Reading

Current Mood: determined
Current Location: on my balcony looking at my front yard

Entry tags:

gardening,
house

artificial ecological succession

I have two sourwood trees that came with my house. (Identification thanks to the Tickler and their magic app.) Sourwoods are native to the southeastern US, and anyone who gardens in the Pacific northwest will know what I'm about to say: sourwoods don't have the drought tolerance that they need for this area, and indeed most of western North America. One of the two trees looks as if it's at death's door even with my best efforts at watering. My tiny little front yard gets a surprising amount of sun.

What to do? Bop down to Urban Earth nursery — the one run by dykes, as opposed to the one run by gay men a few blocks away that specializes in indoor plants — and get a little Lawson cypress. I verified with the aforementioned dykes that it should be able to handle the sun, and it should be narrow enough to fit into the tight spot.

I rejected the big, beautiful ginkgo because I would have had to get it home half a mile uphill without a vehicle, and I'm not sure it would have been narrow enough.

I also have to get ride of the ailing sourwood, which is competing for space in my tiny yard waste bin with two other species of dead plant.

(no subject)

I want y'all to picture the pair of sweet little faces that looked up at me expectantly as I walked into the kitchen and realized that their dishes were completely empty, and the horror I felt upon remembering that i didn't buy cat food. Not once in all of our stops or at any point in the day did I ONCE consider the fact that I had put the last of the last tin out that morning and had been proud of myself on the weekend for calculating how much food I needed to get me to that morning.

Oops.

I did go through M's bags of donations, and walked out with an armful of items, mostly shorts and leggings. At Costco we ate dinner first (bc one should not Costco while hangry) and then shopped (I got new pants, water bottles and GF crackers -- and no cat food -- and M got coffee). Then we went to Michaels, where we delighted in the early Halloween decor and I bought the skelly cat pillow. Successfully resisted some other decor, but they had several empty display areas with product planning sheets, so it's still early! I wondered if, with the absence of Joann and Michael's now reigning supreme as the only big box craft store (and, as I mentioned, it was the ONLY game in Canada for a long time; some fabric stores [of which Fabricland is the main chain, very much like Hancocks (RIP)]), it might pick up more fabric options like the US stores might? And lo! M walked around a corner and announced "When did Michaels start carrying fabric?" They always DID, but it was usually pre-packed fat quarters and MAYBE a 1-2 yard bolt of quilt backing, canvas, or baby flannelette. But no, this was bolts of 8 yards, a full aisle with a small selection of quilt cottons, vinyl, tulle, and denim. No pricing or idea on how it's supposed to be cut, IF it's supposed to be cut (it was unwrapped though), but looks like they are expanding into that market.

Then we scooted up to a nearby Homesense/Marshalls bc M was on the lookout for a cute ghosts-reading-books blanket or tea towels. Nothing, but we had a good time wandering through all of the sections that might have it. Then we tootled on home, about half an hour ahead of a rockin' thunderstorm. An excellent evening of friend-date :D

I woke up at 2 and dropped off again around 4, but managed to ignore a couple of alarms until 7, which is when I dragged myself out of bed, realized I hadn't bought food, filled the dry dish (I was judged. Harshly.) and wobbled out the door all disoriented. I thought I'd grab sandwich makin's for lunch today but oh no, I was not fucking around with all that when it was already past 7 am.

Tonight I will make potato soup and put those buttonholes on. And before I even THINK about stepping in through the door, I will get at least one can to fill their little bellies. I am so sorry kittens!! They finally started eating it again and then I go and forget!

(no subject)

Laundry: did!
Food: eaten!
Cat box: scooped!
Switched machines for buttonholes: ehhh... i made a space for the machine to go back on the table?

I broke my friend with a comment I'd made around lunchtime, so I got the laptop out and wrote 1.3k of filth, and then it was after 9 and I was trapped under a cat so...

Tonight the plan is to see M! Her new boss started work yesterday so I told her that I was no longer being held hostage by non-locals and was free for a Costco adventure if she needed it. But she didn't tell me she was free until I had JUST put the dryer on, so I would have needed an hour or so to retrieve it. Then she said that she is off today so that was also a possibility. I said yes, then we will have more time to wander Costco (it's been a year since the last time!) and possibly also go to the craft store (we have only ever had Michaels in Canada. Recently, anyway. I remember other stores in the 80s that are long gone), something else we have been talking about doing. This morning I thought it would be a good time for me to go through her donation bags and we can toss them in the car too.

So probably won't get anything done at home today. Tomorrow I'll do buttons.

Entry tags:

cross-stitching

Week 5

Here's where I left off last week:

“Santa’s Journey Stocking” progress - 7/31/25

And here's where I left off this week:

“Santa’s Journey Stocking” progress - 8/10/25

The curve of the heel is well-defined.

Entry tags:

marlene blouse

(no subject)

I did end up going out yesterday evening, bc some friends were in town unexpectedly and we went for dinner! One half of the couple has been my daily screaming partner (about fandom-related things, we are having the best time) and I had some things to bring to the other, obviously I said yes. I did check transit options, which were limited. Alas. I lost my great parking spot but I did find one halfway down the street, which could have been worse. This morning I walked out and there were only a few locals still parked, lots of empty spots.

I did get groceries on my way home, which was nice to have REAL food in the house again (not just carbs and a couple of onions lol) I successfully resisted the call of delivery and made chicken strips and fries since it wasn't 8 million degrees out.

Saturday morning I woke up FIRED UP about sewing. I opened one (1) box that had been newly discovered (several weeks ago) in the closet and lo!! There was the fabric I wanted. It is deeeeeep stash; I've had it for 20 years and I got it from my great aunt and who knows how long she had it. It was 34" wide and I had 4.5 yards of it. More than enough to make the blouse I wanted to make last week. Past!Me had washed it at some point, so I had to iron* it first, which I got plenty of help from the kittens. I thought they were sleepy enough for me to start but no. I only made it to the bathroom first before anything else and they were both trailing me curiously.

*Did y'all see or hear about the discourse about pressing seams or ironing fabric that happened recently? Someone's hot take was that pressing wasn't necessary, people started in with "uh it sure HELPS though" and tempers flared. My love was in the hot seat for a bit as someone singled her out for being CLASSIST bc not everyone (specifically ultra poor homeless folks who are apparently sewing clothing whole-cloth) can afford an iron, not even thrift store or $7 at Walmart irons!!!!! And then it kinda blew up and other people got into it and that someone was a lot politer to them than my love and jesus fucking christ it was a mess. Of course I thought about it as I pressed my fabric.

Anyway, I got my blouse cut out, the 34" width was perfect for cutting the front and most of the smaller pieces out of the full width, and then the half-width got the back and collars done. I was about halfway finished when my friend dropped 17k of her GORGEOUS fanfic so I made lunch and settled in to read. After a nap I made dinner and then sewed a little bit more, although it was after 8PM and I currently have only one working sewing machine light which was in the other machine, so I didn't get too wild. Sewed the collar and put it on, then sewed the side seams and called it a night.

Next day was sleeves, so I put those on, and the pattern includes a little oval shape as a sleeve support for some extra oomph. Last thing I did was hemming and marking buttons, which is all it needs now. Tried it on and hehehee it's so cute! It'll look great with my ~*~ designer ~*~ wool trousers and also with a few other pieces I have or am planning. Absolutely love it.

Also wrote a few fanfic pieces, to the tune of about 3k which is honestly a decent effort, especially when I haven't written anything significant in weeks. It's a lot of fun, which is what fanfic should be.

Tonight I really need to do laundry and will need to make myself dinner, and then I should get the other machine back out to put the buttonholes on. Then I can wear my new shirt!

Current Mood: frustrated
Current Location: the living room of the Devil Girl House

Entry tags:

rave,
seattle

groove failure

There's an annual daytime ravey thing that's usually (Foreshadowing!) in Myrtle Edwards park. Late yesterday afternoon, I saw that on my calendar and thought, 'Oh yeah! I better head down there.' After an hour or so of riding a bus and walking on, it must be said, a lovely afternoon into Myrtle Edwards, I saw a whole bunch of construction. And then I remembered.

This year, the event was in Gas Works Park, much closer to where I live. I'd even put that in my calendar item under location. And I'd seen with my own eyes the excellent reason for the change in venue.

I didn't go to Gas Works. That would have meant more walking on trashed feet, and waiting longer for the bus. Le sigh. See you next year.

Moral: changes to regular times or locations should go in the title in all caps.

Entry tags:

1940s dresses

Orchestra Dress

I made a lot of progress on my orchestra dress yesterday. The body is in one piece. The sleeves are made up except for hemming. The collar pieces are made up. I forgot about needing shoulder pads. I guess I'll have to make some. It's good progress. Next weekend perhaps I'll finish it.

Current Mood: blah
Current Location: the living room of the Devil Girl House
Current Music: Orbital, "Halcyon + On + On"

Entry tags:

Nun tries to club and misses.

Got dolled up for ~~Hot Flash~~ Inferno with T. T is way more into that night than I am: the lowest common denominator '90s and earlier music, the normie dykes. (T has a horror story about their attitude toward "gold star" lesbians.) I wasn't feeling it to the point that I was checking out on the dance floor so hard that T noticed. When you're trans, you get really good at transporting yourself to somewhere else mentally.

Vienna La Rouge and her sweetie turned up again. Whatever the opposite of a bad penny is, she's it: she turns up wherever I am, and she's always welcome to.

Hit Pony afterward. Chatted with English gay boys. It was noice.

If I were running a club night it would feature kinky folk and raver music. That may be one of the reasons I don't run a club night, but what I've just described is basically the all-too-infrequent Petting Zoo events. Other Burner events aren't far off, though; I just don't hear about as many of them as I used to.

Entry tags:

One Skein Used

I bought about three dozen skeins of #10 (I think) white cotton at an estate sale earlier this year. I used some for the 1901 leaf mat, but that didn't take anything like a full skein. I've been working on 1798 garters lately and finally ran out that first skein today. I'm a little under halfway through the second garter.

I bought so much because I wanted to do an afghan of Victorian quilt squares, but I didn't like the way the first square came out so now I've got a lot of yarn to make...whatever I want to make of #10 white cotton.

(no subject)

Almost the weekend time, whoop whoop! I made it through the week with a big pot of rice and some stir fry, very happy to have $$ in my account again. But I am not driving anywhere this weekend bc there is a big event at the bottom of the hill and everyone drives in and parks on my street. So unless I want to lose it, Susan is staying put! Thankfully most of what I have planned (ie: nothing) I can do on transit. I'll pop to the store on my way home to pick up a few things and otherwise chill until Monday.

I would sincerely like to not get sucked into a cloud of "too many similar choices" and just end up playing video games all weekend again, so here are some ideas:

Dishes
Sew a thing or two
Knit
Cross stitch
Read a (library) book

I can do that, right?

Current Mood: curious
Current Location: the living room of the Devil Girl House
Current Music: Prince, "1999". I ear wormed myself.

Entry tags:

Poll: Where to party?

Yes, it's more than two years until my sixtieth birthday, but I'm a maniac for planning. I know I've talked about the Georgetown Steam Plant. It's visually super cool, it's got plenty of space, and it's got some amenities, but it also has no heat except for space heaters and very high ceilings. My birthday is in the middle of winter.

I was walking around Capitol Hill last night, having just had a quiet chat with queers at the Wildrose, and I walked past Sole Repair, the private event space. That got me thinking.

Poll #33472 Where to party like it's 1968

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 3

View Respondents

Where in Seattle should I have my sixtieth birthday party?

View Answers

The Georgetown Steam Plant. Cool in every sense!
1 (33.3%)

Sole Repair. Centrally located & heated!
0 (0.0%)

One of the Masonic halls in the north end. Convenient for me!
1 (33.3%)

The Devil Girl House. Speaking of convenient!
0 (0.0%)

Something even better that I, the respondent, will describe in a comment.
1 (33.3%)

Book Haul

One of the libraries near me has a book sale this weekend. They had most of the Bryant and May series and most of the Benjamin January series. I bought all the ones I didn't already have. Twenty books about triples my unread pile, but you can't beat $2 each...except by going to one of the other local library sales where they only ask for $1 each.

Well that was exciting

Up front: I’m fine, everything is ok. I went to the ER last night. I had sudden excruciating abdominal pain that caused muscle spasms that made it feel like my ribs were going to snap. Nothing showed up on a CT and X-ray, so they gave me a bunch of meds for acid and other stomach issues.

Because of all this, I learned that morphine doesn’t really do anything for me, and I am big mad about that. Especially because last night was the first time I described my pain level as a 10. Even with my ridiculously high pain tolerance, I was writhing in pain and wanted to be knocked out.

I’M FINE. We have no idea what caused this, but I’m fine.

Current Mood: shocked
Current Location: the living room of the Devil Girl House

Entry tags:

plastic surgery disasters and the avoidance thereof

I've recently seen the work of a crackerjack facial feminization surgeon, Dr. Tommy Liu. I thought I'd give him a call. He's booked until 2028. Just for a consult. OK, next?

I called Dr. Faceknife from 2018 and got someone else entirely. His practice has been bought by someone who got successfully sued by the Washington state attorney general for illegal NDAs, plus bribing & threatening patients into leaving positive online reviews.

Oh by the way, his quote was more than I can reasonably spend even with my inheritance; I still need to pay taxes. A surgeon with some ethics, as Dr. Faceknife appeared to be, might be cheaper, but surely not that much cheaper.

You know, I think I'm giving up on more work on my face. Edited to add: at least for now.

Entry tags:

cross-stitching

Week 4

Here's where I left off last week:

"Santa's Flight Stocking" progress - 7/27/25

This week I finished the top half

"Santa's Journey Stocking" progress - 7/30/25

and started on the bottom half.

AH-hahahahaha

Yeaaaah guess how much sewing happened on the weekend. If you guessed "none" you'd be wrong, but it wasn't for lack of effort! I hemmed the nautical dress and stitched up the strap for the tote I made last year. Turns out the grey fabric is cotton enough to withstand high heat bc it sure needed some to get the creases to stay. I did print out my pattern and put it together/trimmed it down. Had to try on the nautical dress to see if the fit decisions I made there were good (bust is too high, otherwise I like the fit of the shoulders) and used that to cut the pattern to size. I even laid out the tropical fabric to test the layout (not enough, I think) but I had "help" with it all so i didn't actually do much.

Add to that the 30C (85F) weather and the hottest room in the apartment (kitchen) and I did my best to avoid ever being in there. Ah well.

Movie was good, we enjoyed it! Our expectations were pretty low, I think; only the OG Jurassic Park is actually good. I remember mentioning it to Loud Coworker, who went on a loud rant about how she didn't like the Big Boss Dino and its 6 legs. I think she missed the point, that it was supposed to be uglier than Satan's asshole. Like that's how the movie opens, containment breach on their genetic hybrid, island abandoned and somehow self-contained and gas in the vehicle still viable after 17 years ok sure. I think Jonny Bailey should have kept his British accent, the American one is NOT IT. That would have improved his character. Also we are glad we did the fancy seats and the fancy theatre (aka a lil "booth" with walls) bc we could NOT shut up through the whole thing. Sorry other movie goers! I heard the people in the one next to us on my side laughing at one point, so hopefully we didn't carry too much.

Entry tags:

Goal Met

I got through the date part and into the large repeating section of the second garter so I managed the long weekend goal.

Current Mood: satisfied
Current Location: the living room of the Devil Girl House
Current Music: Ann Magnuson, "I Remember You"

Entry tags:

haunting a usual haunt

I promised Funny Lady that I'd wear my Pride Sunday outfit to Caturday it the Merc. As I expected, she didn't show, but still, wearing Pride gear in August is a thing that should happen more often. Bonus: I sat about 10' from Dan Savage and his fella on the train to Capitol Hill. No, I didn't try to talk to him; that dude is as problematic about trans peole as he is about a lof of other things.

But! I got to Merc! There were booty shaking, peeps, beer, eye candy, and all that one expects at Castle Greyskull. I (ahem) made another outfit promise to DJ Hana Solo, a promise that I have every intention of keeping. (Foreshadowing!)

Pro tip: Betsutenjin is full by 0030. I had the munchies badly enough that I deliberately missed the last train home at Lost Lake. My timing was much better there, where as I quickly ate I watched the place go from near empty (?!) to packed. The waitress said that's why they drink. Oh Lost Lake, don't ever change.

Oh, speaking of problematic, a certain vile ex has apparently chosen Friday as the one day he'll come. He's forsaken Saturdays, which is fine with me because that's my favorite night.

I didn't get enough sleep last night, but apparently I did get enough fluids. I even got the sunday night chores done earlier than usual. Go me!

Entry tags:

1798 garters

One Garter

I finished knitting the first of the 1798 garters yesterday and wove in the ends this morning. I cast on the second one and am moving along with it, though I haven’t done anything like as much knitting today as I did yesterday and Thursday. The goal had been to finish knitting the first one by the end of the day Monday, but the revised goal is to get to the 201 patterned row section by the end of the day Monday.

They will definitely need blocking. All the eyelets done from one side with all the decreases as knit two together tends to skew the knitting. The originals are bound with silk ribbon, but I haven’t quite decided whether I want to do that yet.