The most wonderful massage

I woke up in the middle of the night, sweating. I turned on the fan. But it was still hard to sleep. Chris was already up and using his laptop. I finally got up and took a shower. Then I started listening to the next (and last) episode while drinking, swishing and then making breakfast.
Take-aways: Moms buy 85% of the food, so if they stop buying GMO food, companies will respond. The parasitic energy of the food industry, etc, is really creepy. It is a moral fault to support with your dollars things you don't agree with. Roundup is often found in local parks as well our food. Farmers stress plants through lack of nutrients (courtesy of Round-up) to produce more fruit. Glyphosate is also a fungicide, affects absorption of nutrients, robs tryptophan from the food chain. The glycine in it replaces our natural glycine. Glyphosate is an antibiotic, which is bad because 90% percent of the enzymatic work done in the human body is done by bacteria.
I paused the episode at 9 when the movers arrived. I put the Berkey filter unit in the kitchen so the men could have filtered water, but no one took any. They carried boxes off the truck, mostly of books. I checked off sticker numbers and directed placement. Chris helped them move boxes and stacked them. We got our couch and china cabinet. After everything was in, they assembled the beds, a table and the piano bench.
They had no idea how to assemble the water bed, but I had taken pics in 2011 when it was being assembled. That helped a lot. And I took more pics for next time. A set of instructions would be more helpful. Chris stepped inside the frame and broke one of the boards under the mattress. But it was possible to finish the bed anyway. He agreed that we needed new boards, but would not say how soon that might happen.
When everything had been checked off and the gaps filled, Chris signed the paperwork and the men left. We pulled sheets and a blanket out of a box. He and I tinkered with the washer and dryer to hook them up. We decided that plumbers tape and a different pigtail was needed. At 1:30 I drove to my massage. I was a little early so I wandered through the shop, looking at supplements. I ran into Elaine and we talked. Then Gabriele ushered me into her treatment room. I showed her the cyst and she rubbed my forearm intensely for a bit. Then she left while I undressed and laid on the table. When she came back, she massaged my psoas muscles and then all the organs and such in my stomach. After that, she massaged my face and put hot towels on it. She rubbed my neck between hot towels. It was wonderful.
Afterward I lay there, enjoying the soft music. Eventually I got up and dressed. I went to her office to pay and we talked some more. She recommended a chiropractor named Dr. Johnson. I drank the water I had brought with me. Then I left.
I proceeded down to Home Depot. Just outside the entrance, they were selling mumms 4 for $5. So I got 4. Then I went searching the electrical department for a pigtail for the dryer. I had taken a pic of the outlet and knew which one to get. There was only one of that kind. Then I searched for plumber's tape. That I couldn't find, so I had to buy something similar used for the same purpose.
On the way home, I stopped by Publix. I got some cans of organic soup and some coconut water. By the time I got back, it was 5. Chris had emptied several boxes of kitchen ware and fancy glasses. I gave him the pigtail and tape. I put the mums in the front bed. With some effort, we connected the hoses for the washing machine and started it. Then we worked on the dryer. The hose was a lot longer than needed, so it kinked. I was looking for scissors to trim it with when I heard Chris talking to someone. So I walked out front to see him greeting our next door neighbor. She was quite a talker and told us more about her than I thought was safe. I gathered that they are a quiet couple with absent grown children. I invited her to our church.
After the conversation, I got the leftover eggplant and cauiliflower from the fridge. I sat out on the back porch and ate it. Then I walked around the yard, trying to pull up weeds, but some were too entrenched. I went to the kitchen to open a can of soup, but I heard my skype ringing. So I went to my laptop and discovered my tapping buddy. I had forgotten!
So we had a good hour tapping for driving and uncertainty.
Then I resumed listening to the episode while Chris finished up his game. After that, we sat together on the couch and watched an episode of SHIELD on his laptop. He had already dressed the bed. I had him pull out my suitcase so I could put those clothes in a dresser. Then I turned off the light so he could sleep and I went to take my evening supplements and post to my blog.

Ready or not, here it comes

I woke up in the middle of the night, sweating. I turned on the fan and laid down again, but sleep had a hard time finding me. But it must have, since I did not hear Chris get up. I got up at 8.
I drank lots of water, and swished. Then I took my high-powered vitamin C, and made breakfast. I had to use the mixing bowl that I bought yesterday at the thrift shop because the set of dishes I borrowed did not have bowls. After eating, I emptied the dishwasher and put my bowl inside. We talked about Chris flying to Atlanta on Friday to get his car because it was so far to drive (+ time spent processing the car) that we would have to spend the night. I searched through the suitcases for clean clothes. But I had to wear what little I found. Faye called while I was getting dressed.
I read e-mail for a bit, wondering when the movers would arrive and thinking I could have done a coffee and meditation morning. Then I started listening to next episode of GMO's Revealed: the dentist said fluoridated water changed the hydroxyapatite in teeth to fluorapatite, which is harder but more brittle. It does the same thing to your bones. Fluoride is associated with hypothyroidism. Men have to wear hazmat suits when adding the fluoridation to the fresh water supply. This kind of fluoride is a waste product from the manufacture of phosphorus fertilizer and two other sources. He said something good about ionic calcium and phosphorous, but I can't remember what it was. Another speaker talked about heart diseases being based on sulfate deficiency. Statins deplete sulfates. Aluminum and retinol A in sunscreen interferes with the skin's ability to make sulfate. The researcher won't let her grandkids wear sunscreen. She and her husband buy 100% of their food organic.
I paused it near the end when the movers finally arrived around noon. They had gone to Birmingham by mistake and got caught in the bad weather and traffic. Chris moved our little table and chairs to the back porch to be out of the way. The movers laid blue runners on the floors and then started carrying boxes and furniture off the truck and through the garage. It was raining cats and dogs. I stood at the bar and checked off sticker numbers on the multiple sheets as the men came through. There were three sets of sheets, one for each color of sticker, and the numbers overlapped. I also directed them on where to put the boxes. Chris helped carry boxes from the dollies into the rooms and made some of the decisions on where things should go. We were painfully aware of the difference in house size from the one we left 2 years ago to this one. Fewer rooms meant we couldn't just throw the boxes in the rooms they came from.

Chris left to buy burgers, fries and drinks for the guys. They stopped to eat and I listened to some more of the interviews. I ate some seed crackers with fermented nut cheese on them. I had to pause again when the men got back to work. When they brought in the sideboard, I moved the papers with the sticker numbers to the top of it, so that I no longer had to stand on something to see the papers. They brought in the pieces of the beds, but did not have the hardware so could not assemble them. Before they left, Chris showed them the legs for the dining room table. Two of the dowels were broken. We did not know when it happened. The man in charge said he would fix them and ship them back to us.
After they left, we moved some boxes and bed pieces in the master bedroom so that the loose windows could be fixed. I don't think I mentioned that two men came this morning to look at those windows and see what needed to be done. We also set up the boxsprings and mattress in the guest room for tonight.
Then Chris roasted some cauliflower and egg plant in the oven for me. I heated up some bone broth and added lots of pieces of seaweed. It was very warm and comforting. I unpacked a box, looking for dishes, but did not find any.
Chris set up the little table for me to read e-mail and he sat at an old desk that the movers brought. I read e-mail and did some tapping. I tried out the piano. All the keys worked and the octaves were acceptable.

When Chris was ready, he brought his laptop into the living room and we sat together to watch two episodes of SHIELD. I got a text from my massage therapist to confirm our appointment tomorrow. Chris said it was ok if I went, even if the movers were not done. I called my therapist and she reminded me that we are doing the facial and the tummy massage. I had forgotten but am looking forward to it.
After watching, I took my evening supplements while Chris dressed the mattress. Then I posted to my blog and joined him in bed.

Moving in

Chris got up at 5:45 and got ready for work. I stayed in bed so as not to be in his way. After he left, I put on the next episode of GMOs Revealed and laid down again. The speaker was someone in favor of GMOs who worked with farme9rs to help them increase yields and market their crops. He said there isn't a crop today that hasn't been modified by man in some way. 165 GM crops have been approved. 93% of soy in America is Roundup Ready soy in America,. The speaker said herbicides and pesticides previous to glyphosate were more dangerous so he'd rather eat GMO food than the food produced in the 70's and 80's.
I got up to drink water and swish. When it was over, I took a shower and got dressed. I prepared breakfast. I packed things in the remaining suitcase and some boxes. Then I ate my breakfast. I finished another audio from yesterday, and cleared e-mail. I tried to pack Chris' pillow in the suitcase, because I didn't want to be seen carrying a pillow out of the motel, but it did not fit with the other stuff.
I Facebooked Beverly to arrange a time to meet. I moved boxes and a suitcase from the room to the car. It took longer than I thought because I couldn't take big armfuls like Chris can. I also got the remaining items from the fridge and bathroom. I emptied the Berkey and put it in a large bag. I also carried out the folding table and the step stool. By the time I finished, it was just after 10:30. I checked the room several times to be sure I had everything. Then I drove to the house to drop off all the stuff. Some of it had to go in the fridge. Then I went to the hotel to check out and get a printout. It was almost 11 so I went to the post office, which I forgot to do yesterday. In our p.o. Box was a letter and a yellow slip and a key. I took the yellow slip to the front desk. The man said I had two packages. Then I showed him the key. He said it opened a parcel box so I could get my package without coming to the front desk. That applied to a third package which was rather large. Don't ask me why it got special treatment. Anyway, I carried the first two to the car. When I turned around, a lady in a postal uniform was bringing the larger box. She kindly put it in the trunk for me.
Then I took a moment to call Beverly before I went to the house to drop off the packages. I left everything in the garage so it wouldn't smell like paint. I opened some more windows. The two in the master bedroom would not stay open, so I propped them with packages. Then I went to the church to meet Beverly.
I left my car there and she took us to the Holiday market where we both got kimbap. Then we went thrifting. I found a better set of measuring cups and some mixing bowls. We also stopped at Huntsville Sew-n-Vac to pick up a bobbin cover. But they did not have the one to fit my machine. The one they ordered did not have the right shape. We hit one more thrift shop and then I had to go back. She returned me to my car and I drove to the house.
I arrived at 1:55, in time to meet the internet guy who was supposed to arrive between 2 and 4. I got some kimchi from the fridge and ate my kimbap. I used my phone to check my e-mail. There was one from Chris saying I should inflate one of the matresses and see if I wanted to stay at our house tonight or stay with his friend Rob for one night. So, I pulled out one mattress and pumped it up. I laid on it and played one of the interviews. The mattress seemed fine to me. I hung up the shower curtain. It matched the off-yellow walls (and ceilings and doors and trims). Then I sat in a chair by the window in case the internet guy came. But Chris arrived first. Then he left, taking my car to get a registration for his car. I started bringing in stuff from the garage. When Chris got back, he called the internet people and they said the guy was going to be an hour late. I considered how to arrange stuff in the cupboard. Some were very deep, providing hard-to-access space. There were base corner cabinets which should have had lazy susans in them. Chris helped me move some of the shelves so the vinegar would fit. I used several long boxes to put my special foods in so I could use the deep space better. We talked about where our furniture should go. The wide open space seems nice for a living room, but most of our furniture belongs on a wall and there isn't enough wall space for all of it.
Then the internet man arrived. He and Chris futzed with the modem and router to get it all synced. But our router would not sync so we had to use his. After he left, we went to WalMart to get washcloths and paper towels and dishwasher detergent. On the way, he suggested that he rent a car on Friday to drive to Atlanta to pick up his car. If I was willing, all I would have to do is drive the rental car from the point of pickup to the nearby rental place. Good-bye, Friday.
When we got back, we ran loaner and thrift kitchen stuff through the dishwasher. While it washed, we sat at the little folding table with our laptops, trying to catch up on e-mail. Chris wanted to play his game, so I took my evening supplements and added water to the Berkey. I also made up a week's worth of supplements for both day and evening. Then I pumped up the other mattress and put sheets on both. I rescued my pillow from the suitcase it has been in since we left Korea. I typed up my blog.
Finally Chris was ready. He cued up Netflix and we watched one episode of SHIELD. Then he went to bed and I stayed up briefly to post to my blog.
* We saw this wallhanging at HSV. Every bit of it is machine-embroidered. I'll bet it took a long time. *

So close to moving in

Chris got up at 5:30 and got ready for work. I got up when he left. I drank water and got started with the next episode of GMOs Revealed: meat processing people can tell when they cut open an animal that has been fed GMO's by the color and the smell of the meat. There is a heavily guarded seed vault, supported by the likes of Bill Gates, Rockefeller, Dupont, Monsanto to take over the food supply. Gene editing and gene silencing – labeling is not required because you're not introducing genes from another species into the organism. Gene silencing, through RNA, is already in the marketplace – Artic apple. Safety studies are not required by the government. These processes do not show up in tests for genetic modifications. These foods are harder to digest. That increases stress on the body. Once a food has been labeled organic, it can always be labeled organic even if conditions have changed. Farmed salmon are being fed GMO corn and soy.
After the interview was over, I got dressed. I cleared items from the bathroom and bed that might interfere with the weekly cleaning. I scraped the remaining coconut oil from the big jar and refilled the small jar. I made and ate breakfast.
I brought in two of the empty suitcases from the car. I picked up my sewing machine and sewing notions. I drove to the church where the ladies were setting up. Then I discovered that I had left the fabric squares at the motel.
So I looked at what the other ladies were making. When Bertha came, we went out to the parking lot so she and Carolyn could move some items to my car. I discovered a sewing project in my trunk.
Soon it was lunch time. I sat with the ladies and ate my egg and orange. Then I laid out the pieces of the project. It was a block of the month and I did not have the instructions. So I played with the pieces and took a pic.
At 1:30 I went to get Chris. It didn't take as long as I thought. I parked and waited for about 15 minutes. When he walked up, he was on the phone with Housing. They were telling him that the house wasn't ready to be inhabited for 24 because the counter tops and tubs had just been resurfaced.
We drove to Housing to sign the papers and do the walk-through. They were going to charge us rent starting today but Chris protested since we could not move in. So they started rent tomorrow.
When we did the walk-through, I choked on the fumes. I pointed out stained cupboards, a missing shelf in fridge, and one garage remote that didn't work. After she left, we unloaded the car, then went back to the motel. We ate supper. Chris got a call from the storage company saying they wanted to deliver the stuff on Wednesday.
Then we packed most of our stuff into suitcases and boxes. We took them to the house and left everything in the garage so it wouldn't smell like paint. We turned off the AC and opened all the windows. We came back to the room to get our library books and dropped them off. We passed a van that reminded us of Scooby-doo. Chris asked me to take a pic, so I did.
When we got to the motel room, we read e-mail. I finalized a Swanson order while listening to a talk on weight loss. I paused it when Chris was ready to watch TV. We saw two episodes and then Chris turned in for the night. I had my blog almost written, so I finished it up quickly, posted it, and went to bed.
* Chris suggested that I post this. *

Magnesium and more

I got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. It was hot and I tried to turn on the AC but it wouldn't come on. I went back to bed. When morning came, I thought to turn on the blower – better than nothing. But when Chris got up, he moved the AC switch and it came on. What's up with that?
I drank Berkey water and swished. I took a shower. I used the new conditioner that goes with my expensive shampoo. When I got dressed, I realized there was no slip to go with my Sunday dress. I couldn't remember if I had one the last time I wore it. I asked Chris to hoist the suitcase to the bed so I could look for my earrings. At 10:15 we left for church.
We got there a little before the service. I talked to Jennifer and she invited me over sometime to see if she had anything we might need in our new house. When it was time for the scripture reading, no one walked up and so Chris jumped up with his bulletin and did both readings. I was very proud of him. Then we had a very good sermon – about how God trusts us with the keys to the kingdom.
After the service, I stood around talking to people and catching up. Since we had gone to the grocery store on Friday, we did not need to stop again, so we went back to the motel.
I changed my clothes and made breakfast. I looked up more information on magnesium supplements. I found most of them were comprised of the cheap not-well-absorbed types which often had unwanted ingredients.
Then I started the next episode of GMOs Revealed: Researchers have learned to engineer the RNA of cells which leads to epigenetic changes. Use of glyphosate or Round up leads to monocropping, getting rid of the diversity of plant, animal and microbial life found in the environment. Many type 2 diabetics given GMO insulin develop type 1 diabetes as well.
I read some e-mail, and continued my study of magnesium products. At 4 we went for a long walk around a nearby neighborhood. It was almost 70 minutes. Then I went back to the magnesium products. There were over 500 of them. Chris made cauliflower steaks, so I took a break to eat before doing more research. Then my focus changed to hydroxyapatite for teeth.
We watched three episodes of SHIELD and Chris went to bed. I took my evening supplements and wrote my blog post so I could go to bed, too.

Checking out supplements

Chris' alarm did not go off this morning so we slept in. A hot flash woke me up because I did not turn the AC down last night. I got up to brush my teeth and went back to bed. That woke up Chris and he wanted to cuddle...
Later we got up to get ready for the day. He collected all the laundry and took it to the laundry room while I typed up my blog for yesterday.
Then I started watching episode 4 of GMO's Revealed: The National Organic Standards Board is increasingly being populated by people with ties to industry instead of the wide range of interests it was supposed to represent. Carageenan is allowed but should be avoided. Some of our organic foods have 'organic' ingredients being sourced from countries like China where corruption in the system makes their 'organic' claim suspect. Charcoal is the most anti-toxic substance on the planet according to David Wolfe.
While it was playing, I made a batch of seed crackers. Chris went to the big hotel to get breakfast and brought me two egg white omelets. Then he finished the laundry and we folded it together.
I looked up vitamin B-6, and prices for it. I looked at natural cures for bruxism, for which my massage therapist recommended B-6. I made seaweed soup with bone broth. It was pretty good.
Later, we drove to the parking lot of a former residential area. We walked the trail for about a mile and back. I had hoped to see a black cherry tree that I saw three years ago, but no luck.
When we got back, I read e-mail until Chris went to mass at the post chapel. Then I watched a video on making a chi ball. The next one was called “Taking charge of your health”. That guy talked about a 101 year old woman who sells advertising space. She credits his methods for her continued good health. I read an article on the best forms of magnesium.
Chris came home from mass, and looked up the location of the restaurant. I washed up but did not change my clothes. I wanted to wear something old in case I got food on it. At 6:30 we headed out. I told him which route I would take and he took it. On the way he said he could find a quicker way back. When we got there, I texted Beverly. We watched the koi fish in tubs out front. A lady came out and looked at the fish, too. When I mentioned that I was there for crab legs, she told me I would have to stand at the empty tub and wait for them to bring out the next batch. Hmm. Soon Beverly arrived. I introduced her and Chris. Then we went inside. The hostess showed us to a table. But we immediately went to the buffet to find food. I went to the crab legs station. There were three left. So I picked them up. I filled my plate with other things, like broccoli and chicken and sushi. We all ate together and I thought it was good. I went back for seconds, but the crab legs were gone again. So I got shrimp and tentacled things. As I was eating those, Beverly went to the crab station just in time to get a plate full and she shared them with me. Chris finished first. I got full and drank some water. It had ice in it and made me chilly. The waitress brought us fortune cookies. Mine said I had a great desire for a home. Surprisingly accurate for a cookie.
When we were done, Chris paid the bill and Beverly left a tip. We said goodbye in the parking lot. Chris drove us home, using the parkway instead of Sparkman.
When we got home, I went back to checking forms of magnesium for sale. When Chris was ready, we watched two episodes of SHIELD. Then he went to bed and I took my evening supplements before posting to my blog. I covered as many light sources as possible, then went to bed.

It's complicated

Last night I stuffed towels around the cracks in the door to stop the light. Then other lights in the room seemed brighter – the laptops, the microwave, the alarm clock...
I woke up before 5:30. My back did not hurt when I got up, but started after a bit. I went back to bed and did some calming meditation. The alarm went off and Chris got up to get ready for work. I drank several glasses of water and went back to bed. Around 6:45 I got up to stretch in ways I couldn't in bed.
I started playing the next episode of GMOs Revealed: When you edit or change one gene, others change themselves in response. If you eat something with double strand helix technology, it can insert itself in your DNA. Weeds become Roundup resistant, so Monsanto is bringing out 2,4D and Dicamba – so more toxins in the environment and food supply. kids who changed to non-gmo diet symptoms went away. Chemical runoff from GMO testing in the Hawaiian islands is destroying the coral reefs. We are growing weakling plants that need to be sprayed because they can't compete against weeds or insects or fungi.
The back pain went away. I swished, and drank a lot of water. I took liposomal vit C. I sipped some bone broth. It is expensive so I looked into better pricing on the internet. I thought the maids would come by, but they didn't.
Chris called to say our shipment had arrived. I started making breakfast. Chris called back to say we have an appointment Monday afternoon to move in to the house, but he is scheduling our shipment to be delivered on Tuesday because the carpets are being shampooed Monday morning.
I ate breakfast, and mixed up some powders for future breakfasts. Then I washed dishes.
At 12:30 I left for church. When Tim arrived, he explained to me how he counts the church offering and records it on the computer and on the deposit ticket. It was complicated. I took some notes but figured there would be more questions later.
We spent more than an hour so I called Cecelia to tell her I was on my way.
When I got to her house, she greeted me with a hug. I shook hands with her husband who was wearing an oxygen tube. She and I sat on the couch and had a nice talk. She showed me her house. She gave me some sewing machine feet that for whatever reason did not get sold with her machine. I talked to Art, and met her daughter and grandchildren. Then I headed out, down the parkway. I was a little unsure about the traffic pattern, but I had no trouble finding my way to Airport road and back to base.
Chris was sitting at his laptop when I got there. I read about cysts. One man said there would be a pain point somewhere nearby that needed to be massaged. I found the pain point between my forearm bones under my watch. I rubbed it and the cyst shrank a little.
I raided the fridge for something to eat, but what I really wanted was some cooked vegetables. So I took the grocery list and headed to the store.
Chris came along. We stopped at the gas station to refuel. Then we went to Kroger. We wandered all over because the list wasn't in order. I got three cans of organic soup. Chris met a Spanish-speaking guy in the egg section. I picked up all the remaining items and joined him there. He was having a ball speaking Spanish. Then he introduced me and the man presented his wife and kids. They went off to check out and we picked out some organic eggs and then baggies.
After we checked out, we took the stuff home and put it away. I ate a can of the soup. We watched one episode of SHIELD. We started a second one, but the compulsion to sleep came over me so strongly that I succumbed to it. Then Chris asked me if I wanted to turn it off, which woke me up. He turned it off and went to bed and I laid half-awake, trying to go back to sleep.
* I didn't take any pics yesterday so here is one from Knoxville. *

Walking helps

Chris' alarm went off at 5:30. He got up and took a shower. When he got out, he got under the covers and proclaimed that there was no hot water. I snuggled up to warm him. When he was warmed enough (not a euphemism), he got dressed and went to work.
I got up to stretch because I hurt all over. I played the rest of the GMO interview that started last night: Roundup is a lot more toxic than glyphosate alone. Glyphosate allows the toxins already in your body (lead, mercury, aluminum, etc) to pass through the blood/brain barrier. That leads to brain fog and memory loss. Monsanto owns or controls 85% of the food supply in the U.S. And now they are going to sell it to Bayer, a German company. Glyphosate is also an antibiotic that is more effective on good bacteria than bad bacteria. When good bacteria is destroyed, they can't make the neurotransmitters.
I drank bone broth and ate some cashews with butter. I cleared the carpet as much as I could to prepare for shampooing. Two maids came by and took the garbage and gave me a clean wash cloth.
At 10, the front desk called to say that Maintenance was coming to shampoo the carpet. I said I was waiting for them. I packed up my laptop and put it and the table on the bed. I moved the office chair into the bathroom and the suitcase that I was using as an end table. I packed my sewing stuff to go and picked up the machine. I got tired of waiting and headed out to sewing.
But my first stop was the bank. I got more funds so I could have a massage next week. Then I went to see the Thursday group. I brought my machine and the pairs of squares. As I talked to Marjory and Leanne, I sewed more pairs and sewed pairs together.
At 2, I packed up my work and took it to my car. On the way back to base, all the traffic lights were green. But I had to stop at gate 10 to hand my ID to the guard. I punched on the AC temporarily so the engine would not stop.
Then I went to the post office to check for non-existent mail. My back was in pain and I promised myself a walk. I drove to the motel and then went up the hill to see what was there. It looked like a club. So I parked at the motel. I went in the room to get something to drink. The carpet looked swept but not at all wet.
For my walk, I went to the swimming pool nearby to check the hours. It is open 7 days a week, but costs $3. Then I walked uphill to where the club was, followed a trail in the woods, went back to the motel and headed in the other direction, past the golf course and up to the club house. By the time I got back, the yard men were finished. As I headed for the steps, the maintenance man stopped me to ask about the lamp. I had requested a night stand and lamp for my side of the bed. He only had the lamp. He said he had shampooed the carpet and dried it with a big fan. I told him I hadn't noticed the smell earlier so it must be gone.
I made and ate breakfast. I read e-mail. Chris came home from work. He said we might not be moving into a house until next Thursday. UGHHH!!!
I listened to a podcast. At 5 I paused it and took a book outside. I got a folding chair from the car and sat in a grassy area to read for an hour with my bare feet on the ground. Then I put the chair back in the car and went back to the room. I did not notice the smell when I walked in the door.
Chris had cooked beef and barley. So I had some of that and a can of organic Italian vegetable soup. I resumed the podcast until my tapping buddy called me at 7. She could hear me but I couldn't hear her. I rebooted my laptop and then realized I had the sound turned off (so why could I hear the podcast but not her?) Anyway, we had a very good session. We worked on her issues but I got a lot out of it, too.
Chris washed the dishes and then we watched TV; 2 episodes of SHIELD. My back was hurting a lot, so he pulled on my arms to stretch my spine and it helped. After the show, he went to bed and I stayed up to take my evening supplements and finish my blog post.
* This is a peek-a-boo quilt from Tuesday. The little flags lift up to reveal a Dr. Seuss character. *

Synchronicity

Last night, when I picked up my tablet to cue music to sleep by, it showed me the low battery screen. There was no outlet near my side of the bed, so I plugged it in across the room and eventually fell asleep without it.
In the morning, dawn was appearing through the blinds when I woke up in a sweat. I threw off the covers and lay in the chill, not feeling it. I had turned the temp down for the night which helps me sleep.
I filled up the Berkey again and this time the water seemed clear. I decided to wash it before drinking the water.
Chris put on his pants and ripped the hem. I took them into the bathroom whee the light was bright enough to see. I handsewed the hem on both legs. He got dressed but didn't go to breakfast. I rinsed out the Berkey, took off the fluoride filters and purged them again. I reattached them, but maybe one was too tight?
Then I started my coffee morning. I boiled water in a pot, using the last of it. I put on some soothing music. I did my exercise routine and drybrushed. I heard the maid outside and wanted to put up the ' do not disturb ' sign, but there wasn't one so I locked the door.,
I meditated, and tapped for not liking this place and for finding a way to be at peace with it. When I was done, I cleaned the sink and kitchen. I threw the cinnamon sticks and orange peels in with the coffee grounds and boiled them to help the room smell better. I started listening to a podcast. I paused it to ask the maid for a new roll of toilet paper. I drank some bone broth, and researched infrared heating pads at length because the price is so high. I made my decision but did not finalize the order. I took a shower and got dressed, the listened to more of the podcast. While listening, I ate two eggs and some cashews and butter.
I made a list of things that should be done this afternoon and did some tapping to remove resistance to doing them. Then I went to thrift store to get the coffee pot and other stuff that I left behind yesterday. When I got back to my car, I found it impossible to make a left turn across three lanes of traffic. So I turned right, went to Pulaski not knowing where it would take me, but I found my way back to Jordan.
I went in gate 10 and checked the post office. No mail. I stopped at the hotel lobby for a comment card (there were not enough lines for all of my comments). Then I drove back to the motel and called Cecelia to plan a visit.
I was looking for Gabriele's number when I saw she had e-mailed measking if I wanted to come for a massage at 4:30 today. I told her no because I had a meeting at 4.
I made and ate breakfast, then took the vase that belongs to the church and headed out. I was so concerned about being on time that I left without my phone. I arrived at the church a few minutes early. I parked around back and waited. I saw several cars come in the parking lot and drive out again. Then I went inside the church to leave the vase with the others, but that room was locked so I left it where it could be found easily. Then I went out back to sit on one of the benches. I waited until 4:15 but no one came.
So I headed to the place where Gabriele gives her massages. I asked for her and was told that she was in session. I decided to wait and it wasn't long before she came out. She was happy to see me and remembered me well.
So, we talked and she gave me a full body massage. It was good, especially knowing how much training she has. It gave me faith that when it hurt, it was still ok. And it hurt a lot less than the ones in Korea.
After the massage I got dressed and made another appointment for next week. We talked some more and then I got in my car and thought hard about how best to get home from there. The route I chose was easy but included some very long lights.
When I got to the motel, Chris was there, playing on his laptop. I checked my phone but there were no messages. I ate some beef and looked at Amazon, checking prices on items that I might want to order with the heating pad because I had enough for free shipping. But nothing was quite right, so I just completed the order as it was.
I read e-mail, letting Chris know that I was ready to watch TV anytime he was. I had given up and started listening to an interview when he shut his laptop and turned on the TV. Then we sat in bed and watched one episode. He went to sleep and I stayed up to post to my blog.
* This is what Beverly 2 was working on yesterday. *

Absent-mindedness

I did not hear the alarm go off. Chris got up and dressed and went to breakfast. Then I got up and sat on the floor checking e-mail. Chris came back from breakfast with 6 pieces of fruit, which he left on the TV stand. I did not know if it was for me or not. I was swishing so I couldn't ask. He left.
I finished swishing, then washed up and got dressed. I washed a pair of underwear since I seem to be running out. I was listening to an interview on GMOs when two maids knocked on my door. The older one was training the younger one. They emptied the garbage and offered to make my bed. I asked if they could smell the carpet. The older one said no but the younger one thought it smelled like something burnt. They agreed to shampoo the carpet on Thursday.
After they left, I rewound the interview and finished it. I made breakfast and ate it, then washed the dishes. I called Beverly to tell her I would meet her at sewing,
I put my sewing project in my laptop bag along with some dried mango and banana. I drove to the church on Jordan. There were three tables of ladies there. I had to walk around and see the quilts they were working on. Beverly came in while I wasn't looking. She showed me the blue fabric she had bought for her quilt. I talked to her and several others. By 11:30 most everyone was gone. I got in her car and we went to the Asian market. I bought kimbap and gave her a taste. She liked it. We also shared some dried mango and a banana.
Then we went to a thrift shop off of University. The building was a lot bigger than it looked. Room after room after room of mostly glassware. Old but not cheap. Eventually I did find a glass pitcher for 5.25.
From there, we went to the Neighborhood Thrift shop. The front part was all clothing, but behind that was dishware. I picked out a coffee pot, a baking pan, a fry pan, some pieces of silverware and a baking spatula. Behind that was furniture. And we spied a small folding table. It was very lightweight and reminded me of the $300 ones that are sold for sewing retreats, though not quite as fancy. It wasn't marked so we asked the clerk if it was for sale. She said the lady who marks things wouldn't be back for 20 minutes and might have already sold it to someone else. We agreed to wait and went looking at other things. I hoped for a good result. I found a shower curtain and rings and two plastic water glasses. I did not find a mixing bowl. Then the pricing person returned and put a $10 tag on the table. Two other items needed prices as well and she put $1 on each one.
Then we took our cart to the front of the store to check out. Housewares were proclaimed to be 50% off. I am not sure if the clerk did that or not. She took 25% off the price of the table, which I thought was too low already. As she punched prices into her calculator, she wrapped items in the shower curtain and put others in a bag. The total was just over $20. I pulled out an extra $5 and told her to keep the change. I picked up the bag and looked for Beverly. When I did not see her in the store, I looked for her car and saw her putting the table in the back seat. I joined her there. Since she had to go to work, she drove me back to the church to get my car. I put the bag and the glass pitcher in my car. She put the table in my back seat. And then we left.
I drove back to the hotel. I brought in table. I undressed because I was so hot. Then I set up the table and covered it with plastic bags. I simmered cinnamon on the stove to ward off the smell of the carpet. I ate the kimbap with kimchi. Then I checked e-mail, for a short while. When I realized Chris wasn't coming home at the usual time, I got dressed and went to the post office by myself. There was no mail. I proceeded to the library where I returned two books. The third book was almost finished, so I sat on the bench outside to read it.
But long about 5pm it got too hot and I still wasn't finished. So I went back to motel. The room was too dark to read in, so I went to the breakfast room. There was no food, but the lights were on and the tables were empty. I sat and finished the book. I went back to the room thinking Chris would be there, but he wasn't. I ate some beef, and read e-mail. When I remembered the new fluoride filters that came in the mail yesterday, I retrieved them from the closet. I flushed them according to the instructions and it was much easier than last time. So I installed them in the Berkey.
I went to the car to get the water pitcher and the other stuff. But the coffee pot, utensils and shower curtain were not there. I sent Beverly a message on Facebook in case I had left them in her car, but she responded no. So they must be at the thrift shop.
I washed the glass pitcher and baking sheet and the top of the folding table.
I used the pitcher to fill the Berkey. Then I put my laptop on the table and cued up the first episode of the summit called GMOs Revealed. (www.gmosrevealed.com fyi). While listening, I responded to Myra's message.
Chris came home at 8. I kept listening and he changed his clothes and played on his laptop. I took breaks to run water through the Burkey. But it kept coming out white. So I ran more.
After the interview was over, we watched one episode of SHIELD. I checked the filter again and the water was still not quite clear. I took my evening supplements. I typed up my blog and posted it. After one more check of the filter, I went to bed.
* This was one of the quilts I saw today. It is a block of the month pattern that I haven't finished yet. *

Sharing the eclipse

I woke up before Chris' 5:30 alarm, having a hot flash. I used the restroom and went back to bed. But I couldn't sleep. Chris got up a bit after his alarm rang. He showered and dressed in the relative dark; there was light coming around the door jamb from the hallway, and a bit of daylight at the windows. He went to breakfast and did not come back.
I waited, but decided there was no use trying to sleep. I opened the blinds and sat down to write my blog. I drank Berkey water as I wrote. When I had finished and posted it, I started the next one. I set a 20 minute timer on my laptop and started swishing. I read e-mail and answered it.
It wasn't long before the maid knocked on the door, asking if we needed clean towels. I explained about the smell and the baking soda. She vacuumed the room, and I thought the problem was solved.
I listened to an interview, and took some vit C. I made up 9 days worth of vitamins. Then I made breakfast. I ate it while reading more e-mail. To make room in the fridge, I ate the half a watermelon that we brought back from the beach. I was too full to go anywhere. I got a text from Kurt, but he seemed not to get my reply. After some tapping rounds, I washed up and got dressed.
I grabbed my sewing stuff and headed out . It was close to noon when I got to the church. Sheryl was there, although not for long, but I was glad to see her. Then Bertha and Carolyn and I started sewing. Bertha had a pair of special glasses for viewing the eclipse. Every so often, we went outside and took turns viewing the sun. The clouds threatened to ruin it. We might have missed the apex because one view had the crescent on the left and the next it was on the right. But the outdoors never got dark. Just an eerie quality of light.
Then we went back to sewing. I made a long strip of pairs of blocks. As we talked, Bertha said she would bring the blow-up mattresses next Monday and Carolyn said she would bring me a set of dishes.
At 3:30 I packed up and rushed to get to the post office, not being certain when it closed. But I made it. I walked out of the building with 5 boxes. I drove to the motel and called Chris. He came down from the room to help with the packages. Beside my car, another man was unloading his car. Chris said hello to him and the two discovered that they were going to the same place tomorrow, so he and Chris agreed to ride together (leaving me free to keep my car). Chris and I carried all my stuff inside. I noticed that the smell was still there and still strong.
I felt like reading my book, so I took it outside, intending to find a place to sit. I walked down a path I hadn't seen before, but turned back when I realized it was overgrown with poison ivy. I walked around the end of the motel and found a stone in the woods. But the gnats wouldn't leave me alone. Finally I sat on the steps and read.
Eventually, Chris came out of the building to attend a social function with his new friend. When he saw me sitting on the steps, he got a folding lawn chair from the trunk. I sat and continued to read and they drove away.
The sun got lower and lower as I read. But it was too interesting to put down. I had to rest my eyes occasionally. When I finally decided that the low light was worse than the smell of the room, I put down the book and folded the chair. At that moment, Chris returned. He put the chair back in the trunk and we went upstairs. I got something to eat and went back to reading. I knew e-mail was piling up, but I kept reading. 8 o-clock came and went.
It wasn't until 9:40 that I was able to put the book down, mostly read. I took my evening supplements. We watched one episode of SHIELD. Then Chris went to bed while I stayed up to blog.
* These are some of the many pairs of blocks I sewed today. *

Moving from hotel to motel

I had a hard time sleeping in the hotel. I had a lot of hot flashes so Chris turned the AC off. But then I could hear the toilet refilling itself and kids in the next room talking and laughing. It was a long night.
When the alarm went off at 6, we did not get up right away. I got up first, to wash up and get dressed. I made my breakfast and ate it. I did a quick check of e-mail and powered down the laptop so I could pack it away. Chris took a shower and went to the hotel breakfast. When he got back, we packed the car, programmed the GPS app and headed out. It was a little after 7.
I had hoped to sleep on the road, but that did not happen. I watched scenery for awhile. Then I started reading another book. When we stopped for gas, I bought a bottle of smart water. I wanted coconut water but the little store did not sell any.
When we got near Alabama, I pulled oranges and eggs from the food box. I figured it was best to be nourished for the job ahead. We went to the hotel to get card keys to the new place. There was 20 minutes left on the continental breakfast so Chris toasted two slices of bread and added bacon strips and egg white omelets. I asked him to get one for me.
Chris drove over to the new (to us) place while I held the plate of food in my hands. It was like a motel with two floors. Each section held 8 rooms; 4 on each floor. We were in the middle section on the second floor.

When we opened the door of our room, there was a strong sour smell, like something had peed on the carpet. I opened the windows. Chris ate his breakfast sandwich. I had eaten my omelet on the way over. Then Chris put a pan of water on the stove and simmered orange peels.
The room was smaller than the hotel room, with only a dorm-size fridge. There were no drawers, and the cabinets were full of tableware and cookware. There was no dresser either, but a few shelves in the TV cabinet. We brought up the baggage from the car and went back to the hotel.
We packed everything we could into the empty suitcases; clothing, toiletries and cabinet food. Chris took the suitcases out as I packed them. I thought we would need to make two trips, but there was a little room left. So we packed some empty boxes with food from the fridge. And there were two packages of beef in the freezer. I looked around the room to see if we had left anything.
We emptied the car into the motel room. I put as much cold food in the fridge as would fit. I had to drink the last part of the chicken stock because it didn't fit. Then we went back to the hotel to check out. I wanted Chris to check the room again, but our card keys did not work anymore. He got his renewed and we did one more check. We did not find anything.
From there we drove to The Cliffs to scout out where Chris had to go on Tuesday. It was on post but out in the wilderness. We timed it on the way back. Then we stopped at the post office. Chris picked up some mail and said there were a slew of yellow slips waiting for pickup. When we got to the motel, Chris said it was a 22 minute drive to the cliffs, without traffic. So he calculated that with traffic, we should allow half an hour each way. That meant that if I drove him on Tuesday, it would cost me an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon to pick him up. I'd rather give him the car.
We started unpacking. I put my clothes in the TV cabinet and Chris put his on the shelf in the closet. The worst part was the cabinet food. I moved some dishes to make room for my packages of nuts and seeds, and powders. I left my breakfast foods in a box on the counter. The silverware was in a flat silverware basket and I moved it to the counter top. There was no better place for it.
We put everything we wouldn't need it the next week into the two biggest suitcases. The 3 empty ones went into my car. As I moved stuff around, I realized that I had left something hanging behind the bathroom door in the hotel. So we ran to the car and drove over. Chris asked the lady if the room had been occupied yet and she said no. She gave us a card key, we rushed up there and retrieved the item. The room had been cleaned and all the stuff rearranged in the cupboards. Water had spilled, so I took a paper towel and wiped up any traces that we had been there. Then we returned the key to the desk. I mentioned the bad smell to the desk clerk and said I wanted to sprinkle baking soda on the carpet. She promised to send someone to vacuum it up tomorrow.
We went grocery shopping and I drove. Chris spelled out every move, and I wondered if he thought I could not drive without his help. We stopped at a Latino grocery store for cinnamon sticks, then went to Kroger. We got peppers, onions, garlic and spices.
When we got back, I sprinkled baking soda over all the exposed carpeting. I checked e-mail and listened to a couple of interviews. Chris was on his laptop, too. He ate the remaining beef from last week and cooked up the frozen beef for me, with the onions, peppers and garlic. I called William and he told me about an estate sale they went to. I had to stand close to the window to get good reception, so I watched a spider make a web outside during the call. Then I put away the leftover beef and washed the dishes in the sink.
I made up a batch of the spice mix that I normally use for my breakfast. Then we sat on the bed to watch an episode of SHIELD. I nearly fell asleep. The compulsion was so strong, that I decided it was worth being late on my blog to have a good slumber. But when the TV was off, Chris had other ideas. His ideas got interrupted several times by phone calls from a man who wouldn't say who he was trying to call. I heard Chris speak to him in Spanish and English. After 4 trys, the man gave up.
And then we went to sleep.
* This move was not exactly an improvement over where we were. *

Reading between the lines

Chris' alarm went off at 6. I think I was already awake. But I waited for Chris to get up first. That did not seem to be working, so I did a little tapping and got up. I washed up and got dressed. I packed a few last things in my suitcase. I went to the downstairs fridge and got our food out and put it in a box. I took the watermelon half upstairs to wrap it with plastic wrap. Cecily got up and started unloading the dishwasher. I washed the blueberries and some strawberries and put them in the container Cecily gave me. I put ice in a bag and packed it in an insulated bag that the realty office provided, along with the fruit. I said goodbye to Cecily. Chris packed the car. We said goodbye to Becca. Chris said goodbye to Cecily. Al was still in bed. Then we headed out.
It was just after 7, so we were on schedule. We followed the directions of the WAZE app on Chris' phone. I drank some Burkey water from a Perrier bottle, and I drank a carton of coconut water. I peeled hard boiled eggs for us both, and some little oranges. I read a book for a long time.
Then I needed a restroom. I put in my request early but it was quite some time before Chris found a place to stop. He saw a Zaxby's from the highway and took the exit. As we pulled around and through the back entrance, a young lady in a uniform was sitting there. She told us that the restaurant was not open yet, except by invitation only. They were practicing for their grand opening. Well, we did not have invitations, but she had a pile of them and gave us two; good for a free lunch. Another sheet held a list of the restricted menu they were serving.
So we pulled around front and parked. As we came in, we were greeted by several employees. There were lots of employees standing around. I chose a salad from the list on the paper. Chris went to the counter to order and I went to the ladies room. It was very nice, and very needed. When I came out, Chris had finished ordering. He handed me the register tape and headed to the men's room. I sat at a booth, perusing the register tape. Then a number was called. I reread the tape to see if that number was on there. But then Chris came back and took the tape from me. He went to the counter and came back with a tray of salad and a burger. He said a prayer and we began to eat. People kept coming over to ask how everything was. It was all very good. Chris was only given one cup, so he filled it with water and we both had some. Then I took the unused packets of dressing and returned them to the people at the counter while he cleared the table. I left my napkin there before leaving the store so someone would have something to do.
And then we were on the road again. I started reading, but fell asleep. I am not sure how long I slept. We were whipping around curves in the highway, close to a wall and I was a little concerned. I offered to peel Chris an egg. He asked for some dates as well. Then I finished reading my book, between texts to my sister and brother (mostly about texting). The last page of the book indicated that the story was not over. But I could find no indication of what the following book was named.
Finally we reached Knoxville and found our hotel. I was surprised to see that there was no carpet in the room, and it was cold. I turned down the blower on the AC unit. Chris pulled up nearby restaurants on his WAZE app. I looked up two of them but the menus didn't have what I was looking for. Then I used my laptop to do a search. I found a restaurant called Stock and Barrel that used locally sourced ingredients for their food. That sounded good so I pulled up the map. Chris wasn't thrilled to see that it was in downtown Knoxville.
We were not hungry yet, so we read e-mail on our laptops. Chris had the office chair and I was sitting on the bed. My back complained after while. So I got up and walked around. I told Chris I was ready and he put down his game. I read him the address of the restaurant and he typed it into his phone. We followed it in the car to a parking garage downtown. We went round and round looking for a parking space. We found one on the third floor. Then we walked around till we found the restaurant. It was with other establishments in the center of town. There was a band playing outside and lots and lots of people. The hostess at Stock and Barrel said the wait time was an hour to an hour and a half. We decided that was too long and went back to the car.
On the way back to the hotel, Chris asked me to choose again. I searched with the WAZE app and got a different list of restaurants. I chose an Ethiopian one. Chris was happy with that, so we followed the directions to get there.
It was not far and not busy. But the service was not fast. The lady brought us spiced tea, spiced coffee and ice water. I was having hot flashes so it was welcome. I put a tea bag in the ice water and drank the spiced tea. It seems like we waited a long time for our food. When I ordered the lamb and asked for rice instead of bread, she said ok, but came back later to say they were out of rice. After some time, a man came by to say he found some rice and would that be ok? Ok. When the food came, it was good, but I think the lamb chunks were a little over done. Anyway, we ate every morsel. The lady brought me a fork to eat my dinner, but Chris ate his using the bread, which was soft and more pliable than a pancake. I guess that's how they do it.
I tried to text Kurt a pic, but it did not go through. Eventually we paid and left. We went back to the hotel. We watched one episode of SHIELD, but only one because the download speed made it pause now and then. Chris turned over to go to sleep and I stayed on my laptop to write to my blog. I skipped the pic because it was taking too long to download. Kurt texted me, saying to delete our conversation thread and maybe then I could text him without having to use the phone number links that he sent. I tried turning on the wifi and data settings and then I was able to send him a pic.
I noticed the toilet refilling itself every 20 minutes or so. So I shut the door and turned on the AC unit before I went to bed. I realized that my evening supplements were still in the car. So I brushed my teeth and then swished with mineral drops and decided that was the best I could do.
And then I put on my headphones and went to bed.

Last chance for a sunburn

I woke up hearing someone in the kitchen handling pots and pans. I went back to sleep. I woke up again later. I drank two large glasses of water from the Berkey filter. I started reading e-mail in bed. Chris got ideas, so e-mail took a backseat for awhile. I went back to reading. Later Chris told me Cecily and Becca were going to the beach. I put on my suit and hat and sunglasses. I took a towel and waited on the porch. I swished while I waited. Becca and Cecily soon emerged into the pool area. I went down the outside steps and joined them. I put my Xero shoes on because I saw a man spray the foliage on the other side of the street. We walked over the street to the beach access.
When we got to the beach, Cecily planted her chair and Becca and I spread our towels. We all went into the surf for a bit. Cecily came out first. I came out to dig a little hole in the sand so I could bury the coconut spit.
Becca and I played in the waves for awhile, then came out to warm up in the sun. I laid on my tummy and dug a hole in the sand to find the shell layer, but I never found it. Cecily packed up. She gave me a drink of the ice water she had brought. Then she went back to the house. Becca and I went back to the sea to play. It was a great day to be out. The sun was hot, the waves were cold, the tide was low and the crabs did a pretty good job of avoiding us. Becca was getting red from the sun, so we went back to the house. She showered and went in. I did a couple rounds of hot tub, pool, hot tub, pool for my ankle.
Then I went to my room and took a shower, hanging my towel and suit on the railing to dry. I was out of avocados so I got two eggs and seed crackers and went upstairs to eat. I gave Becca and Cecily and Al a taste of the seeds. Then I read e-mail for a while in my room.
Several hours later, I took my food box upstairs and made two breakfasts: one for today and one for tomorrow. I ate at the table.
Then I went to my room to get the fabric squares. I brought them up to the large dining room table. It was easier to sort them with lots of room. I might have sorted some piles twice, not remembering exactly what I had done in the car. I sorted into lights, darks, unsuitables, and large multiples. Then I sorted the unsuitables into too thin and not too thin. I also put 9 piles of multiples together in a color group. Cecily offered to count them for me. There were 159 squares. At 3.5 inches per square finished, the squares would make a 35 by 56 quilt top. With 5 inch borders, that would be a twin quilt.
Becca came up and the two started discussing supper. It was leftovers night. Chris was asked to join as well. I packed up my squares in careful bundles and put them in our room.
Chris got a phone call from the Housing people saying the house would not be ready by Thursday but we could move in the Monday after. Then he asked me to pack what I could so we could leave first thing in the morning. I went to our room. I selected an outfit for tomorrow. I put the towel and suit from this morning in the dryer. I packed up all the other clothes. I separated the snack food from the breakfast food, but then realized that he wasn't going to pack the food box in the car tonight. I emptied the Berkey water. I pulled out a book for tomorrow and packed the one I read. I drank a carton of bone broth while doing some tapping. I sat down on the bed to write up part of my blog for later. I read e-mail until it was time to slice the tomatoes for supper.
But when I got to the kitchen, Chris had already diced up tomatoes for pico de gallo. I sat at the large granite table in the kitchen, watching Chris and Becca and Cecily put together leftovers for supper. There were more than a dozen things on the menu. And each one had to be heated for a different amount of time. And it all had to be served hot at the same time.
And it pretty much was. We sat down and Chris said the blessing while we held hands. There wasn't much conversation while we ate. It was just that good. Cecily kept remarking to that effect. Me, I just kept eating; a little of this and a little of that.
After the kids were excused, the adults got out pecan pie and ice cream. There was only one piece left from the second pie. I ate the rest of the fruit salad since there was only a sandwich container of it left. I helped bag up the leftovers and put them away while Becca did the dishes. Cecily had an intense pain in her back and couldn't help.
And so, we sat and talked. Finally Cecily went to bed. Later Becca went to bed. The three of us talked about really old times; times only Al can remember. Along about 10pm, we went to bed so we could get up at 6 to get ready for our trip.
I wrote the rest of my blog and then it was lights out.

She's a teenager now

I went to bed at 11, hearing Olivia on her laptop. I woke up at 6:30, hearing Olivia on her laptop. Did she sleep at all?
But I stayed in bed for awhile. I drank two large glasses of Burkey water. I started reading e-mail while swishing. Then Michele skyped me. Sadly I could not see her, just the image of her stuffed lamb. We talked for a bit in place, then I took my laptop upstairs so she could talk to the others. But Cecily told me to take it away, so I brought her (via the laptop) back down to the bedroom. We talked until she had to meet her ride to the airport. During the conversation, I saw Becca and Cecily walk to the beach access. Then it was my turn.
I put on my suit and took a towel and walked to the beach. Cecily watched while Becca and I got our feet wet. The waves were low and the tide was out. It was perfect for swimming, but I did not trust my ankle. So I did not go far. Becca went in further, but then she saw a crab and came out. We sat on the beach for a bit. I buried my feet in the sand. After a while Al came out and helped Cecily carry her chair back to the beach house. Becca went back in to the sea. I felt like I was getting sun burnt so I wrapped my towel around my shoulders. I told Becca I needed to leave, and she came with me back to the house.
I grabbed an egg and avocado from the downstairs fridge. I took them upstairs and put them in a bowl. I ate the food, then rinsed the bowl.
I went to my room. I called William and talked for a bit. I watched part of a video, but it went long and there was no way to tell how long it was going to be, so I paused it. I went upstairs to make breakfast and read my book while I ate.
Then I wrapped some ice in a towel and sat outside with the ice on my ankle. Cecily brought me some hot water and a lobster pot. I soaked my ankle for some time. I used the ice again, then heat, and ice and then heat. I dried off my foot and came inside.
I told Chris I was ready to go to Harris Teeter. He drove me there and we got bone broth and carrots and eggs for the trip. When we got back, I drank most of a package of bone broth. Then I finished reading the book.
I sat and talked with the cooks (Chris, Becca, Cecily) as they made shwarma, rice, cauliflower steaks, chopped veggies, etc. I drizzled the oil on the cauliflower and added salt and pepper before Becca baked it. I also sliced tomatoes for supper.
When it was all ready, we held hands and Chris said a prayer. We commenced eating. The shwarma was very good and so were the cauliflower steaks.
When we finished eating, Becca brought out a pecan pie with a 1 and a 3 on it for Olivia's 13th birthday. Al cut the pie and Chris put ice cream and whipped cream on the plates. Olivia read her cards and opened her present.
Then Becca and the kids went for a walk on the beach. Chris cleaned up. I went down to my room to take my Thursday evening tapping call. It went well. I tapped for frustration and living in limbo for so long.
After the call, I went looking for Chris to see if he wanted to watch some TV. He was playing his game. I went back to our room to start writing my blog. Chris showed up before I finished. We watched two episodes of SHIELD. Then he went to sleep while I finished my blog.

Recovery

I went to bed feeling cold and wondering if it was worth getting up to grab a blanket from another room. I woke up feeling comfortable, and then, about 7, the hot flashes started. Maybe the sun shining in warmed up the room? I drank a tall glass of water. Chris got snuggly. Then I drank a glass of mineral water.
When I got up, I rubbed some coconut oil on my sunburns. I looked out and saw that the pool still had some shade on it. I decided to swish for 20 minutes. While swishing, I checked the e-mail that came in during the night.
When the 20 minutes was up, I spit out the coconut oil and brushed my teeth. I put on my bathing suit and went out to the pool. My ankle was not entirely happy. I fished two tiny frogs out of the pool. Then I got in. But the shade was only underwater. As I did not want to get more sunburn, I swam a lap, then toweled off and went back to my room. I washed up and got dressed. I jotted notes for my blog while swishing with vitamin C. I listened to an audio on menopause. It was really good:
http://kellybroganmd.com/flipping-the-script-on-menopause-dr-christiane-northrup/?utm_source=Kelly+Brogan+MD+Newsletter&utm_campaign=4183ca0a95-Flipping+the+Script+on+Menopause&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d0f977a8c5-4183ca0a95-121772793

I went to the first floor kitchen to get a hardboiled egg and an avocado. I carried them up to the third floor. I sat at the table and ate my breakfast.
Cecily gave me a bag of ice with a towel wrapped around it. I sat with it on my ankle. Then she got a pot of water. Chris put tap water in it and boiled some water on the stove to make it hot enough. I sat outside and soaked my foot in it. Then I went back to the ice for awhile. I watched the cars go by. I watched the planes fly over the beach with banners streaming behind them. Chris brought me more hot water and I soaked my ankle one more time.
Then I asked him to bring me my food box and phone and book. I made my breakfast and ate it. I also had a bowl of fruit salad. I took some pics with my phone and texted with Kurt, although not all of the texts went through. I read my book.
When I noticed that Becca was outside, I went out, too. I sat in the shade, reading the book and talking to Becca. I looked down and saw that the pool was in the shade. I went inside and asked Cecily if she was ready to go to the pool.
I put on my suit and went downstairs. Chris was watching a movie. Cecily came down and we went out to the pool area. William decided to join us. The water was warm, like bath water. He and I swam while Cecily watched. Then Becca came out. But she thought the water was cold, so she sat in a lounge chair.
After a while I decided to go in the hot tub. I couldn't go all the way in because of the sunburn on my chest. Cecily and William went inside. Later, Becca left, too. I went back in the pool for a bit because it was so nice to move around without pain. Then I sat on a lounge chair with just my legs in the sun.
Then it was time to come in. I went to our old room to check e-mail on the laptop.
When I was finished with that, I took my book and sat in a chair on the deck outside our room. I read until Chris came to get me. Then he lifted the Burkey water filter and carried it into the house. I had been sitting there for hours(?) and never noticed it. He placed it in our bathroom.
He said we were leaving for supper in 20 minutes. I took a shower and got dressed. We went in two cars. Becca took her car and I rode with Al and Cecily and Chris. We went about 7 miles north to Mako Mike's, a seafood restaurant. We had reservations so we didn't have to wait. We were seated at a set of tables pushed together. A man came to take our drink order, and then we waited for some time. When the drinks came, he took our dinner order. I ordered the Neptune Crab. The place was busy and we had to wait again. He brought us breads and plates of olive oil and spices in the meantime. But the wait was worth it. The crab was delicious. And Cecily remarked over and over that her grouper was outstanding. She and Al and Becca polished off two bottles of wine. Cecily could not finish her dinner and put the rest in a to-go box. Another box held Olivia's pizza crusts (for Cecily) and a third held all the french fries that did not get eaten plus the corn bread from before the meal. I ate every bite of my crab and veggies.
Then Al paid the bill and we went home. Walking was difficult but not because of my ankle. It must have recovered. Maybe I swam too much? I took my book upstairs to read at the brightly lit kitchen table. Al watched a show about Elvis. Becca and Chris put some fruit salad through the blender with tequila and ice and lime juice. I didn't care for it but they drank it all. Olivia came up for some pecan pie. Cecily had some ice cream and I ate a bowl of fruit salad. She went to bed. Chris and Becca went outside to talk on the porch. I kept reading until Chris came in. We found a few more dishes to go in the washer, and Becca turned it on. Then we all retired to our rooms. Chris put extra blankets on our bed. I took my evening supplements with Burkey water. Then I sat at my laptop to post to my blog before going to bed.
* This is the view from our top deck. *

Shopping on a bad ankle

I am not sure when I woke up. My tongue hurt like I'd been chewing on it. I got up to drink a glass of water and swish with magnesium. Then I went back to bed and tapped for dental stress until I fell asleep.
When I woke up again, it was after 8. I got another glass of water and put minerals and vinegar in it. I drank that, then started swishing with coconut oil while I checked e-mail. I sent William a birthday message on Skype.
Becca wanted to go to the beach, so when my phone call was over, I put on my suit and went down to the pool. She and her son were waiting. We took our towels and walked to the beach.
The waves were rough and there were 'no swimming' signs posted. So we stood in the surf looking for shells and trying to stay upright. It was kind of fun, until a wave hit me wrong and I stretched a tendon in my leg. After a while, we went back to the house.
I got in the hot tub, but could not stay out of the sun. I then went into the pool but it was too sunny as well. So I rested on the one lounge chair that was in the shade.
Then I went up to our old room. I took clothes and the food box and moved it to our new room. Then I washed up and got dressed.
I went upstairs to make breakfast. After I ate it, Cecily and I cut up watermelon, strawberries and blueberries to make a fruit salad for supper. We only used a small portion of the watermelon, so I carried the other half of the watermelon to the fridge on the bottom floor. That's when I noticed shooting pains in my left ankle. So I did not go back up stairs. I sat by the pool, eating my last cucumber and soaking my foot in the salt water. It was late enough that I could sit in the shade. I was a little pink from being out earlier.
Then I went to our old room because that was where my laptop was plugged in. I read e-mail, and drank the rest of the bone broth. Chris asked me if I wanted to go to the store with him. (Cecily had given him a list.) I needed some exercise that did not involve going up and down steps, so I went. Al drove us in his car. We wandered through Food Lion picking out items on the list. I didn't think about bone broth until we checked out. Then I looked at the package of hotdogs and asked Chris if we needed buns, too. So he called back to the house, and yes, buns were wanted as well. So Al and I waited for Chris to come back with the buns. Then we went back.
Chris asked if I wanted to walk to the store tomorrow to get bone broth and I agreed, hoping my ankle would feel better by then.
I watched an episode of TQS, while reading e-mail. I wanted to sit on the porch but it was too noisy. I nearly fell asleep sitting on the bed. Then Al invited me to go to the store for catsup and relish. So I went along, and looked for bone broth. But discovered that Food Lion did not have bone broth.
When we got back, Cecily said I had to go to the kitchen at 6:15 to slice up tomatoes for supper and that I was supposed to eat 4 tomatoes a day. Ha!
I started using MS Paint to erase the background on another quilt.
At 6:15 I went up to slice tomatoes for supper. Chris and Al were grilling pork tenderloin and hotdogs. Becca made mac-n-cheese for William. When the meat was ready, Chris sliced it and we sat at the table for prayers.
Al kept saying what a nice meal it was; pork, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, snap peas, and apple crisp.
We talked long after we finished eating. It got dark. William asked Cecily to go to the pool with him, and she did. I went to the second floor to get my phone to take a picture. The pool was nicely lit, which helped a lot. I sat outside, but not for long. The chairs were not comfortable and there was lightning. I went inside to get on my laptop. It had frozen. I called up the task manager and that seemed to convince the rest of the programs to work again. I finished the quilt picture. Then I tried to e-mail, but could not get a response from the internet even though it said I was connected. I rebooted, but that did not help. I called Chris to ask him to bring in my bathing suit from the railing outside. I also asked him to debut my laptop. He came to the room I was in to look. But he did not know what the problem was. I rebooted again. I started reading a library book. Occasionally I would stop to check the internet, with no luck. Then Al came to Chris and asked if he was connected to the internet. So it wasn't just me.
I had to go to his room to use the bathroom. I asked him if I could use my phone to create a hotspot to post to my blog. And he said 'probably'. I didn't think either of us knew how.
I went back to our old room and started writing my blog. By the time I finished, the internet was back up. Good news for my blog readers.
* Not the greatest pic, but it's all I took today. *

When it rains, it pours

I woke up early because light was coming through the white curtains on our east-facing window. I checked my watch: 6am CST. So the local time was 7am. I tried to go back to sleep. My brain wandered and eventually decided that my phone might be on the table by the pool. Then the rain hit. At first I thought it didn't matter. By the time I could get to it, it would soaked no matter what. But then I just needed to know. So I threw a jacket over my night gown and got an umbrella. I went downstairs and looked out the back window. There was no phone on the table.
I went upstairs to check again. Cecily was up. I told her I couldn't find my phone and she said she couldn't find Al's computer. Then the conversation went other places. Becca came up and later Chris. Chris found my phone in my purse (yes, I looked there). Al came out. Becca turned the TV on so Cecily could watch the weather. We could see that there was a small storm on the east coast – directly over us. Lol. I stood at the window and took pics of the flooding. Soon the kids were up. I went back to my room to check e-mail and swish. Chris took a shower. Then I washed up and got dressed properly. I took my laptop with me to get an egg and an avocado out of the lower refrigerator. I ate it down there while listening to a video on intermittent fasting. I washed the dish and put it back.
I went back to my room, but then heard Olivia and Becca were going to brave the flooding to go to the beach. I put on my suit and went along. I also wore my Xero shoes. They made slogging through the water difficult. But they were good on the sand at the beach. Becca and I stood in the surf, enjoying the waves at knee height. Olivia stayed back because of jellyfish.
After a while, we went back. Olivia and I showered at the beach access to get the sand off. When we got back to the house, the kids got in the pool. I went in the hot tub. It was looking ok, but was too hot. Sadly the control panel did not work well so I could not turn it down. But I did turn on the jets. The sign said the jets would turn off after 20 minutes. So I stayed. Then Olivia got in with me. But the jets did not go off. When I had had enough, we got out and covered the tub. Then we got in the pool and it felt cold. After a bit of swimming, we got out. She laid in the sun to dry and I laid in the shade. When I was kind of dry, I came in and washed off again in the shower.
I made breakfast and ate it upstairs. Cecily was making another shopping list. I could not remember what I wanted. So Chris and Al took the list to the store. Then I remembered kimchi. Cecily had me write it on a piece of paper for the next trip.
She and Becca were watching the cooking channel. I sat down to be social. After an hour or so of that, I went downstairs. I got some seed cracker and a cucumber and ate it by the pool. Then I went back to my room to listen to another interview and drink some bone broth.
While the interview was playing, I played some solitaire through a link from my laptop's interface. Then it disappeared. I jotted some notes for my blog. Then I loaded another quilt pic into MS Paint and painstakingly removed all the background pixels.
Chris came down to let me know the plan for supper, which included waiting until Mike and Kelly showed up or 7:30, whichever came first. I asked if he could call them and see how far away they were. I went back to erasing pixels. Then Chris' phone rang. So I jumped up and carried it upstairs to him. It had stopped ringing so he called the number back. It was Mike saying they could not catch their cat to take it to the vet for safekeeping, so they were not coming. We were very disappointed. But then there was no point in waiting for supper. Al shucked the corn and Chris boiled it. Chris cut up chicken and beef. Cecily heated up tortillas. There were also bowls of tomatoes, cheese, salsa, lettuce, sour cream, etc.
When supper was almost ready, I called the kids and they came right away.
We sat down for supper and Chris said the prayer. Then we ate. Many stories were told at the table, most of which I had heard before. At some point, Cecily went to bed. Then Becca. William came up to get a glass to take his meds. He took it back to his bathroom and it slipped. So Al helped him clean it up and we gave him a plastic one to use.
The party was over. I took my evening supplements. We decided to move into the other king master so that Olivia could have the shared bathroom to herself. Chris went in there to sleep and I stayed in our room to blog, and then join him in the other room.
* The 'canal' in the photo was a dry ditch before the rain. *

Arriving at the beach

I slept fitfully last night. I could hear every person who walked by our door. Many of them were talking. I could also hear revved engines speeding down the main street. The door wouldn't shut tightly and I had to lean my suitcase on it to cut down on the light coming from the parking lot. To top it off, the toilet refilled itself several times each hour. But Chris slept through it all.
I got up before Chris did. I had oiled my hair the night before, and (having forgotten my shampoo), washed the oil out with hand soap in the shower. It was a nice shower with good water pressure. I made breakfast while Chris shaved and took his shower. I ate my breakfast with a plastic spoon while Chris ate his leftovers with the chopsticks I saved from last night. I lent him my spoon when I was done. I also ate some cherries. Then I read some e-mail and packed up.
I shut off the computer and we packed the car. We drove around to the entrance with the front desk. Chris checked out and I told the lady how noisy the room was last night and why. She nodded but did not write anything down.
Then Chris programmed his phone to take us to the beach house. He followed the voice directions for the long trip. Well, not quite as long as yesterday. We stopped to buy drinks. I watched the scenery go by. I slept. I sorted more fabric squares. My flip phone rang. It was William Damour giving us the phone number of the beach house and asking when we expected to arrive. We were about an hour out.
When we got to the house, we parked. Al and Cecily came out to greet us. Cecily sent Al and Chris to the store. She took me all over the house to see the layout and everything. It was three stories, with a pool, across the street from the beach. William and Olivia were in the pool, watched by Becca.
Al and Chris returned from the store with food. The adults sat and talked about dinners for the next week. Cecily came up with two more items. So then Chris and I walked to the Fresh Market that we could see from the kitchen window. While he picked out the coffee she wanted, I looked around the store. I decided to get some avocados. Then we picked up a dozen eggs and checked out.
We walked back to the beach house. We all gathered upstairs in the kitchen, around a large square of granite. At 6, Cecily and Chris and Becca and Olivia made supper. Cecily told me I was in charge of the bin of tomatoes that she brought from her garden. I figured that meant that if anyone wanted a tomato, they had to ask me. But no, she meant that I was in charge of slicing up tomatoes for supper.
Chicken was breaded and baked. A large bowl of spinach made it to the table. Small bowls of onions, and parmesan, and mushrooms sat beside it. Chris set the table. And then we all sat down to pray and eat.
After supper, we sat around talking. But after hearing that it had rained every day here and might rain the rest of the week, I wanted to walk on the beach. Daylight was fading so we had to go right away. Al and Olivia wanted to come along. So the three of us walked across the street to the beach access. When we got to the beach, Olivia and I took off our shoes. I ran through the sand to stand in the surf. It was wonderful! Then we walked along the beach, noting the jellyfish washed up on shore. There were also holes made by sand crabs. We saw several sand castles before we walked back. It was almost dark when we got back.
Al unraveled the hose by the pool and we washed off our feet. I checked the hot tub. The water looked cloudy and smelled funny. I turned some switches by the hose and lights came on, including a colored one in the pool. William and Olivia decided to go for a swim. Cecily and I watched them. Then she and William left. When Olivia was done, I turned off the lights and went inside. I was going to post to my blog, but Chris and Becca were having a heated discussion upstairs in the kitchen. I sat and listened. Then Olivia asked if anyone wanted to sit on her deck. So Becca and Cecily went. Then Cecily wanted Chris to go and identify a sound some night critter was making. I talked to Al for awhile and then checked out what Chris was doing. He said it was a frog sound.
I went to our room to get my evening supplements, but I couldn't find them in the suitcase. I moved the decorative items on the dresser to one side. Then I unpacked my suitcase and food bags. Finally I found my supplements and took them with Smart Water. From the ingredients, it was magnesium that made it smart.
I got dressed for bed and took a book into the bathroom. I got too interested in it and delayed posting. I had to make myself put the book down and get out my laptop. Then I typed up my blog post for the day. Chris came to bed and got on his laptop. I went looking for my phone to download the pics, but could not find it. So I posted what I wrote and went to bed.

Hickory

Even though Chris wanted to be on the road by 7, it was a little after 7 when we got up. Then he got ideas... So we got a late start. I drank a quart of lemon water. I packed the Burkey back in its box. I threw food from the fridge in a box. I ate an egg and an avocado. Chris packed the car while I did last minute things.
And then we were on the road.
The weather was good at first. Chris had his phone plugged into the car and was using the WAYZ app as a GPS. We ran into traffic in Chattanooga and it routed us around, but we still ran into some traffic. Then it rained. We stopped several times at rest areas, or to put gas in the car.
That stop was quite the place, with lots of tourists and little bungalows and a swinging bridge over a river. I told Chris we should spend a day there.
It was a long trip. I watched scenery, I slept, I sorted fabric squares, I ate some of the food we brought (including the breakfast I made last night), and peeled some eggs for Chris. I finished off the cans of coconut water. We talked about retirement. I read a book. I read the car manual. Like I said, it was a long trip.
We got to Hickory about 5pm local time. We stopped at the hotel where we had reservations. The inside was huge and lined with marble. We had to ask directions to find the front desk. There was an expensive-looking restaurant across from the front desk. Chris checked us in and we were assigned a room on the outside away from the front street.
Instead of going to our room, we used the phone app to find a place to eat. It even directed us there, though we missed it the turn and had to go way around. A u-turn would have been much shorter.
Anyway, the restaurant had an Asian-sounding name. We were directed to a table and given a large plastic menu. While Chris used the restroom, I took a pic of the fish tank. I ordered the yellowfin ceviche and octopus on rice. The ceviche came with fried egg noodles, which I gave to Chris. He had an appetizer of pork egg rolls and fried tofu with rice. His meal was so-so but I really liked the ceviche.
After eating, we went back to the hotel. We checked into our room and brought in the food boxes and my suitcase and our laptops. The room was quite a disappointment. Very dated and not luxurious (or sound-proofed). The toilet refilled itself several times an hour.
Chris tried to hook my laptop to the TV, but the remote did not have the options for HDMI, so we read e-mail for over an hour. At 8 local time, my tapping buddy called. We had a very productive session. I didn't count the number of times the toilet refilled while we were talking, but it seemed like a lot.
After the call, I opened Netflix on my laptop. We sat in bed together and watched several episodes of Agents of SHIELD. Then he went to sleep while I stayed up to post to my blog.