Enjoying my flowers

I heard my alarm ring while I was doing visualizations. But I stayed in bed to finish, getting off topic several times and having to restart. I don't know when I got out of bed.
I scraped the night growth off of my tongue. I gazed softly at the vase of flowers to try to see their aura. I gave it at least 5 minutes but only saw what looked like double vision.
I drank some water, then brushed my teeth and swished the toothpaste while sewing a strip to the block. I also worked on Jane's blocks, adding sashing. I took a break to drink more water and to swish with sesame oil. Then I continued sewing until both rows were done. I cut and ironed a strip for row sashing, then put it aside in case I needed something for Sewing Saturday.
I turned on the router and read e-mail. I emptied the dishwasher. I put the moringa stems in a glass of water. I finished my lemon water and ate a fat bomb. I read an article on the effectiveness of ayahuasca and psilocybin and LSD for depression. It seemed the mystical experience they provide is what makes the difference. So one dose was all that was needed.
I made and ate breakfast while listening to epic movie background music (to raise dopamine) and interviews. I also ate 10 pickled garlic cloves. It seems like a lot, but the doctor wants me to eat 20 a day. I took Carol Tuttle's quiz on stuck energy and watched the videos to see her clearing techniques. I took notes on my computer. I ate my handful of soaked nuts and started soaking another handful for tomorrow. I listened to a podcast that mentioned inhalational Alzheimers; caused by the presence of mold or toxins in the air. I added more milk to the jar of kefir. I made hummus, managing not to splatter it all over the kitchen like last time. I read e-mail with my left arm on the water pillow. I thought the cold would calm the ache.
Chris came home from work early. I got dressed and watered the plants. I looked up the next Sewing Saturday and their new meeting place. I trimmed all the blue blocks to a common 15”. I unraveled part of my first rug to get the colors I wanted for a new one.
Then I went for a walk and picked some poke berries. When I got back, I made a salad with greens, carrot, cucumber, hummus and olives. While I ate, I looked up pokeberry pie. I could not find a recipe but there was one for wine and for ink.
I put some frozen watermelon and blueberries in a bowl. We watched three episodes of McHale's Navy, finishing one of the DVD's that came in the mail yesterday. Nothing came in the mail today. I took my evening supplements, then brushed and swished with green toothpowder and xylitol while I wrote up my blog post. Afterward, I put some ozone cream in back of my molar, and went to bed.
* The foliage on the extreme left is moringa. *

Market day

I got up at 8 after doing visualizations. I scraped, drank, brushed, and sewed. I turned on the router. I swished while I prepared the bread machine for a loaf of bread. I got a check ready for the mail. I drank some more and swished again this time with sesame oil. I watched the rest of the movie from last night. It was certainly written to have sequels. I looked up xylitol to see if it was good or bad for gut flora. Some say good, others say bad, but all said it was good for teeth. I got dressed and mailed the check. I also watered the plants. I picked up the house a little.
Rebecca arrived just as I was sweeping up the floor. She had a tub of batik fabrics that she was willing to share. We went through them and she gave me some that coordinated with my batik project. Then she took the tub back to her car. I stood in the driveway for some time, talking to her. I can't remember what we talked about. Dentists, I think.
After she left, I made and ate breakfast. I also ate 10 cloves of pickled garlic. I packed my blue project and headed for quilting. On the way I stopped at the Korean doctors clinic to pick up the hairband I left yesterday. He thanked me for the letter I wrote. I wished him an enjoyable day and I left.
I drove to Stitch-Its. There were lots of ladies there, but within half an hour most of them left. Nothing personal, I hope. I got out my machine and worked on adding sashing to the blue blocks. Christy told us the story of someone trying to steal her bee hives. I never imagined such a thing would happen. My watch stopped working so I am not sure when we packed up. I had finished all the sashing and needed to go home to trim the blocks. There were books and patterns on the table. Christy begged me to take them, so I did, figuring to share them with the next group I visit.
I stopped at Walmart on the way home and bought a cantaloupe, and some flax seed and chia seed. I used the self-check line, and had trouble knowing which buttons to press. But eventually I made it through and took my food home.
My neighbor texted me as I pulled in the driveway. She was going to the Greene Street market in 10 minutes. I texted back, then checked the house mail and brought everything in from the car. I put stuff away, then got a baggie of chocolate from the fridge. I went next door and knocked. Her husband opened the door. I handed him the chocolates and said they would melt in room temp. So he put them in his fridge. She came out getting her shoes on. Then we got in her car and she drove us to the market.
I would have gotten lost but she knew the way. She parked and we got out. We looked at all the market stands. I talked to the goat farm people and bought some cheese. Then we went to the flower stand and each bought a handful of flowers. I also got tomatoes nearby. We stopped at the sprout tent and tasted different kinds of sprouts. I bought cilantro ones and she got something else. Then we went back to her car.
When we got back to her house, I thanked her for inviting me and she thanked me for going with her. I went inside and put the food away and placed the flowers in a vase. I had bought a bag of moringa. I picked out two stems and put them in with the flowers as foliage. The rest went in the fridge.
Soon Chris was home. I told him what a great day I had. His was just long. He asked if I did anything different with the bread, but to my knowledge I hadn't. I got out some chicken for supper. I also made a big salad. I read e-mail until my tapping buddy got on skype. Then I took my laptop into the guest room. She told me she had bought a car and it was everything she wanted and more. Then we tapped for a relative of hers.
When the call was over, Chris and I watched three episodes of McHale's Navy. Then Chris looked up one of the characters online before making his lunch and going to bed. I stayed up to take my evening supplements, swish with xylitol and post to my blog.
* this is the flower table at the market. *

Taxes

I woke up hearing Chris' alarm. I went back to sleep sort of, but the ring tone rang through my head for over an hour. I got up before my alarm went off. I took the strip off of the block and sewed it back on, then sewed on another strip.
I made coffee for my coffee morning. I did tapping amd meditation. When it was over, I cleaned the bathrooms and kitchen. Then I put on old clothes and mowed the back yard. It was so high that I had to mow two steps forward and one step back. I took a short break to drink some salt water, then mowed the rest quickly because time was short.
I took a shower and put better clothes on. I drove to the clinic of the Korean doctors, arriving at 2:15. She had a tax problem with California that needed fixing. My phone was at home, so I used her cell phone to call the California tax board. After waiting 20 minutes, someone answered, but hung up when I responded. So I called again, with the landline. The wait was more like 40 minutes.
While I waited on the phone, Dr. Hwang rubbed the itchy part of my scalp with pieces of onion. She said I should always dry my hair with cold air after a shower. I didn't think that was going to happen. Dr. Lee showed me a piece of paper he got that said Final Notice and talked about student loans. It had him worried but I read it and explained that it was an ad for a loan company. Hopefully it was the final notice and they would not contact him again.
When the state of California answered, it was in the form of a woman whose native language was not English. We had quite the discussion trying to straighten out what happened and what needs to happen. Apparently the state of California charged Dr. Hwangs account a $150 processing fee for taking out $0 for owing tax penalties. Say what? Anyway, before I left, Dr. Grace asked me to write a letter of strong language to the landlord about the physical issues of the space. I agreed, half-heartedly. They gave me a box of jujube juice packets and I left.
I ran through the rain to my car and drove home. I told Chris what I had just been through. Then I jotted some notes for my blog.
I listened to an audio on fasting. I put a vitamin patch on my cheek by the cracked tooth. I wrote the letter for Dr. Hwang and e-mailed it. I emptied the chocolate molds and put the chocolates in baggies. Then I heated up the remaining chocolate. I put nuts, coconut flakes and even sunflower seeds in the bottom of the molds. Then I poured chocolate over them. The molds went into the fridge to harden. I drank a packet of onion juice. I read through more e-mails. I made up two weeks of supplements and ordered more.
When Chris was ready, we watched the first episode of Good Witch series and the first episode of Dr. Blake Mysteries. Chris made his sandwich and went to bed. I looked up some of the actors in Good Witch. Apparently it started as a movie. So I looked it up on Youtube and the next thing I knew, I was halfway through it and it was almost midnight.
* This is Jodi's other quilt. *

Two weeks in one

I got up at 7:45 after visualizing for my teeth. I drank some water and printed two copies of the blank offering form. I brushed and swished and sewed a strip onto a new strip block. I had to cut a wide strip in half and sew the ends to get a strip long enough to go across the middle. I washed up and got dressed. I checked my phone and there was a text from Beverly with a time stamp later than the oven clock showed. The microwave agreed with the oven. But my phone insisted it was an hour later. I turned on the router and laptop. The laptop agreed with the stove.
I checked e-mail. I finished a meditation audio. I copied some figures on ideal thyroid test results. I washed up and got dressed. I packed some fleece strips rather than my machine. Then I went to quilting, stopping to water the flowers out front.
It was almost 10 when I arrived. They were all sitting at one table. I squeezed in. I worked on the rug while the others talked and did binding and applique. Jodie came by and showed us her quilts. After she and the other ladies left, Beverly and I went for a walk around the neighborhood. It was hot, and there was no breeze like at the beach. She said later that we walked over a mile. We parted ways afterward and I went to the Asian store for kimbap, then went home.
I ate the kimbap with kimchi and 10 cloves of garlic. I filled a water bottle to take with me to church. I arrived not long before 2. I got to work writing down the donations for the 19th. Then I did the donations for the 26th. I filled out the bank deposit tickets. I entered the info for the 19th on the computer and printed the reports. Then I packed up and went to the bank to deposit the money before they closed at 5. But I had to go back to the church to enter the info for the 26th. On the way back to the church, there was an accident, and police cars and an ambulance slowed down traffic. When I got to the church, I parked in the shade, and went back to the office to enter data and print a second set of reports. I left a little before 6. I thought about going to the farmer's market to get some fruit but it would mean passing the accident. So I headed home. But as I passed through the intersection I saw that everything had been cleared up, so I guess I could have gotten there before the market closed after all.
When I got home, I checked the house mail and found an envelop from my father. I intended to mow the lawn since it was still light out. But Chris had the chicken warming in the oven. He pulled it out and I ate some. So then I made a salad, and ate my daily handful of nuts. I checked the chocolates in the fridge. They reminded me of oreos. They were brown on the bottom and white on top. I tasted one and it was unremarkable.
It got dark, so I just read e-mail until 8. I tried to put together a Swansons order. I told Chris that my cell phone was on Eastern Standard time and would not revert. He fiddled with the phone and got it to agree with the rest of the world around me. I discovered a tuck sewn into the block I did this morning, so I started ripping stitches out. Then Chris said I could turn on the TV and cue up Death in Paradise. So I did. And he finished his e-mail and joined me for the last two episodes. Then he packed his lunch and went to bed. I stayed up to take my evening supplements and post to my blog.
* This is one of Jodie's quilts. *

Getting back in the groove

I got up at 7:45 after visualizing my teeth getting stronger and reenamelizing. I drank water, then brushed and swished. I put some things away in the kitchen. I put two sets of meds in my travel kit, as insurance. I sewed two of Jane's blocks together and pinned another for tomorrow. I turned on the router and I listened to the Aurafest paraliminal. I looked at open browser windows from last night.
I looked for my old chocolate recipe but could not find it. I searched for one online.
I shredded coco butter and put it in a glass measuring cup to melt in a pan of water. I made and ate breakfast. I added coconut oil and cacao to the melted cacao butter. Then I poured it into two silicon chocolate molds. There was some left over. I added nuts to one mold. Then I got dressed. I threw a row of Jane's blocks into a bag and took my sewing gear to the car. I watered the plants and brought in last week's mail. Then I headed to quilting.
There was only handful of ladies there and most of them were leaving. I talked to Bertha and Rebecca. Bertha gave me strips to make a charity block. Then they left and I talked to Maryanne. She was cutting up t-shirts while I worked on Jane's blocks. When she was ready to go, I packed up too. Dinah left me a box of apple slices from lunch and I took them home.
When I got home, I saw that the chocolate had not set up, in fact it had separated. I gave each little section a stir and put them in the fridge. I listened to an Aurafest presentation, until it got to the candle-gazing part. I did not feel like hunting down a candle.
Chris came home from work while I was listening to a different meditation. I paused it and we chatted. He pulled a raw chicken from the fridge and prepared it, and put it in the oven with sweet potatoes. I read e-mail and listened to a set of audios. I called Dad to get some info for Yvonne. I took a walk and picked some poke berries. When I got back, I ate a sweet potato with butter, fermented coconut milk and some of the melted chocolate.
I wanted to mow the lawn. So I put on old clothes and old shoes. But when I got to the mower, I saw that the safety key was still connected and the battery was dead. So I brought it in and plugged it into the wall. I read e-mail while Chris pulled the chicken from the oven. He gave me a leg and thigh. I ate it with 10 cloves of pickled garlic.
I read e-mail for awhile and listened to some audios on improving memory. I ate some frozen watermelon chunks. I hunted around for the blue project and when I found it, put it in a blue bag. I found the box of apple slices from quilting today. I dusted them with cinnamon and sat on the couch eating them. Chris cued up Death in Paradise on Netflix and we watched two episodes.
He made his lunch and went to bed. I took my evening supplements, then brushed. I swished while writing up my blog post for today, which got wiped out earlier when the laptop froze and I had to reboot it. I rubbed some onion on my head. After I published the post, I assembled the recyclables for tomorrow and applied ozone cream to my right bottom gum before going to bed.
* this is a pic of the sun glinting off of the wet sand in the surf. I took a video that shows it better, but no way to post that video here. *

Home again, with food

I woke up at 7. Instead of getting up, I started visualizing. This went on for some time. Finally we got up at 9. Chris took a shower and went down to breakfast. I brushed and swished and checked e-mail. I played an audio while stitching the ends of fleece strips together and crocheting them. Chris returned with an apple and a banana for me. I spit out the chocolate toothpaste that I was swishing and fixed breakfast – basically stirring fermented coconut milk into a prepared breakfast mix. I ate that and started packing. I combed my hair, put on earrings and got dressed. I listened to more of the audio while I packed up fleece strips and my sewing kit. I also read some e-mail, and tried to finish the audio before checkout time. It ended at 10:35. I quickly packed and we carried two loads of stuff out to the car. Chris checked out. Then we headed home.
During the drive, we listened to the rest of a book on CD and started another one. We both suspect we had heard it before, but since we didn't have time to finish it, that was ok. We stopped at several rest areas along the way. And I ate seed crackers.
We got to Huntsville about 4:30. We went home and unloaded the car, putting the food in the fridge. Chris made himself a cup of coffee even though it was hotter here than at the beach. We added a few things to the grocery list and went to Publix. We picked up a week's worth of groceries and went home. I texted my neighbor to thank her for watering my plants. They were all alive, even the ones I left in the back yard which she could not water.
We put the groceries away. Chris boiled eggs for lunches next week. I ate the spring rolls with fish sauce and with kimchi. I unpacked the non-perishable foods from the breakfast box. I read e-mail, trying to catch up. I looked up how to heal teeth through visualization. I put on a vitamin patch. When Chris was ready, we watched two episodes of Death in Paradise. Then he packed his lunch and got ready for bed. I unpacked my suitcase, and found something Beverly will be happy to see. Chris went to bed, while I took my evening supplements, and swished while writing my blog post for today. Then I used my ozone cream and went to bed.
* This is my hair in a french braid. Sadly, I had to take it out to comb it this morning. *

Leaving the family

I got up around 8:15. I brushed and swished, then checked e-mail. When the swishing was over, I ate the first pre-made breakfast. I wanted to go to the beach because Marie had taken the dogs and said the water was great. But there wasn't time. Then I packed my suitcase and food boxes. I combined the remnants of several packages into one to save space. Chris took stuff out to the car. Cecily gave us food from the fridge to take, like watermelon, spring rolls, grapes, and cheese. And a tomato that wasn't in the fridge.
When I took the last of it out, Jasper squeezed between me and the door and ran out. I ran after him but he was soon out of sight. So I went back inside and hollered up the stairs that he was loose. Then I ran back outside and to the next house over. Jasper was coming around the corner and I called him. He didn't come to me, but when Marie called, he ran up to her and Alfred collared him. Phew! It would have been bad if he had gone in the street.
When it was all packed in the car, we did one last sweep. I pulled the linens off of the bed and threw the towels on top of the pile, just as the instructions said. Then we hugged everyone and said goodbye.
We got underway about 10:15. We continued the book on CD from the trip up. We made two restroom stops. I ate a hard boiled egg from the food box and Chris ate some kind of leftover french fries.
It was a little after 4 when we got to the hotel. We checked in and carried two loads of stuff up to the room. I plugged in my laptop and fired it up to read e-mail. A little later, I got Chris' keys and went to get my sewing kit from the car. On the way back I stopped at the front desk to request that we NOT get a wake-up call. She asked me for my room number and I was chagrined to realize that I did not make a note of it. But she looked it up and assured me that there would not be a wake-up call tomorrow. Having made a mental note of the room number, I was able to find the room with Chris in it. I am not sure what I would have done if I hadn't stopped at the front desk.
I sat down with my sewing kit and bag of fleece strips. I listened to an episode of The Broken Brain podcast while sewing strips of fleece together and crocheting them. The information was around dental health and better treatments for teeth. I ate a piece of seed cracker, the tomato, some cheese and two spring rolls.
The headphones were bothering my ears, so I took them off and played the next Aurafest session out loud. When it was over, we watched the last episode of Continuum, and two episodes of the newly posted season of Death in Paradise. Chris went to bed, while I brushed and swished and typed up my blog.
* This is the picture Becca took the other day. *

Last full day of beach

I got up before 8 after doing my visualizations. I brushed and swished. I went out to the common area to sew a few stitches on my project. Talking to those present, I continued stitching by attaching fleece strips together. It was windy out. And the red flag was up, signaling that swimming in the ocean was prohibited. I hung out on my laptop until lunch time. Then I made three breakfasts and ate one. Some people went out to the beach. I ate a bowl of fruit and watched them from the balcony. When I felt ready to go, they were coming in.
I put on my suit and walked to the beach. I stood in the surf, which was so flat that it was boring. At least until I started watching the water recede from the sand and sparkle like diamonds. After a bit, I sat on the bottom wooden step from our beach house. I played in the sand, burying my feet, laying in the hot dryness of it, listening to the wind. Tired of being lazy at the beach, I went to the pool. Cecily and Marie were there. I laid on a plastic lounger and relaxed. Eventually they went inside. So I went up to the hot tub to continue being lazy. It was only 102 in there. I relaxed for awhile. Then I got out and put the hose in. I added enough water to cover the jets. The temp went down to 101. I expected the leakage to increase, but it did not.
Anyway, I took the short broom and swept the second floor deck. I checked the bushes around the house for missing pieces of the rail. I noticed a rental agency truck in the driveway. Then I heard Cecily find the rental agency repair lady in her bedroom, fixing the drawer pull. I went inside to see what was up. She had sprayed the sliding door with WD-40. It slid much better but it stunk like paint thinner. Since my laptop was set up next to it, I retired to my bedroom. I took off my wet and sandy suit and tried to take a nap. Finally I gave up, got dressed and went back to the common area. I took my kite out for some pics. It kept flying around on the second balcony and I did my best to catch it in a pic. I put it back in my bedroom.
I asked Cecily to french braid my hair. So she did. Then she showed me how she did it by braiding her own. I don't know how she did it because I have trouble doing a simple braid in my own hair. I took some selfies and she told me to go to her bedroom because there was a tri-fold mirror. So I tried it, but was unable to see the back of my head or capture it in pixels. I sat at my laptop and sent to Becca the pics I took of her and Michele in their steampunk outfits yesterday.
Soon it was time for supper. I took my digestive enzymes. Chris and James came in from grilling hot dogs and hamburgers. Carol and Becca laid the burger fixin's out. The people in the kitchen held hands with the people in the diningroom and Chris said the prayer. Then we took plates from the table and got in line to pick up meat and condiments. In addition to the usual hamburger toppings, there was also baked beans and a chili sauce for the hot dogs. So we all ate together. No one seemed to want dessert. So we cleaned up. I finished my Aurafest audio of exercises. I finally saw an aura around my hand. The others were outside on the third deck, talking. Except for Michele who was playing a new game on her laptop. Soon Cecily went to bed and left the light on for Al. Michele asked Mike to help her with the game. Not much longer, the rest of the group went to bed. I stayed up listening to the game and playing Solitaire and researching progesterone.
I heard the front door open. It was Al who had flown to New Hampshire yesterday to attend his brother's funeral. He spoke to us then called his sister-in-law to say he had arrived safely. I was getting tired so I typed up my blog and got ready for bed. I swished while trying to think of what else happened today. As the game broke up, I posted to my blog and went to bed.

Kite weather

I got up before 8. I brushed, swished, and went out to greet those in the common area. I sewed a few stitches in my project. Cecily was getting ready to go to the beach, so I put on my suit and went with her. It was windy and cool (80's). The water temperature was perfect, but the waves were rough. Cecily stayed on the wooden walkway and watched as I played in the surf.
Later I came back and she was gone but Marie was there. Marie came back with me. I talked to people at the pool. Then I got my kite. Chris took the wrapper off. Michele went out and helped me get it in the air. It was pretty boring after that. There was a steady wind up there so it just flew.
Then I came in, put up the kite and read e-mail. I listened to the next installment from Aurafest. I finally made breakfast around noon. I ate as I read more e-mail.
Cecily asked me to help trim leaves from parsley. It was for spring rolls. After that, I went to the beach. It was still rough but reasonably warm. I played in the surf, testing my balance. When the froth started sticking to the sand, I left the water and sat on the steps and played with the hot dry sand. Later as I was going in, James and Becca and Olivia were coming out with kites. So I went in and got mine. We flew kites for a bit. Again, once they were up, there was nothing to do. Becca took some pics. We chatted. They went in and I went to the pool area. I put my kite inside the house and went swimming in the pool. Cecily talked about the repair lady who had come to address the list of concerns we had made. Afterward, I took a shower and got dressed. I read e-mail for a bit, listened to some more Aurafest. I ordered the DNA upgrade that Yvonne suggested.
Michele cooked kimchichigae for supper and Carol made spring rolls with two sauces. We gathered around the tables and held hands for prayer. We ate. After supper, Cecily sat with a list and obsessed over how much food we needed for the next two days and what to buy more of.
I took my laptop to the bedroom and got ready for my skype call. A few minutes after 8 I realized that my laptop was no longer connected to the internet. I took it to the kitchen and asked Chris for help. He got me connected again. I called my tapping buddy and we chatted as I walked back to the bedroom. But then the call dropped. Apparently the signal was too weak in the bedroom. I tried going down to the pool room, but all I could get was audio – and a frozen video signal. I tried the steps, but had no luck. Finally I put the laptop back where I had it in the common area. It was the best connection I could get and it left a little to be desired.
The rest of the Damours were out on the veranda chatting and drinking – except for Chris and Kelly who were in the common area on their electronic devices. So my tapping buddy and I worked on eating issues. When our time was up, we agreed to meet next week as usual. Then I called my dad, since he had called while I was skyping. He seemed to have called to get my correct address, although he also talked about health issues. Then I joined the Damours outside at the patio table. It was windy and I had to go back in to get a coat. But then I sat back and listened to them talk back and forth. Chris did not join us.
Eventually the group broke up and most went to bed. I stayed up to write to my blog and swish.

Being here is a piece of cake

I got up around 8 after visualizing for my teeth and asking for clear beach water. After greeting Chris, I brushed and swished. I put on some clothes and went out to the common area to see what was going on. Marie and Carol were out with the dogs. Cecily was getting ready to go to the beach. So I put on my suit. When I came out of my room, there was Michele with her suit on. She asked me about sunscreen. I told her I had two kinds, a tube of old commercial cream or fresh homemade sunscreen. She elected for the commercial one. I went back to get both. We went to the porch to apply it. I found mine really runny, and when I put some on my face I realized it was my home made mouthwash. So I took it back and got the other jar. It seemed solid but actually was mushy enough that I could stir it with my finger and apply to my face. Michele said it looked like war paint. I am too old to care.
We walked down the wooden pathway and onto the beach. Cecily set up her chair. Becca and I put down towels and stood in the surf. It was icy! But little by little we got used to it. And then we were swimming in the ocean. Yay!
After a while, we got out. James, Michele, and Cecily went in. Becca and I laid on our towels. Then she went looking for shells. Soon I went in and got dressed.
I brought in the sunscreens, now melted. I put some on my itchy scalp. (I read that zinc oxide might help skin conditions as long as the skin is not broken.) I hung my suit and towel over the rail above the pool.
Michele asked for my math expertise, but when I came back dressed, she was making a grocery list for a cake and kimchichigae. Then she quickly showed me a game that had her stymied, and went shopping with Alfred. I worked 5 or six of the games, finally figuring out all the rules. Then I turned to my laptop to read e-mail.
I listened to part of a presentation from Aurafest. The others were gathering for lunch. I sliced up a tomato and put salt and pepper on it. Then I washed some grapes and blueberries and made a bowl of fruit. I was full enough that I did not make breakfast, but I did take my supplements.
Michele made a chocolate cake from a recipe on the internet. I helped her with the whisking because there was a lot of it. Then she baked it in a springform pan.
I swept the bottom porch as best I could with the short-handled broom. I had to bend forward to use it so I took it easy on the sweeping. I saw a wet spot that never dried and realized that the hot tub was leaking. Becca and Michele came back from taking steam punk pics on the landing near the beach.
Chris called me up for the Damour family picture. I slipped away to comb my hair and then took my place. We lined up by the window. Becca had her phone on a tripod and used a remote clicker to activate it when we were all in position. She took two pics.
I cleared some more e-mail and sent some. Then I announced that I was going to the beach. Cecily did not want me to go alone. So Chris and Alfred came along. They sat on the beach while I swam. The water was still cold from the storm last night, but either I was used to it or it had warmed up slightly. It did not take me as long to work my way into the waves. I wore a t-shirt over my suit so I would not get too much sun. The waves were perfect for bobbing up and down. But when I started to tire, I struggled my way through the breakers to reach the shore.

The three of us returned to the house. I swam in the pool while others sat on deck chairs, talking. At five we went in to wake up Becca whose turn it was to cook supper. I laid down to rest for a bit, then got up to take a shower. I put on a new vitamin patch, then got dressed. I listened to more of the presentation. But my laptop crashed and gave me a stop code, whatever that is. Thankfully it restarted itself. Chris called me for supper. So I took some enzyme pills, and met the others at the table. We joined hands for prayer, then took our plates and got in line. Becca had made a delicious chicken shwarma. Carol made rice. We also had salad fixings and green beans. After supper, Michele brought out the cake. Marie sliced it and Carol dished out ice cream. Everyone raved about the cake. I ate a peach.
Our generation trouped into the theater room to watch Austin Land. It was a cute and funny movie. Probably would have been funnier if I could have heard all the words. Then Chris and I went back to our room. I brushed and swished, and headed back to the common area to write my blog. He went to bed. I finished my blog and considered sewing a few stitches (which I meant to do earlier but forgot). And then it was time for bed.

1000 pieces in less than 24 hours

I got up at 8:45. I had canceled my phone alarm so I could sleep in. I brushed and swished. I threw on some clothes and went out to the common area. The puzzle was in better shape. Cecily had completed the outside edges. So I worked on the sky, James came by and worked on ground level stuff. Michele pitched in for a bit. We worked all morning.
Around noon or so, people started making sandwiches. Cecily quit piecing to make lunch. Marie cut up a tomato for a sandwich and put the rest in a small dish for me. I ate that with salt and pepper. Cecily made a bowl of fruit salad. I ate some of that, too. Then I made breakfast. I sat down to eat it and discovered that the puzzle was finished. I guess James completed it.
Clouds were rolling in. We sat in the livingroom talking. Michele got her dad and uncles to play a game she had invented. I talked to Cecily, Kelly, Carol, and Becca. I opened my sewing kit and put a row of stitches in my project. Then I needled the ball of roving that Becca started me on. I made a face and two ears. Then I got out my fleece strips and crocheted up all the fleece 'yarn' that I had made.
The rain cleared, but the outdoors was still very wet. Chris downloaded Nahimic sound software to my laptop and got the headphone jack working again. Then Cecily and Mike were talking about when to start supper. Wanting to do something outside before supper, I went in the hot tub. You would think the heat would trigger hot flashes, but it just felt good. After 10 minutes or so, I went down to the pool and swam laps. Then I came in and took a shower. Chris followed me to 'help', or so he said. After my shower, I got dressed and went out to the kitchen just in time to see Marie take the broccoli from the microwave. Becca put the cauliflower in and warmed it up. Mike put out a pot of chili he had made and a pot of rice. We stood around the tables, joined hands, and Chris said grace. Then we picked up our bowls or plates and got food from the counter. People who liked chili had bowls and the others had plates. I got some rice and chili. I went to the fridge for carrots, and some pizza-flavored cheese.
After the main meal, Marie cut slices of pecan pie for those who wanted it. Carol made whipped cream and I was in charge of handing out ice cream. There were three kinds: chocolate, coffee, and vanilla-orange sherbet. I portioned them out to those who wanted it. Then I ate a peach.
I went to my bedroom to call my dad. I had tried several times during the day but there was no answer. To my surprise, he had called me. So I returned his call and we had a good chat. I asked him if I could share his DNA test with Yvonne and he seemed ok with that.
After the call, I went out to see what the others were doing. Most were watching a movie in the theater room. So I went down to see it, too. Halfway through I realized I had seen it before, but not really understood it. Bladerunner 2049. I managed to close my eyes at the most violent parts.
Afterward, I took some pool shots on the pool table. It had dog leashes on it so I couldn't play a real game, but then everyone had left anyway. I went upstairs to brush and swish and put argan oil on my scalp. In downloading pics from my phone, I saw that my dad called. He left a message saying he wasn't sure he wanted his DNA info shared. I typed up my blog, listening to Rowan whine. It was like she really wanted to go to bed, but didn't want to leave me by myself. But finally she got up and went down, probably to Marie's room.
I checked my e-mail quickly, then finished up my blog post and published it so I could go to bed.

Relaxing at the beach

I got up about 9. I threw on some clothes and joined the group that was finishing breakfast. When they were ready to go to the beach, I put on my suit and followed. Cecily sat at the end of the stairs, holding towels. She took my watch so it would not get wet. I went to the surf. The water was rough and a little chilly. William wanted to go to the pool, so I went with him. Others joined us after a few minutes. When I'd had enough sun and exercise, I went inside and washed up. The men were planning a trip to the grocery store. So I got ready and went along.
We went to Food Lion. I picked out some cheese, and stuff while Chris and Al and Mike got items on the list and a few other things. We checked out and went back to the beach house. We carried the food inside and unpacked the bags, putting the food away. I made and ate breakfast. Mike and Michele made some spicy thai noodle dish for lunch. Others had sandwiches. I read e-mail on my laptop for some time.
The women went to Publix for a few things the men either forgot or didn't know about. I stayed for e-mail, and then went back to the beach. The water was warmer but still rough. A sandbar had appeared at the edge of the waves with a trough behind it. So the largest waves actually went over the sandbar and filled the trough. The water in the sandy trough was very calm. I played in the surf for a bit, picking up shells. Then a large fish washed up next to me. I am not sure of the original length because something had taken a huge bite and the tail half of the fish was gone. I didn't want that thing washing up against me in the surf so I left the beach.
Cecily was watching William in the pool. I went upstairs and changed clothes, hanging my suit on the railing. Later it would get rained on. Becca was needling wool. She had made the cutest elephant. She gave me a piece of roving to try out. Chris and Michele and Mike were cooking supper in the kitchen.
Before they were quite finished, we gathered around the tables and held hands for prayer. Then Chris went back to cutting up the lettuce. We took our plates and got in line to make fajitas. I skipped the tortilla and just put fixings on my plate. There was good conversation around the table. We heard some thunder and Marie's dogs came over to get comfort. Rowan is so big it takes several people to comfort her.
After supper, Cecily was all in favor of starting a 1000 piece puzzle. So she and Marie and I went through the pieces, pulling out the straight edges. Others played some sort of concert game at the other table. Cecily went to bed. Marie and I kept working, trying to get all the edges done. I gave up and pulled out sky pieces, hoping to also find any straight edges that we missed. Then Marie went to bed. I kept working. Mike was explaining pictures of tanks to Al. He sounded like a salesman going through the pros and cons of each model. Then I stopped piecing, and went to take my evening supplements and brush my teeth. I swished while I worked on my blog. Everyone left went to bed. Rowan was still on the couch. I rubbed onion on my head, turned off the lights, and went to bed.
* This is Rowan. *

Let beach week begin!

I heard the hotel phone ring at 7 as a wake-up call (which we did not request). Chris answered. Then my phone went off at 7:30. I hadn't slept well, and was not happy to be woken up. But finally I got up to use the bathroom. So then I brushed and swished. Chris took a shower and wend down to breakfast. I sewed something from my kit. When he came back, I ate my breakfast and listened to a presentation on vaccines. Then we packed up and loaded the car. We went across the street to a grocery store and bought coconut milk, an onion, kombucha, pink salt, and a chocolate bar. Chris put gas in the car and programmed the GPS.
We drove for hours, listening to a book on CD and snacking occaisionally. Chris stopped for coffee and I tried to call Faye and Dad but the calls did not go through.
We had been told not to arrive before 4:05. Chris thought we would be a few minutes early, so he suggested stopping at the kite store. I thought that was a fantastic idea. He used the restroom while I looked around. I chose a kite and he bought it. Then I used the restroom and we continued on. We pulled into the driveway associated with the house number we had. But the people staying there were unknown to us. We compared notes. It seems there is a difference between Virginia Dare Trail and S. Virginia Dare Trail. We got back in the car and drove for another mile or so. Finally we did find the right house. Most of the family was already there. We brought our stuff in and greeted everyone. I investigated the house and pool area. Cecily was organizing people to prepare food in the kitchen. Faye called and Chris answered and brought me to the phone. I talked to Faye until I was called for supper.
There were 13 of us, sitting at two tables. We joined hands for prayer, then took plates and lined up to get food buffet style. We had roasted cauliflower, Panko chicken, and salad. After supper, a bunch of us walked down to the beach to wade in the water. It was getting dark. Finally we came back and got in the pool. I just got my feet wet. We chatted and only left when someone spotted lightning.
So we all went upstairs and chatted in the living room. Michele got a splinter in her foot. I got out a needle and Chris used it to get the splinter out. Then I got on my laptop to look up ferrofluid on Youtube. What an interesting liquid in a magnetic environment!
Mike lent me a pair of USB headphones. I listened to a meditation, trying to shut out the voices all around me. Then I started listening to an interview. Alfred walked up and talked about the Damour family reunion last week. So I paused the interview and we had quite the conversation. The rest of the Damour kids were talking about movies they'd seen that Al hadn't. One by one they went to bed. When Al went to bed, I got some onion to rub on my head. I also set up the Berkey and put water in it to filter. I wrote up most of my blog. I took my evening supplements, brushed and swished. I finished my blog post and downloaded the pics from my phone.

Halfway to the beach

I did not sleep well last night because I just couldn't get comfortable. Chris seemed to sleep ok. I got up feeling like I needed a nap. I brushed and swished and drank some water. I sewed two of Jane's blocks together. Then I noticed that she had put matching thread in her bag. I had figured it was a gray that blended in. Oh well.
I took a shower and got dressed. I ran around the house, packing things and repackaging liquids for the trip. The sunscreen separated during the night. Sigh. I went through my packing list. I threw a sewing kit into my suitcase, plus some fleece strips to work on. I also added some books I have been meaning to finish. Chris moved plants from the back porch to the front porch so they would get watered by my neighbor. I ate one of the breakfasts I had made. I checked e-mail briefly for personal messages. I answered two, then turned off my laptop and packed it. We also packed the Burkey water filter at the last minute. Chris put it in the car, and we headed out.
On our way, I drank from water bottles I had prepared with tea bags in them. I peeled some hard boiled eggs for us at lunch time. And I ate some seed crackers. The whole way we listened to a book on CD, finishing 5 of 6 CD's. We pulled into the hotel about 6 EST. We checked in, then moved our stuff up to the room. Then we went out for supper. It was hard to follow the road because each side was two lanes going the same way. But instead of being parallel, they wove back and forth creating extra intersections. Weird.
We went to an Italian restaurant. Chris chatted with other people waiting in line. Then we were taken to our table. The waitress took our drink order and promised us bread, but she appeared three times before she remembered it. She took our order (I got the big salad with salmon). She brought Chris' soup first. It seemed a long time after he finished, that our entrees came out. We talked and ate. The best thing I could say for my salmon patties is that there was nothing wrong with them. Nothing to blog about, that's for sure. I considered saving the onion pieces to rub on my scalp, but they were too small. When we were done, Chris paid, and we went back to the hotel.
We got on our laptops for a short time. Chris hooked his to the TV and we watched three episodes of Continuum. I deleted a bunch of e-mails. Then I put some argan oil on my head. I hunted up my toothbrush and chocolate toothpaste. I brushed and swished while writing my blog. Then it was time to put on my vitamin C patch and go to bed.
* Working on Jane's blocks with the wrong color thread apparently *

No one knows jack

I got up around 7. I scraped and brushed and swished. I drank some water, then laid out Jane's partial quilt. I auditioned the next two rows of blocks since they were not numbered for order. I sewed side strips to the blocks I chose for row 5.
Then I turned on the router and read e-mail. I read that cantaloupe is good for your thyroid. I put on a multivitamin patch. I made up enough spice mix for the trip. I took some enzymes and ate a fat bomb. I deleted lots of old messages from my phone to free up storage space.
I tied a piece of cloth around my nose and put on big glasses. I opened a bag of zinc oxide to make a batch of sunscreen. It separated as it cooled so I had to stir it every so often. Then I made up three breakfasts and packed the ingredients for the trip. I threw some clothes into my suitcase. I looked for beach towels and could not find any, so I chose a worn out bath towel. Then I remembered the boxes in the garage. I found two towels out there, but they were dusty. I put them on the washer.
It was sunny out and I thought this would be my last chance to tan for the beach. So I put on my bathing suit and laid on a towel in the back yard. Well, the clouds had a different idea, playing peek-a-boo with the sun. They were toying with me. Eventually I gave up and went back in the house.
Chris came home from work. He changed his clothes and started laundry. He checked his messages and there was one from his mom saying that his uncle Larry passed away this morning. He called her back to talk about it.
We took my car to the station on post to get gas. Then we went to the computer store to pick up the laptop. He said he was heat-testing it at the moment but he could put it back together if we needed it right away. We agreed to leave it for later.
We went home. I made two salads and ate them both, but still didn't use up all the greens. I read e-mail. I made a batch of seed crackers and I hard-boiled 11 eggs. I updated and printed a packing list. I placed an order for more vitamin C patches, plus two other kinds, one for getting to sleep at night and one for anti-aging. I texted Julia next door to see if she could water our plants while we are gone, and she said yes.
Robert from the computer store called to say the hardware was fine but the jack was still not working and it was probably a software issue. Maybe an update went wrong? He asked if I could leave it for a few days but I said I needed it to take it on my trip. So he put it back together and I went there to pick it up. I told him that the laptop rebooted itself on Wednesday while I was out, probably for an update, but I have told it not to do that. He said there are 13 places in Windows 10 that you have to go to to stop Microsoft from accessing your data. Yikes! He did not charge me, so I thanked him and took my laptop home.
I set it up and e-mailed my blog notes from the desktop to the laptop. Oh, its good to have my laptop under my fingers again! I played Solitaire while waiting for Chris. Finally I gave up and grabbed the sheets from the dryer, intending to dress the bed so I could retire for the evening. He stopped what he was doing and helped me. We saw mysterious brown stains on the sheets. We looked inside the washer for clues. I saw a cycle labeled “tub clean', so we tried it. Then he talked me into watching an episode of Continuum. I rubbed an onion into my hair while we watched. Then I posted to my blog and brushed and went to bed.
* This is the back of Christy's quilt. *

Missing my laptop

I put on a vitamin C patch before I went to bed last night. I got up once to use the restroom, and the slept until daylight. I did my visualizations and got up at 8. I brushed and swished. Chris had told me that the back pocket buttons on his pants were loose. So I reinforced them with button thread. Then I turned on the router so I could read e-mail. But first I took off the vitamin C patch and took a shower to get the onion juice out of my hair. I got dressed, put on the multivitamin patch and read e-mail. I made and ate breakfast. I jotted notes for my blog. I threw a bathing suit and towel in a bag. I turned off my laptop and packed it in its bag. I put an envelop in the mail. I put my sewing stuff in the trunk and headed out.
First stop was the computer store. But the open sign was not lit and it was locked. So I proceeded to the Korean doctors. I handed her some CD's that would make nice listening for her clients. She still asked about a custom made CD with the songs she had chosen for the playlist. I told her it was a lot of work and that I didn't have a blank CD. I noticed that she had an external speaker that plugged in to the USB port. She gave me a box of onion juice packets and a bag of dried jujubes, and wished me a good vacation.
Then I went to quilting. Pat talked to me at length about the guild library. While she was talking, I set up my machine. I got to work sewing strips on the sides of the blue blocks. When Christy finished her binding, she showed us her quilt and it was very nice. At 2 I packed up to go to Jennifer's house.
I changed into my suit and then gave Jennifer some dried Jujube's to taste. She let me put the packets of onion juice in her fridge. Then we got in her pool and spent 20 minutes pulling leaves and debris out. Then we swam and talked. It was very nice and the pool water was 83 degrees. Perfect.
But then she had to pick up her daughter, so we got out and changed back to regular clothing.
I headed back to post, passing the computer store. His sign was lit, so I parked and went in. I told him the headphone jack wasn't working and that the computer was hot when I packed it up. He made a work order and said he would know something tomorrow. I said I needed to pick it up whether it was fixed or not to take it on vacation. He said I could get a pair of gaming headphones (which use a USB port) for under $100. I thought getting the jack fixed would be cheaper.
When I got home, Chris was changing clothes. I told him where my laptop was, but that I needed to be able to access Skype for my weekly call with my tapping buddy. I got out my old laptop but we were unable to get it on the internet. So he installed skype on the little laptop that streams Netflix to the TV. I made and ate a salad, plus 10 cloves of garlic. I cut up the watermelon. I got three gallon baggies of pieces to put in the freezer. I scraped the rest out and ate it, getting too full. I checked e-mail on the little laptop. I wrote back to Yvonne who was interesting in family DNA.
At 7, my buddy called. We talked for a bit then tapped for her issues. By 8 she was ready to go to bed. I called up Netflix and Chris joined me in watching two episodes of Continuum. Then he got on his laptop and I used the desktop to write up my blog post. I missed my notes which I had taken earlier in the day, but were on the other laptop. I put on a new vitamin C patch. I swished with ozone cream. When I had finished posting, I brushed my teeth and went to bed.

What substitutes for a headphone jack?

At my request, Chris put his phone in the bathroom. I heard it ring, but went back to sleep. I got up at 8, not hearing my phone, which was in the dining room. I brushed and swished. Chris left a pair of pants on my sewing table. I was going to repair them, but could not find anything wrong. My other sewing projects were still in my trunk. So I sewed two patches together, then turned on the router. I drank a quart of water with vinegar and salt in it. I checked e-mail. I took niacin and did my exercises when it kicked in. I made coffee. I put on meditation music from Oprah which was posted on Youtube. I had to play it on the desktop because my laptop is not recognizing the external speakers I plugged in. I doubt it had anything to do with the battery being changed.
After my meditations and tapping, I cleaned the bathrooms. I watered the plants. I cleaned the kitchen and mopped the floor. I listened to the rest of the video on the Carpenters.
Then I listened to a presentation on memory: if you are forgetting something in this moment, 1) take time to remember before grabbing your phone to jog it, 2) move your eyes back and forth for 30 seconds, and/or 3) do some jumping jacks to get the blood flowing and more oxygen to the brain,
At 2 I went to see the Korean doctors. She had gotten a letter in the mail rescinding her driver's license. I read the documentation, then called the number. Finally I got through to someone who told me what to fax. I assembled the info and tried to fax it with their machine but it didn't go through. So he took it next door and sent it. I called up the playlist for her with her computer. While it played, she rubbed onion on my head then stuck needles in my scalp. I laid there for 20 minutes. My phone rang, but I did not answer it. When she took the needles out, I got up and checked the messages. One was from the faxee, saying her license was reinstated. Cheers all around.
I went home and was surprised not to see Chris. I chose some CD's that I thought Dr. Grace would like for her playlist. I checked e-mail and started a meditation. I paused it when he came through the door. We talked for a bit, then he went to change his clothes. I finished the meditation. I wanted to listen to an audio without bothering him, but the headphone jack wasn't working. I tried rebooting, but that didn't help. Chris downloaded Realtek software and installed it, but that did not do the trick either. I wondered if something inside got jostled when the battery was replaced. I also thought there ought to be a way to use one of the USB ports to channel audio.
I read an article about Mama Cass. She died at 32. So did Karen Carpenter. So I had to check on Andy Gibb, but he was only 30 when he passed. I looked up how to make sunscreen and hunted down one of the ingredients. Then Chris was ready to watch, so we saw two episodes of Continuum. I rubbed pieces of onion on my head. When the shows were over, I drank some kava/valerian tea and then brushed and swished. I posted to my blog so we could both go to bed.
* This is one of the quilts from yesterday. She did a great job with her embroidery machine. *

New battery

Chris' alarm went off at 5:30. It woke us both up. He got ready and went to work. I tried to go back to sleep, but gave up at 7. I brushed and swished and sewed two strips, finishing the block to take along this morning. I checked e-mail and listened to part of a documentary on the Carpenters.
I got dressed and went to quilting, arriving about 9. Only two people were there, but others arrived after me. I did not bring my machine. Most of the ladies who made an iron caddy were either done or were down to the handsewing part. I helped Beverly install an LED light on her machine. I also sewed a label on one of her quilts that she needed to finish by Saturday. Robin passed around a card for Jane, who is 89 and fell and broke her shoulder. But to our surprise, Jane showed up with her daughter. Her arm was all black and blue. But she was able to move it a little.
At 11 everyone put their iron caddy on a table and we all took pictures. Several people thanked me for teaching the class and wanted to know what was next. I helped clean up and then we (Beverly and I) went walking around the neighborhood. We met a candidate who was passing out promotional materials.
After our walk, I went to the Asian store for kimbap. I was so hungry that I could have eaten it in the checkout line. I took it home and ate it with kimbap. Then I packed up my laptop and went to the computer store. I gave the guy my laptop and cord and new battery. He said he'd have it done in an hour or so. I said I was willing to wait and answer phones if needed so he could concentrate. But apparently he wasn't that busy. So I proceeded to the church.
I arrived early, so I got a head start on counting money. I prepared the deposit, then entered the data into the software. I printed the reports. I checked on the names that Susan gave me, but found very little information. SK is not very forthcoming.
Then I took the deposits to the bank and got receipts. Then I went to the farmer's market. I got some peaches and a watermelon. I also wanted a beef heart but she said she didn't know if she had one. I guess she wanted to wait on someone buying a more expensive cut. So I went home.
Actually, I stopped at the computer store to pick up my laptop. He gave me the old battery and said I might be able to get it fixed and have it for a back up. I thanked him and paid the $30 for installation. And then I really did go home.
Chris was there on his laptop, talking to Michele on Skype. They were arguing politics and racism or something. I made and ate breakfast. I checked e-mail.
I left for a stewardship meeting at church. I left on time, but it seemed like I barely got there by 7. I talked to Art then went and sat in the meeting. There was a lady from Huntsville Agency for Pastoral Care. She spoke at length about the good things her agency does for the community and for pastors and chaplains. I wondered why she was speaking to us since all we do is record what people give. We don't spend money or allocate it. We make a budget from the info other ministries give us. I thought she should be talking to the council.
Anyway, after she left, we talked about the usual things and the upcoming Consecration Sunday. When the meeting was over, I hit the road and skimmed through the gate 10 minutes before it closed.
I made a mug of tea and read e-mail. One nose guard on Chris' glasses broke off. I got out my box of glues, but none of them worked. He found an old pair of glasses and we watched one episode of Continuum. Then he went to bed and I stayed up to read a few more e-mails and swish before posting to my blog and going to bed.
* Beverly sent me this pic, but I am not sure who she got it from. *

Re: Fashion

I got up at 9, surprised it had been an hour and a half since I heard my alarm go off. I brushed and swished and sewed a strip. I turned on the router and checked e-mail. I got caught up in watching episodes of Re:Fashion on Blueprint. A woman shows you a piece of clothing that she doesn't like and then refashions it.
The bread maker was pulled forward from its usual spot. I took that as a sign to make a loaf of bread. I made and ate breakfast. I put on my vitamin patches and got dressed.
I went to quilting. When I arrived, they asked me if I had a husband and seemed to think it was very funny. I said yes, as of midnight last night. We all chatted for a bit. I set up my machine and worked on my blue blocks. When the last one was finished, I auditioned several sashings, then proceeded to cut strips. At 3:30 I packed up to come home. I arrived mere minutes before Chris did. He brought me a package from Swanson and two gifts from Herberth. I opened the paper wrapping to find a carved wood box and an ornate carved wall plaque.
I checked my e-mail and did several internet searches. I looked for the quilt Jane introduced us to three years ago. But I could not find any reference to it or any pics.
I took a walk. I ate some porcelain berries I found along the way. When I got back 30 minutes later, I put on my playlist and made a salad for supper. I unstacked the dishwasher. I rubbed my head with pieces of onion while reading e-mail and an article about Karen and Richard Carpenter.
We watched two episodes of Continuum. I brushed and swished and wrote my blog post for today. Then I put some ozone cream on my gums and went to bed.

Reunion day

I woke up before the alarm went off. I found I was tense so I tried to relax. I did my visualization for my teeth. I did not get up immediately when the alarm rang. I felt like a needed a nap!
When I got up, I brushed and swished and sewed a strip. I took a shower, then turned on the router. I put on a vitamin C patch and a multivitamin patch. I drank my quart of water while listening to a podcast on the dangers of root canals and mercury fillings. The dentist also mentioned porcelain crowns that contain metal.
I got dressed and went to church. The pastor's wife showed me a stuffed dinosaur that needed fixing and I agreed to do it. The treasurer told me he found the entry that was messing up his statistics and I agreed to put it in a different column next time. I reminded him that I would be gone for beach week.
I got a bulletin and sat in the front pew between Don and Cecelia. I talked to both of them and then listened to the prelude. Our pastor started the service, then at sermon time, turned it over to a man who was an intern here 14 years ago. The man had an incredible voice. It was a good sermon. After the service, with Marcie at the organ, I noticed that Art was not in attendance. So I went up to get the offering. I put it in an envelop which went in the safe. The plates went behind the altar. I talked to Jennifer, giving her a packet of jujube juice and telling her I had eaten poke for supper last night.
Then I went to Publix for groceries. I got what Chris asked for plus cheese, and greens for me plus radishes and carrots. I read that teeth need hard food to chew on to stay strong.
When I got home, I unloaded the food and put the perishables away. Then I changed my clothes. I put the cans and bottles away. I cleared off the kitchen table. I checked e-mail and saw one from Chris. I responded to it but he did not write back. Then I listened to some presentations on Big Food and Big Pharma and how the system rewards bad behavior with profits. The corporations have a fiduciary responsibility to produce profit for their shareholders but no responsibility to sell the best medicine or healthiest food. I made and ate breakfast, then meditated. I hardboiled eggs for Chris, then I ran the dishwasher.
I tapped for not wanting to go for a walk, and then I went. I walked out of our neighborhood, across the main street and to the RV park and back. I picked one poke berry and ate it along the way. It took about 40 minutes.
I called Cecily and we talked for some time, about Al's trip and about beach week. Then I ate some cashews with butter and read e-mail. I made another batch of mouthwash.
Then I watched episodes of Frazier while playing Solitaire and swishing and fielding texts from Chris. After Frazier, I watched short, amusing videos of my relatives playing games at the reunion (posted on Facebook). I re-dressed the bed. I had been sleeping sideways all week but not tonight. I left the front porch light on for Chris. I posted to my blog and went to bed, not certain I will be awake for our reunion.
* My vitamin C patch *

Cooking poke

I got up about 9. I brushed and swished and sewed a strip to this week's block. I joined more pieces of Insul-brite together. I had enough to finish one 8-sided piece and almost enough for a second one. I checked my stash for leftovers but only found batting. I turned on the router.
I took a shower and got dressed. I put a vitamin C patch on my left arm and a multivitamin patch on my right arm. I started watching a short video when I noticed that Chris had sent me a message on skype. So I responded and he called me. We kind of stared at each other for awhile since we didn't have much to say having spoken last night.
I finished my video. I added more songs to my playlist. Then I played it to see if anything stood out as too loud or too soft or too fast. But there were so many ads, almost one for every song. I tried changing the settings, but that didn't work. Then I found a piece of code to enter, and that helped for awhile but the ads came back.
I ironed the half-square triangle blocks and trimmed up the last few. I was about to sew another log on each one when it occurred to me that I needed a charity project to work on for Blanket Days in September because otherwise they would start me on a new project. So I put it aside.
I got out the papers for the July 15th offering. The treasurer wants to meet with me tomorrow to go over the numbers. So I checked the reports against my handwritten accounting and deposit and found no discrepancies.
I went for a walk and picked poke leaves at several places along the way. When I got back, I washed the leaves, then boiled them in a pot. I brought another pot of water to a boil. Then I took the leaves from the first pot and put them in the second pot. I poured out the first pot of water. When the second pot had boiled for 10 minutes, I poured out the water. I added some butter and an egg. I stir-fried it with salt and pepper. Then I ate it while I watched several episodes of Frazier. It was pretty good; better than the slimy over-cooked collard greens we were served in the cafeteria in 7th grade. I rubbed onion in my hair. I looked for examples of Three Shades of Blue quilts on the internet. I could not find a single one like the one Jane made. I had made the center but wanted a different border. I hoped to see what others had done, but couldn't find any. I used other colors in the search just in case, but had no luck.
Finally it was time to brush and swish and post to my blog so I could go to bed (at a reasonable hour).
* This was the second time I had eaten poke leaves. This time I cooked it and did not get sick. *

Momma Mia, my my

I put my phone in the bedroom last night so I would be sure to hear it. It went off at 7:30, and I got up soon after. I did 3 forward rolls. Then I brushed and swished and sewed two strips to a new block. I turned on the router and checked e-mail. I started listening to a podcast while drinking water. I oiled my ear. I got dressed and turned on Skype.
Soon my tapping buddy was on, and we tapped together for an hour and a half or so. Afterward, I made and ate breakfast. I changed my clothes and headed to the movies.
I thought I was supposed to meet her at 12:15, but she showed up at 12:30 and the movie start time was 12:45 (but it was commercials and previews for 25 minutes). Then we sat back and watched Mama Mia. It was good, and I got a little teary at times. I thought Cher looked pretty good for 72. Afterward, we stood outside the theater and talked.
I left the parking lot and drove down Airport Road to Johnson Road. I stopped at the Humane Society thrift shop to see if they had any quilting fabric, but they did not. Then I went back to the base, with an eye out for the OPEN sign on the computer repair place, and there it was. I proceeded to the arsenal post office and picked up our mail, which included Vitamin C patches. Then I went home. I called the computer store. He said he was closed yesterday to take care of his mother. He said he was going to be working late to make up time. So I said I would come back next week.
I ate some dates with coconut flakes. I checked e-mail. I went for a walk, and picked three more poke berries. I walked across the main street just to see something new. When I got back, I made a salad, using up the rest of the greens. I also used up the remaining carrots, which were pretty old. I looked up the medicinal value of poke berries. I cut some onion slices to rub on my head.
I started watching Frazier. Chris skyped me and we talked for a bit. I'm not sure which he misses more: me or indoor plumbing. Then I went back to watching Frazier. I watched a few episodes, then took a break to make up 18 days worth of supplements: enough to take me through beach week. I placed the ones that needed reordering by my laptop. But when I sat down, I looked up how to make a playlist without commercials. Then I started making a playlist for the doctors. I stopped at 11 to write my blog. I swished with tooth powder and xylitol as I wrote. Then I placed a Swansons order and went to bed.
* I didn't take any pics today, so here is one of the blue blocks in progress. *

A set-back installing the new battery

I got up at 8. I brushed and swished and drank water. For my sewing requirement, I zigzagged more pieces of Insul-brite together. I thought I had created a piece big enough for the pattern, but did not have a copy of it at the moment.
I turned on the router and checked e-mail. I listened to a presentation on survival in a crises by an ex-military guy:
When you leave your house in an emergency like a tornado, carry bikes on your car in case traffic comes to a standstill. Strap your bags to the bikes because it is hard to pedal with a backpack on. Have bug-out bags with a poncho and bungee cords, and mylar sleeping bag. MRE's are too heavy. Bring container that holds water and filters it at the same time, like a bag with a tube with an inline filter. Be prepared for bad traffic, and military check points. The best security plan is stealth. Be tactical but don't look tactical. Blue is a recreational color so doesn't attract attention. Carry a blue bug-out bag with a waist strap. Carry weight on your waist, not your shoulders.
I made and ate breakfast. I meditated with Oprah and Deepak. I turned off my laptop and packed it in it's case. I put the new battery in with it. Then I headed out the door. It looked like rain so I didn't bother with the plants. I stopped at the computer repair place. The OPEN sign was not lit and the place was locked. I knocked just in case. It was 12:01 so I thought he might just be at lunch. So I went on to quilting.
I sat by Pat and unpacked my machine. I brought the Renegades project to work on. Marjorie chided me for not coming earlier and then she left. I talked to Pat and Leanne. Leanne and I made arrangements to go to a movie tomorrow.
At 2:30, after sewing the first leg on all the half square triangles, I packed up. I went back to the computer place. But it still wasn't open. Hmmm. Could he have gone out of business so quickly?
I went home and checked the house mail. None. I opened a coconut, drank the water, and scraped out all the meat. I rubbed my scalp with a ginger ice cube. I read e-mail and listened to an interview on the desktop. The interview exceeded my interest so I sewed a second log onto all the triangle blocks while it played. I got a message from my tapping buddy wanting to reschedule for tomorrow. I designed a new sheet for recording the Sunday donations.
It was getting late, so I went for a walk. There were no swarms of small bugs today. When I got back, I set up the laptop. I made a salad for supper. Then I put onion juice on my scalp and rubbed it with pieces of onion. I put on an episode of Frazier. Chris called me on Skype. We talked for a bit as I drank a bottle of kombucha. He didn't have much to say so I did most of the talking. Then I went back to watching Frazier. I brushed and swished with tooth powder and xylitol. I took my evening supplements and wrote my blog post for the day.

Rain, rain, everywhere

I woke up and did my visualizations. Then I got out of bed and was surprised to see that it was 9am already. I brushed and swished and sewed scraps of Insul-Bright together.
Being Wednesday, I exercised and detoxed. I boiled extra water to pour down the drains in case the gnats were feeding on something there. The bathroom sink was running slow, so I plunged it. That did not seem to help. I wiped the bathrooms and kitchen quickly. Then I had to get dressed and run out.
I got to the Korean doctors office by 2. The first task she had for me was to find an 8-hour recording of birds and waterfalls instead of the 1-hour version she was using. Easy. Then she wanted me to restore the google play app to her phone. I searched the net with her phone and tried to download it, but the message (in Korean) seemed to be that it was already there. Then her phone said it only had 5% left. The only cord she had to charge her phone was connected to her car. So she put it there to recharge, and we went back in to the office.
Then she wanted me to create a CD with old songs that she could play with her older clients. I created a playlist on Youtube instead. We had a good time listening to the older tunes and choosing ones for the list. At one point, Dr. Jae called us back to see the rear door of the storage space. Rain was coursing down inside it and running across the floor to the next room. I took a pic and a short video. Dr. Jae wanted me to send it to him from my phone. Well, I already know it won't text pics, but I tried anyway. Then I tried sending it by e-mail. But it did not show up in his inbox. Maybe it will later.
We added more songs to the playlist. I jumped up when I noticed it was 4 because I had to get to the post office by 4:30. She asked if I had time for a treatment, but I did not. She gave me a pouch of jujube juice and a bag of the dried fruits. We hugged, and I ran out into the rain to my car.
I drove to the post office, noting how backed up Jordan Lane was. After I picked up my (junk) mail from our post office box, I considered going back to the doctors office, but did not want to get caught in traffic.
When I got home, I checked the mail box, and got more junk. I put some quilting fabric and some laundry in the washer. I also squished some poke berries on a piece of white fabric. Then I scrunched it up and partially submerged it in a baggie of dye. I rubbed my scalp with a cube of ginger ice. It felt good in some places, but in other spots nearly gave me a headache.
I went for a walk to find some more poke berries. Clouds of little bugs were all over me. I swatted them all the way home. They were not like the ones in my house – more like ants with wings. I wiped them off me as best I could, but when I got in the house, I had to take my top off to get some more and comb others out of my hair. I am just glad they weren't locusts!
I pulled the fabric from the washer and ironed it dry. The few clothes and the satin went in the dryer for a bit. I finished cleaning the bathrooms and kitchen. I looked up how to find missing apps. I listened to a podcast while I texted back and forth with Beverly.
A doctor went to Africa in the 60's. He saw lots of people living in the country, with no soap or regular toilets. He saw cases of parasites among them, but no cases of autoimmune disease or autism. He now calls parasites 'commensal organisms'. He reccomends helminths for some autoimmune patients. “Treat the individual. The disease is only an idea.”, he said.
When the podcast was over, I watched back-to-back episodes of Frazier while rubbing onion on my head. I drank a cup of hot bone broth with minerals added. I also swished with xylitol and then with tooth powder. I took my evening supplements and put ozone cream behind my last molar. I wrote my blog post for the day and went to bed.

What is Tuesday without kimbap?

I set my alarm for 7 and got up when it rang. I brushed and swished and sewed a strip or two, finishing the block. I took a shower and got dressed. I ate a fat bomb. I chose 8 sheets of paper to bring to class. I pulled some coordinating fabric from my stash in case Beverly needed binding to go with the sewing print. I checked e-mail. I tweaked the instructions for the iron caddy, but there wasn't time to transfer it to the other computer and wake up the printer and such. I grabbed some extra fabric strips to use as props for the demo. Then I gave the plants a quick bit of water and headed out.
I arrived before 9 but not by much. Only a few people were there. Anita and I moved a table over by the outlets. We put in some extension cords. Laurie called. I told her we were in the back of the church. I went outside and waited for her. Then I helped her bring her cart of sewing supplies in.
I gave a short demonstration of the process for making the iron caddy. Everyone already had the instruction sheet so some were ready to sew and others to cut and some to iron. Lorraine copied my pattern. She cut her fabric and decided to make two, one for her mom. So when she bought Insul-Bright from me, I had to sell her the whole thing. Not that I was planning on making one, but I wanted to have some on hand for future use.
I walked around, observing ladies sewing and answering questions. Somehow I missed that Linda was sewing her binding corners incorrectly. Susan helped her out. Finally I had to sit down. I kept yawning. Susan said everyone should bring their caddy back next week for a pic. No one finished in class but probably will next week.
It was 12:30 or later when Beverly and I left. We went to the Asian store for kimbap. But low and behold....there was none. They just didn't have it today. No reason given. No easy lunch for me and no simple supper for Beverly and her family.
So I went home for breakfast. I made it as quickly as I could, so I would have time to eat and get to church by 2. But getting to church took longer than I thought. The right turn I wanted to take was blocked so I had to go all the way down Drake to the parkway.
But, no big deal. I went into the church office and got started arranging the envelops in order. The pastor came by the office for a bit, then left for the afternoon. I got the checks and cash counted and filled out the deposit tickets. Then I fired up the new computer. I entered the data for this week. But I could not find the all of the online statements. So I called Tim. He pointed me in the right direction. But by then it was 4:30. I paused the operation to run to the bank and made the deposit by 5.
I went back to the church to finish entering data and print the reports. Again, I had to stop in the middle to run to the farmer's market before it closed at 6. I picked up my three pairs of scissors and paid for them. The grass-fed meat lady was there. I meant to buy a beef heart from her, but since I wasn't going straight home, I didn't.
I went back to the church. It started to rain. I found the statements I needed and put together the report it should have been. I printed out all the various reports and their copies. I stapled them in sets for this week and last week. And finally I got to go home.
It was after 7 when I arrived. My hands and wrists were tired from all the data entry. I checked the house mail and rolled the trash can out to the curb. I picked the last tomato and ate it with salt and pepper. I checked e-mail. I started making a salad and Chris texted me over skype. I ate while we talked. He didn't have much to say. So he hung up and I read e-mail. No summits this week, so I binged-watched Frazier while rubbing my scalp with pieces of onion. When I was done, I threw the pieces in a ziplock bag to keep the gnats out. I don't know what they are eating now. I often find them on the bathroom mirror. Maybe they think it is water?
I swished while typing up my blog post. Then I took my evening supplements and went to bed.
* You'd think I'd take pics of people making the class project, but all I have is one of Beverly W. and her quilt. *

Preparing for class

I got up at 7:45. I had awoken earlier and was doing the visualizations to improve my teeth. But sleep had completely left me. Consciously I did not hear the alarm, but maybe subconsciously I did.
I did three forward head rolls. I brushed and swished and sewed a strip. I turned on the router, then sorted through some papers. I unpacked the two Amazon boxes. One had the new computer battery and I hoped it hadn't been damaged by the heat yesterday.
I took the celery from the fridge. It was limp so I put one bunch in water while I separated and washed the other bunch. Then I put the second bunch in water while I washed the first bunch. Sadly, the water was not cold. I guess it is just too warm outside. The second bunch was still limp after I juiced and drank the first bunch, so I let them sit awhile longer so I could read e-mail.
After 10 minutes or so, I juiced the second bunch, drank it, and washed the juicer parts. I noticed gnats or fruit flies in the garbage. The bag wasn't full so I didn't want to take it out. I covered it with a stiff bag, but either it did not keep them out, or some had not flown out. I sprinkled a few drops of tea tree oil in and put the bag over it again.
I made and ate breakfast. I listened to Oprah's meditation for day 15.
I watered the plants out front, then got in the car and went to quilting. A couple ladies left as I arrived. Bertha said they saved me a piece of cake. Ha ha. I showed them the iron caddy and told them I was teaching a class tomorrow morning at the church on Jordan. There was some interest and a few ladies wrote down the address. I handed them the supply list.
Then I set up my sewing machine and got to work on the blue project. Eileen brought several dozen eggs to sell from her family farm. All I had was a $5 so she gave me two dozen. She sold a dozen to someone else and she left to buy supplies for tomorrow. Laurie had to work early and Bertha had dogs to babysit and soon I was alone. It was good to spread out the blue blocks and see what needed to go where. I added touches of the brighter blues here and there. Carolyn came back and told me about her visit to her son. She bought one of the cartons of eggs from me. We worked rather quietly together. Then she had to go. But after she left, Rebecca came back and we had a nice chat. I didn't get much done. At 4pm I packed up to go. She put up the irons and cutting mats. Then we left together.
On my way home, I stopped by the post office to check the mail. Nada. Then I went home. I left my machine in the car, but brought the blue project in. I checked the house mail – same nada. Not even junk mail. What is this world coming to?
I had a bite to eat. I checked e-mail. The church treasurer had a question about the reports not reflecting the deposits. I checked the sheet I had but it did not explain the discrepancy. I placed a Swansons order. I collated the recyclables. I took the garbage out because of the gnats. Apparently the tea tree oil wasn't strong enough. I filled a small trash can with grocery bags so I could immediately bag wet stuff and take it out. Beverly called. We chatted for a bit. The sun was setting, so I went for a walk. It was the 45 minute path, but I got back just ahead of the bugs. I also picked some ripe pokeberries along the way.
When I got back, I sprayed bug spray in the pumpkin patch because of the white flies. I picked the pepper that was turning red. I started making a salad and Chris skyped me. I ate while we talked, which wasn't long. Poor guy doesn't have indoor plumbing in the housing they assigned him. I collected a few things for class tomorrow. I watched episodes of Frazier while rubbing onion on my head. I took my evening supplements. I set my phone alarm. I swished with tooth powder and xylitol. I wrote my blog post for the day. I gathered a few more things for class, like handle strips and batting. I put my phone on the windowsill so I would be able to hear it in the morning. I put ozone cream on my gums and went to bed.
* A Star Trek quilt from yesterday. *