May 27

 Last Friday of May. Damn how the year has flown. We have had intermittent showers and sun. That pattern will continue for most of the coming week. However, I did get the oregano and the rosemary planted.  Only the Meyer lemon remains to get into a different pot. Our seasonal market opens up a week from tomorrow. I originally put the empty pots that go in the top of the fence pot hangers but took them down because of some high winds. One of the pots flew out and, luckily, landed on our neighbors' patio. I retrieved it but I don't want any more flying away.

I finished a cross-stitch table runner yesterday but found I didn't have enough of the thread I used on it to do the matching table topper. I am trying to reduce my stash which remains more than enough to last me well into my next life. When I didn't have the exact colors the pattern called for I pulled good substitutes from my collection. It was enough to do the runner. Instead of making more substitutions I decided to get enough new thread to do the entire topper with consistent colors. So I still have three embroidery projects on hoop or frame, three crochet projects on hooks and a quilt on my piecing board (which I haven't touched for a couple of months.) I seem to get more done than our elected representatives do--without the mealy mouthed platitudes designed to say nothing and offend nobody.

Found this NYT story that provides more evidence of how screwed up our economy is thanks to consolidation and long supply lines. As with so many other products, the contrast dye used in CT imaging comes from China and the Shanghai lockdown has put a squeeze on supplies. Earlier it was computer chips automakers needed to manufacture new cars. During the early days of the pandemic we had shortages of medical equipment and those mayors and governors who could get in supplies often had to face Federal agents stealing appropriating commandeering shipments the cities and states had paid for for redistribution to favored allies of the Former Guy. Illinois Governor Pritzker got his in by not disclosing when and where the shipments were coming. And the baby formula shortage shows us what is likely to recur in an industry dominated by only a few companies (four in this case) when a contamination issue forces a recall and the shut down of the largest production facility of one company that dominates just shy of 50% of the market.