearl swirls.
The problem with Shimmer inks is the can clog pen easily. That's why the ECO. TWISBIs are the engineer's pen. They're completely disassemblable. Cleaning is easy! ECOs are also generally under $30.00.
Never use anything smaller than a medium nib with a Shimmer. While not every type will clog, the lines are too fine to give any real evidence of sparkle.
Yes, Shimmer inks are Adult Glitter!
Cheers,
Pat

The last few mornings have been wonderfully cool to cold! So, yesterday I plugged in the heated cat bed on the porch. Last Winter the cats really enjoyed Rocky's old bed. Soooooo, Lilbit hasn't left it except for pottying. Warm bed rainy day. Happy cat;>......

For the last few yrs they've been reporting on an Asian Spider that's spreading on the SE of the USA. Well, THEY'RE HERE;>!!!!!!!
Saw one this AM on the W side of the house. Reminds me of one we called a "Banana Spider" on the Florida Panhandle. Web was only about 6' in diameter and the spider's body was about the size of a fingerling potato. The legs spread about a salad plate.
Pretty though......
Would hate to walk into one's web though;>.
Cheers,
Pat(1 piece of Halloween decor already;>!)

Sept was a busy month. Got 95% of Fall/Winter Veg in (3 pots Leeks still need planting) and almost all the Perennials. Still waiting on some Spring bulbs to get here to plant.
I started meal prepping to eat less Processed foods but found while my Rice cooker works perfectly for 2 people the increased amts don't come out as well. I remembered I had my Mom's Instapot so cleaned of a few yrs worth of dust and made a batch. Gummy. I'll try less water next time but I think I may just get a simple larger cooker for big batches. My Miso Soup balls worked out ok. Need to dbl the Hondashi. Was too bland.
Started a new exercise program for us oldies. Plus? Easy and effective. Minus? Hamstrings and Glutes are still killing me 2 days out;>!
Been doing a lot of thinking about my Spiritual Past Paths. Maybe if I was or until recently been part of a Heathen group I wouldn't think about it but I haven't need since the early Aughts. Going to "play" with integrating some of the systems I've used since the 80's with my Heathenry. How far the old "Lore nazi" has fallen;>! Right now it's mostly using standard European magic as a shorthand while Deeper Work still is with the Runestaves. Also, With my Gardening the agriculture centered Wheel of the Year is more useful generally than the more Lore-based Holy Days.
Also, I found my old Pendulum. I'd basically stopped using it because of the Pentacle fob. I've decided it's silly to not use something simply because it's from a previous Path.
Talk to you all later!
Pat

As the subject line states, I'm trying to eat better. I realized two weeks ago that this yr if it wasn't restaurant food, my meals were either microwavable or cold and assembled(sandwiches and cereal;>).
Early this yr a bunch of "meals for Seniors/Pensioners before microwave" videos began showing up in my Youtube feed. 2 weeks ago "Meals for Japanese Seniors" vids started. They all gave me good info but until last week(which was my clinic appt;>) hadn't felt "up" to starting anything new. I stopped at the Asian supermarket in knoxville after my appt to get what I couldn't (including my 1st mangosteens....DELISH!!!). The rest from our regular market.
Most things are simply having the components available in pantry,fridge or freezer. Made a large batch of Rice and froze individual servings. Chopped and froze Green Onions as well as Mushrooms so I won't be tossing the rotting leftovers when I buy some(neither need Blanching 1st). And today I made Miso Soup balls, basically single servings mixing Miso Dashi powder, Wakame seaweed and finely sliced mushrooms and dividing them in Tablespoon sized balls. I'll try my 1st attempt for breakfast tomorrow.
Cheers,
Pat

I've been thinking for a while about getting my feeding in order;>. As you get older it's too easy to go for convenience rather than nutrition....or flavor. Esp since things don't taste as good as they used to. I know in my case my tolerance for Spicy has majorly diminished, Sweet is too intense and Salty is also down. Then there is the simple problem of standing at the stove for more than a couple minutes. A kitchen/bar stool has ben on my "to do" list for a while.
In the last couple of months I've been watching a lot of Youtube videos about solo Senior mealprep from a number of cuisines. Some of the best ideas I've run into is those for Japanese Seniors and I started implementing the 1st today: Precooking Rice.
Made enough for 3 separate meals and froze them. Another I plan to get the materials for is batch Miso soup. Basically, you take a cup of Miso paste and add a Tblspoon of Dashi powder, Wakame Seaweed and finely sliced mushroom. Fold together and spoon a tablespoon of the mix onto a bit of clingfilm. Form into a ball and twist it closed. Freeze. When you want soup bring water to a boil in a mug, take it off the heat(or fill from kettle;>) and stir. The moisture from the Miso will partially rehydrate the Wakame but still let it sit for a minute or two. If it cools to much zap it for 15-30 sec in the microwave.
A few things I'll have to stop by the big Asian market in Knoxville for fresh stuff: Miso, Refrigerated noodles, Umeboshi, Katsuobushi(though I may just bite the bullet and buy a whole piece and shave it myself instead of buying preshaved flakes. It certainly would be cheaper in the long run.
I think I have an unopened bottle of Hondashi as well as an opened one but I better check;>.
Cheers,
Pat

Chuck Passed last night. When I saw him Sunday he had a bad cough and was basically unresponsive so it wasn't a surprise. I talked to the NP yesterday and they were starting an IV and antibiotics...
A couple of Interesting things. The 1st Ancient Ways festival we went to I saw him looking oddly. I asked him what he saw and he said a giant ghost with a red beard holding a sledgehammer. Chuck was severely Dyslexic. He NEVER read any of my Lore books. Also, about 0200 we had 3 near lightning strikes(Chris brought me an old monitor down from his office since mine got fried from them).
He will be very missed but I know he's happier not stuck on bedrest where NA's will turn tv's to church channels for a captive audience.....
Troth,
Pat

There are many things about living in a very Red state that is annoying but one that actually grosses me out is the lacks environmental laws here. Before we moved here I'd mentioned to Chris that we were looking forward to being able to swim all Summer long from the house's dock. He said that it wasn't safe for regular people and with my immune system I'd be esp at risk.
You see, unlike most places, you can put your septic tank and leach field right up to the water. A few yrs before we moved the state stopped testing since it always came back bad and it messed with Tourism.
So, the last 2 weeks the water's been over 80F, the air the high 90's. Our neighbors, family and grandkids have been in every weekend and some weekdays. No one uses the dock shower. Just from water to food then back in again.
Don't be surprised if the TN news has outbreaks of everything from explosive diarrhea to brain-eating amoebas this Summer.
ICK!!!!!
Cheers,
Pat

So,to avoid the depressing things going on in my life and generally,I spent the last few weeks down the "Tartaria" rabbithole;>....
If you somehow missed the stuff, Tartaria is basically the Internet Age's Atlantis. The story goes, up until the early 1800's there was a technologically advanced nation that ran from Eastern Europe to Mongolia. Do I beleive it could have existed? Possibly. There is enough physical evidence that there was something with enough substance to be listed on maps and entries in the early Encyclopedia Britannica from the 14th to 19th Centuries. Advanced? Depends on the definition. Just like Atlantis(Minoan Civilization). Advanced compared to their neighbors? Plausible. More advanced than us? Don't think so. Considering that when Tartaria was supposed to exist the only power sources were Wind,Water and Muscle(animal and human). That Ancient Greece had known of steam power and someone from then to pre Columbian times figured out practical uses for it IS plausible.
I put it in the Interesting but Useless file in my life. Fun? Sure. But like Atlantis, Aliens and Cryptids not Useful. Still, I admit that I'm not big into going out into the Sticks in the middle of the night.
Though where I live I'm more likely to run into the Banjo Player from 'Deliverance' than Bigfoot or ET;>
Cheers,
Pat