Harris Tweed and Zadie Smith saved my sanity this week. Sewing. Reading. Listening. Trying to learn how to draw. Blocking things out. 24/7.
The fabric Harris Tweed was my obsession this week to ward off a downward spiral brought on, or so it seems, from Daylight Savings reduction, light being put in a locked savings account, and other human beings who just truly are deplorable. Yep, Hilary got that right.
The older I get, the more light I crave. And, thankfully, listening to Zadie Smith read her essays “Intimations” brought its own light.
I sewed a handbag this week from Harris Tweed fabric inspired by all the autumn colors that have marked my daily walks and it has “feet”. I am quite proud of myself.
There was no video for me to follow so I had to figure out the PDF pattern file which is not the best way for me to do a new pattern. If ever there was a “show me” learner, it is moi.
But, with the exception of the leather handles that I had to hand sew and took me bingeing 4 (58 min each) episodes of “Shetland” on BBC to complete, I was not swearing.
I also listened to Zadie Smith read her essays on Audible while I put it together and she used the phrase, “Global Humbling” in reference to the initial months of lockdown in 2020. Yes, it was that, at least initially. But, what has followed is not humility, in fact, the opposite.
I listened to the NYT “The Daily” podcast about what 18 months have done to public meetings involving local health services and “humbling” is not exactly the word that comes to mind. “Shrieking” is. Clips of Kansas public health officials being excoriated publicly were aired. Excoriated by people shrieking about “their” rights and how they “are not going to take it anymore.” No masking. No booster shots, They are done with this pandemic and they know what to do–no restrictions, no masks, no mandatory shots, and they are totally done with Dr. Fauci (and Fauci with them) as the next day’s program showed. He’s had so many death threats on his life and his family members harassed that he requires security. He is 80 years old.
How does he do it? I do not know. How does any rational person do it? These shriekers on a daily, dangerous basis?
I can’t do it. That I know. So, I sew. And, read. Curate my access to the outside world even more strictly than a year ago. Sew some more. And try to draw like a Swedish watercolorist , Jane Gabrielsson and Matisse. And, worry about inflation.
