Stars & Stew

 (It must be the season of alliterative blog-post titles.)

Thank you, Linda Sue, for the felt stars and thread to sew onto the Christmas tree skirt! And thanks to Art Sparker for sending buttons to become eyes for the manger animals! (Photos to follow.)

The girlettes wanted to show passers by...

A trio of girlettes happened to be near the window after I'd first moved in, when one day I heard a mother saying to her child as they walked by, "Look, there are three dolls!"

Since then, they always want to be looking out the window.
(I'm inspired, too, by photos Kirsten used to send of little scenes set up in a window in a neighborhood where she used to live.)

Mostly people walk right past and don't notice, but once in a while I hear someone comment.
I'm a little uncertain about inviting people to look in my windows--I'm right on the sidewalk... But in the daytime, the window is like a mirror, and with the sheer curtain pulled, you can't see in easily.
It's quiet at night, but I take the dolls in the evening--they need their rest.

So far it's been a friendly and peaceable neighborhood. Lots of walkers and joggers pass by, heading to the big park along the lake, about half a mile away. I've met several of the neighbors who regularly walk their dogs.

Yesterday I made beef stew, which I'd never made before. It's okay-just basic--it needs something...
Any tips?
bink says Worcestershire sauce. I'll have to buy some.

The pans ^ are new-to-me, from the thrift store.
The red enameled, cast-iron roaster I rescued from the metal recycling. You can see it's chipped around the edges, which affects its functioning not at all. The white enamel insides are also discolored. Again, doesn't matter.
I filled it with vinegar, baking soda, and water, and let it soak, but it didn't make much visible difference. It's Martha Stewart brand.

I LOVE the vintage, green sauce pan. The lid is badly chipped, but luckily Housewares put it out for $1.99.
It's not marked, but it looks like old enamelware from Poland.

That's a wood bowl made in Vermont sitting on top--I pulled it from the dumpster, dirty. Of course it scrubbed up perfectly well.
It's sitting on the pan because I just oiled it and I didn't want to set it on something where it would leave a mark.

Manageress emailed me that there's a work meeting this morning. Why? Makes me nervous.

Big Boss is unpredictable, and can be shaming. He'd told me that he follows St. Paul more than the words of Jesus, because Jesus is unrealistic. (!)
That makes sense: like the priest said yesterday, Paul uses shame where Jesus uses illumination.

I am setting my intention:
I picture myself as well-oiled wood; any gunk will slide right off me.