Saturday morning stuff

*Today's Tee Fury t-shirt (I ordered something from them so I get the emails) makes me twitch. For those of you reading this later than 12/8, this may be a more permanent link to the shirt in question. Not a nice thing for a prof heading into exam week, especially when she's fretting about the messy house and unraked leaves and unfinished research on top of it.

* I finally got all my medication refill dates to synch closely enough that I can pick them up at one time. Except in the future I will have to remember when my GPs office calls in the one that's on a month-to-month basis, the pharmacy files it separately from the ones that I can renew myself. That led to a few moments of consternation from the (newbie) person working behind the counter. Fortunately someone else told her, "If the doctor called that one in, it's probably somewhere else."

* I also spotted a minor-league version of the people Leeann deals with. Without going into a long story, it was someone who thought they were entitled to the money-off coupon that was taped to an item they were already getting free with another purchase, despite the "offers may not be combined" warning. And actually, the item they were claiming they deserved for free wasn't one of the items that was eligible, but the pharmacist (the owner of the shop) caved, probably to get the person out of line so other people could be helped.

* I also went to the Mart of Wal. And this is probably an indicator of how tired I am (emotionally, rather than physically): I needed a jicama. Monday night is the CWF Christmas party, and they're doing Mexican food (please, please let it not be too spicy) so the potluck side dishes, it is recommended they be something that coordinates. So I am going to make the black bean and corn salad I do, especially because I can make that in a low-salt form by using the lower-salt black beans and no salt added corn. (Even if I can't eat anything else, I can eat that).

But there were no jicamas. I walked around the department three times slowly looking. There wasn't even a place where they might be. So I stood there, feeling tears start to prick at my eyes: What will I do? Would raw turnip work, or would it be too bitter? Would apple be too sweet? Is there any prayer of the Green Spray having jicama, even though I've never known them to have it before? Could I beg off the youth activity tomorrow and drive to Sherman and get one? (Yes, shades of "THIS IS THE WORST POSSIBLE THING," I know)

And finally, I decided: No jicama? I won't go. I'll just stay home. I'll drop off my Crisis Center gift later and just stay home. Because I can't make the salad I was planning, and there will be NOTHING ELSE LOW ENOUGH IN SODIUM FOR ME TO EAT.

I went and got my other stuff and finally decided I'd just make it without jicama, and if anyone complained it was too bland, well, they would just be being ill-mannered to do so. But I did go back at the end to the produce section to see if, I guess, jicama had somehow magically appeared. And this time there was a guy working in the produce section. (One drawback to shopping at 7 am: if you need help, you're pretty much on your own. Then again, you are pretty much on your own any time at the wal-mart). I asked him if they had any. "Oh," he said, "I guess I didn't get the ones that came in last night out yet. Let me go get them."

I said: "Oh, I would appreciate that" and he did. And I got my jicama so I averted a gas-and-time expensive trip to Sherman, or me feeling bad because my salad wasn't as good as it should be, or whatever.

But the fact that I was starting to get upset over something that small is an indicator that my supply of coping is almost used up.

*I am in working (well, just not at the moment) on research, and later, hopefully it will be a bit warmer, I need to rake up the leaves in my yard. My neighbors to the north did and I worry every day there is a big south wind that my leaves will blow into their yard, which isn't very neighborly. (Though I think they'd understand about how busy I am). I need to it TODAY because it sounds like the bottom is going to drop out of the weather tomorrow and it's going to be really cold. (Well, FSVO "cold")

* I finished the Bon Bon mitts for my colleague. I won't have pictures, though - I wrapped them all up for her before I thought, "I could take a finished photo of these." Oh well. You saw my finished pair the other day, they're almost the same.

* I started the Pegasus Feather socks. (I renamed them that, after realizing that "flying feather" is kind of a pony curse-word). Not very far but so far they please me. I had a couple skeins of KnitPicks Stroll "Glimmer" in Frost (a very pale sky blue). I think I had once thought of doing another pattern with these socks but I like it much better for this pattern. (It's almost Rainbow Dash color, and the little sparkle in it is nice). I'll post an in-progress picture as I severely doubt I will finish even one sock before break.

* This week's new Pony episode: a Scootaloo episode. To me, she is the favorite of the CMC ponies (she also has the least annoying voice). And I guess Rainbow Dash is now going to be like an adoptive big sister to her. (Still no information on what family, if any, Scootaloo has. She has to live somewhere, and as she can't really fly, she can't live in Cloudsdale.) I really think now that Rainbow Dash is in many ways the most complex character of the Mane Six - she has a strong competitive streak, she tries to be the Tough Girl, and yet, there's also a strong streak of compassion in her that makes you like her even better.

Also: We learn in this episode that one of Princess Luna's duties is to show up in bad dreams people are having, to let them know it's a bad dream, so they can either wake up or not be scared. Two thoughts:
1. One more way Equestria is better than the human world. (I say that as someone who more-than-occasionally has bad dreams)

2. I like the character of Princess Luna even better now. (Luna IS Best Princess.) Of course, I already liked her enough to do this:



And yeah, I'm still contemplating using the knit-pony pattern I have (just not with the giant head modification) to make myself a Scootaloo, but I don't know if I have the right hair color on hand. Her hair is sort of a weird color - I thought it was purple but in this episode it looked more pinkish or magenta. I may have to browse pics of her on Equestria Daily or somewhere before I fully decide.