Monday evening things

 * During Zoom knit on Saturday, I finished the body knitting on A Cardigan for John and grafted the underarms and wove in the ends. I still need to knit the pocket and the button bands, but I am waiting on the buttons I ordered to arrive. I ordered some silver-colored Celtic-style buttons with horses on them. I had to think a bit first because there are ways some symbology has been co-opted by other groups, I would not be a part of, lately, and I couldn't remember if Celtic was part of that, but I decided that it was probably okay - after all, I *am* of as much Irish heritage as anything, and I like horses, and they will suit the sweater. 

When they come, I'll do the pocket and the button bands and then sew the buttons on. 

* Tonight, I am working on the Crayon Etchings sweater. I've got the shortrowing part done and next up will be the "knit round and periodically increase" part. I need to find an uncommitted row counter or else just keep track with a pencil on the pattern. 

*  I also DID start Chalcedony, because I give an exam Wednesday and another one Thursday and I need a simple enough sweater (the linen stitch requires more attention than is ideal). 

Yes, that's a lot of ongoing projects but I admit it feels good to be digging things out of the stash and using them. 

* Terrible earthquake in Turkey today, 7.8, which I don't even know when the last one that large took place. I know earthquakes happen there regularly: they are on the hinge between three tectonic plates and I think I read it was a strike-slip earthquake, which is pretty common.

I did send a little money to Mercy Corps; they are going to help out there and in Syria. I had gone originally to another charity's website and the lowest "pre-set" amount of money they had listed was $500. And while, yes, I could type in the quantity I could give, it's a little disheartening to see that high an amount as an implied minimum. I don't know too many people who could easily give $500 as a lump sum. 

And yeah, that just reawakened the old bad feeling that developed in me some time in the past five or so years: that nothing I can do is good enough, that I can't do anything that has a positive impact on things, whatever I can do is too small. It's not quite what they call "moral injury" but it's adjacent to it.

Still, I sent the little bit I could afford. Not sure that it will do much but I guess if there are enough widows-mite types like me out there, together it will be fine.

* So anyway. So much for my thought of "maybe I go antiquing Saturday," I guess I stay around here and work on projects or maybe go in and work on the teaching stuff instead.

* I do remember in high school, we had a very small earthquake (small enough that I, and a couple other students in the room, thought people on the floor above us were moving desks around). Our teacher, who had spent time in Turkey/Syria/Greece (I might be wrong but I seem to remember he was somehow connected for a time to one of the monasteries over there) said he was about to dive under the desk because of his memory of the quakes he experienced in Turkey.

* I guess what I had is a cold but I'm still coughing a little (like asthma) and I'm slightly more fatigued than seems normal, and my mood has been a bit low. (That's actually not unusual as an aftereffect of a viral infection). I tested negative for covid BUT the tests were expired, though I did get the control lines all right. (It's probably not worth - and I doubt my insurance would pay - to have one of those antibody tests done, which can apparently tell you if you had a covid infection vs. having antibodies from the vaccines). I'm trying to eat well and get enough sleep; maybe this will just take a little longer.