Put up some drapery in the library to help insulate -- warms up faster than wood or sheet rock, catches the heat from the wood stove and keeps it in the room. Also a couple of bagged comforters -- double as seating if needed, currently stuffed against the north wall.

We're learning how to use the wood stove more effectively. It's ceramic-lined, which makes it better to use for several hours, not just a couple.

***

Zach and Val came up for the Gray family gathering Saturday, and we hung out for part of Sunday. Fitzw had to get the minivan inspected in the afternoon and they went to storage at the same time to get some winter things out. They've been in the South to visit friends and he had work assignments down there for a bit. Now they're in CT for a few weeks.

***

We got in some more plywood and insulation today. Not enough plywood to cover the loft floor over the entirety of the library, but I knew that -- just wanted to make it a little easier to get from one end to the other of the space, for now. The batting was enough though, which was the primary goal. Gavin worked until it got too dark -- I looked for somewhere to hang a light up there but I guess we'll have to add a hook or nail or something.

I cleaned and put up a framed print we got from the printing museum in North Andover a few years back; another fine addition to the library. Also lugged in a couple more comforters and half of one of the tents... the oval marquee has two large bags, one for the walls and one for the roof. The hard bits are stored in the trailer.

I'll try to bring the other half of the tent canvas to the library tomorrow... tonight I should probably work out something for hanging on the north wall. I may just find whatever polar fleece I still have and attach it to the backs of the metal shelving -- easy way to add a layer of insulation.

Doing better today than yesterday -- seems there are more consequences to spending time in a chilly space than there used to be. I thought I was adequately dressed Sunday, but Monday proved that to be untrue, as muscles that had tightened against the cold for too long let me know in no uncertain terms.

I've mostly been moving stuff, not sewing. But for a friend's birthday present I took the single layer linen jerkin he'd made and then wanted to line and lined it for him. He's a beginner, so it wouldn't have gone well for him to do it -- took a good bit of my experience and skills to make it work, stuff that it would have been nigh impossible for me to explain to him at his current level of experience, plus cut and sew on an edge binding. It looks pretty good and he's very happy, which is the important part.

Looking at finishing a "pith helmet" for Steampunk. Needs a second veil piece, and apparently needs to have the weight re-balanced -- too many flowers on one side :D I'm actually using a beekeeper hat I found at the local farmers co-op.

***

Got an old bookcase out of the family barn -- yes, we still have stuff there. Cleaned it up, got L's help with knocking the back off of it -- rippled, separated luan. Replaced a smaller bookcase in the library with it and now the smaller bookcase is in the house, serving as additional pantry space for the family living with us.

I'm still having challenges figuring out what books to put where because some shelving is fixed height and pretty much all of the different categories of books have a wide variety of heights. I will make it work eventually, but it may take a while. I literally took a couple of the taller books this week and put them in the giveaway pile because I'm tired of dealing with finding homes for all the tall books. Also on the pile is another Piers Anthony book - hopefully the last - and all the MZB books I've found to date. The first because I find his treatment of men and women in relationships to be extremely juvenile and the latter because MZB. I like PA's concepts for some things so it's too bad he ruins things with making people be idiots. It was a bit hard to give up the Darkover books as they're connected to some good things during my college years, but really, those memories of good things won't disappear and room on the shelves is at a premium. There are a lot of writers out there after all.

Barn loom is disassembled and out in the library, waiting on fixing the floor in one of the barn stalls. A bookcase and hutch we'd moved out of the house because of lack of space is now back in the house (we'd moved the barn loom over into that space so that we could move the office downstairs).

Sewing stuff is moving into the newly opened space. Not all of it, and certainly not all of the fabric! But the fabric I'm working with right now, and some of the most likely next-in-line fabrics. The hutch is mostly good for small stuff, so I may move some things I stuffed into the basement back upstairs... we'll see. There's a light on the hutch that isn't working now -- L thinks the best thing is to replace it and I agree -- we tried to find a replacement bulb for the current fixture but it's some weird-sized halogen so it was a no-go. Would rather have LED anyway. It's a downward-pointing task light, really handy to have.

Moved a whole bunch of stuff in the trailer, covered a couple of possible access points in the floor (mice), got out an old corner entertainment center thing to use in the sewing area, and found SEVEN more boxes of books hiding under a table. If a folding table hadn't been leaning against the front of it I might have found those boxes sooner, but hey. Besides, I can only unpack so fast :D

We also moved another type cabinet from the family farm to our barn, cleaned it up, put shelves of type in it -- except one shelf that's currently missing. Still, a step forward in setting up the print shop.

AND we also moved my old dining room table, because we had to move it to get it out of the way for moving the cabinet and the table decided it needed to partially disassemble itself in a way that couldn't be easily reassembled.

***

Some more stuff, in brief:

- Clothing swap went well last week

- A person we know lost her home and barn to fire the same weekend as the swap. She and her dog are safe. Fundraising stuff is happening.

- Refreshed my memory on how to walk on stilts, and tried out a weird spiral climbing thing at Double Edge Theater.

- had a physical exam, still have to do some blood work and a mammogram. Anticipate both being non-events, but of course that's to be determined/confirmed

- Working on creating new pain management routine

Whatever it is that likes to go out of alignment in my upper back is doing its thing - everything's inflamed between the shoulder blades, plus affecting downward to hips of course and also the right shoulder. Been that way for a few days now - too bad I have things to do. Treating it with everything, not doing certain kinds of things - much. So, no archery or anything that requires repeated fast action.

If I'm methodical though, I can get things done. Yesterday I made 29 trips from the trailer to the library with boxes -- nothing over 30 lbs., most of it more like half that, I think. Still, there's a ladder at the trailer and it's uphill to the library, so it was a workout. 31 boxes of books and a box with a paper version of Redwall Abbey in it.

Also a trip to the house with a box of DVDs and videotapes.... didn't mean for those to end up in the trailer, but it could have been worse. We watched one of the DVDs last night, so we have at least one that's still good.

Today I probably will move some more books, but I've gotten to some boxes that either need more thorough checking over before I move them into a clean space, or need to be re-boxed into smaller boxes.

My goals are to get most of the books into the library for sorting and also to make space in the trailer for some stuff that needs to be out of the barn. Oh, and more work on a couple of light fixtures I finally started work on yesterday.

Started doing archery again, after all these years. We tried a few times, both at the family farm and when we first moved here, but other things took priority. Trying again. Teaching the muscles to do things again is about the same challenge. Annoying, because I know what I'm doing wrong but I still can't stop it (yet).

I use a 30# bow, nothing too strenuous for the shoulders, so it's definitely do-able.

Bought 8' tree stakes to use for the mini-Moot's wind wall. It'll be handy in general for whenever we'd like more privacy for our activities. The walls will of course not be up in the winter -- too much wind then, and we aren't out as much then anyway. The wind factor will hopefully change over time, as we continue to work on planting trees and they get bigger.

The two Hazelnuts really shot up this year! And they have nuts for the first time, so I have to read up on that, for harvesting. Might need to get a few more of those...


***

I started work on an "Elven chandelier" yesterday. I've been working on the design in my head, pulling in more possible materials, etc. Started assembly finally, always interesting to figure out what's possible with what you have... I did buy some small split rings because it was the best joining bit that I could figure out -- happily the local hardware store had what I needed.

We'll see if there's time for archery today -- I'm doing a lot of arm work, so....

Yesterday we gathered up some of the cut wood from the town's tree work. The road is going to be repaved so they were making sure the equipment could get through.

Also, we walked up to the bridge that's being worked on -- for the folks who aren't from around here, the bridge has been getting whittled away by storms for a few years and was down to single-lane and getting worse. The new culvert/bridge supports in the middle of the bridge area are in, but nothing connects it to the road on either the uphill or downhill sides, as of Thursday evening.

Today is moving the 8' tree stakes out of the minivan and into the gazebo, then working on painting and staining in the library. Zach's going to be digging holes and putting the stakes in next weekend.

Saw Marty Benjamin again this morning - TCM for the win! Nice to be getting back more mobility and having a lot less pain these days. Chronic pain is not for the weak ;)

Took it easy for a bit, then finished painting the last bit of wall in the library.

Was going to do garden stuff - been neglecting the veg garden, such as it is - eh, tomorrow?

At least I picked a handful of blueberries :D

***

While I could wish for being pain-free, there are levels and there are levels. And while I'd like to have a lower level (which may yet happen), I appreciate that I'm no longer on ibuprofen on a near-daily basis, as I was earlier this summer.

So, I didn't get to painting yesterday. That means I still haven't quite finished the prime coat on the west side of the center wall. On the other hand, Gavin (our handyman/carpenter) is going to be doing some work on finishing the storage spaces today, so I'd just have more painting to do anyway.

The humidity got to me in later morning, so I spent the first part of the day doing desultory things in the house, trying to get my energy (and ability to breathe) to improve.

Late afternoon I went out and worked on cleaning and moving things. We had some furniture in the library because of lack of space elsewhere, but really need to get as much of it out as possible so Gavin doesn't have to keep working around things -- and me as well, for ease in the painting.

This meant making space in the barn, which has been taking overflow from projects in all directions.

- Moved sheet rocking tools from the library back into the barn

- Separated the sheet rock scraps from the plywood scraps

- Pulled out non-construction materials, like a folded-up sawhorse

- Folded up a giant tarp

- Moved a few things like a backpack and pack frame up into the loft

- Threw some bits of scrap wood for camp fires out the door

- Put some of the clean trash into the minivan because we keep forgetting we're using the barn as a staging area

- Sorted some of the wood shop stuff to put like things together

During the first part of this it was good that it was just me, which was actually a good thing. There wasn't enough room for two people, plus I was working out in my head what needed moving and where. Toward the end Lyle helped, which was good because I would have really struggled with the box of dishes I found, and also with moving a big wood box from downstairs up into the loft.

He also moved a table from the library into the barn, which was a goal, plus now we can take a look at one of the supports and repair it.

So most of the day wasn't much, but I got in a good 2-1/2 to 3 hours of work. It's just as well I didn't get to the vacuuming, because it's wet and rainy here today, and Gavin's doing more woodwork :)

Lyle took over working on mudding for a few days, then I pitched in Thurs/Fri. Rainy weather for parts of the days has delayed further painting but that's okay, plenty to do.

***

Made a set of curtains for a friend's new home. She'll be replacing more curtains over time, but the curtain over the kitchen sink was bothering her the most so I thought a new curtain would be a decent house-warming present. Also got a new curtain rod for her, that's actually long enough for the space. The one that's there is quite bent in the middle :D

Side benefit is I got to use up some older muslin and the end piece of linen from a clothing project, so yay, more stuff leaving the house.

***

Today was the last day of the Greenfield art gallery show. We did take-down this morning, as well as getting new pillows from Wilson's Dept. Store, a couple of tops and a skirt from one of my favorite artists who was at the Gfld. farmers market, and a new jigsaw at Home Depot. Yay for multiple errands in a single trip down the mountain.

Lyle was trying to pick up the old jigsaw yesterday but the cord was trapped under some other things and he lost his grip. It dropped on a wood platform from less than one foot height and shattered the casing and the grip. It's from the early '70s so maybe not surprising? Shocking at the time, though.

***

Oh! And we picked blueberries at a friend's place in town -- just a few quarts as we couldn't stay too long. I'd like to go back in another week or so (he has 100 bushes), and also plan on offering to help him with trimming the bushes once the season's over. Some of them are getting a little over-grown.

Mostly-but-not-all a copy/paste of one of my FB posts. I'm trying to get used to posting in more than one place.

***

No painting yesterday. Realized that (a) I've been pushing myself pretty hard the past few days and (b) I was running out of primer paint. Turns out what I thought was more primer paint is ceiling paint...that paint is now in the upstairs bathroom, waiting for us to paint the ceiling in there.

So we went shopping for more primer, as well as the finish paint for the walls and trim for the library. That was an experience in itself :D But we have it now, and I may try to put on more primer today.

Then we decided we were just too worn for more work of any sort and went to the movies and saw Spiderman: Far From Home. Very enjoyable, stayed through the credits and saw both easter eggs.

***

This morning, we got a call from Delta -- some folks dropped off some wool with her last week, which she has plans for -- and then brought by _more_ today, which she didn't have plans for :D

So I have a few bags to go through, and we'll see what other folks might like as well. I'll do the initial sort immediately, as those folks will supposedly also be dropping off linen in the near future.

***

Hm, what else? Oh, I'm working on making a candle holder from a little wall-mount plant holder. I'm using one of my glass antique insulators in the pot-holding hoop It isn't a perfect fit, so I made a macrame holder for it, with some beads incorporated at the top edge to make the opening smaller. Just adding some embellishments and then I'll find a place to hang it.

***

I made a poncho of sorts? It isn't as long as I've seen them be, but it's long enough to throw over whatever tee or tank top I'm wearing if I'm not wearing a bra and need to go to town. Complicated back/shoulder/neck issues mean that, at least for now, I don't wear bras much because they make everything worse. I made it from a table runner and some lace scraps leftover from someone making their wedding dress. I embellished the lace edges with some pearl beads (mix of new and re-used), and the front has a random design of some of my mother's collection of buttons. I may need to put some buttons on the back for counter-weight, but for the most part it works quite well!

I'll have to take some photos and post those.

Free Library of Philadelphia Branch, Regional and Central Libraries Closing

I hope the state legislature gets it together to save them from closing. I practically grew up in my local library, reading far more books than I or my parents could ever have afforded (or fit!) into our home.

Somewhere in New England is.... one of the most amazing libraries I've ever seen.

Not in person, alas. But there are pictures.

*sigh*


(link compliments of rattimoth, who posted it to steamfashion