Melissa Walker
@mjwalker.bsky.social
Audible is trying to sell me a "new book" by an author who's been dead for over 60 years. 🤦♀️
August 15, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Audible is trying to sell me a "new book" by an author who's been dead for over 60 years. 🤦♀️
Have a sleeping cat to distract you briefly from the world being terrible.
July 4, 2025 at 5:33 AM
Have a sleeping cat to distract you briefly from the world being terrible.
Not a beanie! I decided to use up the yarn making a poncho to match. (The beanie in the picture is the same one previously posted.) 🧶
Now to find projects to use up other yarn from my stash...
Now to find projects to use up other yarn from my stash...
June 22, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Not a beanie! I decided to use up the yarn making a poncho to match. (The beanie in the picture is the same one previously posted.) 🧶
Now to find projects to use up other yarn from my stash...
Now to find projects to use up other yarn from my stash...
First crochet project is finally complete. Hung around his neck, the scarf is longer than he is tall. (Replacing an extra long knitted scarf that went missing years ago.)
Next I'll try a beanie. 🧶
Next I'll try a beanie. 🧶
May 21, 2025 at 3:42 AM
First crochet project is finally complete. Hung around his neck, the scarf is longer than he is tall. (Replacing an extra long knitted scarf that went missing years ago.)
Next I'll try a beanie. 🧶
Next I'll try a beanie. 🧶
We have preferential voting here. I genuinely can't understand why 75% of my electorate picked one of the two major parties *as their first preference*.
The luxury of preferential voting is that you can vote for a minor party or independent without "wasting" your vote. We're not voting in the USA!
The luxury of preferential voting is that you can vote for a minor party or independent without "wasting" your vote. We're not voting in the USA!
May 5, 2025 at 11:36 AM
We have preferential voting here. I genuinely can't understand why 75% of my electorate picked one of the two major parties *as their first preference*.
The luxury of preferential voting is that you can vote for a minor party or independent without "wasting" your vote. We're not voting in the USA!
The luxury of preferential voting is that you can vote for a minor party or independent without "wasting" your vote. We're not voting in the USA!
Australia 🤝 Canada
So relieved to have the wannabe-Trump Opposition leaders out of office. We've seen what's happening in the USA and said (loudly!) "not here!"
But sad that the lesson comes at the expense of regular people in the USA.
So relieved to have the wannabe-Trump Opposition leaders out of office. We've seen what's happening in the USA and said (loudly!) "not here!"
But sad that the lesson comes at the expense of regular people in the USA.
May 3, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Australia 🤝 Canada
So relieved to have the wannabe-Trump Opposition leaders out of office. We've seen what's happening in the USA and said (loudly!) "not here!"
But sad that the lesson comes at the expense of regular people in the USA.
So relieved to have the wannabe-Trump Opposition leaders out of office. We've seen what's happening in the USA and said (loudly!) "not here!"
But sad that the lesson comes at the expense of regular people in the USA.
Skip town, find wild flowers. 🌺
April 20, 2025 at 6:05 AM
Skip town, find wild flowers. 🌺
Anyway, have a cat photo:
March 23, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Anyway, have a cat photo:
It's really amazing what difference it makes having the right tool for a job.
This is a cat piller. Giving pills to Wesley with this is so simple I can do it unassisted. By contrast, giving pills to Alice using only our bare hands was a traumatic experience for her *and* two humans.
This is a cat piller. Giving pills to Wesley with this is so simple I can do it unassisted. By contrast, giving pills to Alice using only our bare hands was a traumatic experience for her *and* two humans.
March 19, 2025 at 11:23 AM
It's really amazing what difference it makes having the right tool for a job.
This is a cat piller. Giving pills to Wesley with this is so simple I can do it unassisted. By contrast, giving pills to Alice using only our bare hands was a traumatic experience for her *and* two humans.
This is a cat piller. Giving pills to Wesley with this is so simple I can do it unassisted. By contrast, giving pills to Alice using only our bare hands was a traumatic experience for her *and* two humans.
Oh, to be a cat unbothered by the state of human affairs.
March 17, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Oh, to be a cat unbothered by the state of human affairs.
Kitty on his chair, in between his humans (not pictured) on their chairs.
March 10, 2025 at 4:55 AM
Kitty on his chair, in between his humans (not pictured) on their chairs.
The book did a good job of teaching basic stitches. And the patterns included look simple enough for a beginner.
What's missing is a page to coach you on reading a pattern. My knitting experience helped, but I've still had to look online for help interpreting some things in the book's patterns.
What's missing is a page to coach you on reading a pattern. My knitting experience helped, but I've still had to look online for help interpreting some things in the book's patterns.
February 21, 2025 at 12:50 AM
The book did a good job of teaching basic stitches. And the patterns included look simple enough for a beginner.
What's missing is a page to coach you on reading a pattern. My knitting experience helped, but I've still had to look online for help interpreting some things in the book's patterns.
What's missing is a page to coach you on reading a pattern. My knitting experience helped, but I've still had to look online for help interpreting some things in the book's patterns.
Learning to crochet, part 4. 🧶
Nat asked for a scarf (a good beginner project). My book doesn't have a scarf pattern, so I got one on Ravelry.
It's going okay, but I do have to count stitches every row to make sure it's consistent.
This yarn really needs a larger crochet hook, so I'll start over.
Nat asked for a scarf (a good beginner project). My book doesn't have a scarf pattern, so I got one on Ravelry.
It's going okay, but I do have to count stitches every row to make sure it's consistent.
This yarn really needs a larger crochet hook, so I'll start over.
February 21, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Learning to crochet, part 4. 🧶
Nat asked for a scarf (a good beginner project). My book doesn't have a scarf pattern, so I got one on Ravelry.
It's going okay, but I do have to count stitches every row to make sure it's consistent.
This yarn really needs a larger crochet hook, so I'll start over.
Nat asked for a scarf (a good beginner project). My book doesn't have a scarf pattern, so I got one on Ravelry.
It's going okay, but I do have to count stitches every row to make sure it's consistent.
This yarn really needs a larger crochet hook, so I'll start over.
Learning to crochet, part 3. 🧶
Three more kinds of stitches, which is all the stitches taught in this book.
Ends of rows are hard: the last stitch sits differently and I'm not consistently identifying what to pick up and what to leave. (Should come with practice.)
Next up, try an actual pattern.
Three more kinds of stitches, which is all the stitches taught in this book.
Ends of rows are hard: the last stitch sits differently and I'm not consistently identifying what to pick up and what to leave. (Should come with practice.)
Next up, try an actual pattern.
February 15, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Learning to crochet, part 3. 🧶
Three more kinds of stitches, which is all the stitches taught in this book.
Ends of rows are hard: the last stitch sits differently and I'm not consistently identifying what to pick up and what to leave. (Should come with practice.)
Next up, try an actual pattern.
Three more kinds of stitches, which is all the stitches taught in this book.
Ends of rows are hard: the last stitch sits differently and I'm not consistently identifying what to pick up and what to leave. (Should come with practice.)
Next up, try an actual pattern.
Some mornings you just have to yell at your humans for half an hour and then act innocent for the camera.
February 15, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Some mornings you just have to yell at your humans for half an hour and then act innocent for the camera.
He's... helping? 😹
February 10, 2025 at 3:56 AM
He's... helping? 😹
Learning to crochet, part 2. 🧶
I've spent several days just remaking a swatch each day, to practise the stitch and work out kinks. I can see the improvement. The last one is pretty good, so it's time to move on to another kind of stitch.
I've spent several days just remaking a swatch each day, to practise the stitch and work out kinks. I can see the improvement. The last one is pretty good, so it's time to move on to another kind of stitch.
February 8, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Learning to crochet, part 2. 🧶
I've spent several days just remaking a swatch each day, to practise the stitch and work out kinks. I can see the improvement. The last one is pretty good, so it's time to move on to another kind of stitch.
I've spent several days just remaking a swatch each day, to practise the stitch and work out kinks. I can see the improvement. The last one is pretty good, so it's time to move on to another kind of stitch.
I found a book that teaches crochet along with offering simple projects. So this year I'm going to learn (I can knit but I've never been brave enough to try crochet 😅).
This is day 2, just practising stitches and figuring out how to hold things. Already much easier than yesterday; feeling good. 🧶
This is day 2, just practising stitches and figuring out how to hold things. Already much easier than yesterday; feeling good. 🧶
February 2, 2025 at 7:06 AM
I found a book that teaches crochet along with offering simple projects. So this year I'm going to learn (I can knit but I've never been brave enough to try crochet 😅).
This is day 2, just practising stitches and figuring out how to hold things. Already much easier than yesterday; feeling good. 🧶
This is day 2, just practising stitches and figuring out how to hold things. Already much easier than yesterday; feeling good. 🧶
He just head-butted my tea (in my hand) out of the way so he could rub his face on my face. 😹
(Meanwhile, the other one is crying at the door because I went outside without him. 😿)
(Meanwhile, the other one is crying at the door because I went outside without him. 😿)
January 10, 2025 at 10:56 PM
He just head-butted my tea (in my hand) out of the way so he could rub his face on my face. 😹
(Meanwhile, the other one is crying at the door because I went outside without him. 😿)
(Meanwhile, the other one is crying at the door because I went outside without him. 😿)
Who needs expensive pet beds? He's got pieces of a broken desk chair. And he loves desk chairs. 😹
November 25, 2024 at 11:14 PM
Who needs expensive pet beds? He's got pieces of a broken desk chair. And he loves desk chairs. 😹
Cats are so peaceful when they sleep.
November 14, 2024 at 4:02 AM
Cats are so peaceful when they sleep.
Feeling like it's time to pull the plug on annoying social media services. I deactivated both Twitter accounts today. My Instagram is on borrowed time. Probably can't escape Facebook completely because that's where local groups post, but... Start where you can.
November 14, 2024 at 3:35 AM
Feeling like it's time to pull the plug on annoying social media services. I deactivated both Twitter accounts today. My Instagram is on borrowed time. Probably can't escape Facebook completely because that's where local groups post, but... Start where you can.