Halloween happenings

I checked e-mail and drank a quart of water. With a gasp, I remembered the recyclables and ran around trying to get them out as soon as possible, not knowing if the truck was coming early or late. It has done both.
I cut up the brownie into 24 pieces and wrapped eight each on three plates. I put them in a bag to take to sewing. I put on my walking shoes, and went to sewing.
When I walked in, I showed off the pumpkin wallhanging. I put the plates of brownies in the church kitchen. The table in there was covered in treats.
Then I sat with the Beverlys and cut fleece strips for crocheting. Beverly showed off her skeleton wall hanging and got lots of nice comments. She was working on the binding. We worked and talked until everyone was gone. We turned out the lights and went to the parking lot. We stowed our stuff in our cars and went for a walk around the neighborhood behind the church.
It took just over half an hour so I figure we went a mile.
When I left the church, I went to the Asian store for kimbap. I was able to buy a rewriteable CD there, which was very convenient.
When I got home, I re-hung the pumpkin on the front door.
I checked e-mail. I made up more breakfast spice mix. I tested all the finger lights again and weeded out the weaker ones in case someone asked for an extra. I made up 12 days worth of supplements.
Chris came home about 4:15. He changed his clothes and then we took a load of stuff to the thrift shop. When we got back, I turned on the porch light. I went back to trying to order a probiotic from Swansons. As kids knocked on the door or tried to ring the bell, I opened the door and presented them with a choice of finger lights as a treat.
I read e-mail, and finished choosing a probiotic and placed my order. I cracked open a black walnut that I picked up on our walk through the neighborhood this afternoon. I picked it apart with Grandma's nut picks. Then I made a salad. While I was making the salad, Chris answered the door.
After eating, I peeled a package of tumeric with a spoon. Sadly some of it was rotten and I had to throw that away. The rest I sliced thinly and put in a tea pot to steep. I washed all the dishes in the sink. I wrote a check to put in the mail tomorrow.
Then I tried to burn the songs I had downloaded to the blank CD I'd bought earlier. It seemed so simple, yet afterward the computer said my files were waiting to be burned. So Chris took a look at it and there were files on the CD. But we put it in the CD player and no sound came out. So Chris burned the files again using different software I guess. Then he put the CD in the DVD player and music came out.
I turned off the porch light since it was after 8:30. Then we sat down to watch another episode of Miss Marple. These episodes from season 2 are so well done. Quite in contrast to The A-Team, which are formulaic with simplistic dialogue. Chris looked up some of the actors online. Then he went to bed.
I stayed up to post to my blog, having written much of it during the day. I turned off the simmering turmeric And I went to bed.
* This is Beverly's wall hanging. *

Facing the pumpkin

I got up at 8. I read e-mail and drank water. I read about using lemon peels on your heels to soften them. So I got a squeezed lemon half from the fridge and put them inside my socks. When I checked my heels later, no change.
I made and ate breakfast, then got dressed. After a few last minute things, I drove to sewing group. As the ladies ate lunch, I handsewed binding on the pumpkin. I continued while they either left or did their own sewing in the afternoon. Laurie told us stories of her mother.
I finished the pumpkin and there was no point it taking out my sewing machine. When Laurie finished her last store, I decided to go home.
When I got there, I checked the house mail. I got a Halloween card from MaryAnn. I ate kimchi, a can of soup and a sweet potato for lunch. I listened to a podcast on sporebiotics. Then I did the Day 1 meditation from Oprah and Deepak. Finally, I took a walk around the circle for a little sun and exercise.
When I got back, I rolled up a piece of newspaper for a rod. I stuck it in the triangles on the back of the wallhanging. I hung it on the door. Then I cut some black shapes and sprayed them with temporary adhesive. I stuck them on the pumpkin as a face and took it's picture.
I searched high and low in boxes for blank CD's. I found the cookbook Chris wanted for making brownies. I unpacked clothing and dishware. Chris made brownies and cooked chick peas.
I ate fruit for supper: pomegranate, banana, and figs. I watched a tapping video for seasonal affective disorder.
I made a mug of hot bone broth and we watched two episodes of The A-Team, and then it was 11pm. So one of those episodes must have been extra long. I fell asleep more than once during second one. Then I posted to my blog and went to bed.
* This is Bertha's quilt *

500th anniversary of the Reformation

We got up before 8. I drank lemon water and started a long tapping video. I paused it at 8:30 to get ready for church. I wanted to be out by nine, and we were close. We took the parkway and got there in 18 minutes.
Chris dropped me off at the door so I could start practicing with the quartet, but one lady wasn't there yet so the choir as a whole practiced their pieces. Then the quartet practiced in a back room.
It was a nice and long service. Most people were wearing red. We sang lots of verses of A Mighty Fortress during and after the service. There were three music pieces at the anthem spot. And we sang at the end, a piece written and composed by Martin Luther. Apparently writing easily sung music was not one of his 95 theses.
Then we went to lunch in the fellowship hall. Jennifer sat by me and we talked about her new diet. She asked about what was on my plate, figuring I knew what to avoid.
After lunch, Chris and I went to the budget meeting. It was poorly attended. We learned that the church is operating at a large deficit. So they will take from the capital fund this year but it will wipe out the fund. So what can be done for next year? Ed said the projection for our location is that at some point 1 in 3 people living nearby will be over 65.
We went to Publix for groceries and then went home. We put the food away. I ate a pomegranate and finished the tapping audio. I read e-mail until 3:30. Then I took the banana oatmeal cookies and a paper plate to church.
The lot was almost full. I dropped the cookies off at the kitchen. The sanctuary was pretty full as well. Jennifer and Kurt were handing out bulletins. Kurt said we needed to get more people coming through our doors. I hoped some of the people who came for the organ concert would come back for Sunday service and eventually become members.
I talked to Cecelia, who I would have given a CD to if I had known she was coming. She said her husband was doing better. Then I sat in my usual seat.
At 4pm the pastor welcomed the community and thanked the organists who were about to play. Then the four organists played for about 15 minutes each. The music was so nice, and the organ so high-tech. I closed my eyes and just sank into it. At the end, everyone stood and sang a verse of A Mighty Fortress. It was so good to hear a churchful of people singing that it brought a tear to my eye.
Afterward, we all went to the fellowship hall for treats. Someone brought fresh fruit and veggies so I had some of that and one of my cookies. I talked to Donna and Cecelia, then went home. It was quite cold.
I read e-mail for awhile and then started watching some quilting videos. I heated a bowl of the remainder of the fish soup. Then I made a salad and added raw garlic.
I watched a few more quilting videos. I typed up the events of the day. I made a mug of bone broth and ginger tea. Then we watched an episode of Miss Marple. I nearly fell asleep trying to figure it all out. Chris went to bed and I woke myself up to blog.
* I didn't take any pics today so here is one from the quilt show *

Downloading from Youtube

I don't remember when we got up. I drank a quart of water with vinegar. Michele called Chris and they played the dinosaur game until 11.
I auditioned orange fabrics for borders and binding. I tried a nice fall leaf border, but the pumpkin overpowered it. So I had to go with a stronger, more modern orange. I added black borders to the pumpkin. I made and ate breakfast while checking e-mail. I found a box of CD's in the garage. I looked through them to find the songs Cecelia had requested. I only found three.
I put on the orange border and selected a piece of fabric for the backing. Then I found a box of batting in the garage. I sandwiched the pumpkin block and quilted it. I pinned corners to the back and sewed on the binding. I pinned about half of the binding and quit.
I heated a bowl of fish soup. I looked up how to record Youtube audios to CD. I had go through several videos to find one I understood. I never realized there was free software to capture a video and make an mp3 from it. Then I used the desktop computer to get the songs that Cecelia asked for. There were so many arrangements to choose from.
I ate the soup and finished the list. Then Chris had supper ready. So I ate the grilled cauliflower. Michele called back and they continued the game.
I tried to write the songs to a disc, but the computer did not like any of the dics I tried. Finally I called Cecelia to see if she had one. She said her husband was back in the hospital. She suggested I ask Ed at church tomorrow.
When Chris and Michele wrapped up their game for today, Chris and I dressed the bed. He put three comforters on his side of the bed, each one folded in half (not to mention the blanket and the sheet). I had a hot flash just looking at the pile on the bed.
We watched two episodes of The A-Team. Then Chris looked up some of the actresses. I took my evening supplements. I wrote up my blog and hoped to get to sleep soon. Tomorrow is an early day for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

Making faces

I woke early again. I stayed in bed listening to BWE on my tablet for an hour. I got up at 8 to make a quart of lemon water. While listening to an audio from the matrix summit, I finished trimming the pumpkin squares and sewed them all together. I played around with leftover pieces, trying to make a face for it.
The next audio on matrix talked about going into the past to see one's younger self at a turning point and reassure him/her that everything is going to work out. So I went into the past to see my younger self. I was telling her the future would be brighter, and she said if I knew the future why not tell her the lottery numbers. She was too young to buy a ticket anyway.
I finished the exercise from the audio, then made and ate breakfast. It was quarter after 11 and I thought I just had time to make cookies. So I peeled two bananas and sliced them into a bowl. I put two cups of oatmeal into the blender and turned them into powder. Then I mixed it with the bananas with my hands. I put in some cocoa powder and vanilla extract. I dropped it by spoonfuls onto parchment paper and the cookies went into the oven. I cleaned up while they baked. Then I took them out and left them to cool on the stove top, which was pretty hot. Then I washed up and got dressed.

I packed a few cookies for the massage therapist, and a bottle of water for me. I expected a quick trip, but traffic was really bad on the parkway. I had time to explore the options on the turn signal bar. I found where the car will tell me how many more miles it can go on the current tank of gas.
I texted the therapist from the parkway. When I got there, she said she was running late as well. I gave her the cookies.
During the next hour, she really worked on my stomach muscles and whatever else is under them. She also did the muscles in my neck. Then she left while I got dressed and I met her in her office to pay and set up the next appointment.
I drove home. It was too early for Chris. I hadn't intended but found myself moving stacks of fabric around in the sewing room, trying to get all the colors in order.
It was after 5 when I heard Chris come home. I checked the house mail, and washed my footies which had been soaking since sometime this morning. I heated a bowl of soup in the toaster oven, made a big salad with raw garlic, and read e-mail. I listened to a half hour long audio.
At 8 I made a mug of hot broth. After drinking it, I moved a few more piles of fabric in the sewing room. Then we watched an episode of Miss Marple. Chris looked up some of the actors. Then it was time to go to bed.

Progress on the pumpkin

I knew Stitch-Its had been canceled, so I woke up realizing I didn't have to go anywhere today. I stayed in bed listening to BWE after Chris went to work. Everyday this week I have woken early, so I must be sleeping better. I attribute it to the vinegar I put in my drinking water. I think it improves my digestion so I sleep better.
I worked on the pumpkin project while drinking lemon water and listening to the day 8 interviews from the Broken Brain summit. I was very tempted to buy it to hear the parts that had to be edited, but will I ever have time to hear them?
I ran a tub of cold water, only it came out lukewarm. So I worked on the pumpkin for some time thinking the water would cool. I had to unsew several times because I sewed the pairs of pieces along the wrong edge.
I sat in the detox bath for 15 minutes, while Dan Folgelberg sang the same song, over and over. Then I did some jumping jacks and such to warm up. I made breakfast, refilling three containers. I put ingredients in the bread machine, then ate my breakfast while reading an article on spearmint: it enhances memory and focus from the very first dose.
It was sunny out, so I took a walk around the circle, which isn't very circular or even elliptical.
I moved stuff around in the storage area to make more space for boxes that are invading our living space. I found some old letters and cards and envelops with quilt show remarks in them. It was a trip down memory lane.
Enjoying the sunshine, I sat out in the back yard to read my book. Chris came home from work just at the 5pm bugle call sounded.
I read e-mail and the response time from the computer was very slow. So I restarted it. The Restart button now includes updates, whether you want them or not. While I waited, I trimmed pumpkin blocks.
Then I heated a bowl of fish soup and made an arugula salad. I listened to an audio as I ate. I paused it to get ready for my tapping buddy. She called at 7. We tapped for an hour and a half. Then Chris and I watched a movie from Netflix called Transcendence. We were tired so we went to bed.
* This is the mandala labyrinth from the yurt garden. *

A meditative place in the woods

I woke up before Chris left. After he went, I put on headphones and chose the Holosync track. But that isn't what played. It was something with three voices talking to me at once. After it was over, I got up for coffee morning.
I got started before 8 and since I did not turn on the router, it went pretty fast. I finished up around 10:30 and started cleaning. Then I turned on the router so I could listen to another Broken Brain interview while I made and ate breakfast.
But there wasn't enough time. So I paused the audio and left my breakfast on the counter. I got dressed and drove over to the massage place. 12 minutes was a record for me. Gabriele was there with her daughter. I got in her car, and she drove us a long way over Cecil Ashburn to a place on Horse Cove Road. It was called The Yurt Garden.
The owner does massages and other energy work in a yurt. Gabriele and I walked around outside while her daughter got a treatment. We walked the mandala labyrinth. We saw inside the cabin, which was small and cute (and rentable!). There were small ponds, gardens, and statuary. We checked out the veggies growing by the barn.

When the treatment was over, Gabby told her we'd like to hear the singing bowls. So we went inside the yurt and the lady played one for me. Then she played a bigger one. It vibrated a lot. She said it was singing to my third chakra, which carried some meaning.
When we left the garden, we went back to Huntsville and then to Whole Foods. Gabby and her daughter got some sushi for lunch. Since I had never been there before, we looked around. It was impressive, but I did not buy anything.
After going through the checkout, we climbed back in her car and she drove us to Oakwood University, which is where Garden Cove went. We looked at his vegetables, and fruits and spices. He is rebuilding his business after being bankrupted by dishonest employees.
On the way back, we dropped off her daughter at her house. Back at the massage place, she had another client scheduled. So I went home. On the way I missed my exit. I took the next exit but the lane did not go through and I ended up circling back to Airport Road. Went I got home, Chris was not there. I checked the house mail. When I got inside, there was a note from maintenance that they had installed the new fridge shelf. I finished eating breakfast and listening to the audio. Chris came home. I made and ate a salad. Then I took a shower and got dressed. I sewed a few squares of the pumpkin project.
Then I went to choir, arriving a little early. I handed a bag of flax meal to Jennifer and some large empty plastic pots to Cecelia. She gave me a list of music she would like on CD to take to her husband at the retirement home.
First, four of us ladies practiced a Call to Worship for Sunday. Then the choir practiced several pieces of music, including a kind of postlude where we have to stand in front of the church. Then we practiced music for November. We ended the practice with the postlude and A Mighty Fortress. Jennifer asked us all to bring treats for after the organ recital Sunday afternoon. Pastor took me aside to ask if I would consider being the head of Stewardship starting in January. Then Jennifer showed me some batik clothing she had just gotten. The skirt was too big in the waist and she asked me how to make it smaller. I had to explain it several times and I think she wanted me to do it, but I felt over-committed at the moment. Then we had to rush out. I needed to get back to the post before the gate closed at 9.
And I made it. Chris was on his laptop. I ate some grilled veggies and kimbap. I made a mug of hot bone broth and we watched one episode of The A-Team. Then Chris turned on the heat at my request. He went to bed and I stayed up to post to my blog.
* Near the yurt is a little cabin with a small living room/kitchen and a bedroom upstairs. The deck has a small hottub. It is out in the woods with no cell service. The perfect place to relax. *

The Avengers

I woke up before Chris left for work. When he was gone, I put on my headphones and played some brain wave entrainment. I got up at 7:48. I drank a lot of lemon water and checked e-mail. I listened to a presentation from the Broken Brain summit as I cut orange squares for sewing away from home.
At 10 I went to sewing. I cut all the blocks I had brought in half and in half again, but at an angle. When all the squares were cut, I crocheted fleece strips. Everyone packed up and left except Beverly. So I packed up and my phone rang. It was my brother. We talked for awhile. After the call, Beverly and I talked. Then we went to the Asian market for kimbap. I also got bananas. They did not have everything I wanted so we went across the street to the Walmart Neighborhood store. I found goat milk, organic soup and organic vinegar, but no fat tipped markers.
She took me back to the church and I got in my car and went for gas. It was pretty low and I was able to get 9 gallons in.
Then I drove home. I put away the organic milk. I ate the kimbap with the last of the kimchi, having just bought a new container. And I ate a banana while listening to one interview from Matrix Reimprinting summit. During the second interview, I worked on the pumpkin: I cut black strips, which were then cut into blocks, which were then cut into quadrilaterals with opposing right angles. I arranged them on the cutting table to make a pumpkin. But it wasn't looking right, so I pulled up a pic on my laptop and enlarged it. I set the laptop on the cutting table and recreated the top half of the pumpkin. I made a few changes so it would be rounder.
Chris called to say he'd be home soon. I put beans on the stove to cook. I checked the house mail. Chris came home, and changed clothes. …. We fell asleep for a bit.
He got up for supper. I put a bowl of fish soup in the toaster oven, and made a big salad, topped with hummus and raw garlic. I took the soup from the oven and sat at my laptop. I saw a message from Myra asking if now was a good time to talk. So I called her on the number she provided. We started talking. Chris put something in the microwave and I couldn't hear her so I went in another room. Then Michele called him and they were talking loudly so I sat on our bed with the door closed so I could hear Myra. We caught up on each others news. It was 8 when we hung up.
I finished my soup and salad. Chris paused his game with Michele. Then we watched two episodes of The Avengers, a TV series from the 1960's. Not what I was expecting from the name. Then I sat down to write up my blog post and go to bed.

What's one more project?

I got up around 8. I drank water and checked e-mail. I listened to two matrix reimprinting interviews. The second one had really interesting stories. I made and ate breakfast. I put away most of the items in the dish drainer. I still haven't decided where everything goes.
I looked for little things to take to quilting for the fidget blankets. I found a bit of lace, some ribbon and a bag of buttons. I went through the buttons looking for the biggest ones that were one of a kind. A part of me wanted to sort all of them but I had to stop myself or it would have taken even longer.
It was after 12 when I left for sewing. I put my box on the rolling cart and wheeled it to the church. Carolyn was just coming out and we had a long conversation. When she left, I went inside. There were only three people. I set up my machine. I was going to work on the pumpkin project but I discovered that my template was too small. I chatted with Bertha as she showed off her quilts and her Santa made of embroidered stabilizer.
One by one they left. Dinah handed me a bag that Mary Ann left for me. It was an unfinished project. So I stayed to finish sewing the borders on the scrap patch quilt that I brought. I laid it out and one of the borders was ruffly, so I took part of it off and snugged it up a little and sewed it back on. It figures that I get one project done and another comes my way.
I packed up and drove down the parkway to Cecelia's house. I made a wrong turn and that made me late. I helped her set up new Word files to write some articles. Then we visited. She said next time I could show her how to surf the internet.
I drove home, counting my miles so as not to go over 300 before stopping for gas.
Chris was not home. I brought in my sewing machine. I finished the last few bites of breakfast. I drank some water. Chris came home. I checked the home mail. I put a bowl of fish soup in the toaster oven to heat. Then I made a large salad.
As I listened to the next interview from Broken Brain, I played solitaire. When the soup was hot, I ate that. Later I had some frozen blueberries. When the interview was over, I saw that the next one had been posted, but I'd had enough for one day.
I called Dad to catch up and say we'd see him around Thanksgiving. Then Chris and I watched two episodes of something called Vexxed. The humor was a bit irreverent for my taste. Hopefully the library will be open tomorrow so we can get something good on DVD.
Chris looked up the main actress, told me she'd been in The 10th Kingdom, made his sandwich and went to bed. I stayed up to post to my blog and then I went to bed.

A productive day

I got up around 8, after setting an intention for a productive day. I checked e-mail and started listening to an interview while drinking lemon water. I pause it at 9:25 to take a shower and get dressed. Then I cut some fabric squares for the pumpkin project.
When I realized it was 10, I grabbed my purse and jumped in the car. I drove to church, just in time for choir practice. It did not go well, but the performance did. Our pastor was back so it was very nice. He has a good voice.
After the service, I talked to Shannon. It was good to see her again, but she is moving to DC with her husband. I talked to Cecelia. She wants me to come over tomorrow and show her how to use Microsoft Word. Jennifer talked to me at length about her Bright Line diet. She asked for a couple of recipes.
I went home, changed clothes and ate breakfast. Then we went to the grocery store. They did not have organic soup this time. And we checked out without bananas, so I stayed with the cart while Chris went back for a bunch.
When we got home, we put the food away. Chris boiled eggs for his daily breakfasts.
I looked up papaya seedlings to see what they looked like. I have something coming up in pots out back. But a small stem with two rounded leaves – could be anything.
I found the recipes and sent them to Jennifer. I listened to several audios. One was on Autism and gut health. I finished transcribing a Vimeo video that I have been meaning to do since last spring. I was able to close that window and hopefully improve my browser speed.
I coaxed the desktop computer into making a form for Pat to use for signing books out. I looked up recipes for hot flash spray. I added some clary sage oil to my spray bottle, along with lavender and witch hazel.
Chris roasted cabbage and peppers and sweet potatoes in the oven for supper. He also helped me download and install an update to Adobe Flash.
I read e-mail. One was from our quilt group looking for fabric and trims to make fidget blankets for Alzheimer's patients.
I opened lots of boxes looking for my big box of scrap trims, which would be perfect for fidget quilts. Instead, I found more quilting fabric and moved it to my sewing room.
I went through a suitcase full of clothing. I put some of it in another suitcase that we are keeping, and made a pile for donation. But the socks were not good enough to donate. So I went online to look up what to do with old clothing. Lots of people suggested making rugs or stuffing pillows, but I just don't have the time to cut all my worn out stuff into strips and make rugs I don't want or need.
I made a mug of hot bone broth. When Chris was ready, we watched the last episode of Miss Marple. Then he looked up some of the actors while I finished my blog post for the day.
* Another of my favorites from the quilt show. *

Parade of Homes

I woke up around 8 but went back to bed. Later we both got up. I drank a quart of lemon water and checked e-mail. I vacuumed nodules from the washing machine. I washed up, and got dressed. I ate some coconut oil.
I selected fabrics for the pumpkin project. I had a pile of orange yardage, when it occurred to me that scraps would do just fine. So I went searching through the scraps to find the blacks, oranges and greens that I needed.
All of a sudden I checked my watch. It was 10am. I realized I was supposed to meet Rebecca at 10. So I quickly called her to say I would be late. She did not answer so I left a message. Then I headed out. I was there in 10 minutes. She seemed to be just pulling in. I locked my car and went to greet her. She wanted to go inside Sports Authority to get a drink. So we did. She also got a power bar. We got in her car and she handed me a list of the homes on parade and directions to get there. On the way, she tasted the power bar and it was terrible.
I read her the directions to the first one. They were all new construction so were surrounded by empty lots or partial construction. She pulled into the driveway and her car scraped in the front and again in the back. She tried the front door but no one answered. Then she very slowly drove out of the driveway, and the car did not scrape. She said it was a very bad driveway. She looked up the Parade of Homes on her phone and read something about it not starting until 1.
So we followed a sign for a yard sale and did not find it. We drove to the second house and it was open. So we went in. It was quite nice, apart from the small 2nd and 3rd bedrooms. Upstairs was a large bonus room with its own wall AC unit. It also had a garage, but no driveway.
For some reason, we went to the house next door. I rang the bell and no one answered. But the door was unlocked so we walked through the empty house. The layout was good and the bedrooms were bigger. There was more space upstairs, rather more than two people would need.
I don't remember now the exact chain of houses. One was very expensive and up on the mountain. Huge amounts of room and very ornate, but for half a million, you'd expect that. Nice deck.
We also looked at houses not on the list, but identified by signage. We did find one yard sale. But there wasn't much left. The last house we looked at was over $600,00. It did not look as good as the one on the mountain. All along the way, we had a marvelous time remarking on the outward appearance of houses we passed.
Then she took me back to Sports Authority to pick up my car. We went our separate ways. When I got home, Chris was on his laptop. I was hungry so I made and ate breakfast, and then a pomegranate. It takes a long time to get all the ariels out. Chris wanted to go to the library, so I left the peelings in the bowl. I watered the flowers on my way out. Then we took his car to the library. They had closed half an hour before. He put the DVD's in the book drop and we came home. I wanted to go for a walk, so we went around the neighborhood in such a manner as to rack up 1.6 miles, according to Chris' app.
Then we both went back to reading e-mail. I reached a point where I stopped to heat up a bowl of fish soup. The bones were kind of soft and I ate some of them, but threw the rest in the trash. Then I made a salad to use of the rest of the salad greens and sprouts.

I looked up twister rulers. I saw an article on how to make your own twister ruler, and then another on how to cut without the ruler – and without wasting any fabric. I did the math, and decided the starting squares needed to be 4 ¾ inches. I tried to write it down, but the pen wouldn't write. It was full of ink. So I googled how to make a pen write. I read all the suggestions and tried shaking it down like a thermometer. It did not work, nor did tapping it against the table. I got distracted by my to-do list. I automatically grabbed the pen to strike a completed task and … it worked! Well now.
I cleaned spilled flax seed from a drawer in the kitchen. I vacuumed out the dryer, which had nodules of rubber backing from an old bathroom rug. Since the rug never went in the dryer, the nodules must have been from towels washed at the same time.
I was at my cutting table, taping a paper guide to my 6-inch ruler when Chris was ready to watch TV. We watched one episode of Miss Marple. Then he looked up several of the actors to see what else they'd been in. I typed up my blog, and took my evening supplements.

The cyst will not be missed

I got up about 8:30. I drank 6 cups of lemon water. I listened to an interview as I removed the grease floating on top of water Chris put in a dirty baking dish. I didn't want the oil going down the drain. I also did some stretching. I read e-mail, too. I realized my cyst was gone. I thought really hard about yesterday and decided it must have burst when I landed on my hand and bent it back too far.
I got hungry for soup, so I put a package of organic mushroom and lentil soup in a pot and added a package of organic frozen veggies. It was so good that I ate the whole thing.
I opened up the two finger lights that didn't work and tested the batteries. One had perfectly good batteries, so I traded out the light bulbs and got it working. Then I made seed crackers.
I laid down for a short while, then got up to wash up for my massage. I drove over there and arrived bit early, so I re-read part of my library book. Then I went inside, but she was still with a previous client. So I sat and waited. When it was my turn, she asked if I hurt anywhere and I said no, and that my cyst was gone. Although I was worried it would come back, she thought that didn't matter and it was great news.
After the massage, we made plans to visit the Yurt Garden next week. Then I drove home. I stopped at the library to return my book and check out another one. When I got home, Chris was already there.
I sat outside in the sun and read until it got cold. I put away the seed crackers. Then I came in and checked e-mail. I made and ate breakfast and listened to an audio. I made a salad for the next audio. Chris played a dinosaur game with Michele remotely. I did some unpacking and rearranged the sewing furniture in the living room. I was able to completely unfold my cutting table. I paperfolded a parabola on a sheet of packing paper.
Then we sat down to watch episodes of The A-Team. I looked up some of the actors from the last episode. Then I typed up my blog post and went to bed.
* A pic from the quilt show. *

Checking the lights

I got up at 7:30 with plans to draw a parabola. But instead, I drank lemon water while auditioning and cutting fabric for border strips for the scrap patch quilt top. About 9, I turned on the router so I could check e-mail while consuming my daily portion of coconut oil, which was now solid due to the fairly rapid change in the weather. I did not feel like eating breakfast, so I ate a can of organic soup instead.
I wasn't sure I had enough to keep me busy at sewing, so I came up with a plan for the red/blue quilt and cut strips for that, folding them carefully inside the top. I added it to my sewing box.
I tried out my new EMF meter. It has four modes so I tried each one, walking around the house and concentrating on the places we spend the most time: dining room, kitchen, living room and bedroom. The hot spots were the modem/router, HVAC unit (not running), microwave (not in use), and my laptop (open and running). I did not check Chris' laptop.
Around noon I loaded my machine and drove down Bob Wallace to Stitch-Its. It was lightly attended. I set up my machine, but went to talk to Pat. I took a pic of the form she needed. Then I talked to Julie. She went on at length. When we finally packed up, all I had done was sew two strips together.
When I got home, I checked the house mail: nothing. I made and ate breakfast, and listened to part of an audio. I paused it to mow the grass in the back yard. Then I turned it back on again.
But soon Chris came home, so I paused it again. He told me he noticed the fingerlights glowing this morning in the dark. He boiled cinnamon to cover the smell of fish in the house, and also broiled cabbage for supper. I took the box of fingerlights into the bathroom (no windows so very dark) and pulled out the ones that were glowing. I turned them off. Then I got an empty box. I tested each one and put the ones that still worked in the box. Only two would not turn on. But a number of them were dim. I guess they'd been on since they were mailed last week.
I sat at my laptop and looked at images of twisted block pumpkins because I wanted to make one for our door. At 7 my tapping buddy called. We tapped together for just over an hour. Then I found some space in the cabinet to put away some mugs and cups. That was interesting because we tapped on decluttering with no place to put the stuff.
I mad a mug of hot bone broth (from powder). Then we watched an episode of Miss Marple. It was quite good. Chris looked up the episode on IMDB. I typed up my blog and we both went to bed.
* This was at the quilt show. I would like to make one that is a little less ambitious. *

Fridge is fixed

I got up at quarter of 9. It was coffee morning, so I fiddled with the desktop computer to get some meditation music. I opened the blinds to let the sun in. Then I heated water and did exercises, meditation and tapping. Then I cleaned the bathrooms and kitchen counter tops. I filled out the online guild form. I ironed the coffee pot lid so it would fit better in the coffee pot. I vacuumed the bedroom floor. I blended up kefir grains with chunks from an aloe plant. It tasted ok. Then I ran hot water from the shower filter to start an Epsom salt bath.
Just then, two men knocked on the door. They were here to fix the fridge. I let them in to work. I washed a large red tub in the other bathroom, waiting for the tub to fill up. Then I soaked in the bath with kosher salt and Epsom salt and Himalayan salt. It left grit in the bottom of the tub. After a nice soak, I took a cold shower and got dressed. Then men were just finishing up. They said the drainage line had been blocked but they were sure this time that it wasn't blocked anymore. One also said that he checked on the missing shelf. For whatever reason, the company had no record of a shelf on order, but now they do and it should be here in 3 to 5 days.
After they left, I made and ate breakfast. I started listening to a replay. It went long and there was no way to pause it or to skip ahead. So I played another audio at the same time, keeping an ear out for the tapping part that was promised. Chris came home with boxes from post office. I opened the packages. There were finger lights to hand out on Halloween.
I got really mad about the replay that was wasting my time. Chris asked for more bread
so I started a loaf. He started supper. I heard the tapping part come up finally and I tapped along. Then I hung a picture and a mirror. I also chose a suitcase for donation. I wanted to pick more, but Chris said we needed to keep six suitcases.
I put on long pants and went to choir practice, arriving 10 minutes early to practice a trio for Sunday a week.
When I got home, the place smelled like fish. Chris had made fish soup and roasted veggies. I ate some of each. Then I put the rest of the veggies away. He put the soup away. I made a cup of hot bone broth to drink with my supplements. Then we sat in the living room and watched one episode of The A-Team. Chris went to bed and I stayed up to blog.
* A nice fall quilt from the show. *

Almost recycled money

I woke up at 7 and tried to get one more round of sleep, but it did not work and I got up at 8. I smelled something odd and walked around the house looking for the source. It was a split milk jug. The cap was on, but since the bottom was split, the residue inside was getting air and spoiling. Today is recycling day so I rinsed it and gathered all the recyclables into bags. In doing so, I came across a piece of mail from Nielsen. There were 2 dollar bills and a survey. They promised to send another $5 if I filled it out and sent it back. After taking the bags to the curb, I filled out the survey.
I drank a quart of lemon water while deleting the first round of e-mail and then listening to a tapping audio. I made and ate breakfast. Then I got ready for the Tuesday group.
Since they just bring handwork, I grabbed my crocheting bag. I arrived before 10. I sat with Beverly and crocheted fleece strips. It was mostly a social gathering so I mostly listened.
We packed up about 11:30. Then I got in Beverly's car and we went to the Asian market for kimbap. Then we went to my house to pick up my machine. While we were there, I noted the curdled smell. I looked around but did not see any traces of milk. Beverly agreed to see my collection of quilts, which I was happy to show off.
Then we put my machine in her car and she drove us to S&R, which services sewing machines and vacuums. I showed them where the bobbin plate was missing. Then we walked around the store while the man checked his inventory of used parts. Before long he had one that fit. Kind of like in Go Fish, I got what I wanted so I asked again. This time for a spool cover. He had that too. So for about $5, my machine got everything it needed.
There was a thrift store nearby that was the only one we had never been to. So we looked through it. I did not see anything I needed, but was a little tempted. Still, we left empty handed. She took me back to the church and we went our separate ways.
When I got home, I had lunch, and too many figs. I checked the modern quilt guild's website for the new charity block but there wasn't one. I worked in the back yard, clipping and filling low spots with clippings. I mopped the kitchen floor in case there were traces of milk. I put the bathroom trash in the kitchen trash bag for tomorrow. I made up 12 days worth of supplements, and took today's dose.
Chris came home. I finished Nielsen survey with his choice of radio station and put it in it's envelop to be mailed back. I checked the house mail, and found our new driver's licenses. Chris discovered that the curdled smell was from the towels we used to wipe up the milk, which were sitting the the washer. I threw in some rugs and he ran the washer. I read some last minuted e-mail, and then left for a meeting of the modern quilt guild. The traffic was dense but I managed to make it just in time.
A lady from the Athens guild sat next to me and we had a nice chat. The president got the meeting started and soon the co-president was there with a handout of the agenda. It was impressive. The meeting went quite well. Afterward, I asked to join. They only charged me for two months: November and December. The lady from Athens and I checked out the round robin fabric sets and we each chose one to take for a month and add something creative, like a border or a row or a block etc.
I went home and found Chris playing the dinosaur game with Michele. I had a bite to eat and read e-mail. About 8:30 they concluded their game and we looked for The Penitant Man on Netflix (because my brother suggested it). But we didn't find it, so we watched an episode of Miss Marple instead. Chris looked up a couple of actors, and then went to bed. I took my evening supplements and posted to my blog.
* The quilt show had an exhibit of doll beds, many of them as handmade as the quilts on them. *

Sewing and visiting

.

It got cold last night, with the windows open, and I kept waking up and trying to get closer to Chris. But at some point, he left and I woke up alone.
It was almost 9am. I drank lemon water and read e-mail. I made and ate breakfast. I did a salt cleanse on the house, saying blessings with each sprinkle. I also shook a string of bells, which is supposed to be good, too.
I threw the red/blue project in the sewing box with the machine. The QOV project was in there, too so I figured I didn't need the scrap block project. I forgot that all my notions (scissors, pins, etc, )were in that same bag.
When I got to the church, some ladies were sitting down to lunch and others had gone out for lunch. I set up my machine and realized I didn't have my rotary cutter. I borrowed one from the closet. I made more blue quarter-square triangle blocks. Ladies left and others came. But in the end, it was just Rebecca and me. I gave her the chocolate from Friday. She invited me to the Parade of Homes next weekend. We both finished around 3pm and packed up. I had thought briefly about going to Publix for goat milk, but the line of traffic going that way convinced me to just head home.
When I got home from sewing, I had a bite to eat, then went out back to trim grass by the fence and back wall of the house. I clipped all the dead flower heads from the mums, hoping they would set new buds. I had another bite to eat.
Then I drove to Portia's house. I admired her garden, with a mixture of veggies and flowers. She had an electric wire around it to protect it from the deer. She showed me her back deck which was really nice. Then she showed me the room her mother had occupied in her last years. She had several piles of clothes to give away, and she left me alone there to try what I liked. There were a few pants and tops that fit me and were in colors I could wear. We spoke for a few minutes and I thanked her.
I backed out of her driveway, which was difficult because the back-up camera in the car is not good at night and the car is constructed so you can't see out the back very well. I used the side mirror.
Just as I got back to base, my phone rang. I could not answer it until I got to the house. Chris was home and said he did not call me. I checked the number and it looked like it was from overseas. I looked at Facebook, and Myra had messaged me that she was going to call. So I called her on Facebook, but she did not answer.
I made a cup of hot bone broth and read e-mail. Chris made horchada to drink. Then we watched two episodes of The A-Team. Chris went to bed, leaving me up to post to my blog.
* One of my favorites from the quilt show. *

Pictures and posers

I got up around 9. Chris was already at his laptop. I sat at mine and drank water while reading e-mail. Anna texted that she thought Chris had received a job offer. Chris said he didn't know anything about it so I relayed that. But later he told me that his access to his navy e-mail account had been canceled, so if someone tried to contact him that way, he would never know.
All of a sudden it was 9:40 and I had to stop. I washed up and got dressed for church. Chris helped me search the house for my church shoes. Finally I found them where they were supposed to be. I just couldn't see them because they were in a bag.
I jumped in my car and drove to church. The choir was already amassing up front. I stood with them and we practiced for 10-15 minutes. Then I got a bulletin and talked to several people before church started. Bob was filling in for Pastor Keith. He gave the announcements, then started the service. Except for one piece, the service music would have been acceptable to Chris. The choir number went well. The sermon was on the mission statement of some Lutheran conference.
After the service, I talked to Cecelia. I also got a hug from Tamara. Then I went home. I changed clothes, them made and ate breakfast. I put Epsom salts in the watering can and filled it with water. I gave it to the mums, hoping it was what they needed.
Chris and Michele played the dinosaur game again. I read e-mail for a bit, then put on the red top I wore the last time we had pictures taken for the church directory. Chris wore the same color suit. At 3:30 I called time. We arrived at the church by 4, but they were running late. We met a couple that goes to the 8:30 service and had a nice chat. Then it was their turn. We waited some more until it was our turn to be photographed. The photographer was very complimentary. He took a number of poses, both together and separately. Then he took us to another room to view the shots and pick one for the directory. The pose that matched the one last time was not suitable (he said) because it was vertical not horizontal. He offered to take it over again, but that would have delayed everyone after us. So we just picked another pose. I didn't like any of them. I thought he wasn't a good poser. So we did not buy any pics either.
From the church, we went to Publix for groceries. It was raining by then. We got our food and took it home, unloading in the rain. We put it away, then had supper. I listened to a few audios, and one on tapping. Chris and Michele resumed the dinosaur game just before 8. So we did not get to watch TV until after 9. I spent part of the time picking fabric strips to take for a project tomorrow. Then I began typing up my blog for later.
We watched two episodes of The A-Team. Then Chris made his sandwich and went to bed. I added the last bit to my blog, posted it, and went to bed also.
* This is the quilt I chose for Viewer's Choice Award at the quilt show. *

Quilt Show 2017

When I got up this morning, I leaked and could not stop it. That worried me because it could be a sign of a spinal problem. I took a shower and got dressed. I wrote my blog post for yesterday, and posted it. Chris left to meet with a friend.
I read e-mail, and drank a quart of water. I made breakfast, and ate it. I talked to Pat, hoping she had advance tickets for the quilt show, but she said I had to buy them at the last meeting. Then I called Beverly to make arrangements to meet. I put on my shoes and drove to the thrift shop on Pratt. I shopped to pass the time, and bought a shirt for $1. I put it in the trunk and played the recorder for a minute. Then I saw Beverly's car. I locked mine and got in with her. We went to the Von Braun Center, and drove all around looking for free parking. We had to park several blocks away. We walked through Big Spring Park to get to the quilt show. The park was really lovely, so were the fish.
At the VBC we, paid our admission. I bought two raffle tickets. We filled them out and did the door prize tickets as well. I kept running into people I knew. I took lots of pictures and finally chose one for Viewer's Choice award. We met a man who might have the bobbin cover I need at his sewing shop.
Then we left, walking back through the beautiful park. Beverly drove the route for the Liz Hurley walk on Saturday. But the 7am start time was too early for me. Then she took me past the thrift shop to see where the sewing shop was. I remembered it then.
She dropped me off at the thrift shop and I drove home.
Chris was already there, had the laundry going. I had a bite to eat and caught up on e-mail. I took pics of the sewing machine that needed the bobbin cover. I made a mug of hot bone broth. Then I started sewing blocks for the red/blue project. It was after 8 when we started watching Life On Mars. We finished that episode and the last one. Then we watched the writer's comments and realized this was the end of it.
I took a second to jot a few notes for my blog.
* I thought my brother would enjoy this quilt. *

In a class by myself

I don't know when I got up, but it was 8 when I looked at my watch while brushing my teeth. I had already done a few things which I can't remember now. I turned on the router and checked e-mail. I drank lemon water and sipped coconut oil. I fixed the bubblewrap over the long narrow window by the front door. I unwrapped what I thought was a picture to hang in the dining room, to discover that it was a mirror. So I got a bigger nail and hung it on the only remaining wall in the dining room. I also prepared some Command strips on each side of the window.
I opened the package with my new EMF meter, but I could not figure out how to use it and time was short.
I tried to get a few chocolates out of the freezer trays but it was hard and most broke up. I put three in a bag for Rebecca, along with her pad of paper that I inadvertently stole while we were looking at open houses.
I packed up my thrift machine and stuck it in the trunk with some projects.
I drove down University and crossed over to Oakwood. When I got to the parking lot for the strip mall where Huntsville SewnVac is located, the entrance was roped off and the lot was being resurfaced. Yikes! A little further was another entrance, but it was roped off, too. When I got to the third one, it was open, but I could not drive across the lot. So I parked in front of Roses and used my rolling cart to carry my machine and projects to the classroom. It had its own door so I did not have to go through the shop and be tempted by all the fabric. But the lights were off and no one was in there. A lady came to ask if I needed help. When I explained, she said I must be the first one and turned on the lights. I called Rebecca, the lady who had sent out the e-mail announcing that Celebration Quilters were meeting today, but she did not answer. So I set up and sewed. I got the light-dark patch project done (except for borders which I didn't have. Sure, I could use my own fabric, but Linus Project has plenty and will gladly give me whatever it takes to make them a quilt top.)
Then I worked on the red-blue Linus top. I sewed strips to the top and right side of each square. But then I needed to square them up and did not have a ruler big enough. Beverly was getting ready to come, so I called her and said I had finished and was going home. On the way to the car, Rebecca called. She said she had come early and saw the lot roped off so she texted everyone not to come this month. She did not have my phone number (before I texted her “Where is everyone?”!!), and apologized over and over. I asked her if she were going to the quilt show, and she said she had just come from there. After the call, I loaded my stuff in the car and drove home.
When I got home, I made and ate breakfast while reading e-mail. There were lots of interviews to listen to and some of them were streaming, such that I could not pause them. So I ate. Then I stuck the curtain hooks to the Command strips and hung a burgundy swag.
It was sunny out, so I went outside barefoot with tools and trimmed the shared side of the yard. I could have done more, but I wanted to have a reason to come out in the sun again tomorrow.
Soon after I finished, Chris came home. I resumed listening. I snacked off and on since there wasn't much I could do while listening. I took my laptop in to the living room while I sewed, but after awhile the battery ran down.
The presentation I remember the best was from a doctor who studies the link between cancer and fungus. He said most cancers respond to anti-fungal medications. His approach was FUPO – fungus until proven otherwise. He talked about the rampant aflatoxins in our food supply.
While listening, I trimmed the red/blue blocks to 14.25, I sewed them together, then cut and sewed long border strips to the top. I spent some time deciding what to add to the top and bottom so the quilt top would be longer than it is wide. Having reached a decision, I cut a strip of squares from the dark blue and the blue polka dot. I made half square triangle pairs, then sewed in the opposite direction for quarter square triangles. Two were messed up because I had three squares together instead of two.
At 8 I prepared some hot bone broth. Chris made himself some horchada. As we watched several episodes of Life On Mars, I had more than enough time to pick out all the stitches on the two messed up blocks. Then we went to bed.

Almost finished the list

I got up about 8:15.

I thought the flies were gone but as it turned out, they were just not awake yet. I adjusted the curtain we put up yesterday to cover the trace amount of light coming in above and on both sides.
I took a look at the list of tasks I made yesterday ad checked off as many as I could: I added some trace mineral drops to my cocoa toothpaste. I used a pitchfork to move the piles of dead grass to fill in a low point in the back yard. I felt like Farmer Fern.
I boiled some water to pour over a small batch of nuts (to eat tomorrow). Then I refilled some small containers of mixed root powders. I made breakfast and used some of the goat milk kefir.
I had just finished breakfast when my tapping buddy called at 11:20. We tapped for an hour and a half and we both felt better.
I washed my feet and put flats on. I called Cecelia to see if she wanted me to visit tomorrow, but her husband was in the hospital and would go to a nursing home after that.
At 1:40 I went to my massage. While waiting for her, I looked around the shop for the hot flash spray that Jennifer told me about. There was only one and it wasn't a mixture of peppermint and lavender oil in water. When the sales lady offered help, I told her and she said that one was discontinued. But she told me how to make my own with witch hazel and peppermint oil in a spray bottle.
Then Gabriele came in the door. We went in her little room and discussed what I needed massaged today. I told her about the little pain in my back. She left and I undressed and got under the sheet. When she came back, she pressed up and down my spine. Her guess was a subluxation. She concentrated most of her efforts on my legs and feet. When it was over, I got dressed and met her in her office. I paid her and we set a time for next week.
On the way home, I stopped at the post office to check our mail and came away with two packages. I got home just after Chris did. He had a package for me from the house mail. It was a mixer part that Myra mailed because Jotham gave it to her to give to me.
I texted her and Kelly thank you notes. I checked e-mail and mowed the remainder of the backyard. I watched a video on an exercise for dumping nitric oxide. Then I listened to an interview on strategies for people who are electrically sensitive.
I made and ate a salad. Then I unpacked some boxes in the garage, hoping to find the Command hooks from our living room in Korea, but no such luck. I found a hammer and nails for hanging pictures. I found printer paper. I also found clothes that really ought to be hanging up. So I hung them up.
I made hummus in the Nutribullet. It went fairly well except for the smell of something burning at the end. But the mixture did not seem too thick for the blades. So I don't know what was going on.
I made a mug of hot bone broth and we sat down to watch two episodes of Life On Mars. Then Chris looked up a character that looked familiar and went to bed. I stayed up to blog, but it didn't take long because I had sketched it out before watching TV.
* Here is another pic from Little River Canyon. *

Exciting night at choir

I got up about 8. I read e-mail and swished. I drank a quart of lemon water and killed a few flies. Then I boiled water for my coffee morning.
After a lot of tapping, and meditative music, I ran hot water from the shower filter for a detox bath. I used Epsom salts and baking soda. After half an hour, I took a cold shower and got dressed.
I searched for botulism and coconut milk because the can of milk I added to the ferment yesterday was dented and it smelled different today. I could not find any link. So I contacted Swansons by chat. The lady said it was fine, that they referred to the dents as cosmetic damage.
I also looked up using a glass of salt water for removing negative energy from a room. Apparently lots of people do it, but are not specific about how much to put in.
As I made breakfast, I caught a few flies, wondering where they all came from. I took the thermal blanket off the bed, and stitched the edges to stop them from fraying.
I saw it was sunny out, so I mowed most of the back lawn. The motor slowed down, so I got the power cord from the garage and plugged the battery in to recharge.
I trimmed the rest of the squares from the red and blue Linus project.
Chris came home from work. We decided not to move furniture in front of the bedroom windows to cut out the light because then we could not open and close the windows. So I cut strips from some leftover fabric for a rod pocket. I sewed the rod pocket to some blackout fabric, and threaded it onto a rod. Chris helped me hang it,in the bedroom.
I ate some meat and kimchi for supper. I left for choir just before 6:30. That gave me time to stop at the ATM for cash on the way. I still arrived a little early.
The director asked if I ever played a recorder, then handed me one and we tried a duet. Then she told me to take it home and practice.
As she was starting the group practice, she adjusted her stand and a big spider crawled out. She wouldn't squish it, so the men came up to look at it. She wouldn't let them squish it either so one man scooped it up and took it outside. Then practice continued.
It ended late and I got on the road for home. When I arrived, Chris was on his laptop. I made a cup of hot bone broth.
It was almost 9 till Chris was ready. So we only watched one episode of The A-Team.
Then he made his sandwich for tomorrow and I wrote up my blog so I could go to bed.
* I didn't take any pics today so here is one from the NASA tour showing the river path of the barge. *

Rainy Tuesday

I got up before 8. I squeezed a whole lemon into a quart of water and drank some. Then I got dressed and took out the recyclables. I turned on the router and drank more water while checking e-mail. I showered and dressed. I picked up my bag of fleece strips and headed to the car. It looked like rain.
I went to sewing at the church on Jordan. Jane told me about some quilts she was working on. Then I sat near Jodi as she sewed yo-yo flowers to her quilt. The rain hit hard. I cut 1 inch wide strips from the fleece remnants for crocheting later. We chatted. All the ladies eventually left but those at our table. Beverly and I stayed hoping the rain would let up. But by noon it hadn't. I invited her to my house. So we got in my car and I took her through the gate to our house. The house was a mess but she was able to see past all that. We had a nice visit. Finally the rain slaked off quite a bit.
She had to work so I took her back to the church. We stopped at the Asian market to get kimbap for both of us on the way. I dropped her at her car. Then instead of going straight home, I stopped at the post office to check our box. There was one envelop but no packages. Then I came home.
I checked e-mail briefly, and had a bite to eat. Then I put on an interview while I folded laundry. I ironed some of my shorts that came out of the wash wrinkly. A slip came out with one strap loose. I took it to my sewing machine to re-attach. Chris came home while I was putting my clothes away. He changed his.
I laid down on my heating pad because of a strange pain in the middle of my back. It felt bruised although I could not imagine what could bruise it without impacting my spine. I took a book with me and at some point fell asleep. When I woke up, I went back to reading the book. It was hard to read lying on my back.
Finally I put the book down and got up. I checked e-mail and saw that there was a stewardship meeting tonight, but it had already started.
I unstacked the dishwasher and restacked it. I washed the counter tops so the flies had nothing to eat. I made a mug of hot bone broth to drink as I checked e-mail one more time. I started typing up my blog.
Then Chris started an episode of the A-Team. It was not exactly a shining example of dialogue and acting, but we like it. After two episodes, we called it quits. I finished up my blog post and Chris made his lunch for tomorrow. Then we went to bed.
* Here is a pic from Saturday. *

The end of our 27th anniversary weekend

Chris woke me up at 8 to go to breakfast since they pack it up at 9. I washed up and got dressed. We went down to breakfast. There were no scrambled eggs today. Instead they had egg white veggie omlettes. I had two. Then we went back to the room. I took my supplements and read e-mail. Then I started packing. When I was done, Chris packed. Then we put our luggage in the car and checked out.
We drove to the Visitor's Center at the park to fill our water bottles with filtered water. We checked the park map and chose a path: Beaver Pond Trail. Chris drove there and parked in the little lot. But it was muddy and my flats got dirty even as I went to the back seat to get my walking shoes. We hit the trail and in several places had to walk around flooded areas. There was a bit of an over look, but it was underwhelming to say the least. We walked back and around. We crossed a bridge over a fast running stream. I took a video. Then we found our way back to the car. Chris' app said we walked a mile and a half. I wiped my shoes off in the grass and Chris pulled the car over to where I was so I wouldn't track mud in his car.
On our way through town, we stopped at Hammers. I wanted to see if they had fabric and they did have some. I did not intend to buy any, but there was this yellow one.... As we got back in the car, the police were closing off the street. We could not tell why. We took a side street and went around back, much to the dismay of the GPS lady who kept telling us to take a left. Then we stopped on the other side of the overpass to get gas. It was $2.25. We pulled up to the last open pump, and it turned out to be out of service. So we waited. Other people were parking their cars in front of the pumps and going inside to shop or whatever. So we waited and waited... until finally someone pulled away and we could get in, fill up, and be on our way.
Some time around 1 we got to Jordan Road. We had to pull off to get my purse out of the trunk so I could show my ID at the Arsenal gate. In a few minutes we were home.
Chris gathered the laundry and put the whites in the washer. I unpacked stuff from the car, and started a loaf of bread.
Then we went to the grocery store for the weekly stuff. We put the food away. I ate the rest of the remaining salad to make room in the fridge for the new stuff. I moved white laundry to dryer and put dark laundry in washer. I added some pieces of fabric, including the yellow one I bought at Hammers.
Chris set up the desktop computer and peripherals.
I placed an order with Amazon. I'd had it on my computer for several days in case I thought of anything else to add. Also I wasn't sure the connection at the hotel was secure, but now that we were home, it was ok to go ahead with the order.
I listened to several audios while ironing my newly-washed fabrics dry. There was a fly in the kitchen. Finally Chris killed it. And then there were more. Each time he killed one, another one or two came along. I put a piece of painter's tape over the hole in the screen door.
I printed several recipes on paper that I reclaimed from recycling. Chris roasted beef in the oven and we had it for supper. I searched my sewing room for fabrics to go with a red and blue project. None of them complemented the project. But there happened to be a large blue polka dot that was ok with all the blocks. So I set up a cutting mat and found some rulers. I cut a bunch of three inch strips. Then I started squaring up the blocks to see what the smallest one would be.
I got through 4 blocks before Chris was ready to watch TV. So I sat beside him to see two episodes of Life on Mars. Then we dressed the bed and he retired for the evening. I stayed up to post to my blog, thinking tomorrow ought to be Monday.

Rainy Day

We woke up around 7. I wasn't ready to eat, but breakfast starts early and they run out of fruit. So we got dressed and went to the lobby. I had the same scrambled eggs and fruit. After eating, Chris filled his coffee cup and we went back to the room.
Mostly we read e-mail all day because of the rainnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn. I listened to several presentations from the cancer summit and worked math puzzles all the while. I also read my book. At one point I told Chris we might as well go home since we were doing exactly what we'd be doing at home.
Late in the afternoon, Chris mentioned two restaurants that he had seen online which got good reviews. I could not decide so I left it up to him. On the way, I found out that he chose Don Chico's. It was a very hole-in-the-wall Mexican place run by Hondurans. I asked for low-carb and they made me a guacamole salad with chunks of steak. I ate it with the salsa intended for the chips. It was very very good.
Afterward, I asked if we could go to the United Grocery Outlet. We could see it across the street. Chris drove us over there. We went up to the door only to discover that it was closing in 2 minutes. The door would not open, so we went back to the car and to the hotel. The salad wasn't large, so I snacked on sunflower seeds. Then we watched Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them on TV while eating oranges salvaged from breakfast. Then we watched several episodes of Big Bang Theory. The commercials got really annoying. All the ads for medicines seemed to be saying take our pill and your symptom will be gone, (replaced by worse stuff).
Then we surfed channels until we came across the most recent Jurassic Park movie. At 10:30 I took a break to write up my blog post for the day. There wasn't much to say. I posted my blog, not knowing if we were going to finish the movie or just go to bed.

Hiking and barbeque

After writing up my blog post last night, it took an hour or more to actually post it. I don't know why it was so slow. Plus it would not post without saving first and the 'save' kept failing. Somehow I got it to go through without the picture. Then I tried to go back and add it, but with no luck. It was almost midnight when we went to bed.
I woke up and wasn't sure if the light seeping below the curtain was daylight or light from the parking lot. I tried to go back to sleep and might have dozed lightly. Eventually nature got me out of bed. I discovered that it was indeed daylight at 7:15. We got dressed and went to the lobby for breakfast. I had scrambled eggs and an apple and a banana. The TV was playing news from Huntsville. When we got back to the room, I had a cup of hot tea and took my supplements. Chris told me he had changed which network he was signed into. When I did that, the internet got a lot faster. I posted a pic to my blog post. We read our e-mail while checking the overcast sky for signs of rain.
A little after 9 we got ready to leave. Chris packed his backpack. We got as far as the lobby when I realized I wasn't wearing my rugged shoes. So we went back to the room to get them. Then we got in the car and went to the visitor's center again. They were in the middle of hosting a half-marathon. The parking lot was slap full so we parked around back. We used the restrooms and filled our water bottles from the filtered water dispenser.

We asked about the trails and we were given instructions for one across the back parking lot. So we walked past the car and found an unmarked trail. But it was the right one. We walked through the woods for awhile, then it turned into a series of bridges, and then up along the roadway. There was another parking lot with bathrooms. We took a descending trail that took us to the river. We roamed among the rocks and found a place to sit where I could dangle my feet in the water. It was very cold so I was not going to swim in it. I would have walked around in the water, but the rocks were slippery. As I sat, three little fish came out to see my legs. It was like they were waiting for something. After a while, I noticed a snake holding his head above water by a rock 4 yards away. I alerted Chris so he could take a pic, but the snake went under the rock.
Over the course of an hour, the snake came out several times to breathe. I explored the rocks closer to the bridge. On my way back, I saw a man with a big camera and asked him if he'd seen the snake. I pointed to where Chris was waiting. So he and the man had a conversation while waiting for the next breather.
Eventually I got bored. Chris let me wipe my wet feet on his jeans so I could put my shoes on. Then we went back to the parking lot and took a different trail which lead to a view of the falls. The guide there told us about two trails that led into the canyon, one was a quarter mile long and one was ¾ miles long. He did not recommend the steeper one.
But Chris wanted to do the steeper one. So we went there first. I said go ahead and I'll see you when you get back. But he insisted I take a look at it before refusing to go. So we went a bit and then I said no, I didn't think I could get back up it. He would not go without me, so we went back to the car.
We drove to the less steep trail. As we climbed down the rocks, it seemed kind of steep to me. But then we came to a graveled road. So maybe that was a short cut. The gravel road was hard to navigate due to the loose gravel and all the acorns. Kind of like walking on marbles. It was easier to walk backward. It was slow going no matter what. My legs hurt when we got to the bottom. Then the path flattened out and led to the river. It was covered in rocks of varying sizes, most of which were stable, but some were not. I went slowly so as not to twist an ankle. Chris went on ahead and climbed a big rock. He laid down on it. I was too tired to climb, so I sat among the smaller rocks. The water was kind of slimy so I did not put my feet in. I sat for awhile until I realized that I was slowly being surrounded by spiders. I drew the line at three and moved away. I picked my way back to the path, intending to call Chris and tell him where I had gone. But there was no cell signal. My ankles protested against going all the way back to him, so I cupped my hands and shouted. Eventually he heard me over the roar of the rushing water and climbed back to the path.
I found a walking stick and slowly started up the path/road. I had to rest often. I did not want to push myself so hard that I would regret it the next day. We followed the gravel trail farther than we had taken it, which was less steep than the way we had initially come. When we got back to the car, Chris' app said we had walked a mile.

When we left the trail, we followed the GPS in town to a barbeque place. But it was closed. So we went back to one we had passed on the way – Sally's Smokin Butt Barbeque. It was definitely a down home place. We ordered from a menu at the register. I got the beef brisket, highly recommended by another customer. Chris got pulled pork. We sat outside at a table, listening to three men talking over their meal. Then a lady brought our meals out. Our entrees had the wrong sides, so we traded meats. I ate the baked beans and chipotle slaw. Chris had the fried potatoes and chipotle slaw. The men had been telling me how it was the best brisket they had ever had. So when it came, they asked several times how I liked it. Well, it was good, but a little dry. However, the sauce was excellent and covered up the dryness.
Then we went back to the hotel. Chris stopped in the lobby to get a cup of coffee. When we got to the room, I made some tea. I snacked on sunflower seeds and dried apricots. I checked my e-mail.
After listening to the last Future Mapping episode, I laid down and meditated with the included paraliminal, and fell asleep. When I woke up, I turned on the TV and scanned through the channels until I found something called Wisdom of the Crowd – another high-tech murder mystery kind of thing. Chris came and watched it with me. Then we saw a CSI derivative. After that, we watched Ancient Aliens on the History channel. The second episode of that involved humans mating with aliens or demons and that was not something I wanted to see before I went to bed. So he turned the TV off.
We relaxed in companionable silence for awhile and then he went to sleep. So I got up to post to my blog, hoping for a much easier time than last night.

Little River Canyon National Preserve

We stayed in bed late. Chris got up, but I still didn't. When I did, he came back to bed and we began our anniversary weekend. We read e-mail. I drank water, added some Swedish bitters, then made and ate breakfast. I listened to part 5 of Future Mapping. Then I stepped away from my computer and got dressed. I packed a small suitcase, and a food box. (I did not pack any breakfasts). I filled several water bottles with Berkey water while Chris took care of the mums outside. Then we both packed up our laptops and carried our stuff to his car.
We had almost gotten to the first traffic light when I realized I had forgotten my vitamin C. So we went back home and I just grabbed my evening supplement box. Then we stopped at the library to return some books and a DVD. I checked out another book. From there we went to the post office. I ran in to check our box and it was empty.
Chris had programmed his phone as a GPS so he followed it for several hours. We talked along the way. When we got close to Little River Park, I had to follow the diagram on the phone to make sure we did not miss any turns in town. Soon we arrived at the visitor's center. First we used the restroom, then we spoke to the lady at the desk. She suggested we view the movie about the state park. So we went into the theater and she started the film. It was a promo piece, but not too long. Afterward, the lady gave us a map of the outlook spots along the canyon. She also mentioned some restaurants in the area. We decided to save walking down into the canyon for tomorrow. We headed south along the canyon, stopping to take photos. My phone ran out of power so Chris let me use his camera. Some of the lookouts had trails and we did some light walking.
When we finished the last one, Chris programmed a restaurant into the GPS and off we went, into town. When we got there, it was a little underwhelming. The walls were painted in shades of gray with brown leafless trees. Even though we were the only people there, our food took awhile and she never brought his coffee. We paid and went across the street to a coffee shop. Chris was hoping for an ice cream sunday but all they had was plain ice cream. He got the coffee and we headed for the hotel.
Following the phone, we found the Holiday Inns and Suites. Chris checked in and we hauled our stuff to the second floor. I plugged in my laptop and Chris hooked up my phone to charge. He got on his laptop and I started reading my book. I read for hours. Michele called Chris on skype and they conversed. I chimed in occasionally.
Around 9:30 I put the book down having read more than half. I made a cup of bone broth and drank some water with my evening supplements.
Then I tried to read e-mail, but the laptop was impossibly slow. I tried to access e-mail on my phone through the data connection, but was unable to get through. Finally I rebooted my laptop and it seemed to work better. When it started to slow down again, I left it swirling and wrote my blog post. I will probably go to bed after posting this.
* A quilt at the visitor's center *

Nasa at Redstone

I got up at 8. I brushed my teeth with chocolate. I checked e-mail. I put some cacao butter in a double boiler on the stove and looked for the recipe on my laptop. But I could not find it. So I had to turn to the internet to choose another one. When it melted, I added coconut butter and cacao. I wanted to add vanilla but it seems we never bought one since we got here. I also put in honey. I poured it in chocolate molds and made quite a mess. I put most of them in the freezer to harden. The last one got left out because it was silicon and I had nothing to support it with to pick it up.
Then I played an audio on Future Mapping while I strained the kefir grains out of a jar of fermented milk. It had been in the fridge quite some time and I was afraid it might be spoiled. I put the grains in a clean jar and covered them with goat milk. I tasted the first jar and decided it was ok. I drank the whole thing. I was afraid of hot flashes, but they did not start immediately.

Chris was going to pick me up about 11:15. So I got dressed for the restaurant and started unpacking boxes. I was unpacking a box of fabric packets when the door bell rang. It was the maintenance man with two guys from the glass company to fix the windows. I told him the switch in my sewing room wasn't working. But he checked the bulb and it was burnt out. He replaced it while the guys got to work on the windows in the bedroom. Chris arrived to pick me up for lunch. So we told the man to lock up when they left, and then we left.
We went to a restaurant just outside the check point of Gate 9. Each person in the group had to order ahead of time, so we were directed to pay and then be seated. Then our meals were brought out by the staff. I had the salmon with carrots, potatoes, corn and zucchini. A lot of vegetables but mostly starchy ones. Chris asked about the corn and I let him have it.
After lunch we boarded a bus. A NASA guy gave a talk on what we were going to see. Then we went to a building where three rocket engines were on display in the front yard. We remained on the bus while our guide talked about the engines: one was designed to fall into the ocean, another burns up in the atmosphere and the third one was supposed to be reusable. But apparently now it is cheaper to 3-D print disposable ones.
Then we went to a building where we got an in-depth presentation of the recycling of oxygen and water on the space station. We also got to see the facility for friction welding.
From there, we went to see the stand where the fuel tank for the next rocket will be stress-tested next spring. The cylinder will be brought by barge to Redstone and driven to the test site.

Finally we went to a training facility for the Houston control center people. Upstairs was a replica of the Houston control center and below it was a replica of a corridor of the space station. Actual astronauts use the facility in Houston. The replica was constructed by talented high school students in a kind of work-study program called HUNCH - High school students United with Nasa to Construct Hardware. But they don't just build hardware; culinary students had a contest to create spicy dishes for use in space.
I had to use the restroom and the tour guide took me. It was a long, convoluted path with multiple doors requiring special authorization. She said it was the easiest one to get to. I feel sorry for the people who work there.
Our time ran out and we were herded to the bus. They gave us handouts and drove us back to the restaurant. The org-day leader thanked us for coming and had a few announcements. Then we walked to our car and went back on post.
We used the normal route to get to the post office. But it was slow because of the road work. Chris was driving, so I ran in to check our box. There was a package from Swanson. I got back in the car and we went out gate 10 and in gate 8 to avoid the road work on post. But we still got hung up at the traffic light for some reason.
When we got home, I checked e-mail and had a bite of kimchi. I jotted notes for my blog before I forgot what I had heard.
I called Consumer Cellular to find out why I cannot send or receive pictures. They put me on a call back list. While waiting, I took the chance to move furniture around. I took the top two shelves off the set in the living room and put them in the guest room. I put each sewing machine on the second shelf and made sure it worked. Then I moved them out of the way. I switched the position of two chairs and then Chris helped me move the rest. He got my cutting table from the garage. I set it up. I cleared the nearby desk and went to wipe it. I found myself back in front of the computer. I cleared a few more e-mails. I made a large salad. Consumer Cellular called me back. It turns out that I did not have my data turned on. She also put us on a lower data plan since we used so little, saving us $30 a month.
I went back to eating my salad, and my Skype rang. It was my tapping buddy. I had totally forgotten for the moment. So we tapped together for over an hour.
After we hung up, I finished my salad. I made a cup of bone broth. Then we watched two episodes of Life on Mars. I drank a quart of water in that time. I started having a hot flash and used the spray Jennifer had given me. It stopped it. Then Chris went to bed. I finished the blog post I had started writing earlier. And I went to bed, too.