atherleisure | Reading

I have my first appointment for cataracts. I can't read my board at work, writing on TV, street signs, things are hazy, my glasses aren't even a year old, my previous glasses didn't last a year, I put up with the glasses before that for over a year because I mistakenly thought my eye insurance was every two years.

I was so relieved when I asked my eye doctor why and he said I had cataracts. Nice, normal, and fixable. He said the silver lining was they can put your prescription in your eye. I knew. I told a friend I was jealous when she got cataract surgery and didn't need glasses anymore!

I'm hopeful, but nervous too. I'd love to not need glasses, but honestly, if I can just get glasses to work again, I'd be ecstatic.

I work with a teacher who had the surgery in her early 40s and said it was the best thing ever. Our librarian's husband had horrible vision and had the surgery and it was also the best thing ever. So I may have high expectations! I like seeing clearly!

totchipanda

Gonna cut this bc it's all body-related. Two weeks ago I stabbed myself right? ( Read more... )

koshka_the_cat

Today was staff development day. I wanted to get a lot of prep work done and reset my attitude because I've missed so many days.

But no. Our school budget was cut by another million dollars. We're losing teachers. Getting bigger classes. We'll probably have to teach multiple grade levels which I've thankfully never had to do. This is my 24th year and I'm fifth in seniority in my department, so I'm (fingers crossed, you never really know) fine.

We'll know more tomorrow, but one of my friend's positions is being cut. She may be able to stay at the school in a different subject since we're going to have to shift jobs. Apparently teachers who have been cut can take jobs at other schools if they have seniority, so I guess it's basically like a surplus, so that should be interesting.

Sigh. Things get better every day

koshka_the_cat

That was a very much needed weekend!

koshka_the_cat

I am so pleased with my dress! I can still do this!

koshka_the_cat

Officially away for the Jane Austen Evening! Unpacked and everything!

koshka_the_cat

I took a half day at work because I was on prep and caught up and why stay when there's nothing to do? Monday is staff development day so an easy day to come back to. I'm excited for a mini vacation! I'll only be gone one full day, but it feels like I packed for a month.

koshka_the_cat

With a night to spare! I'm very happy with it! As usual, floor pictures require imagination...

koshka_the_cat

High schools are starting an hour and a half later next year.

Elementary schools are starting about the same time.

Middle schools are starting half an hour earlier. We're going to have to get there at 6 something.

I almost cried when I heard. I feel like crying now. I can barely get there at 7:10. My body clock just can't. Ever since we switched back to 7:10 from 8:10 I've been so tired it hurts every day. Getting enough sleep, which I usually do, doesn't help because it's the wrong hours.

They said it was supported by science and adolescents need more sleep. Which makes zero sense because middle school students are adolescents.

*sobs*

totchipanda

The 100 day project starts on February 22, and heck yeah I'm fired up about it! (As fired up as I can be, more than a month out lol) I saw the email this morning and immediately started thinking about what I could do. First thought was sewing: finish up the silk sack dress I started however many years ago (fabric purchased 2017). Whatever else. Maybe a whole wardrobe from the skin out, all by hand? Then I thought, I have cross-stitch projects wot need finishing. The purpose is just to make time for creativity. One needle of thread at a time eventually creates a whole project, you know?

I have only finished my journal up to the week that I'm gone. I'm trying to decide if my "cover page" (which spans the opened book) should be the whole trip, including daily journaling, or if it should be the overview and then spread the rest of it out on the next pages. I don't plan to take it with me (extra weight and space that I could use to bring back souvenirs!) so it would all be post-trip anyway. I've already stuck down some stickers and written some lists in pen, and boxed out the spaces in pencil. I think I can keep it simple enough for the two pages.

Then I'm back for one week and the project begins! Doing cross-stitch also means I can have everything prepared and ready to go (who am I kidding, it's already prepared and ready to go). One page will be enough, and then I can bump weeks back a little, which would be perfect for setting up March. Alright, I think I have a plan!

Dance class tonight or else I'd start on all this right the heck now!

koshka_the_cat

The dress is close to done. I'll hopefully get everything but the flowers and skirt drapery done tonight.

totchipanda

Ended up not recording my virtual interview responses until Sunday evening. Friday I woke up at 3-something AM and was just too dang tired. I crawled into bed at 8pm. Watched the last ep of Canada's Drag Race and the new ep of regular Drag Race, then lights out and played a game for a bit. I was asleep before midnight and I STAYED asleep until nearly 8 am. Who am i?!

Saturday M and I went to IKEA, where we had lunch and then bypassed the showroom and half of the market hall until we got to the spot where we'd left off browsing upon realizing that the store was closed. M bought a table for her front door area, and I bought a whisk. Then we went to Michaels and called it a day.

Yesterday, we had a show, Moulin Rouge! and it was fun to be there in our usual seats and think about how our next shows are going to be in NEW YORK CITY on ACTUAL BROADWAY. We forewent our usual habit of dinner after as A: we ate out at IKEA the day before and B: NYC!

On my way to pick her up, the radio station I listen to was giving away tickets to the home renovation show at the end of the month. They used a clip from a movie to enter. The clip was "Nah, I'm just a worm" which I knew immediately and didn't need to hear it again. I pulled up to a red light, quickly texted in my answer, put the phone down and drove away. At the next red light I stopped at, I checked my phone again and I had won! I have no idea what I'm going to do at the home renovation show, but! I won a thing!

Not confident about my video interview, but regardless, I'm on my way out. Whether its before my trip or after, it's happening.

koshka_the_cat

I tried it on with my springed corset, which needs a longer tie as my under bust has grown, which is a good thing, and I like it!

I promise it looks better than the picture. Imaginations needed!

koshka_the_cat

One sleeve is mostly done. The cutouts are hemmed and the slightly fuller lining is basted in. It just needs the seam and hem. I'm going to put a drawstring in the hem to draw it up slightly. The second sleeve has the cutouts ironed open so they'll be easier to hem. As easy as what's basically a slit ever is. I'm glad I like normal hems because I didn't want the weight of binding. I'll hopefully finish the sleeves and start the skirt tomorrow.

Taking a break until at least after dinner because today's work was the type that makes you fizz. Breaks are important too!

koshka_the_cat

Days I'm supposed to take off! Not days I should be at work! Hooray!

koshka_the_cat

This morning when I turned on the street near my school, it sounded like I ran over something. There was a kind of flappy sound. I looked when I parked but couldn't see anything. I forgot about it.

When I left work, flappy sound. I needed gas anyway, so decided to stop and look. The flappy sound stopped halfway to the gas station, so I thought whatever lodged itself there unlodged itself. I checked the tire pressure and it was fine.

(The tap to pay at the gas station didn't work and then I accidentally chose the 91 gas the Fiat needed instead of the 87 the Subaru likes, so that was fun).

I looked under the car. I didn't see anything stray and it looked like a car. I know nothing.

Then about halfway home, beep! Tire pressure! I turned to the tire pressure screen. Three 30 something tires, one 25. Then 24. All the way down to 20 by the time I got to the tire store.

The tire guy saw the razor right away and said they usually can't fix razors. Noooooo. All wheel drive cars need four tires at once because the treads have to match.

It was also going to be at least a 45 minute wait. I called my mom and she came for me. Tire guy two said don't leave quite yet, we need to talk about tires. So I went in, and tire guy one gave me the good news. And only about 15 minutes to fix it! So I sent my mom home. We live five minutes away if you hit the light wrong.

And it was free! Fortunately I had a $10 bill for a tip. I trust that it actually was repairable because they wouldn't lose a good sale for a free repair. It still felt delicate driving home though!

Thankfully it's over! 🤞

Home now with a latte and I just finished some croissants. And am soooo relieved!

koshka_the_cat

Today I feel much better than yesterday, mentally and physically. Work went fine, the temperature was fine, I think I've hit a turning point in covid recovery. So I'm cautiously optimistic.

I finished the bottom hem of my bodice and it looks promising. I don't know why I'm nervous about it. It's a pattern I've used and liked. The seamlines are slightly changed, I found a mockup I had forgotten about, but that doesn't really change anything. The straps are a little lower in back and the side seams wrap a little further back. Pretty normal changes.

Anyway, hopefully I'll finish the top hem tonight. Then sleeves tomorrow. I leave a week from tomorrow, unless I change plans and leave Friday. Leaving after work is rough, and I want to be sure I'm really ready for that. I'm wearing a mask to work because I always get sick at work in January. I do don't need the flu or w cold!

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atherleisure

January 2026

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Page generated Jan. 28th, 2026 11:00 pm

At Her Leisure

An account of a lady's leisure hours

Reading

Tomorrow

Bodies r dumb

Welcome back

And home...

Dress!

Vacation!

Vacation-ish!

It's done!

sobs

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Getting there...

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Bad picture!

Sleeves

Three day weekend!

First flat!

Better?

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January 2026

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