Public holidays tend to slightly throw everything off balance, especially my sense of time - so today somehow feels like Monday, even though it isn't, and I will probably have slight weekday issues for the rest of the week. Good thing that there's calendars and phone alarms to remind me of the really important things that should not be missed, such as a vet appointment coming up, and a doc's appointment for myself for a check-up.

For now, though, as I'm carrying stuff from one part of our living space to other parts to be sorted and organised and stuffed into boxes and crates, have a photo of the Most Patient of All Husbands, dressed in a fluffy cloak:

Good thing that it's so untimely warm for the season, that meant it was no big issue to stand barefoot outside for a bit while taking the photos... 

Well, that week went by quickly. The cat spent a lot of time on my desk, hanging over my arm and purring while I was trying to type. She also has impeccable timing and tends to come for a desk nap and cuddle when I had planned to just finish this two minute task, and then get up and do something else somewhere else. That does lead, in some cases, to a bit of change in schedule and some more computer work first. Because, well. Cuddly warm purring cat on my arm.

There were orders made (for Forum supplies) and orders received (for spinning tools), and there were phone calls in prep of the Textile Forum (and more are still to come, to sort out the catering details). There were appropriate amounts of chocolate consumed. (Though on second thought, they might not have been quite appropriate.)

There's also growing lists and checklists and other lists... and the membrane thread experiment protocol/plan, which still has to get some tender loving care. We have supplies, and a sort-of-plan, but it does need another look at it and some prodding, so we have a workable plan and an idea on what to do in what sequence, and when. 

So... I really, really can't complain about boredom!

Now, though, it's time for the weekend and some relaxing first. Well, and maybe a bit more work on a list or two. Who knows?

Sometimes, there are small changes happening - because of some reason or other. Sometimes, these are just delightful. One of them, which we speculate are due to the pandemic, is the "zu verschenken"-Box. Or, to be more precise, its rise in frequency - the box and the basic concept did exist pre-pandemic, but you can see them much more frequently now.

For those of you not familiar with this (and it might be a German thing, I don't know), "zu verschenken" means "free to a new home". So if you de-clutter your kitchen, or your living room, or whatever, and there are things you'd like to get rid of but that are too good to throw away, and yet not valuable enough that putting them on a portal like ebay would be worth it, and not copious enough to make for a table at a flea market, or or you are just too lazy for all of that.... there's a very quick and easy way to deal with them.

You take a large enough cardboard box and a thick sharpie and write "zu verschenken" on the box. Then you place all the things inside the box and put everything on the curb (preferably to the side, so that there's still space for traffic to pass by) or in a suitable similar place. If there's a lot of stuff, a table and a sign will work as well. If you're living in the end of a little-frequented cul de sac, it might be worth it to carry the box to the next street corner. 

This has been seen occasionally before the pandemic, but since that time period when everyone was cooped up inside and a lot of time was spent going through stuff... they have proliferated. There was a time when you'd see them at about every second street corner, and now they are still much more common a sight than just a few years ago. Much to my delight, because I love the idea of this very low-key exchange, and I enjoy looking at the things offered (even if it's clear from 10 m away that there's nothing for me in the pile), and quite often we've taken off with a thing or two from the box. Our cat litter bin, for instance. Some of our flower pots. A few kitchen items. 

Today we took a little walk and came home with another large flower pot - very timely, as one of the old ones broke just two days ago. And then, just at the street corner at the start of the cul de sac that we live in, there was another box... containing, among more kitchen equipment, glasses and cups.

Those were a very welcome surprise, as the Textile Forum will take place, and we'll be a few more people than the place usually handles (or houses), so glasses were a little scarce. With the glasses and cups donated by my friends and those from the box, though, we'll now be  more than comfortably equipped... and I suspect that if someone wants to take a cup home as a souvenir, that might also be possible.

So hooray for the "zu verschenken"-Box - one of the good things caused by the pandemic.

My little thumb injury shenanigans have taught me two things... firstly: Keeping wounds moist for the first stage of healing is the current state-of-the-art method, and I can tell from my experience that it was very agreeable and worked very well. The thumb is almost back to normal as of this morning. There's a little bit more healing to do, but there's no pain, no redness and no swelling anymore.

Secondly: There's a very good reason for film coating around pills... at least around some of them. The antibiotics I got prescribed, alas, they lack such a coating. Don't ask me why, maybe it's because the makers believe in the old German adage about "bitter medicine" and so on. Anyway, I popped the first one in my mouth and then reached for the water, and that was definitely not the best idea of the day. Lacking a coating, the pill generously spread its outer surface to the outer surface of my mouth, and that stuff is bitter with a capital B. It also had a tendency to stay where it had gotten to, which means the bitter taste was quite persistent and took a while, and a handful of cherry tomatoes, to get rid of. There may also have been some funny noises.

So the next pills got coated. Not in liver paté (though I'm still tempted to do that with the last one I'll take this evening, because, you know, cat), but, with varying success, in jam, honey, and chocolate spread. (I was actually a little tempted to coat them in real chocolate, but for just the few pills for 3 or 4 days, it did not seem worth the effort of melting choc and coating them.)

Choc spread is basically the equivalent, for me, to the cliché of liver paté for cats, so it seemed the logical (and most amusing) choice. However, it's way too tempting to eat it off the pill (defeating the purpose, but also very much cat-like as in they'll quite often suck the coating off and then spit out the pill) and in addition it's rather sticky in the mouth. Jam and honey work better; I think I like (liquid) honey best. Safest method to avoid any of the bitterness to escape was rolling it in a bit of honey on a teaspoon, then taking a mouthful of water, tipping the head back, dropping the pill in and then quickly swallowing everything. (Pro tip: If you touch the naked pill for the rolling-in-honey action, do not lick your fingers afterwards...)

Now... does that count as a life skill? If not, at least it makes for an amusing story.

Unicorns are something that's been fascinating humans for a long time - and  I remember that when I was a child, I went to "Fasching" (dress-up for carneval) as a unicorn one time. (No, I don't think there are any pictures, but I know it involved a horn made from silver crafting paper, and probably a pin-on tail.)

Unicorns come up sort of frequently in medieval artworks, too - and if you'd like to read a bit more about them, you can do so at the Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek, where there's a nice article (with pictures) about the unicorn, both available in English and in German.

I've been saving seeds for next year, like I always do, and I was thinking about putting something about the fermentation of tomato seeds here just in case someone is interested, and while looking for some instructions I stumbled across the Garden Myths blog.

Which says, here, that a test of different tomato seed prep methods did not result in any difference in germination rate. 

Well... I do remember reading something, a good while ago, about different methods of preparing tomato seeds. That was some scientific research thingie, geared more towards industrial production, and there were differences in seed viability... so I think I'll stick with my method.

Which is: Take a ripe tomato that tastes well (obviously!), take out some of the seeds (maybe all, if it's a small tomato or has few seeds) and put them into a small glass. Add a pinch of sugar and some water, swirl around. Let stand for long enough, usually between 2 and 3 days, depending on temperature and general conditions. The way I decide whether it's time to get them out or not is swirling the contents around in the glass; when the seeds sink quickly to the bottom of the glass, they are ready. I then put them into a small sieve, wash the gunk off (gently rubbing with the fingers), put them onto a paper towel, and let them dry. 

Worked very well for me these past years, the seeds don't stick together, and they have stayed viable for at least several years. (Might take them longer to sprout if they are older, though.)

Do you save your own seeds? Do you treat the seeds in any way?

The L'Oréal and Ipsos Foundation are running a survey on gender equality in research, available in 6 different languages (German is not among them, but English is). It is asking scientists for their experiences in their careers and work, and according to the survey intro, it takes about 10 minutes to complete. (It took me a bit longer.)

It is especially interesting if you are working in an academic environment or a company also doing research - it's definitely not tailored towards special cases like me, who are working as self-employed people with a research part to their job. But even if I could not contribute to quite a few of the questions, I can at least spread the word further!

The survey is online until September 9, so if you plan to do it, or plan to pass the info on to someone else, you should do it before then.