I’m very annoyed with Substack. On Substack in addition to writing posts like on WordPress, you can post quick little notes which have a different feel than a post. But this morning after I posted a note I discovered that I couldn’t comment on other people’s posts and notes. So annoying. I tried a couple of fixes, but I have had so many things interfering with my time lately that I’m at the screw-it stage of social media repairs.
My mom’s financial and medical affairs continue to take up a lot of time, but also both the Gardener and I have had some health stuff going on. And, really, every day something new in the house needs fixing. I can see why my dad always wanted to move to a brand new house after we had been in a home for a few years.
Meesker’s ashes and pawprint came home to us last week. I also ordered a pawprint for my son because Meesker had been his cat to begin with. I still feel some PTSD about Meesker dying at home although I wasn’t here when it happened. Maybe that’s been even worse for me. Not being here with him.
Perry is also hanging out with us more than usual. I think he probably discovered Meesker passed away on the bathroom floor before our pet sitter did. A couple of days after we got home, the gardener and I went out for a few hours and when we got back Perry ran up to us excitedly than looked disappointed when he saw Meesker was not with us.
Here’s what I posted today over at Substack. It has to do with SCRAP that will be officially released on March 20, 18 days from now :).
The collage on the cover of my forthcoming memoir-in-flash, Scrap (ELJ Editions), is by Lorette Luzajic. Every item on the cover shows up in Scrap: Salvaging a Family.
Take a look at that red tomato pincushion, for instance. You’ve probably seen one just like it, especially if anybody in your household has ever sewn. Why are so many pincushions in the shape of tomatoes? Here’s an article that explains.
The Mystery of the Tomato Pincushion has been Solved
(And if your pincushion has a little strawberry attached to the tomato it’s filled with emery so you can sharpen your pins and needles). I had to look up emery. It’s “a dark granular mineral that consists of corundum with iron oxide impurities (such as magnetite) and is used as an abrasive” (merriam-webster.com)
You can still pre-order the book at the publisher’s site (and it might be a couple bucks cheaper than it will be on Amazon):
PRE-ORDER SCRAP
Love the cover, and yes I do have one of those tomato pin cushions. Mine has an elastic attached to it so it can be worn on the wrist. Just don’t miss when you’re putting the pins back.
Haha, yes, be careful! Actually the one in SCRAP is worn on the wrist!!! But the one in the pic is mine, and it has pins all around it. I’m so glad you like the cover, Anneli!
Yeah, it’s beautiful!
It’s a very challenging time right now. l’m in awe of how much you achieve in spite of the tough stuff. Beautiful cover!! I eagerly await the arrival of my pre-ordered copy of ‘Scrap”!
Aw, thank you so much! Yes, it’s been very challenging . . . .
I used to have a tomato pin cushion. I wonder what happened to it. If it had a little “strawberry” with it, it was filled with emery. Nail files are also called emery boards. Anticipation your new book, Luanne!
Maybe it ran away from home when you stopped sewing and mending ;)! Haha. Thanks so much, Joy!
Great cover, Luanne. Best wishes on the latest
Thank you so much!!!
The cover is beautiful! I am sorry you have been going through some rough times. Spring is around the corner, and a change of season will be good for all of us!
Yes, I need a change of something that is for sure! Thank you soooo much, Linda! xo
I think my mother had a tomato pin cushion! I don’t know what happened to it. I got her sewing materials but she must have worn it out and tossed it before I inherited her stuff. So sorry about Meesker!
That is just the sort of thing someone things is “garbage” when they are done with it, but what a little treasure, especially if it still has the pins and needles in it.
Thank you about Meesker. It’s so hard. I keep trying not to imagine what it was like for him, then I feel guilty for trying to avoid imagining it!
I have that very tomato and strawberry pincushion in my sewing room!
Yay! I love that we have the same one!
It’s a classic!
I am really looking forward to the book! My mother had one of those tomatoes, and I was fascinated by it—especially since she never sewed! She would try to sew up seams that opened in pants, but they never worked and would re-open almost immediately. Someone must have given her the sewing kit with the tomato as a gift. I did like all the colored threads though.
And cats are so sensitive to changes in their environment. I am not surprised that Perry seems confused.
I hope you guys feel better, and I don’t bother with Substack. Just one more form of social media I just don’t have the energy to learn.
That’s a funny story about your mother! I guess she never had Home Ec! Thanks so much, Amy. Sending you a brief email!
Wonderful cover, Luanne, and congrats on your upcoming release. Also, please accept my condolences on your loss of Meesker. 💙
Thank you so much, Jennifer. We miss him so much!
I am SO looking forward to getting my copy, Luanne! I’ve had a few of those tomato pincushions, some with the strawberry. And, yes, I used the strawberry to try and sharpen needles but, frankly, a fresh always worked better.
Substack is a weird platform. I don’t think it’s reader-friendly, but I do read a lot on it. I’ve noticed with some newsletters that if you don’t have a paid subscription, you can’t comment. Seems like that applies to notes as well so that might be what you’re seeing.
I suspect some writers, like Heather Cox Richardson, do that–turn off comments to free subscribers–possibly in order to avoid trolls and bots and other nasty things. And I can understand that because I’ve seen some very nasty comments on Substack.
Other writers probably turn off comments to free subscribers because they want you to pay, but I’m not going to pay just to leave a comment.
Like I said, Substack is a weird platform. Even though I have issues with WP, I don’t think I’ll move 100% to Substack. Making $$$$$ and building a subscriber list is just too important to too many of the people there. I mean, I get it that earning $$$ it’s important. I know of at least one writer who is trying to support herself through writing on Substack (and she’s a wonderful writer so I’m happy to support her), but too many people WRITE about it on Substack which is not what I’m there to read. BORING!