Life continues

So we've been busy for a while.

We enjoyed visits from both grandmothers. While Mom (Bartholomew) was here, we got to play around with netting problems and potential solutions. Among the puzzles played with were a mobius-strip grocery bag, an experimental but functional version of a klein bottle (in shopping-bag form). With some time and effort and planning we were able to implement a full 2 dimensional shape represented in the 4th dimension, and implemented in 3d. In other words, the bag exists only inside itself (the outside IS the inside, and vice-versa) , has no volume, and only one side, but can hold items in 2 separate compartments (though one is only accessible through the handle).

After she headed back to the northwest, I realized that I'd not been getting much creative time lately. So I've started working with a local knife-maker during my lunch break. I'm learning to do a lot of the basic work (handle cutting, gluing, drilling, and such) with the eventual goal of freeing him up to do more blade design. I also want to design and make some of my own blades (Hannah got me a birthday present of some knife-making lessons several years back). In the meantime I'm building up some in-store credit for either materials or blades.

The whole family of four came down with a nasty virus early this week, and have mostly recovered. Hopefully that'll be it for this season. The family that gets sick together... heals quick together? Or just dies off... something like that.

We also started working with our builder, Stitt Energy, on the design and final plans. We're in daily contact while discussing various ideas (we already have a floor plan and elevations) for how we want the house to work, materials and the like.

I'm also considering joining an early-morning taiji group. It's the same taiji group I work with, just doing early mornings. The only difficulty is that I'm definatly a night owl, not an early bird. It'll be a good habit for me, just have to form the habit of getting up even earlier.... and lose the habit of staying up late (which will start being anytime after 9).