Korea House

In spite of the hurricane which was supposed to bring us rain if nothing else, today, like all the other days of this week, was dry. It was supposed to be the wettest one of all. So I left the rug to continue drying at the entrance to the garage. I ate breakfast, read e-mail, and listened to audio interviews. After lunch I put on a sweatshirt, drank a glass of water and went out to water plants and rake leaves. The point was to sweat out toxins. But I found out that it was easier to sweat inside than outside. After about 20 minutes of sweating inside, I took a shower and put on fresh clothes. I didn't want to sweat any more, so I went downstairs to work on the piles of scraps covering my sewing table. As I sorted through them, I cut charm squares and ironed the strips flat for storing. Some future strip project will go quickly. I heard Chris come home at 4. Because it is a holiday weekend, he got 59 minutes off. I suggested we go out to eat. He asked where, and all I could think of was the Korea House restaurant. But it was too early, so I went back down and he fired up his laptop. Later I was so tired of being on my feet, that I laid down on the couch. He opened the door at the top of the stairs to say he was ready to go. So I exchanged my shorts for pants and we went. We did not know what to expect, just heard that it was good. Friday night turns out to be buffet night. It was certainly not romantic, but the food was fine. The kimchi was not as good as what I am used to, but every recipe is different. They did a good business there. Kimbap was on the buffet and we asked if they sell it separately. And they do. It was almost as expensive as at the other place. It was so much cheaper in Seoul, but they don't deliver. We bought a couple rolls anyway. When we got home, I put the kimbap in the frig, and Chris brought the rug in. It seemed to be dry. We watched MASH until 10 and he went to bed.
BTW, my hands did not hurt after eating cheese last night, so dairy is off the hook.

You just never know

I don't remember when I got up. But there sure was a lot of e-mail waiting for me from yesterday. I deleted a lot of it. I got the first audio playing as I gathered up the recyclables and took them out to the road. I started fixing breakfast when I noticed the bread machine sitting out. So I loaded it and started it. The audio played a visualization so I stopped to play along. When it was over, I arranged the ladder between two chairs at the entrance to garage and lay the still damp rug across it. I plugged in a fan to speed the drying process. I opened the garage door for air, but it looked like rain. I remembered to write my blog from last night. Finally I had breakfast. I also jotted a few notes for later. I cleared more e-mail. Then I watered the mint, and the tomato, and checked on the rug. Still no rain. There was an audio from Wayne Dyer. I played it not realizing that it was almost 2 hours long. I got an e-mail about my friend Linda in Augusta having a stroke. I was very surprised. I did a bunch of energy work and and said a prayer for her and her husband. I took a shower. Then sorted and stacked fabric in the sewing room. I found more teals so I had to regroup them to one place. I made a stack of fruit and veggie fabrics. I put the three stacks of greens in a plastic tub. I started clearing the sewing table by stacking yellows on counter. If I can deal with the overflow of scraps, there will be a danger of actual sewing occurring. Chris came home, but I wasn't finished yet. When I got to a good stopping point, I came up. I wasn't very hungry, but I did have some cheese. The pain in my hands subsided days ago and I am testing the theory that dairy products have something to do with it. When Chris finished his supper, we watched episodes of MASH season 8. Now its time for bed. * This pic is from the quilt show in Paducah *

Cleaning the rug

It was a hot and sunny day, a good day to clean a rug. But I knew Charlie was coming over to mow the lawn so I waited. Waiting was not difficult because I had breakfast and e-mail to entertain me. When I heard Charlie's mower, I wrote the check and then waited for him to finish the back yard. I know he likes the hot peppers, so I took a bag with me when I went to deliver the check. He accepted the check and we chatted for a bit. I told him I was going to pick him some peppers and he said to leave the bag hanging on the fence. But when I got to the plant, the peppers were gone. I wondered if the deer had eaten them. Or maybe it was the dear that got them. Yes, there they were in the frig. I pulled out some for Charlie and hung them on the fence. By then he was in the front yard or working across the street. So I pulled out the rug and the steam cleaner. It was not the upright one that I had in mind. Maybe that one is in Pinehurst? So I sprinkled the rug with water and sucked it back out. Several times. Each time I opened the steamer to find dirty water, so I emptied it out and threw more water on the rug. It was a lot of work. I kept telling myself that this was the last time, but when I saw dirty water, I did it again. The sun was so hot that I had to wear shoes on the pavement. I did not need to sunbathe. I took several breaks for water and e-mail. When I had had enough (for several lifetimes, and getting sunburned), I pronounced it as clean as it was going to get. I did NOT open the steamer to check the water. I left the rug to dry in the sun. I needed to drink more water. I skipped the e-mail and went to my sewing room. I moved more fabric around. I completed the stacks of blue, and black, and pink. Previously I have claimed progress based on faith because it wasn't visible. But now, if you squint, you can just make out a tiny corner of it. There still isn't room to sew, but there is hope.
I was putting the steamer away when Chris drove up. He fixed supper and I fixed a salad. After we ate, we brought the rug inside. I was dismayed to find the bottom was still damp, and it was covered in water spots. Maybe wool rugs shouldn't get wet? After we watched MASH, finishing season 6, we draped the rug over the couch to dry. Since we had finished the last DVD of MASH, Chris asked me if there was anything else I wanted to see. So I told him, and that is why I did not post to my blog last night.

Pulling the rug out (or not)

I started the first audio when I came out to the den. I cleared a bit of e-mail, then made breakfast, and folded the laundry. When the audio was over, there were no more, so I went downstairs to sweep the carpet in front of the TV. I had bought it on a yardsale last November and it had a few spots on it so I was determined to clean it. I blew the debris off of the driveway in preparation to lay the rug out. But the sky looked too much like rain. Instead, I mowed the ditch, and couldn't resist more mowing. When my ankle hurt, I stopped to plant a tomato which was growing in the planter. As I worked I wrote a poem in my head:
"Mater mater hot potater, plant it now to pick it later, go out back and dig a crater when the chance of rain is greater." It isn't great poetry but my mind has to be busy with something. I trimmed the driveway, collected the trimmngs, and finished mowing that side. I also mowed around the tomato plants and watered the new planting. I put my tools away and salted the driveway to discourage future grass. How come it is so persistent in the cracks, but won't grow in the bare spots? I came in for water and to cool off. After a bit of lunch, I worked on sorting my fabrics. I actually made progress. The quilt backings are all in one place, as are the teals. I moved the stripes to the chifferobe. The reds are all put away and the blues are cleaned up to the point that they might all fit in one spot. I also ironed all the fabric lying on the washing machine. I heard Chris come home and start supper. I was so tired I had to lay on the couch to recoup enough energy to go up the steps. When I got to the kitchen, supper was ready. I sat in the recliner with my bowl and Sudoku book. When the bowl was empty, I made a salad. When Chris was finished, we went down to watch Sherlock Holmes, which we saw when Michele was here. We still can't figure out how he did it.
* This is the view from the balcony of the lodge at Lake Guntersville state park. *

Computers do the strangest things

The day dawned hot and sunny. There were no audios posted over the weekend, so after breakfast and e-mail I spent some time researching the local school uniforms. There was an announcement in church yesterday that uniforms were needed for underprivileged kids. One school posted the requirements and a list of places that carry them. Old Navy was having a sale and free shipping on orders of $50. So I ordered 6 shirts. I heard the garbage truck coming, so I took out the bathroom trash. I couldn't help stopping to pull grass from the driveway. Then the mailman came by with a letter for Chris. I took it inside and put on my suit. Then I took my laptop outside for some sunbathing. I needed it to play a meditation session so I wouldn't get bored. I watered some plants, too. The sun was deliciously hot. But afterwards I had to sit inside for awhile to cool off. I redressed and went downstairs to wash fabric and cut charm squares. I only quit when my left arm got tired of pressing down on the ruler. I worked some Sudoku puzzles to rest. Then I practiced my trombone. Chris came home in the middle of it. He fixed himself a burrito. I made a large salad and topped it with a piece of fish. After supper I checked my e-mail again. Chris discovered evidence of a mouse in the cupboard. He called the rental agent to report it. She said she would call someone in the morning. I downloaded all the pics on my camera to the desktop computer. Then I went through the file to delete all the pics I already have on that computer. But for some inexplicable and very annoying reason, for every pic I deleted, it made a copy and added it to the bottom of the file. Chris came to my rescue. He used the computer to delete the pics from my camera (which was the whole point since I was running out of room). Then he called up the file with each pic as text, not as a pic. He deleted all the copies and this time they stayed gone. I still have a lot of clean up to do on that, but at least I have room to take more pictures. Then we went down to watch episodes of MASH.
* This is a pic of a wedge for my next yellow hexagon block, from Saturday. *

No wonder I can't sew

I think I got up at 8. I had breakfast and read e-mail until 10. I took a shower then woke up Chris. I dressed for church and tweezed my eyebrows. On the way out to the car I watered the mint. We went to church. My hands hurt so much that Chris had to hold the bulletin for me. I have been avoiding dairy products for that reason, but this must be due to something else. Passing the peace was a little painful, but it took my mind off of my ankle. After church we signed up to have our picture taken for the directory, then went to the grocery store. After shopping and putting the food away, we read e-mail. I went out to sunbathe and also watered more plants. I picked a few cherry tomatoes and some ground cherries. I listened to two audios on my laptop. One of them was Neale Donald Walsh, who wrote Conversations with God. It is a fascinating set of three books. I also worked several Sudoku puzzles. Chris made an outstanding pork roast for supper and I added a salad. I practiced my trombone, working up to playing the piece twice in a row. I talked to Faye. Then I called Dad. He couldn't hear me, so I gave up and went downstairs to sew. But he called me back, probably with his hearing aid adjusted. He passed me on to Mom. After talking to her, I spoke with Dad again. He says they are supposed to leave the hospital tomorrow, but the doctors keep thinking up new tests to run, even though her oxygen is good and her chest x-ray is clear. I checked e-mail one last time and then we watched episodes of MASH season 6.
* This is what my sewing room looks like as I try to assimilate one stash into the other. *

August Sewing Day

I woke up from a dream about going Christmas shopping with the Micheles: a two-year old Michele and the 21 year old Michele. Very odd. It made me cry because I miss both of them. And even though I will see the older Michele next year, I can never see the younger one ever again.
I went back to sleep. When I got up later, it was near 10. The sewing day started at 9, but the beauty of not being president is that I don't have to be there on time, or at all. I seriously considered not going because of my ankle. But they are my core social group. If not for them, I would have no local friends. So I decided to go even if it meant not being able to go to church tomorrow. Instead of dragging my machine along, I just brought some fabrics to cut charm squares, and some rough drawings to translate into quilt blocks. When I got there, Karen was just arriving. It had to be close to 1pm. She had been to a doc-in-the-box for sinusitis. I sat in the back and cut and drew. I listened to the others chat. It was relaxing. William called me to see if there was any more news about Mom, and there wasn't. The others started packing up around 4:30, so I did, too. I walked when Deb and Amanda did. But they took the elevator because of her big cart. On the way to our cars, we noticed the unusual tree in the parking lot. Deb called it a Golden Rain Tree. When I got home, I sat in the car, too tired to move. Finally I dragged my butt and my box into the garage. Only my butt went upstairs. Chris put leftovers in a bowl for me. Eating that restored some of my energy. He spent the evening playing with the voices. One of them belonged to Michele. I read my e-mail, took my laptop into the bedroom to listen to some audios and do some , then back out when the battery got low. And the voices played on. I worked a few Sudoku puzzles and dozed off in the recliner. And the voices played on. But they finished before midnight, which is more than I can say for this post.

Exciting Day

The alarm went off at 5:30, but it was almost 6 until we got up. I dressed and ate breakfast in front of my laptop reading e-mail. I packed my swimsuit and a towel in a duffel bag. I also put in hiking shoes. We were in the car ready to go by 6:30. We followed the GPS as long as we could, and it got us close to Lake Gunterville State Park. Our first activity was the nature walk, and it took us a bit of searching to find the place where it started. But we were there before the guide. At this point I got out my hiking shoes only to find that I had forgotten socks. So I walked in my flats. I also left my purse in the car, forgetting that my camera was in there. The guide was very knowledgeable and pointed out many edible plants along the way. We ate green briar (caffeine-like), American beauty berries (a lovely pinkish violet), sourwood (really sour), ginger, mountain mint (a little strong) and one other. At the end of the trail was an old cemetery. It was about 175 years old. There was a lot of poison ivy near the trail but I seemed to have avoided it. After the hike, we went to the lodge for line dancing. It was already in progress. Chris took pics while I participated. Then we caught the shuttle to the beach for the tug-of-war. But it did not start on time and we had to leave for lunch which was served at noon. Somehow we ended up near the front of the line. There was coleslaw, rolls, baked beans, green beans, pork barbeque, mashed potatoes and pecan pie. We sat with a couple Chris knows from work and had a delightful conversation. From there we went to a large ballroom set up with chairs. The general said a few words, then handed out medals for the winners in tug-of-war, horseshoes, fishing, and volleyball. Then came a long list of doorprizes, mostly gift certificates. Finally it was time to go home. When we got home, I put up my foot with ice on it. Maybe hiking and line dancing were a little much for my recovering ankle. Later I got up to check e-mail. I got one from my parents' neighbor saying my mom had choked on her sandwich and was taken to the hospital. I got out my phone, but it was dead, so I plugged it in to recharge. I used Chris' phone to call my dad, but there was no answer. Then I called William, but he hadn't heard, so he headed for the hospital. I Skyped Kurt, who hadn't heard, to get Faye's phone number. He called her but didn't get an answer. From there it gets fuzzy. William found Mom and Faye and Dad at the hospital then called me. He went back to the house to get her things. Dad went home to rest and Faye prepared to spend the night with Mom. The Dr put her on a liquid diet until a swallowing test could be performed. After all that excitement, finished my e-mail and got more ice for my ankle. I sat in the recliner with my Sudoku book. The first few went fast, but I made a lot of mistakes on the 5th one. Suddenly it was 11pm and time for bed.
* The quilt was hanging in the lodge and the emus were inside a fence on the way to the beach *

Rug-washing day

I have been having a little trouble sleeping at night, so I woke up a bit late this morning. But the day went well because I had a list of things to do. There was no big bothersome thing from yesterday, but lots of little ends to clean up. So I made a list last night. The real beauty of the list is that now I can remember what I did today, if not the order in which I did it.
While I was reading e-mail, I heard the recycling truck. So I rushed the container out. Most of it had been prepared yesterday. Then I threw out the flowers which were looking pretty sad. I picked up all the throw rugs and threw them into the washer. I cooked my quinoa which has been sitting here for several days in a 24-hour soak. I cut up the brussel sprouts and juiced them. They weren't particularly juicy, so I threw in some red peppers, carrots and celery to make enough juice for my two popsicle makers. The rugs were done, so I hung them on the deck to dry. Then I practiced my song for church, twice. I figured if I can play through it twice then playing it once in church will be easy. Having finished my list, I was looking forward to playing with my fabric. But when I opened the dishwasher to put a few dishes in, it was full of clean ones that needed to be put away. I did it. Checking e-mail one last time, I saw one from the nuts.com people saying the package was delivered. I opened the front door and there it was. I put away the contents. Then I went outside to do some tapping for my mom. I picked a nearby tomato for energy. It was almost 5 when I finished. I opened the garage door to let in some light so I could see the fabric stored in there. I went through several stacks restacking them and pulling out stripes and panels. Then I went back and forth between the garage and the sewing room placing stacks near the cabinets where they needed to go, eventually. I came up to visit the bathroom. Chris said supper was almost ready. So I stayed up, and checked e-mail again. After we ate, William called from Food Lion. It was just for a chat since it didn't seem like he wanted anything. Then we spent the evening watching episodes of MASH. I think we finished season 5, but there might have been one left. Now I will prepare my breakfast for tomorrow since we are getting up REALLY early for Organizational Day. At some point during the day, Bob called to say he would come over either this afternoon or tomorow morning to fix the leak. I put all stuff under the sink in a box to get it out of his way. Since I did not see him today, I guess he'll be over in the morning. But I'll be gone so he will have to work without our normal witty banter. (Maybe he can concentrate and fix it right)

Hair Cut

Around 8 I started reading e-mail and then had breakfast. I took a shower, then saw that my combs had dried shampoo on them. I used boiling water and a nail brush to get them clean. I decided that my hair didn't look so bad today. Do I really need it cut? I examined the map for possible routes while listening to an audio until it was time to go. I jumped in car and headed out. But just down the street the low fuel light came on. There was plenty of gas when I dropped it off at the repair shop. Where all did they drive it? Maybe they brought it by the house because there wasn't enough gas to get back to the shop. So I had to change my route. I stopped at the nearest gas station on the right side of the street. Thankfully I had left myself enough time. It was not the cheapest station so I only put 4 gallons in. When I got to the salon academy, I had to fill out a form promising not to hold them liable for anything that might happen. Say what? We skipped the shampoo and went straight to the cut. Sadly I did not bring a pic and she seemed not to have an idea about what it should look like. So she cut it, and I asked for more off. About three times. Then the instructor looked at it and told her to cut off the corners. I hadn't noticed any. After she did, I asked to see the instructor again. The instructor made a few cuts too, and then they were done. It was $5 Wednesday. I gave the student a $5 tip. Worth every cent. I drove home. I had time to get in a bit of sunbathing after the guy next door quit mowing his lawn. It was actually quiet for a while. My stomach didn't feel so good, so I had some kimchi. I suspected the coconut milk might be the culprit, so I added water to what was left and poured it on the compost pile. I boiled water to clean the jar. I practiced my trombone a little, intending to come back to it, but that didn't happen. I went through part of my stash looking for purple fabrics which would work in an "I Spy" quilt for a friend. When I got hot and thirsty, I took a break for water and a few Sudoku puzzles. The next thing I knew, Chris was home. He fixed himself supper. My friend came over at 6. We went through every fabric in my stash and all the remnants too. She found a few, then said she'd like a piece of dragon fabric. So we looked again. I found some Asian dragons, but it wasn't what she had in mind. There was no place to cut because every flat surface had piles of fabric on it. So I grabbed a small mat and let her cut what she wanted on the dining room table. We chatted a bit then she left. Chris and I ended the evening by watching episodes of MASH, season 5.
* no good pics today, so here is one from Paducah *

Well, maybe a small leak

It was the usual morning with breakfast and e-mail. I tried to jump on the rebounder but my ankle screamed too much. After I got dressed, I went out to pull up the poison ivy. That is all I intended to do, but I found myself with a pair of clippers and a few bushes lost some weight. They were on my bothersome list. At noon I laid out in the sun. I came in for water and to check e-mail. I planted the marigolds that came up from seed. I put together a Swansons order and a Nuts.com order. So many decisions make it take a long time, but both companies were offering free shipping until Aug 31st.
Also on my bothersome list is my hair. I want to cut it so badly. Actually, I am afraid I will cut it so badly. It'll grow out. But this Friday is a picnic for Chris' organization at work. I don't want to embarrass him, so I called to make an appointment. It's tomorrow and I haven't tried driving yet, but hopefully it will be a non-event.
I had lunch. I practiced my trombone. I took a hammer to the coconut we bought Monday night at the grocery store. I also needed a screwdriver. I took it outside to the deck to whack it. And then realized that I had taken my shirt off when I spilled kimchi juice on it. Whoops. But no one was around. Finally I went to the garage to sort fabric. I went through stacks of brown and purple. I pulled out panels and stripes and large motif fabrics. Each one went in its own drawer because the cabinets are full. I started packing a tub with florals on black when Chris called me for supper. He made burrito fixings. They were good enough to eat without the tortilla. Chris ran the dishwasher and showed me the pan of water that collected under the sink. Oh well, I like Bob. I'm sure he won't mind coming back. After supper I finished up the 90's puzzles and went into the 100's. Then we went downstairs and watched episodes of MASH.
* No pics from today so here is another one from Paducah. *

No leaks now

Lately I have found myself handling whatever bothered me most from the day before. This morning I cleaned the sinks and toilets as my very first thing. Then I read e-mail, and ate breakfast. I called Sharon (Bob's wife) and left a message about the leak under the sink. I called Hannah because she left a message the other day but I couldn't quite make it out. I folded the laundry and put my half away. Then I raked up grass clumps in the front yard. I used the leaf blower to clear leaves and stuff from the patio and garage area. I opened the garage and sat looking at the tubs of fabric, wondering where I was going to put more fabric. Bob drove up. I showed him where the water was leaking from. He fixed the leak under sink. He is a good conversationalist so we talked. He mentioned that he got his bank to make a 'modification' to his mortgage on rental properties. That means they lowered his interest rate without the cost of refinancing. After he left, I sorted more fabric into piles. This time I placed more multis and did the solids. I put them in a tub and put it on a shelf in the garage. I could not fit all of them in it so the rest went in a small cabinet. I ate a late lunch, and practiced my trombone. I put on my suit and sunbathed for 40 minutes. I cleared a few more e-mails, then went out to mow under the trees. It is a place I have never mowed before because it is mostly leaves. But weeds have sprung up there. I left it for the end of the day because it stays pretty wet. It was dry enough to cut. I wore shoes because I had seen poison ivy there before. It was a good decision. After I mowed, I could see the poison ivy that escaped yesterday. I marked it with sticks. It'll head the 'most bothered' list for tomorrow. Then I mowed the ditch out front. Charlie's mower doesn't do it justice. His deck is so big that it doesn't get into the ditch very well. Chris was home by then, so I put the mower away and went upstairs. He was eating supper. I did a few Sudoku puzzles. When he was finished we went to the grocery store. When we got back, we put the groceries away. I read e-mail until he was ready to watch the latest Netflix arrived - Sherlock Holmes, BBC version. I had already seen it, but hey, Benedict Cumberbatch is worth a second look.
* This are the floppy flowers after being trimmed. *

The hunt for poison ivy

It was raining when I woke up. I thought about going to church, but I didn't trust my ankle to drive, especially for braking on wet streets. So I read e-mail, and had breakfast. I opened the garage door and turned on the lights so I could sort fabric. This time instead of washing, drying and ironing, I actually put stacks of fabric away. I filled the garage cabinets with multi-coloreds, and one shelf of the chifferobe with quarter-yard cuts. I emptied two bins! There is plenty more to do and it will require shifting fabric stacks already in cupboards. After lunch I dressed in my hunting outfit (rubber gloves and pants) to attack the poison ivy. One piece turned out not to be it, but the other one made up for it. It had a root as thick as my pinky. I used the big shovel to get out as much as I could. But once part of it came up, I couldn't find the rest of it 'cause all the roots in there look alike. I stalked the rest of the yard looking for other appearances. When I didn't find any, I threw the bag with the ivy in the trash bin. I considered using the shovel to dig out poke weed since I was wearing shoes, but didn't want to take a chance with my ankle. I washed the gloves and the tools. It was sunny by then, so I put on my bathing suit and laid out in the sun. I was hoping Chris would come home then, but he didn't, so I went inside before I burned. I was on my computer when I heard him drive up. I went out to greet him. We missed each other... He made himself supper, and I had a turkey burger. I heard the man next door hammering on his gate so I went over to see if he needed a hand. He built himself a new gate and was just finishing. He gave me some tomatoes and I gave him some pickled turnip leaves. Guess who got the better deal? I came in when it got dark. I sat in front of the TV to work a puzzle. When Chris finished on the computer, we went downstairs to watch episodes of MASH.
* Here are my floppy flowers before I trimmed them *

The call of the wild yard

It rained last night, so the day seemed wet and gray when I got up to read e-mail. I came across an article about a book called "The Fat Switch" by Dr. Richard Johnson. He says animals who hibernate eat fructose to signal the process. Their appetite increases, they put on weight and their metabolism slows down. This is what is happening to much of the American population. I took a break for breakfast and skimped on the raisins. After a little chi gong, I went downstairs to iron the fabric I washed last week. I had a salad for lunch. I practiced my trombone. Janet sent me pics of our property in Pinehurst. The front looks great, but the back is still mired in pinestraw and debris. For whatever reason, the older frig is outside under the pole barn.
I mowed the part of the lawn inside fence. I raked up all the trimmings from yesterday and generated more. I cut dead wood from the largest azalea. I pulled grass from the garden, and cut or pulled the tall flowers that were falling over. I spotted poison ivy in the flower patch but left it for another day. I put some of the flowers in a vase. I carried the piles of rakings to the back. I found a cucumber, it was almost yellow, but ate it anyway. I did not find a peanut. For protein I ate a turkey burger with raw organic cheese. By then my ankle was hurting so I sat in the recliner and put it up while working puzzles and watching TV. There was a military reality show, kind of interesting. Now its over and I am ready to shower and go to bed. I am looking forward to Chris coming home tomorrow.
* this pic is of my perfectly-edged sidewalk yesterday *

Back on my feet...

...but not on my toes. It was so nice to wake up this morning and walk. And I didn't even have to 'take up my bed' like they say in the Bible. Ha, ha. I was thinking my foot was back to normal, but I cannot lift my right heel off the floor with all my weight on it. Left foot can do that just fine. It is something I will have to work on. Next week.
I read e-mail, had breakfast, and mopped the floor in the hall. I wrote a check and put it in the mailbox. I could not resist trimming up the sidewalk and driveway. Hey, it was a sit-down job. I did resist mowing the lawn inside the fence. I also weeded the flower beds, again. Every time it rains (and it did last night) the weeds grow back. I found a box on the front porch. It had the new grass trimmer in it. I had written to the company to say the one I bought didn't work so well, and they sent me a new one. But it is different than the one I bought. So I had to check it out by trimming grass in the backyard. It works great! While trimming the grass I found a cucumber, so I picked it. I got 4 tomatoes, too. Not too bad on the antracnose either. I unloaded and restacked the dishwasher. I read more e-mail because I just can't resist checking it at every opportunity. You'd think I was expecting an e-mail from Publisher's clearing house. But I also couldn't resist the call of the wild. I trimmed grass in the back yard and pruned the four o'clocks. I had never heard of pruning them, but they are getting top heavy and falling over. I also pulled out the stand of yucky mint. It had quite a root system but it was no match for Fern the reaper. I plan to replace it with the mint I got from my mother, but it looks like that needs another week to root in the planter. The cicadas were in full voice. When they all sing together, it sounds like they are saying "Zeusss, Zeusss, Zeusss". Then they trail off into white noise. They do it at intervals.
When I came in, my hands were really dirty. Even the nailbrush did not help. I had to scrape under my nails with a small pair of scissors. When they were clean, I fixed myself supper. Then I sat in front of the TV with an ice pack and my Sudoku book. I have reached the 80's. One show was about people who won the lottery. It did not paint a pretty picture. The next show was about people attacked by wild animals in zoos, parks and in their homes. Yes, some people actually keep wild animals in their home as pets.

Can you spot the anthracnose?

I woke up as Chris was taking a shower. He left early to go stand in line at the DMV sattelite station on post to get his license plate. When he got back, I was reading e-mail. He helped me take a shower, then offered to stay home. I told him my ankle was getting better and that I didn't need him. So he went to Gencon for the weekend. After he pulled out of the driveway, Charlie came over to mow. Our grass turned out to be too wet, so he did the lawn across the street first. I called him to come up to the backdoor so I could give him his check for this week and two weeks ago. He told me he found the girlfriend of his dreams on the internet. After he left, I laid out in the sun for awhile. I picked a few tomatoes and cucumbers while I was out there. There are odd spots on my tomatoes, so I googled them. They look like anthracnose. What a weird name for a fungal disease. Then I tried to practice my trombone, but it was too hot for that. I closed the windows and turned the AC on. I did a few puzzles while waiting for the house to cool off. After practicing, I worked on my quilt powerpoint program. I did not actually get to powerpoint, but I did find and e-mail all the pertinent pics from my desktop computer to my laptop. It took far longer than it should have. Thanks Yahoo and Microsoft. When are they going to fix the bugs, the hiccups, the e-mails inexplicably lost in cyberspace? I had a piece of fish for supper and sat in the recliner to ice my ankle. I poured off most of the kombucha into jars. Then I boiled more water to make tea for another batch. Kurt tried to Skype me several times, but he wasn't hearing me and I wasn't hearing him. I worked more puzzles in front of the TV. Since we always watch DVD's, I was struck by how much time is devoted to commercials.
* I downloaded this pic because I ate my tomatoes - minus the dark spots *

Primary mode of transport

It has been a good day. I don't remember it in order exactly, but then I rarely do. I rolled out to the den to read e-mail. I fixed breakfast. I listened to audios. I did Sudoku puzzles - I'm up to # 69. I swept the kitchen floor with a broom. Then I figured I could vacuum too, so I used the crevice tool and rolled around the house sweeping up dust where there was no carpet and the cord would reach. My foot was feeling better and I began using it to help push myself around. The afternoon was sunny, so I put on my bathing suit and sat out on the deck in the sun for a bit. Then I gave myself a sponge bath. I did not want to risk falling in the shower. I laid down in bed to put my foot up on pillows. I did some tapping and the swelling went down. I also fell asleep. I woke up to hear Chris walking down the hall. He asked if I could drive so we could pick up my car from the garage. I wasn't sure. He called the garage to make sure it was ready, and they offered to deliver it to our house. What a great deal! I sat in the recliner to use heat and then ice on my ankle. Actually both ankles since the left one is getting sore from hopping. Chris fixed me 6 turkey burgers which should last me the rest of the week. I called William to wish him a happy birthday. I did a few more puzzles. Chris brought the MASH DVD's upstairs so I could try them in the PS2 with the upstairs TV, but it didn't work. I guess it just plays CD's. I put a shoe with a heel on my right foot and worked my way downstairs. When Chris came down, we watched several episodes of MASH together. Then he helped me to the stairs and I made my way up.
He went to bed. But I want to mention the article he sent me. Yesterday while we were all oblivious, around 2:30, the population of the U.S. reached 314,159,265. That is 100 million times pi. That is literally pi for everyone.

What I should have done in the first place

There was quite a thunderstorm last night. It kept me up, and the pain in my ankle did not help. I did some tapping for the pain. The pain did not subside, but I fell asleep, which was just as good. When I woke up, I decided that I would not use my ankle (or foot ) for the whole day. I had already tried heat and cold, but now it was time to get serious. It may not seem like much of a decision, but I figured it would feel better after awhile and then I would be tempted to use it. The hardest temptation to resist was to test it periodically to see if the point of pain changed. Mostly I resisted.
Chris brought me the office chair with no back or arms. It rolls nicely. When I got up, I rolled myself out to the hall. I had to jump it up onto the carpet, and a few more jumps 'till I got to my laptop in the den. During the morning I rolled up part of the hall carpet so I could easily and quickly roll to the bathroom. I also moved some chairs in the den so I could roll into the kitchen without going over the carpet. I read e-mail, and called my parents. I got a list of all my Mom's meds. When Dad heard that I was only getting around on one foot, he was worried that I wasn't getting enough aerobic exercise. I could not convince him that hopping was aerobic. After lunch I sat in the recliner to work Sudoku puzzles while icing my ankle. An audio interview was playing at the same time. The interviewee was espousing the benefits of getting sunlight every day. So after the audio was over, I went outside and hopped down the steps, holding on to supports on both sides. I hopped over the the low brick wall. I laid in the grass for a bit, then picked and ate some tomatoes growing on the fence. I tapped for my Mom and her meds. Going back in the house I climbed up on my hands and knees. My knees were not happy. I practiced my trombone back in the computer room. That's when the phone rang. I made the mistake of trying to hop to the kitchen fast enough to catch it. I lost my balance and instinctively put my other foot down for support. An explosion of pain, but it didn't last long. It was Charlie saying if he didn't come on Wednesday, he would come Thursday to cut the lawn. I read more e-mail and one last audio. Chris came home right after it ended. I needed to lay down and put my foot up. He got me some extra pillows. After a while I rolled out to the kitchen for supper. After supper he was indisposed and his phone rang. I hopped to get it, but was too slow. I sat down. Then my phone rang. I did catch that one just in the nick of time. It was my m-i-l. When she couldn't get a hold of Chris, she called me. She is canning tomatoes and wondered if we could use some. I did a few more Sudoku puzzles, then watched TV upstairs. I could not face going down the cellar steps. Chris worked on his laptop until he decided it was bedtime. I finished the show I was watching and posted this to my blog.
* pic from Paducah *

Can't go far

I was having a dream where I was looking for a bathroom, but none of them were in working order. Then I woke up having to dash. But my foot wasn't having any of that. Seemingly the ice did not work. I did what I had to do and went back to bed. But I got up before Chris left and started reading e-mail. Later I had breakfast, still hobbling around. I sat in the recliner with a wet rag on my ankle and the heating pad turned up high. That lasted for 4 Sudoku puzzles. Then more e-mail. The skies were dark for awhile, and then the heavens poured forth. I stood just outside the door to watch the rain. Then I noticed the gutters were overflowing. Probably full of leaves. Now there's a job I don't want. There was no doing yard work in the rain and lightning. So e-mail was pretty much the order of the day. I wanted to Freecycle for a pair of crutches. But with my car in the shop I couldn't pick them up. Also, some of my friends are on Freecycle and I don't want them to know. I googled how to treat strained tendons. The advice was to alternate hot and cold. And to wear shoes with heels. Hmmm. I practiced my trombone for a change of pace. Around 5 I hobbled downstairs to put a load of unwashed fabric in the machine. Chris came home and cooked me some turnips, like Michele did. We had supper and went down to watch Sahara, our latest Netflix arrival. I brought a bag of ice and the heating pad. I did the ice pack first and then the hot pad. It felt good at the time, but when it was time to walk, the pain was incredible. Chris offered to carry me, but I find it scary.
* pic from Padukah *

Icing the ankle

I got up around 8 to read e-mail, have breakfast, etc. I was still hobbling around with a pain in my ankle. Maybe it's a strained ligament or tendon? We showered, dressed and went to church. We were a little early which was good because it gave me time to get to our spot on the front pew. I was hoping for a spot near our side at communion time, but no, we had to walk to the other side when our turn came. I tried to hide my hobble but to no avail. We welcomed a new intern and his wife and newborn. We also had a baptism for another baby. After church there was a barbeque dinner and a pounding for the intern. No, this is not some sort of barbaric initiation. The congregation was invited to bring a pound of something the new family would need for their new apartment. We brought paper towels. It was Chris' idea and I couldn't think of anything better. At 10am it did occur to me that with a newborn maybe they could use a baby quilt, but even though I know lots of quick piecing techniques, there was no way I could make a quilt in 45 minutes.
At the luncheon, we sat with a few folks who were fascinated by our tales of Korea. Before we left I was able to chat with the organist and she invited me to attend the education committee meeting Wednesday night. That is not something I think I want to get started. It is so easy to sucked into doing more than I intended. On the way home we stopped at GNC for fiber powder. There was a bogo 50% off, so I got two. When we got home, we changed clothes and read e-mail. I figured out how much fabric is needed to make the quilt that the guild wants for BOM.I laid down to take the pressure off of my foot and fell asleep. Chris went down to watch Troy. When I woke up, I went outside to clip grass. Chris tightened the screw on the clipper so it worked better. I sat by the tomato plants and pulled the grass growing inside the cages. Then I clipped the grass growing outside the cages. I also clipped some grass growing between the surprise lilies. And I edged the bottom edge of the driveway. I picked a cucumber but for some reason left it on the brick wall around the patio. I remembered it after I came in and Chris went out to get it for me. We had chicken and salad for supper. I sat for a bit with a baggie of ice on my ankle. Then we watched several episodes of MASH, during which the baggie leaked all over the couch. I sure hope the ice helped. I'll know when I get up tomorrow.
* another pic from Paducah *

Nitrogen

Chris got in late last night, after I went to bed. So it was no surprise that I got up this morning while he was still sleeping. I read e-mail for awhile and then had breakfast. I was going to get dressed, but he offered me a massage. Then he started a load of laundry. I showered and we went to Publix for groceries. After we put them away, the laundry was ready for the dryer. Chris has a sensor in his car that tells him if the tire pressure is low. And it was. So he took the car to the dealership to have more nitrogen put in the tires. That is nitrogen, not nitrous oxide. Can't sniff the tires and get happy. But still. I have never heard of putting nitrogen in tires. What if the car goes off the road into a river and we are under water and the only air to be found is in the tires? But no, it isn't air, its nitrogen. Ok, so air is 78% nitrogen, but you will suffocate on pure nitrogen. (It must be true, I read it on the internet).
While Chris was at the dealership, I laid out in the sun for 20 minutes, then came in for water. I finished ironing the fabric from yesterday and sorted more. A lot more. Could you blame me if I never wanted to see another piece of fabric? I washed a dark load of it. Chris had put a chicken in the oven, so we ate supper next. I drew out all the blocks of the sampler quilt that the guild wants me to do as a block of the month. I wonder if they realize that there are 20 blocks? Next I will have to figure out the fabric requirements. Then the fabric load was ready to go in the dryer. While it dried, I cut some charm squares. The dryer seemed to finish more quickly than it said it would. So the rest of my evening was spent ironing that load. When I came up, Chris was finishing his game with the voices. Now he has gone to bed, and I need a pic to go with this posting.
* This pic shows the yellow flowers in the garden after having some rain. They look better than they did, but I think next year I shall winnow them right from the start to avoid the overgrown look. *

More yard work

I slept in a little later because I had a hard time falling asleep last night. Still, 7:30 isn't too bad. My heel was still bothering me so I couldn't jump. I did squats instead. I read e-mail and I ate breakfast. I called a few people that I haven't talked to in a while. Around 11:30 I put on my suit and laid out in the sun. Again, it couldn't decide whether to shine or hide behind a cloud. Then I took a heavy duty clipper to the bushes out front. Clipping the bushes is not in our rental agreement, but I cannot imagine the property management people coming by to do it. Also, I was stewing about our tenants not paying and not taking care of the property. In a similar situation, Chris and Michele would go play a video game where they can kill bad guys. I don't enjoy those, but I didn't mind clipping the heck out of some bushes. I made quite a pile. Then I took a break for water, kimchi, and e-mail. I was hot and sweaty but did not want to leave the job half done. I opened up the tarp and loaded all the trimmings onto it. I was especially careful with the holly leaves. They are not foot-friendly. Or even Fern-friendly. They are sharp and tough. When everything was loaded, I pulled the tarp to the back of the yard and unloaded it with a rake. Then I pulled the tarp under the carport to keep it out of the sun. I went inside to cool off, clean up, and put on clean clothes. I read e-mail until Chris called to say he'd meet me at the car repair place. So I jumped in the car and drove over there. I dropped off my key and told the guy it needed an oil change and to fix the AC. Then I went out to the curb to wait for Chris. It turns out that I needn't have jumped in the car so quickly. It took him a lot longer to get there than it took me. I am not so used to his new car yet, so as cars drove up, I looked at their headlights. Why? Because I love shiny headlights, full of reflective surfaces, and his car has a nice set. Several cars drove by with the same headlights, but they weren't Chris. When he did arrive, I jumped in the car and we went home. He helped me shake the dirt off of the tarp and fold it up. He fixed turkey burgers for me and a burrito for him. He scraped some turkey juice with spices off of the bottom of the glass baking dish. The turkey burger was so good that I had to ask "Was it good for you, too?" After eating, reading e-mail, and selecting dice, he went to play Battletech with some friends. By then or soon after, it started raining. I put some frozen fruit in a bowl and stood right outside the door to eat it, watching the rain. I had more e-mail to read, and then I did some tapping, and practiced my trombone. Then I decided it was time to work on the fabric pile. If the amount of time I spend on an activity shows how much I like it, then I must like yard work more than sewing. If that is true, then it is only because yard work has that instant gratification aspect. I mow and the yard looks better. I sew, and then there is fabric and thread everywhere. But I digress. I sorted more of my old stash, and washed a pile of whites. I put away some of what I had washed and ironed previously. But that was not easy because all the colors will have to be shifted around to fit in the cupboards. It is not a task I am looking forward to. I would rather be sewing, but the piles of fabric make it impossible right now. When the fabric was semi-dry, I pulled out of the dryer and laid it neatly on the washing machine until I can iron it. It is almost 11 and I just want to go to bed.

Yard work

I woke up early again, so I got a good start on listening to the audios. Many were from people I have heard before, so I deleted those. I did not exercise because my heel feels like I bruised it, but I didn't. So I walked funny. I had breakfast and read e-mail. I took out the recyclables and couldn't resist pulling some grass off the driveway on the way back. The mint stalk that my mother gave me was full of rootlets, so I planted it in the planter. When it gets used to the dirt, I'll dig it up in a ball and plant it in the flower bed where there is mint now. I sat on the brick wall and did some tapping for my mother. Then I read more e-mail. Around noon I went out to sunbathe, but the sun kept going in and out of the clouds. I clipped bushes in the sun, and cleaned up all the clippings from yesterday. I pulled a lot of weeds that came up in the recent rains. It annoys me that I do so much yardwork here and our tenants don't do any at our home. But then, if you saw how much yardwork I do, you would swear that I must like it. If I like it, why do I grumble the whole time? Idk. After lunch, I ironed all the fabric I did not get to yesterday. When Chris came home, I was reading e-mail again. He changed clothes and we had supper: fish, salad and quinoa. Then we went outside where I cut his hair with our hair-cutting kit. He wanted the half inch attachment. I thought it was too short, but it's his hair. While he finished his e-mail I mowed some of the grass in the back lawn and around the vegetable garden. Chris came out to indicate that he was done. I did a few more rows, then parked the mower and went in to the sewing room. Chris wasn't down yet, so I cut a few squares of fabric. When he came down, we watched several episodes of MASH. He went to bed, and I shall too, after I un-green my feet. Hey, some people have a green thumb. I have green feet.
* I don't know if you can see in the bottom of the jar. There is a very thin scoby. *

Michele

I forgot to mention that my in-laws took Michele to the airport at 4:20am for her 6am flight. I did not envy them. Later I was telling Chris how much I missed Michele. He told me that there was a job open at Camp Humpreys, which is an hour away from Seoul. He could apply for it. Hmm. Moving back to Korea is not as scary as moving there for the first time. But, as tempting as it might be, I think once we got there and settled, she'd be graduating and going back to the states.
We were hoping to get an e-mail when she got to Seoul this morning, but there wasn't one. Later we saw that she had mentioned it on her Facebook account.

Two scobys!

I woke up early again. No lawn mower this time. After Chris left, I started an audio. I read e-mail for awhile, then exercised and fixed breakfast. I might have put some laundry away. I ironed fabric in the basement. I boiled some tea for my new scoby. Around 1 I went out to sunbathe but the sun kept going behind clouds. Was it trying to tell me something? So I did yard work instead. I mowed more of the ditch, and part of the front lawn, and part of the back lawn. When the mower ran out of juice, I put it in the garage and plugged it in. I so love my electric mower! I was hot so I went in for some water and e-mail. I found that a new tiny scoby had formed in a bottle of kombucha that I had left before we went to the beach. I added some tea to see if it would grow. I finished the ironing, so I went through another box of fabric to find more that needed washing and put it in the washer. I went back out to pull weeds in the front flower bed. I also trimmed the bushes as best I could. What was in the washer went in the dryer. The tea had cooled so I put the scoby in. I printed out a file on the desktop. When the dryer was done, I took the fabrics out and laid them carefully on the washer until I could iron them. Chris came home while I was ironing. He put supper in the oven, then came down to talk to me. We had time to read some e-mail before the fish was cooked. I had quinoa with my fish and Chris had rice. I got in a bit of trombone practice before we went down to watch 2 episodes of Warehouse 13 and an crossover episode of Eureka.
* I didn't take any pics today so here is one from show-and-tell last night. Can you tell that it is a stack-n-whack? *

Don't they look good together?

I did not intend to get up early, but the guy next door started mowing his lawn at 6:30. That put an end to sleeping, so I got out of bed. Chris had not left yet. I did some exercising, fixed breakfast, listened to an audio, all the usual stuff. And I put a check in the mail. After breakfast, I took my laptop down to the sewing room. I set it on the washer while I took an old towel and made a backpack to fit it. That took up the space of another audio and it was time to plug it back in. I put a load of unwashed fabric in the washer. I had a bite to eat, then went out to sunbathe and do a little yardwork. When the washer was finished, I put the fabric in the dryer on 'damp', and went out to mow the lawn. When the dryer was finished, I carefully laid the pieces out on top of the washer. They needed ironing, but I was in the middle of yardwork. I tried cutting the grass between the surprise lilies with a pair of grass shears that we bought yesterday. I thought it would be easier than cutting the tall grass with a pair of scissors, but I was wrong. The blades don't seem to be close enough together and the grass bends between them. When I had had enough of that, I used the clippers to clean out most of the trumpet vine around the mailbox. I used the mower to cut the weeds growing around it. I also mowed in the ditch until the mower quit. I plugged it back in in the garage. I was hot and sweaty, so I had several glasses of cold water and read e-mail until I cooled off. Then I took a shower to get the chlorophyll off my feet, unsuccessfully. Kermit said it wasn't easy being green. Well, it is easier than trying to get the green off. Chris came home and changed his clothes. I dressed for the quilt meeting. We had some supper, and then he drove us to the dealership. I took a pic of him and his new car, then headed for UAH. The quilt guild met in the small room across the hall from the one that we normally use. And there were lots of us. Lisa brought me a new scoby. I brought her a jar of kimchi and some litmus paper. Deb started the meeting with show and tell. I showed my 4-fabric garden quilt. I guess they liked it because now I am supposed to present a block of it at every meeting. How do I get talked into these things? We were gifted special fabric gluesticks called Lapel Stick to see how we liked them. After the meeting, I drove home. Chris' new car was parked under the carport. He was sitting at his laptop. However, soon we were sitting together on the couch in front of the TV watching Warehouse 13 from Netflix, After two episodes Chris went to bed. Now it is my turn.

To buy a car

We spent the night at the motel. The alarm went off at 5:30 EST, but it was almost 5:30 CST when we got up. I had breakfast and got my stuff together. Chris showered and dressed. He took our stuff out to the car. We were back on the road. We finished the book on CD and pulled out another one. It was "Last Days of Krypton". We had checked it out before but did not finish it. We heard three more discs of it before we arrived at our house. Amazingly it was only 10:30 am. There was still time to put the Monday morning trash out. We carried our baggage in. I put a lot of it away. I started a loaf of bread. I trolled the garden for tomatoes. Mostly they were cherry tomatoes so I ate them. I also found a husk tomato plant which apparently volunteered (since I did not plant it). But its fruits are not ripe yet. The vine out back has taken over the whole section. I may have to cut it back a bit so as to preserve the lilies and garlic growing out there. Chris put a load of laundry in the washer. I was clearing out a box of Michele's stuff when he came down. He carried her boxes out to the 'donate' pile in the garage. And then he was ready to buy a car, so we headed out in mine. He had already been to all the dealerships and knew what he wanted most. First we went to the Chevrolet dealership to buy a Cruise. But they would not meet his price. So then we went to the VW place for a turbo diesel. We spent a lot of time there, but again, they would not come down enough and kept explaining why they couldn't. Neither place had the car he wanted in stock. So we went back to the Chevy place. He made them another offer and they countered. Finally they agreed on price. But just when I thought it was all over, they wanted him to sign papers, one of which had the phrase 'as is'. So more discussion ensued. By 4 pm, and with no lunch, I had had it. I told Chris I wanted to drive home and if he wanted to come, he'd have to buy a car. The receptionist felt sorry for me and gave me her banana. She was very sweet. I decided that I never wanted to go car shopping again. Finally we were taken in the back with a financial person to finalize the deal. They said we can pick it up after 3 tomorrow. I don't know where it will be coming from. So we got to go home. We ate leftovers out of the fridge, and threw out some stuff that went bad over the last week. I was really tired, so I laid down for awhile. Then I cleared out my suitcase. I went back outside to get a pic since I hadn't gotten one at the dealership. I found two cucumbers. I ate all of one, and only part of the other. It had a rotten core from one end to the other. Then we went down to watch TV. We found Mannequin on VHS. It is a good movie, but the tape itself has seen better days. The sound is going soft and mushy.

Heading home

For once, we actually did get up when the alarm went off. It was 5:30 and everyone else was asleep. We dressed, ate breakfast, packed the last few things. I woke up Michele to say goodbye, again. She went back to sleep, and we got on the road before 6:30. It was a long drive, but we continued the book on CD that we were listening to on the way up. And it got hot, but we opened the sunroof. It wasn't as good as having AC. We stopped at a Subway for lunch. Then about 3:30 we stopped at a Holiday in Express in Kodak, Tennessee. We brought in all the foods and most of the luggage. We got a nice room and it had a frig, so we put the cooled foods in there. We took a shower to get rid of the smell of sweat. Because we had the food, we did not have to go out for supper. In fact, we had supper in bed, watching the Syfy channel. It rained hard for awhile. I listened to some audios that I missed during the week. The Damours called to say they had gotten home safely, and to check on our trip. We got to talk to Michele again. Sometime around 10 we called it a night.
* I did not take any pics today, so here is one from yesterday *

Last day at the beach.

I can't remember if we meant to get up early, but we didn't. It was probably 9 by then. I considered skipping breakfast so as not to be full while having our morning swim, but there was a storm passing through. So I had time to eat. We went to the beach about 10:15. The water was cold, but somehow Michele braved her way in. Then James. So I did, too. After a bit, I couldn't feel the cold, or anything else. I don't know how long we swam. Then Michele went in so she wouldn't get burned. James and Becca took Olivia to the pool. That left Cecily and I. We talked until the sun came out and she sought shade. I thought about going to the pool, but was feeling the sun myself. I dried off and dressed for the day. I read some e-mail and listened to an audio and then it was time for lunch. After lunch we did some vacuuming and getting things put away. I fixed tomorrow's breakfast. More e-mail. Cecily and the kids went to the pool for the last time. I swam with them. Then Becca, Olivia and I got in the hot tub for one last soak with the jets on. Chris, Becca and Cecily fixed hors d'oevres to use up leftovers. We had veggies, dips and chips. Then out came the leftover entrees: pizza, burrito meat, salad, chicken, sauerkraut, peas. The one new thing was 2 pounds of shrimp cooked in Bay seasoning with cocktail sauce. We had a time eating all of it, but it was good. And THEN we worked on the leftover ice cream: chocolate chip, and watermelon sorbet. After supper it was time to clean. The common areas got swept, and the rugs shook out. The food was divvied up, both the cupboard items and the refrigerated items. Chris took some non-food items out to the car. Then he set his alarm for 5:30 so we can drive while it is still cool. Since no one else is getting up that early, we said our goodbye's. It was sad to take our leave from Michele. The others we might see at Thanksgiving, but not her. This is it. When I finish this post, I am going to bed.

My poor toe

The alarm did not go off at all this morning, so we slept in without guilt. I fixed my usual breakfast while the kids ate theirs, and then I played one of the audios. I missed Cecily going to the beach. Sadly no one went with her. The kids did not go to the pool, either. At little after noon, we had lunch. After lunch I read some e-mail, and then put on my suit to lay in the sand. I remember one year where I laid in the sand and the sun was hot and it just baked all the tension out of my limbs. I wanted to recreate that experience. Well, the sand was hot, but somehow it wasn't the same. Maybe the sun was cooler? Anyway, I laid out for awhile and got sand all over me. There is an outdoor shower and I made use of it, but could not get all the sand off. But the really annoying thing was that I got splinters in my big toe. But they were invisible. I called Chris down and he looked, too. But there was nothing to see or pull out. No abrasions or punctures either. I tried dabbing my toe with a piece of tape. And when that didn't work, I stuck my foot in the hot tub, hoping the pores would open, or the jets would blow the offending unseen detritus off. But that was also unsuccessful. I lay in bed and listened to another audio. I think I fell asleep for part of it. I also had time to read a few e-mails and do some tapping before supper. Chris made burrito fixin's and corn on the cob. Then we had icecream. After supper the kids ran off to play and we adults sat around talking. We talked until bedtime. Damours make great conversationalists. Then I hobbled off to bed.

Pizza night

The alarm went off early, but we did not get up, again. Do you see a pattern here? I slept late because I have trouble falling asleep at night. After Chris got up and dressed, I also got up and fixed my breakfast. After breakfast Cecily and Olivia went to the beach. I listened to part of an audio, then went out, too. But by then they were coming in to the pool. I swam around by myself for a little bit, but it wasn't much fun. I sat in the sun for a few minutes until I got the idea of walking down the beach to the hotel, then swimming back to where our house connects to the beach. The water was so clear that I could see my feet. And it was just a little chilly when I first got in. Swimming back turned out to be a lot harder than the walk. I was tired then, so I came back past the pool where Cecily was watching Olivia and William. I went inside to start a loaf of bread that I meant to have ready by lunchtime but obviously wouldn't be. Then I went into the pool to play with Olivia. William had had enough and gone inside. Our little pool party broke up at lunchtime. Most of us had sandwiches, but I had my usual slices of cheese and a duck egg mashed with mustard. I read e-mail in my room for awhile, then took several tapping sheets outside where I sat behind the hot tub and did some clearing. I saw James and the kids leave for the kiddie golf place. When I went upstairs, it was about 4 and Cecily was obsessing over supper. We chatted for a bit, then I noticed the waves along the beach were really big. So I threw on a dry suit and went out for a swim. Sadly my arms were still tired from my earlier swim so I only floated in the surf for awhile. Then I went in the hot tub. Chris came to ask some questions about supper, so I knew it was time to change around. When I came up, the Olympics were playing on the TV. I haven't mentioned them before, but that is all that gets played in the main room. How much swimming and gymnastics can a person watch? Thankfully it got turned off during supper. Cecily cooked 4 pizzas, but in two shifts. So the kids and their parents ate first while the rest ate salad. Then the other pizzas finished cooking. I had a chicken leg, kimchi, and sauerkraut. We cleaned up the table. Becca and James went for a walk. I read more e-mail while waiting for Chris, and wrote part of my blog post. I found him watching a movie with Michele. When it was over, he and I retired to our room to watch the second Sherlock Holmes movie - with Jude Law.
Then we went to bed.
*pic to follow*

Full Moon

The morning was full of e-mail, audios and breakfast. Chris needed to go to the post office so I went along for a change of pace. Lunch was a little later. We did not go to the beach in the morning because of the rain. But we went after lunch. The water was cooler, but not too cold. When the kids retired to the pool, I got in the hot tub. Yes, it is new this year. Becca came in later. It was wonderful. I miss my hot tub. Chris made two kinds of ice cream: Butter pecan, and vanilla chocolate chip. I read more e-mail, then sat at the dining room table to sew some star pieces together. Then we all put on nice clothes and went to The Flying Fish for supper. Michele got lobster. Chris showed her how to crack it open. I had a bouillabaisse-type dish. Remind me never to get something with mussels. It looks like a lot of food, but the edible part is very small. We stopped at the store on the way home for a special bread for the kids. The adults had Chris' icecreams for dessert and the kids ate Drumsticks. I had two bites from Chris' dish. Michele, Chris and I watched The Fantastic Mr. Fox. It was different. We were going to follow that with the second Sherlock Holmes movie, but Chris decided it was time for bed since we plan to get up early to walk on the beach.
* The pic for today is on Becca's camera so I will post it tomorrow *