And looking ahead

 Some better things:

* One of my students who had really struggled - he had covid, his girlfriend had covid, his girlfriend's kid had covid, then the childcare fell through and he had to watch the kid while she worked....and he wound up having to make up a lot of stuff and a couple times missed exam makeups because the new childcare turned out to be unreliable, well, I managed to persist and (a) not yell at him to get his life together and (b) just kept scheduling make ups and let him make up a couple labs that were possible to make up (I extended the offer to the whole class, he was the only taker but I know he wasn't the only one with missing labs). Well, he's going to pull out a decent grade, and he thanked me today for my help.

So maybe I didn't teach brilliantly this semester (I really feel like I didn't, I felt like I taught rather poorly, actually) at least I managed to maintain being kind and working with people who had problems beyond their control.

* I ordered myself a fancy plant stand (six shelves, about 40' tall, and as wide as my dining room window). I've acquired a few more plants (a friend sent me cuttings from hers) and also I re-potted the big peace lily that the CWF here gave me as a sympathy plant back in 2019. It had gotten very potbound (so it wilted faster) and I wanted to keep it going, so I ran out and got a really enormous pot and the right kind of potting mix, and repotted it this afternoon (and also potted up the little mother-of-thousands that my friend mailed me).

The plant stand's supposed to be delivered Tuesday and has to be put together, but one of my plans for the weekend is to clean and move some stuff around in the dining room so I have the space to set it up. 

I had been keeping the plants on an unused dining chair and on a little wood "tv tray" that a colleague gave me as a housewarming present 20 years ago ("I always eat my dinner on one" he said - I guess not knowing I actually had a table.) It's gotten kind of scarred up but I might refinish the top and....well, I could probably use it to attach the ball-winder to when I want to wind yarn out of skeins; I have a small table to clamp the swift on, but there's nothing to hold the ball-winder. 

It pleases me to have the plant stand coming, though - the plants will get better sun exposure and be displayed more nicely, and there might be space for one or two more (Maybe I splurge the next time I am at the hipster coffee shop-collective and buy one of their plants? I kind of looked around for a hoya, which I want, but they didn't seem to have one)

* I might have a weekend plan (other than trying to do a little house cleaning). There's a small quilt show at the library, so I could go to that. AND the local quilt shop is having (rare) Saturday hours and while I really shouldn't buy more fabric, still, it's fun to go and look....and I could probably use a little more Best Press. 

I should also honestly box up more books and things with a plan to take them over on Monday and put them in the storage unit. If I'm committing to these projects, I should commit - I am still committing myself to at least painting the walls in the sewing room eventually, and I DO need to get that bit of ceiling drywall repaired. (I plan to call the guy after I get back from my mom's). 

But also : I would just like to finish the current quilt. (Those fractured four- or nine-patches are a lot of work, because of the subcutting after you sew the blocks)