Cold, Damp and Cranky
30 Oct 2025 07:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ursulas_alcoveI didn't want to write when I am in pain. No, it's not arthritis but it is something I've had since I was a child. My body was built to be a barometer. If this cold front hadn't come down from Canada, we would be coping with Hurricane Melissa. It's a reason to be thankful. The trees need this rain.
It's been a week under blankets for the most part. The furnace may need repair soon. It's possible the blower is going (again). I was given a ball park figure for replacement. For now, we have a plan until it finally gives up and dies. The warm air is not being kicked out with a lot of force. It could also be that at the beginning of October, the temperature was in the 80s. I have the house set at 64 degrees. It feels colder because it is colder. We don't have AC. I don't think we can afford more than that. It's good incentive to finish up my sweater. Alas, Chrono got into another show. That means I need to step up my game and knit hats for the show. Actually, I am quite happy about it. Any shot to make money is a good thing. The show is local. I have 4 weeks. She has 4 weeks. How many hats can we make?
This is the style I need to make
I was going to start working on hats anyway. I have a show that I want to do that should be mostly hats. I'll need 50 at least. It'd be good to get the pavilion up and aired out. That show would be in April. I'm trying to do shows close to home to avoid expenses in a collapsing economy. I have friends who are already noticing a difference in patrons. It's more of a low-brow, not purchasing crowd that is showing up. Those who had money, lost their jobs or are cutting back. The "Hold my beer" crowd doesn't purchase $125 hats. They are used to Walmart prices, not hand made slow fashion.
I work on Saturday at a grocery store, handing out samples. I get to see what happens up close with SNAP benefits being canceled. It could be crickets. It's hard to say. The cancellation of benefits is unprecedented and highly illegal. My state is one of 25 suing the government. I have 5 gigs in November and 2 in December. The competition for gigs is getting fierce again. Applying the same hour that the job became open did not get me into my local store. I have to drive further away. That tells me people are hungry for cash. Gig work is somewhat flexible and pays $20 an hour. I can choose from many different area stores. I prefer the one 5 miles from my house but will take the one 8 miles away. Saturday will be 15 miles away. The furthest I've worked is 18 miles away. I just don't want to work anywhere near a mall after Thanksgiving. Traffic is a nightmare.
I find myself missing FaerieCon. It was a big part of my life, the last 20 years. The group that ran it filed bankruptcy a while back. I still miss it.
It's been a week under blankets for the most part. The furnace may need repair soon. It's possible the blower is going (again). I was given a ball park figure for replacement. For now, we have a plan until it finally gives up and dies. The warm air is not being kicked out with a lot of force. It could also be that at the beginning of October, the temperature was in the 80s. I have the house set at 64 degrees. It feels colder because it is colder. We don't have AC. I don't think we can afford more than that. It's good incentive to finish up my sweater. Alas, Chrono got into another show. That means I need to step up my game and knit hats for the show. Actually, I am quite happy about it. Any shot to make money is a good thing. The show is local. I have 4 weeks. She has 4 weeks. How many hats can we make?
This is the style I need to make
I was going to start working on hats anyway. I have a show that I want to do that should be mostly hats. I'll need 50 at least. It'd be good to get the pavilion up and aired out. That show would be in April. I'm trying to do shows close to home to avoid expenses in a collapsing economy. I have friends who are already noticing a difference in patrons. It's more of a low-brow, not purchasing crowd that is showing up. Those who had money, lost their jobs or are cutting back. The "Hold my beer" crowd doesn't purchase $125 hats. They are used to Walmart prices, not hand made slow fashion.
I work on Saturday at a grocery store, handing out samples. I get to see what happens up close with SNAP benefits being canceled. It could be crickets. It's hard to say. The cancellation of benefits is unprecedented and highly illegal. My state is one of 25 suing the government. I have 5 gigs in November and 2 in December. The competition for gigs is getting fierce again. Applying the same hour that the job became open did not get me into my local store. I have to drive further away. That tells me people are hungry for cash. Gig work is somewhat flexible and pays $20 an hour. I can choose from many different area stores. I prefer the one 5 miles from my house but will take the one 8 miles away. Saturday will be 15 miles away. The furthest I've worked is 18 miles away. I just don't want to work anywhere near a mall after Thanksgiving. Traffic is a nightmare.
I find myself missing FaerieCon. It was a big part of my life, the last 20 years. The group that ran it filed bankruptcy a while back. I still miss it.
no subject
Date: 5 Nov 2025 08:56 pm (UTC)Although I have never, ever set foot in a Walmart I am definitely in the lowest rank of the low-brow crowd at this point. Luckily I inherited a lot of clothes!
Is that a picture of you?
no subject
Date: 9 Nov 2025 01:32 am (UTC)I am with you on not making rich people even richer. Our clothes come from the thrift store. In the picture, my daughter is wearing a vest of mine from the late 70s or early 80s. We rarely throw anything away. I spent a lifetime of being poor, then moderately okay. Then retire and on a fixed income. We depend on these type of gigs to buy food and keep the vehicle running. It's not new either.