Karolyn

@etcandsoforth

Unapologetically defying pithy description. Salty we’re having to start over. Again. Shouting love, kindness, sass, and swears into the void…along with cat pics, knitting, and occasional “Story Time”. Dem, T1D, ADHD, she/her (🚫TERFs, 🚫MAGA)

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Bluesky

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Karolyn@etcandsoforth· 26d

Feeling thwarted. After days of priming, curing, sanding (lather, rinse, repeat), I’m finally ready to paint my bookshelf. And there’s a thunderstorm. And >80% humidity. And the internet tells me no chalk paint above 70% humidity or it will dry/cure weird. 🤬

Still Life of a DIY Setback.

Primed, disassembled pieces of a would-be bookshelf are propped up on 2x4s sitting over pale sage green drop cloths that were once curtains inside an open garage.

They sit unpainted because it’s too humid out.

They don’t show you this crap in online tutorials! Grrrrrr.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· 26d

I clicked “Learn more” I mean…sure. Clearly, “cis, white dudes” ARE a protected group. Very protected. Smol beans beset by the institutional might of *checks notes* a queer Black woman. 😐

Intolerance
Discrimination against protected groups.
Source: @moderation.bsky.app

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· 27d

Neither Catholic nor Wiccan, so I don’t know how to set up an altar. Am I doing this right? (Wouldn’t want another Hand of God smite) Go England! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

A red votive with a clear base with a lit tealight inside sits next to a white and silver China cup and saucer, and a painted rock that looks like a sheep. My makeshift altar sits atop the pebble-covered slab in front of a fireplace cover.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Jul 9

Behold: A Lifetime of Love This month, my boys/ feline overlords turned 19. (They will live forever. Period.) Ebony and Ivory pair bonded as kittens in a shelter and have exactly two modes: cuddle and war. They are napping right now and holding hands 🥹 Oh my heart. #CatsOfBlueSky

Two short haired cats — one black, one white — are curled up together on a fuzzy beige blanket and another navy blanket.

The white cat, Ivory, is the big spoon. The black cat, Ebony, is the little spoon. Ivory is reaching a paw over Ebony’s arm and resting it atop his paw. It looks like they are holding hands.

At 19 yrs old, they are simultaneously precious little babies AND grumpy old men. Either way, they are the picture of snuggly devotion.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Jul 8

IKEA run. Teen: Great! I need a shark. Me: Explain. Teen: IKEA has a shark named Blåhaj who’s a trans icon. Me: Explain more. Teen: (sends link) Okay, then. Let’s get a shark. And a bonus pride bag for citing sources.

Blåhaj (literally: blue shark), a large blue-gray stuffed shark — and apparent trans icon — with its head and teeth popping out of a large rainbow IKEA bag. The bag sits between a stack of bins and a flat-pack box in my trunk.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Jun 27

Hoping the rest of my Seattle peeps show up and show out for the Pride Match— it’s early yet, but I’m not seeing nearly enough rainbow. (Enough that I was interviewed by a reporter for my attire. As if 🌈 in Seattle is notable!) M and I are doing our part.

A middle aged white couple in sunglasses posing in front in front of a huge FIFA football (soccer ball for the Americans).

The woman is wearing a gray shirt that says “big fan of human rights” in rainbow script, rainbow colored beads, and a rainbow cape. The man is wearing a Seattle Sounders jersey and several strands of rainbow beads.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Jun 20

White text on a black background reads “I saw Lizzy Proctor speaking with the Devil, where ‘speaking with the Devil!’ Is struck through and ‘dumping a second algae!’ is added as replacement text.

The quote references a line from The West Wing — which itself references Arthur Miller’s The Crucible — when staffers are interviewed about a leak and respond rather indignantly feeling it’s a witch hunt.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Jun 13

Aaaaand I’ve lost the CSPAN feed.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· May 28

A few years ago my sister gave me two peony tubers(?) and told me to plant them in full sun… “and then an ant will come along and open the flowers for you.” How? Why? No idea. But here we are, and every year, here they are. So…thanks, buddy.

The peony blooming process: a cluster of ruffled white peony blossoms with subtle pink edges. Two flowers are fully open (about 5”- 6” in diameter) while three buds are closed tight. A small black ant sits on one of the tightly closed buds, doing…whatever it is ants do to get them to blossom.

I appreciate the gardening assist. If only my ant buddy could help me weed!

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· May 12

I turned my back on the rhubarb for a week and a half…

A green rhubarb (didn’t know they made those till I picked up a start 5 years ago) in full, leggy bolt. Its stalks are 5-6 feet long, leaning toward the sun looking like it’s ready to make a run for it.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Apr 30

My glorious — solo — birthday breakfast. I was in my 40s before I stopped apologizing for eating my birthday breakfast when *I* wanted. Because what I wanted was to sleep in. And when my bday falls on a weekday, M and the kids have leave early. So birthday croissants meant I had to get up.

My glorious birthday breakfast:

An almond croissant, vanilla black tea with a splash of almond milk in a pretty orange and blue floral mug, and a spoon sit on a grey placemat in front of four birthday cards.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Apr 30

Timeline cleanse: At 18.5, by boys have perfected their “Sun-beam Chasing Nap Time” routine. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A black short-haired cat on a blue blanket, and a white short-haired cat on a beige blanket, are happily passed out in the sun-beams on the couch.

They have adjusted their napping positions several times to maintain their sun-kissed tans. 😂

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Apr 19

I am neither experienced enough nor coordinated enough to knit with a cat pinning at least one arm… but my VERY needy overlord is unmoved by my difficulty. 🐈‍⬛ 🧶

Shot from above: a short haired black cat is seated on the left hip and curled around so that he is lying across the upper arm/elbow pit of a white woman in a navy tshirt, who is attempting to knit a purple cardigan.

For added difficulty: I hold the yarn in my left hand. You know: the arm he’s pinning.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Apr 17

Ooh! I’m knitting this too. I’ve never had a knitting circle before (virtual or otherwise), so this is it!

The Garden Cardigan by ANKESTRiCK, in progress (it’s my first cardigan!), 3 inches after joining, still on the needles.

Pattern has a repeating lace-y motif between stockinette stitches.

Yarn is a marl of Knitting for Olive Merino in Artichoke Purple and Dusty Violette.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Apr 9

You Guys: I DID IT! I knit my very first sweater. An. Actual. Sweater. 🧶 I am unreasonably excited about this, so I have given myself 30 min to be absolutely insufferable 😂 Here she is just out of her first bath:

A hand knit raglan sweater in a melange of gray tweed and white yarn is arranged on blocking mats and some towels.

This is PetiteKnits’ Monday sweater.

Skills unlocked: folded collar, German short rows

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Apr 5

Happy Easter to all who celebrate! I hope one of the five Easter bunnies (yes, there are five — this is a “The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes” house!) found you well.

A light blue crackled-glass vase holding a bouquet of tulips in pink, red, yellow, and purple sits on a wooden table. In front are three Easter-themed rubber ducks: one with bunny ears, a chocolate bunny/duck with a bite mark that has claimed one ear, and a chick emerging from a painted Easter egg.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Mar 28

Darkest sign I saw today:

A handmade protest sign reading “At least the war in the environment is going well…” with a melty-face emoji, a thumbs down emoji and a hand drawn Earth.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Mar 26

Hard to reach my knitting over 21 lbs of cat. (I have allowed TWO intruders-with-tools into the house this week, and they are traumatized)

A white cat (12.5 lbs) and a black cat (8.5 lbs) are curled up facing away from the camera. They are both occupying my lap, and blocking access to a work-in-progress knit (a marled gray and white sweater), which is falling off my knees.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Mar 13

I’m sorry little bulbs, you fell victim to one of the classic blunders: NEVER bet on False Spring in the PNW when death is on the line. 😭

A pink hyacinth and blue hyacinth in bloom, with sprouting tulips and narcissus plants nearby. They are all covered in snow.

Close up of a blue hyacinth in bloom. The flowers are crowned with about 2 inches of snow. The leaves and surrounding ground are similarly blanketed.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Mar 13

Greetings from Narnia

Snow falling on a snow covered street light (or Lamppost) with similarly blanketed rhododendron bushes in front and large cedar trees in back.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Mar 5

I present my Geriatric Feline Overlords (18.5!), Ebony and Ivory, mid snuggle-nap. Feel the purrs. Feel the cozy.

A shorthaired white cat is sleeping with his head resting atop his brother, a shorthaired black cat.

The black cat’s head is resting atop the white cat’s legs, which are then tucked under the black cat’s body, making this a sort of Snuggle Lasagna.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Feb 27

Ooh! I actually have a contribution for this week’s #ShowMeYourKnits Animal theme. 🧶 Okay, it’s amphibian, but I’m counting it! My Portland Frog hats:

An olive green knit hat with large bulbous eyes and I-cord ties.

Pattern is: Frog Hat by Annanitato Lolo, modified with the “FCK ICE Frog Mod” by Lee Meredith (which doesn’t require me to learn to crochet for the eyes)

A dark green knit hat with large bulbous eyes and I-cord ties. (Slightly larger than previous hat)

Pattern is: Frog Hat by Annanitato Lolo, modified with the “FCK ICE Frog Mod” by Lee Meredith (which doesn’t require me to learn to crochet for the eyes)

A woman whose face is obscured by a winking smiley face sticker, modeling an olive green Portland Frog hat.

It would be child-size if worn in the hood-style shown in the pattern, so my lack of checking gauge (oops!) made it more like a worsted wool swim cap but with eyes on my head 😉. It has been gifted to a favorite Little.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Feb 27

Bad News: my package is having an adventure Good News: Based on the tracking info, it appears there is Secret High-Speed Rail in the PNW. Bothell (MY post office) to Aberdeen in just 44 minutes? Impressive. Annoying, but impressive.

Tracking information for my package.

Moving Through Network
- Processing at USPS Facility
ABERDEEN, WA 98520 (text is highlighted in yellow)
February 26, 2026, 6:32 am
(a handwritten note of “92 mi” appears in red)

- Arrived at USPS Facility
BOTHELL, WA 98011 (text is highlighted in yellow)
February 26, 2026, 5:48 am
(a handwritten note of “O mi” appears in blue)

- In Transit to Next Facility
February 26, 2026, 5:25 am
Departed USPS Facility
REDMOND, WA 98052 (a handwritten note of “5 mi” appears in blue)

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Feb 23

I am familiar. Mine prefers fingers.

A black cat is flopped on his side receiving belly rubs. He looks relaxed and happy and NOT like a psycho who’s gonna try to chomp your fingers any second. Ha ha. Sucker!

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Feb 20

I allowed a Stranger into my cats’ home. This meant they had to hide in the Blankie Tunnel for safety, missing out on CRITICAL nap/ snuggle time. Ebony has now reemerged to extensively glare at me, before resuming his napping schedule. Joke’s on him — it’s probably the best pic I have of him.

An Angry Overlord.

A black, short haired cat (with flecks of “distinguished”) with green eyes sits on a gray blanket.

He is staring intently ahead as if to say, “You know what you did. I am displeased. You will sit your ass here until I say otherwise. Are we clear?”

Feeeeeeeel the glare.

Napping Resumed.

The same short haired black cat (with flecks of “distinguished”) is curled into a tight round facing the camera.

His tail is tucked under both his head AND his front paw, so that it will not interrupt his napping.

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Feb 19

Hi! #KnitSky I’m a New-ish knitter and I need some assistance! I am about to make my first garment (eek!). DK weight 🧶 ✅ Blocked Swatch ✅ Gauge: NOPE I need 21 x 28 I’ve got 22 x 32 I usually have to go up 0.5 mm in my needles, but the fabric is already thin. What now?

A swatch of Cascade Aegean Tween in Cloudy Day (a cool gray with multicolored neps) knit in the round, being modeled by my cat, Ebony.

(In my defense, he was sleeping on my lap so I couldn’t get up to take the pic elsewhere. He didn’t seem to mind.)

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Feb 17

Did anyone need a 10 lb. Chocolate Bunny? Cause Costco has a 10 lb. Chocolate Bunny. It’s milk chocolate, though. So…not for me.

A row of 10 lb. milk chocolate bunnies with white ears and tummies, on sale for $139.99 at Costco.

Because who doesn’t want to deal with a rug rat on 10 pounds of chocolate???

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Feb 6

Happy to report that my tiny LYS (Strikke in Bothell) is anticipating crafters’ needs by placing their red yarn on a table so we can easily compare/contrast shades and weights for all our Melt the ICE hat needs. 🧶 Decided this DK Norwegian sock yarn would be, well…

“Perfect” a 50 g skein of Sandnes sock yarn in red. It’s 80% superwash wool, 20% nylon… so easily washable in case exercising one’s First Amendment rights is met with tear gas.

For use in the Melt the Ice hat — proceeds of the pattern go to support immigrants in MN

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Feb 5

FINALLY getting in to see an allergist about my Histamine Fuckery of Unknown Origin tomorrow. I have dutifully been off all antihistamines for 5 days. Trouble is: my *known* allergens have not taken that time off. Current status:

Karolyn@etcandsoforth· Feb 4

I need everyone to stop and appreciate how “distinguished” Ebony is getting. My grumpy old man (18.5!) is going gray. A little less “void” a little more “galaxy.” 🥹 #CatsOfBlueSky