some problems solved

1.  It turns out that my sewing machine actually has a walking foot!  Built right into it!  I've had the machine for nine years, dammit, and I had no idea what that thingie was for. I've had all kinds of weird guilt related to the fact that I can't get my machine to work as well as it should.  Now perhaps I can skip another round of therapy and just sew merrily along.  Thank you, internet!

2.  It turns out that cranberry juice actually can clear up a UTI.  For years I've had a love hate relationship with the cipro family of antibiotics:  they end the dreaded UTI but they make me feel like I'm being slowly poisoned.  I had tried drinking cranberry juice but it didn't do anything for me.  It turns out that the trick is drinking bottle upon bottle of the vile unsweetened stuff and gallon upon gallon of water over the course of a few days (i.e., some cranberry juice cocktail with your vodka isn't going to do the trick).  Sure enough, no more UTI.  Thank you, excellent midwife, for giving me that advice!

3.  My iPod speakers broke, and instead of freaking out and immediately buying a replacement, I'm enjoying some quiet.  I think my speakers were enabling a vicious addiction to NPR podcasts.  This holiday from rotten news is doing me quite a bit of good.  It turns out that I actually can shower/fold laundry/interact with my child without NPR in the background.  I feel kind of serene. Thank you, shoddy speaker workmanship!