Polyfill stuffing is available at all craft supply stores. The upper half of the sock will become the torso and head. The amount of stuffing is up to you. How firm do you want your monkey? If the sock is thin, you may want to err on the side of under stuffing, as overstuffing it may cause it to stretch. If your sock opening is the same color as the body of the sock, just make a nice rounded head and stitch it shut. If it is a contrasting color, you will need to decide if you want to cut it off (making a shorter body for the monkey) and make the head as usual or use the excess coloring as a "hat" by not stuffing the last inch or two and cinching the opening into a cone shape. To make the head: Stitch around the neck with quarter inch stitches. Use sturdy thread such as embroidery floss. Pull the stitches snugly until you get the size neck you want and knot the ends. Round out the head area with stuffing as desired and stitch the top opening shut. Gather the tip with large stitches and snug/cinch them closed. Fold the raw edges to the center and tuck inside. Then, stitch the opening closed. Winter ready!

Summary: Turn the sock right-side out and stuff the entire thing. Sew the head and/or hat. If you are making a hat, start working with the cuff.


Meanwhile, prepare a 13- by 9-inch (33- by 23-cm) baking dish by coating the bottom with nonstick cooking spray. You could also line the baking dish with nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper, but doing so may make it more difficult to spoon out the juices after you finish cooking the fish. Place the cod fillets in your prepared baking dish, positioning them so that they sit in a single layer. Do not stack the fish in multiple layers. Doing so may prevent the fish from cooking evenly. Drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil over the cod fillets evenly. Finish by sprinkling the seasoning blend over the fish.  If you do not have seasoning blend on hand or would prefer a different spice, you can replace the seasoning blend with something else. Try 1/2 tsp (2.5 m) each salt and ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) garlic powder and 1 tsp (5 ml) dried parsley, or 1 tsp (5 ml) paprika. For more even flavor, season both sides of the cod fillets. Place the cod fillets in the oven and cook until the fish begins to brown and can be flaked easily with a fork. If using frozen fish fillets instead of fresh or thawed, add another 5 to 10 minutes to the overall cook time. Remove the cod fillets from your baking dish and transfer them to individual serving plates. Use a spoon or pastry brush to drizzle the pan juices over the plated cod.

Summary: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Arrange the cod in your prepared baking dish. Season the fillets. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with pan juices.


Meditation has been clinically show to reduce stress and anxiety, which in turn can lead to an improvement in health and immune system function.  If you are feeling well enough, try getting a good meditation session and enjoy the benefits that it can bring.  Here are some easy ways to get started:  Take deep breaths and keep your focus on those breaths.  If your mind wanders, return your focus to your breathing. Examine your body and notice how each part feels.  If you find any areas of discomfort or tension, you can imagine them beginning to feel more relaxed. Read or listen to an important passage, poem, or song lyric.  Take a few moments to reflect upon the meanings it holds for you. Even though you might not feel well, getting some laughs in can help boost your immune system and might make you feel better.  Laughing has been shown to reduce stress levels and increase your bodies natural killer cells that fight of invading cells.  Watch your favorite funny movie or television show. Listen to a comedy show or your favorite comedy podcast. Read a book that always makes you laugh. Use some of your free time to call up someone you love chatting with.  Having a great conversation with a friend or family member has been proven to raise levels of oxytocin, which can help with healing and well being. Take some time for yourself during your sick day and do some light activity you enjoy.  This can help take your mind off being sick and can improve your mood.  Try some of the following examples to make your sick day an enjoyable one:  Listen to music. Play a board or video game. Do your favorite craft or art if you feel well enough. Plan a future vacation. If you have a cold, you might want to try getting some exercise in during your sick day.  Listen to what your body is telling you if you do exercise. Don't over do it and stop if you feel worse.  Light exercise can alleviate some symptoms such as congestion. Exercise is fine if the only symptoms you have are a runny nose, congestion, or sneezing. Do not exercise if you have any symptoms in your chest, like coughing, wheezing, fever or muscle aches. Stop immediately if you start to feel worse.

Summary: Meditate. Laugh. Talk with a friend or loved one. Do something you love. Get in some light exercise.


Jellyfish do well in dark environments. Make sure you place the tank on a flat, raised spot in your home or office that does not get direct sunlight and is not near any heat sources or electrical equipment. A low table in your home in a dark spot or the top of a desk would work. You could also get a small raised wooden stand for your home or office and place the tank on top of that. Connect the filter plates together and place the air tube in the center of the filter plates. Depending on which filter plates you buy, they may come in several small parts or one to two larger parts. You want the air tube to be in the middle of the tank so it can circulate air throughout the tank.  You may need to trim off one side of one of the plates to make it fit with the rest of the plates. You can do this using scissors or an X-ACTO knife. Place the filter plate and the air tube in the tank. The plates should cover the bottom of the tank and fit snugly when you slide it into the tank. Substrate is going to help to hide the filter plates in the tank. You should use glass beads, rather than sand or gravel. Gravel can be a hazard for your jellyfish. Place the beads into the tank by hand so they do not break or nick the tank. Look for glass beads at your local dollar store or online. Glass beads that are the size of jelly beans are ideal substrate for your tank. You should fill the tank with at least one layer of substrate, or 2 inches of glass beads for a medium sized tank. Once the substrate is in the tank, you can connect the air tube to the air pump. Do this by using the airline tubing. Place the airline tubing into the air tube so it is dangling a few inches into the tube. Then, connect the airline tubing to the air pump. This will allow you to cycle through air into the tank using the air pump.
Summary: Find a flat, raised spot that does not get direct sunlight. Set up the filter plate and air tube. Put in the substrate. Connect the air tube to the air pump.