57 years young today

I woke up beside Michele. I got up and let her sleep. I checked e-mail. Chris and Cecily went to the church to help decorate for Christmas. I called Kurt. He said he was packing and was going to stop by the hospital before he left town. I thought that meant I didn't have to hurry. I made and ate breakfast, then got dressed.
Al and I put my stuff in his car. Alfred dropped me off at Dad's house and helped me carry stuff in. Kurt was still there. He and Patrick were going out for breakfast. We talked briefly, then I drove to the hospital. I found Faye and Dad in the gym with the PT. I watched Dad walk with the walker in the hall, and go up and down steps. Then he laid down and the PT stretched his legs.
My foot was bothering me so I went back to the room. Lunch was sitting on the table. Kurt showed up. I gave him Dad's water bottle and sent him to the gym to see Faye and Dad. I found the fat bombs: melted in a bag. I put some in the soup. Then I stretched my foot before resting and jotting notes in texts to myself. I ate a few seed crackers.
Faye and Dad came back to the room for lunch. We talked while Dad ate pulled pork and … something else. The OT came for another session. She left for a few minutes so Dad could finish his meal. When she came back, Faye and Kurt asked safety questions. Knowing Dad could have his meals in the dining room under supervision helped Faye to feel better about not being here for that. The OT took Dad to the bathroom. Faye finally left. Kurt and I chatted. Dad was tired so the OT put him in bed before she left. She also moved some of the markers on Dad's whiteboard. Kurt left at 2:45.
Dad slept and I tapped. I also sent a few texts for entertainment, as well as deleting new e-mails. His dentures came loose so I pulled them out of his mouth so he could sleep better. After a few hours, he started to wake up. Supper had already arrived. He said he wasn't hungry, but that he wanted to get started eating. The nurse set him up to eat. The fat bombs had solidified on the window sill. I put some in the soup. I cut up the turkey and Dad mostly fed himself. When he decided he'd had enough, I ate the remaining green beans and sweet potatoes. There was fat free sherbet, but he wasn't interested. I didn't want it either. I gave him some CBD oil. Someone came for the tray.

The nurse came back. Dad wanted to sleep, so she dressed him for bed and put on the cath. He was so hot that she took his temp: 99. The room was also hot, so she turned down the thermostat from 85 to 75. Dad dozed off, then became fidgety. I turned on the weather and we watched that for while. Then I turned to the classical music channel and he fell asleep.
Dad started mumbling about transformers and trains. So I talked to him about Poppy's trains. That seemed to be the ticket. He got more lucid all the time. When I told him he was in the hospital, he responded with “Johnston Willis?”. That surprised me.
Eileen, an RN, came in. She recognized us from last February. She remembered Faye, too. She referred to us as the F and F sisters. She listened to his lungs and heard a little something that she wasn't allowed to talk about. She asked if we needed anything else, then left.
Faye arrived just before 10. She brought me a birthday present. It had the nicest card with it. We talked about tagteaming tomorrow. Dad wanted to know when I was coming back. He held my hand and I assured him I would be back.
I left the hospital and drove to Dad's house. Patrick was there. He threw his clothes in the dryer and I threw clothes in the washer that Faye gave me. Patrick proudly showed me old spice cans that he found in the cabinet. I was too tired to care. I wrote up my blog post and downloaded pics from my camera. Then I got ready for bed.

Black Friday

I heard my alarm go off in the den. I must have fallen asleep again and had a dream about Faye being missing. Then I saw her with a cult and thought they had brainwashed her. I shouted “Let her go” and woke up myself and Michele.
No one else was up. I checked e-mail and looked at the organic acids test results which had just come in on my laptop. My vitamin C level was high. Then I made vitamin water. I was going to make vinegar water but Cecily's vinegar was old and dark and not organic. And I left my second lemon at Dad's house.
I called Kurt and talked to him and then Faye. She said Dad had a bout of diarrhea. I apologized for not mentioning that he had prune juice for lunch yesterday. Then someone came in the room. Faye kept the phone open so I could hear, but it was not clear enough. I deleted a bunch of e-mail while waiting for her to get back to me. Finally I hung up to preserve Kurt's phone battery. I started composing my blog post for yesterday. Then I called Faye's phone. She was still at the hospital. We talked about Dad getting out of bed for breakfast (which an OT did earlier). We talked about whether he needed an assistant (like Faye or Darleen) if he went to the 5th floor rehab. Someone came to do an assessment. So I hung up and let Faye concentrate on that.
Cecily talked to me about rehab and such. Then I made breakfast and got dressed. I called Kurt who was about to text me that Dad was accepted into rehab on the 5th floor. YES!!! I told him to send Faye the new room number when it was determined.
When Michele was ready, the three of us drove to JohnstonWillis. We met Kurt and Faye in Dad's room getting ready for the move. Dad finished eating and we pulled the tray away. Faye asked me to compose several meal menus for next week. The nurses brought a wheelchair and two of them got him into it. Then he was wheeled to the 5th floor while Chris and I looked around the room to make sure nothing was left behind.
The room on the 5th floor was the same size as the 4th floor, just enough for a bed and a chair, but there was no chair. We found an empty room with one and Kurt moved that chair to Dad's room. However, it was not a reclining chair. We tried to stay out of the way while Perry (my favorite nurse from last February) got him situated in the bed and weighed him. Faye and I made a list of things Dad should have from home. Then Faye went home to get the stuff. William arrived after work. He chatted with Michele and Chris.
I assured Dad everything would be fine. He was in worry mode. Chris said we had to leave, so William stood by Dad while we said goodbye and left. On the way to the elevator, we ran into Allie, his OT from last time. I spoke to her briefly and she said she would check in on him even though he was not assigned to her this time.
Then we went down to the hospital entrance. I had to use the bathroom. Then I realized I did not have my purse. So Chris ran back to get it while Michele and I walked to the car. When he got back, we went to his parent's house for supper.
Supper was almost ready. I deleted some e-mail, then sat down with the family. Chris said grace, then we feasted on prime rib, au jus, salad, potatoes, brussels sprouts, and yorkshire pudding. Cecily could not finish her meal so we all pitched in to help.
I talked to Faye. Then the nurse came into Dad's room. Faye asked him for a reclining chair, and a phone. He was surprised that the room had no phone. I was feeling dizzy so I ended the call. I ran out of vitamin water so I made more.
The family was watching the food channel. I tried to catch up on e-mail and the very few Black Friday sales that I was interested in. Chris called me to him in the den to complete the CEL survey for the housing community that we live in. There was no place to complain about how high the prices are for the size of the house. And that they charge extra because we can't sign a long term contract.
I went back to my contemplation of special sale prices. I marked the sales that run all weekend and ordered from two that end at midnight. Then it was high time I went to bed.

Thanksgiving

I got up after the second alarm. My phone said it was 7:30 but that was CST. So I only had an hour and a half to get to the hospital. I made breakfast and ate it while adding things to my Swanson's cart. I re-read the list of things Faye asked me to do. I took pics of the papers she mentioned. Then I got dressed, and made vitamin water for the day. I also cut up a lemon and made lemon water to replace the vinegar water I have been drinking. Then I drove to the hospital to relieve Faye.
I got there just after 10. Dad was sitting in a chair and had just finished breakfast, I think. Faye and I talked. She said they cathed him at 4am and then he finally got some sleep.
Faye left around 10:30 for home and a Thanksgiving lunch at the Moose Lodge. Dad wanted to lie down. I told him the chair would recline, but he wanted to be in bed. I set up his walker, but he could not get up. The nurse came in to check, and got some help to move Dad. But in the process, the cath came off and the bag spilled. The male nurse cleaned it up, and then they hauled him into bed. They did not reinstate the cath.
While Dad slept, I chose food for his lunch order. Then I called it in and asked for late delivery. She said they had a Thanksgiving menu. But when I heard what was on it, I asked for the turkey to replace the baked cod in the order I had recounted. And that was fine.
I let Dad sleep. But a lady from Vascular came with an ultrasound machine. She put gel on a roller and got a visual of his heart beat on her screen. She examined from several angles. She needed a clearer pic so she asked him to take a deep breath and hold it. But he didn't hold it. After several tries, she left and came back with some sonically reflective liquid, which she injected into his IV. Some of it leaked, but he got enough that she could take the pic she wanted.
Kurt and Patrick stopped by at noon. Dad was sleeping, so the three of us chatted a bit and then they left to join Faye and Kevin for lunch. Dad's lunch came a little early and sat. But I waited until he woke up to offer it to him. The bed had a button that transformed the bed into a chair. So I pushed that, then pulled up the food tray. I cut up the turkey for him, and let him feed himself. I put a fat bomb in the tomato soup to melt. Then I fed him the soup to make sure he got his fat and protein for the day. He ate everything but the yogurt. Then I pushed the tray away and reclined him a little so he could rest again. I asked him questions about things in the past to stimulate his memory. When he went back to sleep, I did some tapping.
Kurt and Patrick came back, a little before three. Then Faye came. We all chatted. Kurt offered to spend the night with Dad on Friday. So I figured I could spend the day and night with the Damours. Then I drove over to Dad's house where Chris was waiting. We put my stuff in his car and went to his parent's house. I took a shower and Chris joined me to scrub my back. Getting dressed in the bedroom, I spied a book on prostate treatment. I thumbed through it and saw some info Faye might like to have. I asked Al about the book and he said I could take it. I called Faye. But then someone came in the room so she had to go.
Chris and Cecily finished up the preparation for Thanksgiving dinner. I joined the family at the table. We feasted on turkey, stuffing, cauliflower casserole, peas and onions, cinnamon rolls, and cranberry relish. Afterward, they had pumpkin and pecan pies with whipped cream. Michele ate very little because she was nauseous. Then Chris and I put all the food away. He rinsed dishes and I labeled containers of leftovers.
Chris and Michele sat on the couch with their laptops. I joined them. Then Faye texted me that she wanted me to order her a book on Amazon and have it sent to her house. But talking to Michele, I figured out how to buy it in Kindle form and e-mail it to Faye. She had to download the kindle app to read it. But she got it pulled up, so I hung up to let her read. By then Chris and Michele had left the room. I talked to Alfred until midnight, not realizing how late it was. I got dressed for bed and got in with Chris who had already gone to bed. But my ears were ringing from being so close to the router. So I grabbed my pillow and went to the livingroom where Michele was reading before going to bed. The couch was pulled out and dressed with sheets so I laid down and soon she did too. Then we went to sleep.

Wednesday the 27th

Near morning, he fell asleep when the nurses came in, turned on the lights and changed his wet bedding. I tried to go back to sleep, but daylight made it difficult. Around 7:30 I ate the second half of Faye's sub. At 8 I ordered breakfast for Dad. At 9 I woke him up and opened the blinds. Then someone brought breakfast in. I set him up to eat in bed. Faye came at 10. I made some vitamin water for Dad. I made it stronger to help him provide a stool sample for the lab. But it wasn't enough so I rubbed his tummy. He kept telling me to rub harder because it was moving something. He also wanted me to move the head of the hospital bed up and down. The nurse put a bed pan under him. It seemed to take a long time, but he finally was able to produce a specimen.
Chris came to the hospital to visit Dad. He stuck around for awhile. He watched us go through the stretching exercises with Dad. The OT came and asked questions, then stood him up and got him in the chair I slept in. Dad ate his lunch in the chair. The blood doctor came in to talk about blood thinners. He said to use a low dose while Dad is in the hospital.
Chris then took Faye back to the house so she could get her vehicle. Then he came back to the hospital. He watched Dad and I eating lunch so I told him it was ok for him to go back to his parents' house. The case worker came by to discuss Dad's living conditions. She wanted to send his info to three acute rehab places. Ok by me. I called Faye and told her.
Later the hospitalist came by. He said he didn't think Dad had pneumonia and wanted to order a CT scan of his lungs to be sure. He had an x-ray and saw signs of water. But he thought the high white cell count could be entirely due to the blood clot. He talked about options if Dad did not meet the criteria to be admitted to acute rehab.
Dad wanted to lay down, but in his own bed at home. I told him we couldn't leave. He wanted to call a taxi. I gave him the walker and stood there while he tried to get up on his own. He couldn't do it. I delayed so supper would arrive while he was still in the chair. And it did. But he needed a change and the nurses arrived during supper. So we interrupted supper, cleaned him up and put him in bed. The nurses left and I fed him as much supper as he wanted. Then, I ate the rest. Someone came to take the tray. I put on the TV news and Dad kind of watched it.
Faye showed up at 8. We talked. I tried to explain all that the hospitalist told me about non-acute rehabs and assisted living. We got interrupted by Patrick calling, and then the nurse. They come in a lot to take vitals and to change pee pads. Faye gave me Dads dirty clothes to take back. She gave me keys to the Olds, which I then drove home. William met me there and let me in. He presented me with a pair of practically new shoes from Goodwill. I took off the other ones he gave me, and put on the new ones. They felt fine at first, but then I realized the arch support was in the wrong place. I paid him for the first pair. He gave me a key to the house. Patrick left to take stuff to the storage unit. I wondered if he did not want to be alone in the house with me. I spend some time catching up on my blog posts. I also took some pics for Faye. I was really tired, so I did not do everything she asked me to before I went to bed.

* This pic was actually taken on black friday. *

Tuesday the 26th

We got Dad up at 7:30 so we could get him washed and dressed and fed. A PT came to the house at 9:30. She showed us exercises we could do with him to loosen up all those tight muscles. That made it easier to stand him up. Faye was both impressed and wondered why no one had said anything before.
William came by at lunch time, I think. He presented me with a pair of Brooks Addiction walking shoes. I tried them on. He had to go back to work and I forgot I was wearing the shoes.
We took Dad to the urologist. They scanned his bladder and thought it was ok. The doctor talked to us about enlarged prostate options. He seemed to favor stopping one of the medications for three weeks to see what happens.
When we got back, Kevin handed me a piece of chicken from the container he had made for Dad. Faye took Dad to the bathroom and then back to the car. We took Dad to Sheltering Arms for a consult. The PT lady didn't do much with him because his right leg was swollen and warm. She suspected a blood clot and said she wouldn't work with him until he got a doctor's note that it was ok to do PT. On the way out, we talked to a lady with a service dog. It was very friendly, but we were not to pet it while it was working. Faye and I discussed our options. We decided it would be quickest to get a doctor at the hospital to do an exam and write a note.
So we took Dad to the ER. They had a sign out front that said 6 minute wait time. But we went right in. I parked Dad at the desk and answered some questions. Then an aide took him to a room in the ER. Faye and I followed. A team of three people got him on the exam bed and started taking info and samples. We did little waiting. We were told he had bacterial pneumonia and a blood clot that traversed the length of his right leg. They put him on antibiotics and admitted him to a room on the 4th floor.
It was too late for supper. Faye went to Subway in the hospital and got a foot long spinach wrap. She ate half. We agreed that I would stay and she would sleep at Dad's house. So she left. She came back with denture stuff and seed cracker and vitamin powders, then she went back to Dad's house. I made myself as comfortable as I could on the reclining chair. But it got really cold next to the window. The room was so small I could not relocated the chair. Dad fidgeted most of the night. When he dislodged an EKG wire or some sensor, the machine beeped and I got up to fix it. So I got up a lot.

Monday the 25th

Sunday night I got to bed late and was too tired to write a blog post. But there wasn't time in the morning either. I got up to help Faye get Dad ready for the day. Darleen hung around for a little while, then went home. We got Dad up and to the bathroom, where we cleaned him up and got him dressed. We walked him to the kitchen table for breakfast. But he kept having to pee. And every time, we went through the difficulty of getting him standing on his feet. He was very stiff and not bending at the knees or hips. So he was leaning back most of the time.
I made and ate my breakfast. Faye fed Dad cereal and fruit. I fed him fat bombs and boiled eggs. We put Dad in the lounger that both reclines and helps the sitter stand up. We practiced standing, but it was difficult.
We took Dad to the dentist at 4. We had to start early because it took so long to get him up, into the wheelchair, and in the car. At the office, we reversed that. He was seen pretty quickly. The attendant examined his dentures and cleaned them. She also put in new rubber gaskets. Another assistant helped take him to the car and get him in the passenger seat. She said he reminded her of her own dad.
We went to see David the trainer. I took Dad in while Faye parked the car. Then I paid while David took Dad to the machines and set him up on a feet and arm exerciser. Faye was pleased to see Dad smile as he did the exercise. And he did well. He did not seem weak. But we were late so our time ran out early. Then we took Dad home for supper, and bathroom breaks. Faye and I went through clutter and did some organizing. Darleen came again for the night. She slept in the room with Dad. Faye and I stayed up talking in the livingroom. Then I went into the bathroom to change into night clothes. Patrick had left his underwear and dirty clothes on the bathroom floor. Since I had already told him once to pick it up and he had assured me that he had, I was mad and too tired to control it. He was watching TV in the den, where he usually falls asleep, leaving the Tv running all night. I loudly called him by his entire name, and informed him on no uncertain terms that he was going to pick up his dirty clothes. He did it immediately. Faye covered her mouth and nearly died laughing. Then we both laid down and went to sleep.

Sunday the 24th

I had a hard time falling asleep, but I slept through the night. I heard my alarm ring and Chris got up to turn it off. Maybe we both went back to sleep? But it rang again (8:30 local) and he turned it off. I got up to take a shower, then brushed and swished. I did not have a cold finish because Michele's shower is set to a particular setting which is then on or off. I did not want to change it.
I got dressed and made vitamin water. I watched a video about humpback stretches. H
I chatted with Michele. I scrubbed her stove top with magic eraser. I showed her how the sewing machine works. Then I made breakfast. I put the chia and flax and cacao in and hoped I could chew it well enough not to get stuck in my teeth.
After breakfast (which ended at nearly noon), Chris and I got on the road. We listened to more of the book on CD. Chris took me to my dad's house. He went to the grocery store for me and then headed to see his parents.
Faye and I took care of Dad, getting him from the wheelchair to the walker and to the bathroom. It took both of us because he was so weak and unable to follow certain directions. Darleen showed up about 9. She and Faye slept in Dad's room and I slept on the couch in the living room. Patrick came home late. He started the washing machine and plunked himself down in front of the TV. I told him to keep it low so I could sleep. I did a lot of tapping and finally dozed off.

Hanging with Michele

I woke up early. The bed was low in the middle and I kept rolling that way. I looked under the bed, but didn't see anything wrong with the slats. I heard my first alarm go off. I went back to bed for awhile. My back wasn't happy with the low spot, so I just got up.
After a while, my second alarm went off, and Chris and Michele got up. Michele made oatmeal for all of us. I mixed in most of my breakfast ingredients. I had forgotten to bring the coffee grinder so I could not grind the chia seeds, flax seeds, and cacao nibs. Michele did not have a grinder or a blender.
After breakfast, they loaded empty boxes into Michele's car and dropped them off at U-Haul for someone else to use. Chris also put the glass in our car into the local recycling.
He and Michele talked about gaming stuff. Later we all went to the grocery store to get food and a filter for the heating system. It was a little more walking than my foot was happy with.
When we got back, Chris hardboiled eggs and put a package of bacon in the oven to slow-roast. I read e-mail and listened to interviews. He and Michele did something similar I guess. When the eggs were done, Chris made egg salad for all of us. Mine was on a plate, but they had sandwiches and hard cider.
Then they watched a movie together in the guest room. I took pics of her windows, and listened to audios on laptop. I watched an episode of The Quilt Show. It made me sleepy so I laid down. But I never quite fell asleep.
It was almost supper time when I got up. Chris baked sweet potatoes for him and me. Michele didn't want one. He and I put cocoa and butter and coconut flakes on our potatoes. Michele dished out bean soup for all of us. They put cheese on theirs and I put sprouts on mine. We all had the oven-roasted bacon that Chris made. Then I ate some salsa, which was really spicy. So then Chris and Michele tried it too. They drank more hard cider.
We all chatted for awhile. Chris told us about the pecan beer he bought at the PX in Honduras. Michele and I talked about which curtains she wanted. Then Michele asked for some alone time with her laptop. So Chris and I watched episodes of The Good Place while Michele used her laptop in the guest room. Afterward Chris went to bed while I watched a video on stretches for back pain, and typed up my blog.

Michele's Place

I had trouble sleeping because it was too hot. I brought my warmest nightgown because Dad's house is cold, but it was too hot for the hotel. I did not take any bedtime supplements, and I did not wake up in the middle of the night. I was awake before the alarm went off at 7:30 CST. I put on an interview that was due to be pulled down at noon. I brushed and swished, then washed up and got dressed. Then I made breakfast and vitamin water. I also soaked the sprouts. I ate breakfast while Chris ate slices of bread from home. I asked Chris for a new laptop because I am tired of having both hinges broken. He was not gung-ho on the idea. Then we packed up our stuff. I checked out while Chris brought the car around. We put the luggage in and headed out.
We listened to more of the book on CD. I took a swig of vitamin water every 10 minutes. It ran out about 3pm. So then I drank straight water. We also snacked from the food box. We followed the GPS to Michele's office. The local traffic was horrible. There, she gave us the key to her condo and we met her co-worker.
Then we followed the GPS to her condo. We moved all our stuff plus the stuff we brought for her, inside. Chris moved the car to an unreserved spot. She had bean soup with choriso in a crock pot. I laid down on the bed and tried to sleep, but it didn't work. We took a walk outside. I needed some fresh air, but had to balance that against the pain in my foot. Then we went back inside. Chris found her internet password, so we got on our computers.
At 6 she came home. She served us soup. We talked about this and that. I showed her the stuff we brought her. Later the three of us sat on her bed and watched episodes of The Good Place. Then I posted to my blog and went to bed.
* Michele at work. *

Packing and travel

I woke up at 6:45 to use the bathroom, so I must have slept through the night. I went back to bed until 7:30. I called Faye and sadly woke her up. She was with Dad at home. From the conversation, it takes two people to handle him now. So she and Darleen are doing night duty together.
I boiled water and packed up the seed crackers which were crisping in the oven all night. I brushed and swished. I soaked the sprouts. I got dressed and posted to my blog for yesterday. I packed my suitcase. I added to the food boxes. I chose some curtains for Michele. I filled a sewing bag with notions and chose an iron for her. Then I made and ate breakfast. Then Chris made himself lunch. I deleted a bunch of e-mail, then packed up my laptop. As I carried out the trash, I saw my next door neighbor and asked him to put our recycling out at the curb on recycle day, which will be the day after Thanksgiving. He said he'd be happy to.
With the car packed, we left the house at 12:15. We stopped for gas and waited in line. Then we got on the road and started listening to a book on CD. I fell asleep at times, but woke up at the end of each CD to put in the next one.
We got to Bristol at 5:30 CST, but 6:30 local time. We went to a sushi restaurant for supper. I swear I ordered grilled eel, but got grilled cuddlefish. I also got a vegetable roll. Then we went to the hotel to check in. We had time to settle in. Chris watched a movie on his laptop while I engaged in a Skype call with my tapping buddy. We tapped for her neck pain and she said it felt better at the end.
I started listening to a podcast that expires tomorrow at noon. Chris invited me to watch The Good Place with him. So I paused it and we watched two episodes. Now, I think we are going to bed. I hope I can fall asleep as easily as in the car.
* Another quilt from the meeting on Tuesday night. *

The Good Place

I got up about 7, surprised to find Chris still here. I filtered water for today and tomorrow. I made more of several mixes. I made coffee. I listened to a tapping video while finding sewing notions mentioned in the manual of the sewing machine I want to give Michele. I started a video on growing turmeric and ginger while I did my exercises. I completely forgot drybrushing.
Dr Lee called and asked me to come early. It sounded like he had extra stuff for me to do. I tapped for that, then meditated. The phone rang but I didn't get up. Later I called back. It was a guy from the mold company. He talked about remediation and gave me websites to visit. It sounded like he was selling something. He also said one kind of mold needed constant water to survive. But it was in my fabric room. There shouldn't be any water in there.
I cleaned the bathrooms and kitchen. I took a shower, then went outside to read. Sunny, passably warm days are getting to be in short supply. I ate some seed crackers, then went to the clinic.
The gas gauge was lower than seemed appropriate since I just filled up yesterday. When I got to the clinic, Dr. Lee was there with his brother. He asked me to read an e-mail about missing items from his Texas application. I did what I could, but it didn't make much sense. He gave me jujube juice before I left, which was earlier than usual. He and his brother locked up and left after I walked out. I guess that's why he wanted me to come early.
I went home, then called Chris to see if he wanted me to pick up some CD's at the library. He said ok, so I drove there and picked 6, then went home again. I worked on assembling a sewing kit for Michele. I made three breakfasts, ate one, and made enough supplement doses to see me through our trip. I also made seed crackers, and boiled the remaining eggs. I mixed B, mag, and niacin in a spice bottle to eliminate some of the containers going on the trip. I filled all my water bottles with water and ginger tea.
Chris and I watched three episodes of The Good Place, then went to bed...and eventually fell asleep.
* Another quilt from the modern quilt guild, which now has 55 members. *

The blue quilt and the mold test

Chris got up with my alarm. I never heard his. I waited until I heard him leave, and then I got up.
I couldn't remember how to make the calcium hydroxyapatite mix. Only two ingredients, but what is the other one? I suspected it was baking soda. So I made more of that mix, and also the spirulina and chlorella mix, plus vitamin water. Then it was time to brush and swish.
I looked at my electrical stim unit to see if it was working today, but no, still not charging. I checked e-mail. Then I got dressed and went to quilting.
The ladies were all lined up filling stockings for the veteran's home. But I was supposed to pick up my quilt so I went over to that lady. I didn't realize that she brought quilts for a number of people so I had to wait in line. When she held up my blue quilt, it was awesome. I handed her $120 for the quilting and trimming. She said the trimmings were in the bag with the quilt. About that time, the ladies who were stuffing stockings finished. So I missed out on that. Then Beverly arrived. She showed us pictures from her daughter's reception on Friday. (I thought it was on Saturday.)
Around 11 they were getting out food for lunch. I said my goodbyes, and went home. I opened the garage door so the plants could get more light. I ate a can of soup, then sat out in the sun and read for awhile. It was windy so I put the chair in the corner of the yard where the fence protected me from the wind.
When I came in, I made and ate breakfast. I read some more e-mail, then closed the garage door, and went to church to count the money. Lars was still out of town, so I did the part he normally does, and then the data entry. Elaine came a little before I was ready. After I finished the reports, we did our allergy clearing thing and talked about various health topics. We agreed to meet again in two weeks, then I went to the bank to deposit the money.
When I got home, Chris was already there, having gotten the mail from the post office and the mailbox on his way home from work. There wasn't anything I needed to keep. I ate nuts and seed crackers and a packet of tuna. I checked my blog to see what I had worked on in the last month. I took the feathered star and went to see the Modern Quilt Group.
The parking lot was full when I got there. We were meeting in a slightly different space and it was crowded. I thought I was 10 minutes early, but I got the last seat. I talked to Susan and Carol. The meeting spot was surrounded by bolts of fabric, so I had trouble concentrating on the meeting. We started off with a presentation from a Handi-quilt instructor. It was ok, but I kept asking questions that I knew the answers to just to make sure she didn't leave anything out. I didn't think she was very good at explaining things.
Anyway, then we had the business portion of the meeting. The presentation by the treasurer went long. I kept getting distracted by the purple fabrics. Finally the president said we didn't have time for show-n-tell. But after hearing the outcry, she relented. I showed off my feathered star and took pics of what other people brought. Then the meeting was over, but I got caught up in conversations.
Finally I went outside, called Chris to let him know I was on my way home, then went home. He was watching something on his computer. I drank some vitamin water and some vinegar water. He reconnected the small laptop to the TV and called up Netflix while I ate a small bowl of anti-aging yogurt. We watched one episode of Royal Pains. He didn't seem to care for it, but then he didn't have all the background material. I tried to explain it.
Then he went to bed and I stayed up to catch up on e-mail. My mold test results came in. I read about the kinds of mold that grew on the plates. Then I wrote to my blog and went to bed.
* How can anyone concentrate on a meeting when there are so many wonderful bolts in the vicinity? *

I FOUND IT!

I got to bed later than usual last night. My back was not happy, so I did some tapping, not sure that it would help. But when a hot flash hit and I had to get up, my back gave me no trouble. Sadly, it was only the first of many hot flashes. I don't know why they have come back with a vengeance and mostly at night. Then Chris' alarm went off at 5. But he stayed in bed. I cuddled with him because he was cold and he said we needed a comforter on the bed. (That would be me, right?)
He got up at 6:30 when my alarm went off. I got up at 7. We interacted a little bit before he left. Then I started my morning routine, making mixes and turning on the router – which by the way is now sending out a signal as Chris requested.
I tried to write lyrics to Frosty the Pumpkin in my head as I brushed and swished. Then I sat down to read e-mail. I also finished off the last of the liver, and a packet of tuna.
I listened to podcasts while I tried again to print out perfect half inch flying geese. But whether it was scanned or copied, it did not come out right. Part was too light so I traced it darker with a pencil, but then it wasn't quite as accurate.
I listened to 5 meditations from Deepak, trying to catch up. And then Chris came home from work. They took his computer away when he left 5 months ago and now he has to wait to get it reinstated. He called the dealership to see about getting the part his car needs, while I sat outside barefoot and read for over half an hour. It was a little chilly but the sun was nice.
I came inside and made breakfast. Chris was cooking spelt. It was time to get dressed, which meant getting undressed first. And that's where Chris came in. Like in Go Fish, he got his wish. But after a good nap, I got dressed and left him sleeping.
I went to the bank to get cash for our trip, plus extra to pay for the quilt I am picking up tomorrow. When I got back, he was eating pea soup that he had just made and saying it would be better with bacon. I went to the freezer and got a baggie of bacon pieces that were left over from when Pastor Feig cooked the beef heart for me. Chris put some in his soup and the rest went into the fridge. I ate a can of bean soup for supper, and then a bowl of the pea soup that Chris made. I called Michele to see how she was doing. She was able to keep liquids down, but still afraid to eat. We talked about curtains for her new place, and a sewing machine. I have the perfect one, complete with fancy stitches, a set of presser feet, the manual, and a dust cover. But in spite of months of searching, I could not find the foot pedal anywhere.
I searched online for a replacement foot pedal. But there was absolutely nothing with the same 4-pin arrangement, not for any brand of machine. It must be the rarest machine in the world – a 1984 Montgomery Ward. I looked through boxes of curtains to see what might be good for Michele. I ate some anti-aging yogurt, then decided that searching my sewing room had to be easier and quicker than searching the internet. Finally! Finally I found it. I came out triumphant, holding it aloft so Chris could see. I felt like the old woman in the Bible who searched for her lost coin and celebrated finding it.
When Chris was ready, we watched “Are you there?” starring Michael Caine. It was not a great movie. It got off to a slow start, and didn't get much better. After that, I took my evening supplements. Chris went to bed and I stayed up to blog.
* See all the tiny flying geese this pattern calls for? *

Last day of freedom

As I lay in bed last night, Chris came in and laid on top of me. I stared at him and said “How did you get here?” Then he disappeared, but the weight on my chest was still there. Spooky.
The alarm went off at 6:30. I got up at 7, and puttered around in the kitchen for a while. I checked e-mail, then showered. I alternated between hot and cold water. It really gets the circulation going. I left my hair dry for a bit, then got dressed for church.
I headed out at 9. When I got there, I had trouble identifying my folder in the pile of folders. Then I joined the ladies of the choir in practicing our call to worship. It was a very modern song and I had trouble with it.
Afterward, I met Don's daughter. She asked me if I was the famous Fern. I guess he told her how much he likes having me sit beside him. She said she needed to go to Birmingham but wanted to know that he was in good hands. I promised to take care of him like he was my own father, and see to it that he didn't fall. Then she left him in my care. He and I talked for a bit but then the ladies of the choir assembled up front to sing our song. And then the service began.
I watched over Don through the service and held his hand going up to communion and coming back. After the service, Ron came over to tell me a story about hand shakes. Then I went up to find the offering and make sure it went into the safe. I talked to Jennifer and Stacey.
Finally, I drove to Publix. I didn't have a long list but I kept thinking of things Chris might want. I was there longer than I intended.
When I got home, I changed clothes, then opened the garage door to give the plants some light. I put the groceries away, then watered the plants, which were pretty dry. It was sunny and kind of warm, so I sat outside barefoot and read for an hour or so. When I came in, I put on an audio from the anxiety summit while I made and ate breakfast. I started a loaf of bread for Chris. I picked up here and there. I made seed crackers. I took out all the recycling, and flattened some boxes. I disposed of the wreath from last Christmas. I moved the Air Doctor box to the garage. I dusted all the books and stuff on the headboard of the bed. Then I cleared the mail from Chris' chair and sorted it, putting it in a pile that left room for him to set up his laptop.
I was dusting the TV and getting it all hooked up again when Chris texted me from the airport. I took my 8pm supplements, then got in my car. I emptied my passenger seat, then drove to the airport. Chris was waiting with his luggage. He put his stuff in the back seat and got in the passenger seat. He said he wasn't used to the cold. I drove us home, using Gate 9, which wasn't much faster than Gate 8 because of the backtracking.
He put his suitcase on the bed and emptied it. Michele called to assure us that she loved us before she died. She was throwing up everything. It started when she got off the plane from whatever convention she just got home from. I suggested popsicles, but she didn't have any. Chris told her he had a gift for her from Herberth. After the call, Chris showed me all the gifts that were for me, from Herberth and two ladies at work. The sewing basket from Herberth was picked out by another lady. All the gifts were thoughtful.
Once the bed was clear of suitcases and gifts, we had some snuggling to do. Afterward, Chris fell asleep and I left to write my blog post and finish my supplements. He plans to get up at 5. I am going to miss sleeping in till 6:30.
* A basket of Honduran sewing supplies - a gift from Herberth *

Cleaning for Chris

I heard my alarm go off, but I stayed in bed for awhile. Then I checked the sleep app, which gave me an 83. It was after 7 when I got up. I was feeling a little congested so I put vitamin C and glutathione patches on. Then I made vitamin powder and vinegar water to sip on throughout the day.
I ate several pieces of liver while listening to the first podcast. I printed the rest of the pages of my test results so I could file the set in my medical folder. It was warming up outside so I opened the garage door to give the plants some light.
I cleaned both toilet bowls, and did the first load of laundry. I cleaned off the coffee table. I put the sheets and mattress pad in the washer. I poured boiling water over my toothbrush. As long as the mattress pad was off, I used the UV wand to disinfect the mattress. It took a long time so I mostly did my side of the bed.
It was sunny and not too cold, so I sat outside reading for some time. I did not have my watch on. When I came in, I made breakfast. I got a text from Faye so I called her. After the conversation, I put the mattress pad back on the bed and turned on the fan because it wasn't quite dry. I looked at years worth of blog entries for the name of the daycare place that we took Mom to see. I had to go back to Aug of 2011. I e-mailed the info to Faye.
The day was cooling off so I closed the garage door. I read an article about nitric oxide for blood flow to the brain and wondered if it would help Dad. When I was sure that the pad was dry, I put the clean flannel sheets on the bed. Then I figured that the fridge was as close to empty as it was going to get, so I pulled the stuff out and cleaned it.
Tired, I sat back and watched an episode of Frasier. I had started a second episode when Chris called. I talked to him for a bit, then let him go pack for tomorrow. I restarted the episode and William called. He caught three mice in Dad's house. Then I finished the episode and my vitamin water. I did another search for flying geese templates in the miniature size I needed. Finally it was time to blog and get ready for bed.
* This is one of Lauri's quilts. *

ACV for what ails me

I woke up once during the night and could barely walk on my foot. I guess walking around the circle three times aggravated it. But I went back to sleep. The alarm woke me at 6:30. I was chilly and decided to stay in bed. I got up a little before the second alarm at 7:30. My phone told me that Sleep Cycle didn't work last night after all. But my phone was down to 18%. So what did it do all night?
My laptop was already awake. So I rebooted it, turned on the router, and plugged in my phone. Then I opened all the windows that got closed for the reboot.
I soaked a Q-tip in hydrogen peroxide to swab my ears and nose. This is the first time it made a hissing sound in my ear canal. Then I tried to print flying geese templates at half size, but they never came out quite right. I ate some liver, finished off the celery juice and juiced all the broccoli sprouts. I used the hand crank juicer. It was a real bear to keep it in place and not get juice all over the counter. Although it has a suction cup on the bottom, my counter top is not the smooth kind, so it didn't adhere.
I listened to a tapping audio, and washed dishes and utensils. Faye texted me from her lunch time at work, so I called her. She said Dad will probably come home Tuesday and she will spend the night with him.
I got test results in my e-mail. Most of my microbiota are within range. But I noted h. pylori and enterococcus and morganella were above normal. I sewed borders on the feathered star. I made breakfast. I scheduled an appt with the practitioner that ordered the test.
It was a sunny day, so I got dressed, and read outside. It was also a cold day, so I did not sit out there long. I listened to another tapping audio. I looked looking up herbal remedies for the bacterium indicated on the stool test. ACV and garlic were mentioned a lot.
At 4, I sealed my mold plates and took at pic. I drove the box to the post office. I mailed them priority, to arrive on Monday. There was nothing for me to pick up. I went to the library just long enough to return a book, then wen home. I finally got my paper piecing geese to be the right size. I made enough copies to fill the page, then printed again. But somehow the size was changed in the copying. Sigh.
I printed out some of test results to make it easier to do searches. It seems most of the troubling bacteria can be minimized with multiple shots of apple cider vinegar. I ate some anti-aging yogurt. I was reading e-mail when William called. He mostly talked about shoes.
I made a salad, and ate some seed crackers. I watched one episode each of Royal Pains and Frasier, thinking Chris would call and interrupt one. I started looking up some supplements and then Chris called. We talked for a little bit, but he was tired and needs to get up early tomorrow for one last hike with Herberth. I looked at the latest e-mails, then posted to my blog and got ready for bed.
* My fungal friends are in the mail. The clerk asked me if I wanted to insure the package. I think not. *

Trouble with flying geese

It was way too late when I got to bed last night. I woke up early, but was able to fall back asleep. I got up at 7:00. I brushed and swished. I turned stuff on. I checked e-mails and listened to a meditation. I made up two weeks worth of supplements. I checked the mold plates. Another one is showing signs of growth.
At 9, Nell called me on Skype and we tapped for almost two hours. Afterward, I made and ate breakfast. I put the feathered star project in my carrying case and headed out the door. There was an Amazon package, which I thew in the house before I locked the door.
I went to quilting. A moderate amount of women were there. I worked on the feathered star and listened to the conversation around me. One by one, they all left. Then it was just me and Pat, who was working on curtains. I finished the star, and helped Pat put everything away. Then we went our separate ways.

On the way home, I felt something coming on so I took another packet of vitamin C when I got back. I opened the Amazon package and found cacao nibs and two light bulbs. But they were too small for my sewing machine. I put on a podcast, and ate a piece of coconut encrusted liver and a large beet. Both were good, but not as good as they were last night. I also ate some seed crackers with salsa.
I looked for flying geese methods. I constructed some but they weren't accurate. Then the internet went down. So I texted Stacey to see if she wanted to go for a walk.
We walked three times around the block. At one point we saw an armadillo. I guess we should have kept it as the next mystery ingredient. Ha! When I got home, I restarted the router. I deleted e-mail on my phone until my laptop got connected again. I looked at paper-pieced geese patterns, and tried to find one that was at least three in a row. I checked the house mail. I ate some anti-aging yogurt. Jennifer sent me some links to videos, so I watched three of them. While they played, I did stretches, balancing exercises, and ate blueberries.
I watched one episode of Frasier, still waiting for Chris. He called after it was over. He said its 80 degrees there. We talked for about an hour. Then I wrote up my blog post and got ready for bed.

The memory test

Last night I listened to a tapping audio while stretching and ironing. I tapped in the appropriate places. When it was over, I went to bed. I got up once during the night, which should have stopped the hot flashes. It did for awhile, but they came back. So I didn't go back to sleep after that. I also did not get up at 6:30 when the alarm went off.
I got up at 7:15. I stood in the sunshine streaming in the kitchen window. I prepared a bottle of vitamin water. I also made coffee. I left it on to simmer, but the flame went out, and the gas was still on. Luckily I came back in the few minutes to check. I wondered if I should complain about the stove.
I checked e-mail. The vitamin water triggered a niacin flush so I did my exercises early. Then I rebounded and drybrushed. I got an e-mail with my Lyme test results – no Lyme or co-infections found.
I did the usual detox with tapping and meditation. Then I cleaned the bathrooms, and read e-mail. I cleaned the kitchen, and took a shower. I got dressed and ran the vacuum. I called Immunolytics to get details on mailing the mold plates. Only the fabric room plate is showing mold today.
I made and ate breakfast while listening to a tapping audio of the summit. Then I went to the Korean clinic. She excitedly told me she negotiated a lower rent (for now). I double checked items for his Texas certification. Then he prepared me a foot bath. While I was relaxing, a patient sat and talked to me until his wife came to get him. After the foot bath and massage, Dr. Lee gave me a box of onion juice.
I stopped at the post office on the way home. There was supposed to be a package, but there wasn't. Then I went to the library and got a book. I went home and there was no package there either. I checked e-mail, and listened to an audio. I ate yogurt and some sprouts.
I went over to Stacey's house with my choir folder and a book on brain health. There were a series of tests in the book and she read them to me so I could test my memory. Around 6 her husband was ready to serve. He had cooked liver coated in cacao and in coconut. I liked the coconut better, but both were interesting flavors. He also made brussel sprouts and beets. Stacey and I ate, and the three of us talked until it was time to leave for choir practice. He shooed us out and cleaned up and made his own supper.
Stacey drove us to choir practice. The choir sang a few songs together for December, then the men left and the ladies practiced a song for Sunday. I didn't like it. Stacey stayed late to sing with the drummer. The organist told me a story about a mountain lion found stalking her dogs. (She lives here on post).
When Stacey was ready, we went back to her house. She read me the last part of the test and we went through the scoring. I got a low score on the working memory part, but did well on the other parts. Then we got into a discussion of schedules and trying to coordinate too many things.
It was after 11 when I headed out, with my book and an insulated bag of beets, brussel sprouts, and liver. When I got home, I put the food away, then sat down to write my blog post. I didn't set the sleep app on my phone last night because it didn't have enough charge. I forgot to charge it today, so no sleep app again tonight.
* This is one of the Linus quilts. *

Another Failure for Fedex

I took me awhile to fall asleep last night. I don't know if I ate something that took too long to digest, or what. I slept in until 7, then got up. I got started on my morning quart of water. Then I brushed and swished. I checked e-mail. I made a salad with no kale. I ate a pomegranate after that.
I checked the front porch – the Fedex package still there. I read e-mail. I worked on the blue and white feathered start. My phone made strange sounds so I rebooted it. And the package still there. I listened to podcasts from the Anxiety Summit. I did a tapping video, then made breakfast. And the package was still there.
After some more sewing, I went to church. I recorded all the checks and cash on paper, then added it up. Strangely, my phone was slow to recognize the digits as I typed them in. I printed the reports, then dropped off eggs and cans of food. I took the cash and checks to the bank for deposit.
When I got home, the package was still there. I called Fedex. First I had to get the automated system to turn me over to a live person, who insisted that someone might yet come before 6. I asked for a supervisor and was turned over to customer service. That man told me there was a note saying the driver came just after noon and said there was no package. I told him I put the package out last night, so either the driver went to the wrong house or he wasn't looking. I asked if I could just put it in the drop box in front of the post office. The customer service said yes and there would be an early morning pickup. I also asked to file a complaint and he gave me a confirmation number for it. Then I drove the package to the drop box. Had I known it would come to this, I could have dropped it off last Thursday. Afterward, I went into the post office to check our mail: no packages but a few envelopes.
When I got home, I checked the house mail. There was a bill from Minol. It said we didn't have to pay when the balance is less than $50. I sent the info to Chris. I listened to another podcast while I ate a can of soup and some anti-aging yogurt. I filled out paperwork for the mold test plates. I had to e-mail some questions that it raised. I watched another tapping video.
Chris called on Skype. I could see his temp quarters. They looked pretty modern, but did not have running water in the kitchen and no bathroom. It's a good thing it is warm there so he doesn't have to brave the cold at night to go pee. He says they are going to tear down the temp quarters in the not too distant future. He also said Minol charges fees for unpaid balances even though it says you don't have to pay now.
I called Faye, who was on her way to see Dad. I read e-mail, and took my evening supplements. I watched one episode of Frasier, then called Faye again. Dad was sleeping so she talked quietly. But then he woke up to pee and wanted to take a walk. I hung up so she could interact with him. Then I wrote up my blog post and got ready for bed.
* This is one of the Linus quilts from Saturday. *

Bertha's Blocks

I had a hard time sleeping last night. My digestive system was a little irritated. After some time, I concluded that it was having trouble with the kale, even though I ate supper early.
I woke before the alarm went off. My sleep score showed as 0. I found my sewing glasses on the dining room table. I turned on the router and rebooted my computer. My phone needed recharging so I plugged it in. Then it changed my sleep score to 100. I called Fedex to schedule a pickup. The man who answered assured me it would be picked by between noon and 1.
I made up a bottle of vitamin water. I cut backing for the strip set. I made salad for breakfast, so I could digest the kale early. I did more sewing and listening, then meditated with Deepak.
Around 11 I prepared my usual breakfast. I put the package out to be picked up. Then I got dressed, and went to quilting. I helped others obsess over Bertha's block arrangement. Every time she took a picture, one of us made a change. Thankfully Lauri was there to move the top blocks. I made lots of tiny pinwheels, then put them in a row. Then Carolyn and I packed up and headed out.
I tried to go to the post office, but that gate was closed, which reminded me that it was a holiday. So I went to the other gate and drove home. My package was still sitting on the front porch. I was so mad. I called Fedex and the guy said the driver left a note saying that he came at 8:21 and there was no package. I don't get that – pickup at the box by the post office is at 3. Why did he come so early? Since I was home, why didn't he knock? So I scheduled a pickup for tomorrow. It is supposed to be freezing all day so the package can sit out with no risk of melting. I, however, am just furious.
I ate some yogurt, a few baby carrots, seed crackers with salsa, and a coconut. Because it will be freezing tomorrow, I put the plants in the garage and brought in the pumpkin. After all, there are no songs about Frosty the Pumpkin.
I worked on a blue and white feathered star project that someone donated to Linus. It was tiny. I sewed while listening to a podcast from the Pain Relief World Summit. I ground some coconut flakes in my coffee grinder. I put it in a baggie. In another baggie went cacao powder. I took the liver and baggies over to Stacey. I helped her bring in her plants. We talked until her husband came home. He opened the food bag like on Chopped, and pulled out the ingredients. He said it would be easy to make something with it. Stacey and I talked some more. Then I walked home.
I listened and sewed tiny half square triangle blocks. Chris called my phone. The internet in his temp quarters isn't working. He and Herberth went out to lunch today and heard Christmas music playing. I tried to call Faye after that, but her phone went to voicemail. I meditated. I continued sewing until it was time to write up my blog post and get ready for bed. I checked the weather, then put the package outside. It was raining and almost freezing. There may not be much going on tomorrow.
* We had so much fun rearranging her blocks. *

A nice day in November

Last night I fell asleep sooner than usual. It might have been the motherwort I just started taking at night. I got up once during the night. Then when I woke up ( 2 minutes before the alarm), the sleep app gave me a score of 93. Snoring was recorded around the time I got up to go to the bathroom, so I think it mis-interpreted what it heard.
I turned on the electricity and the router. I put on a podcast to listen to. I learned that phytocannabinoids look a lot like our endocannabinoids, and so are taken up by our endocannabinoid receptors. Different symptoms respond to different combinations of THC and CBD. Terpenes can also affect our endocannibinoid system.
I took a shower, and washed the vodka from my hair. I got dressed and drank some protein powder mix. I took my coat, not certain how cold it was, and went to church. The choir warmed up early to make time for a half hour prelude of patriotic music. The last piece was Stars and Stripes, played by three ladies on the same grand piano. We all applauded. But I thought it would have been better played on organ with the trombone and piccolo stops.
Afterward, we had a service without communion. The sermon about the military doing what needs to be done in this world and praying for peace in the next. The pastor wore his dress blues. After the service, the organist played the service themes and military people stood at appropriate times. Susan asked me to put the offering in the safe because Lars wasn't there. I talked to a number of people after church, including Jennifer who decided to get a dozen eggs after all. Scott invited us to lunch on Thanksgiving. I thanked him and said we'd be out of town. In the fellowship hall, there was a coffee hour and lots of pictures of members in military uniforms.
Then I went to Publix for groceries. The man who carried my bags out is from Haiti. Chris likes to speak French to him, so I did. But he told me he likes Spanish and not French. I made a note to tell Chris. I couldn't converse in Spanish, but Chris won't have a problem.
When I got home, I changed my clothes, and put groceries away. I set out two mold plates, one in the livingroom and one in the kitchen. I ate a few seed crackers and made breakfast. I hung mums up and put plants out where they could get some light (after checking the weather again). After an hour, I capped the mold plates and labeled them. Then I opened the doors to get fresh air. It was so nice that I read outside, and finished the book. Then I watered plants out front. I talked to Faye. She is very tired. I put on a podcast. I opened up the first yogurt maker, but I didn't find any loose connections. I guess there is no saving it, but I hate to throw away a new product.
I put out three more mold plates: one in the fabric room, one in the bedroom and one in the bathroom. I threw out the flowers from several weeks back, and the moldy dried sweet potatoes that were even older. I hard boiled a dozen eggs. I picked dandelion, and made a salad. I ate it while reading e-mail. I capped the last three mold plates and taped all 5 of them shut. I wrapped the stack in tinfoil and put them back in the box. I have to let them grow for several days before sending them back.
Chris called on the phone. I told him all about my day. Afterward, I took magnesium and Kavaplex. I listened to a podcast while working on strip sets. I didn't get very far because my sewing glasses were nowhere to be seen. I brushed my teeth. I read about hot flashes signaling the need to urinate. Lots of ladies had it but no one had an answer.
I watched two episodes of Frasier. I wrote up my blog post and got ready for bed.
* This is the foot pedal adapter that I was enamored of yesterday. *

Blanket Daze - Day 2

I had trouble falling asleep last night. It might have been the Kavaplex, or obsessing over the Korean doctors knowing so little about running a business. I got up once during the night and it took a while to go back to sleep. The alarm woke me at 6:30. I got up soon after. My sleep app gave me a score of 83. I turned on the router. I threw a load of laundry in the washer, then got dressed. I wanted a long sleeved shirt, but could not find my winter tops. I put on an podcast about environmental toxins while I made more green mix, and did some chores in the kitchen. I put my pillow in the dryer to get it hot and hopefully kill any mites that might be in there.
I moved the laundry to the dryer. I ate the last of the turkey, and washed the dishes and utensils lying around the kitchen. Then I made breakfast. I heard the speaker on the summit say there are no recorded cases of anyone dying from overdosing on cannabis.
I folded laundry, then got dressed and moved my machine to the car. I went to quilting at Blanket Daze. When I walked up to the church, the Linus sign was out. Inside, my machine was already set up from yesterday, so I sat down and started sewing. Virginia, the queen of the fabric, slipped more small blocks into my pile. I chatted with Lynette and Laura as we all sewed. I admired Judy's foot pedal gadget and she said her husband made it. It holds a featherweight foot pedal and has an overlay like a gas pedal so it is easier to use.
Tina announced lunch and we went to the counter to pick up food. I took some of the bean and chicken soup. I had an apple and an orange in my purse, so that was lunch. And I went back to sewing. Lynette said the weather outside was lovely so I stood out in the sun for awhile.
There were not as many ladies today as yesterday and they started leaving earlier. Around three I started packing up. It was a long process to create order out of the chaos of small blocks and strips that I had created. There were plenty of baggies, so I sorted and filled, then put them in the bag that held the rug Tina gave me. I also bought her last dozen of eggs since I won't see her again until January.
Laura gave me a bag of batting scraps so I can do quilt-as-you-go strips. I was able to carry everything to the car in one trip, but it made my foot hurt. Maybe I should have stayed to help pack up all the many tubs of fabric and put the tables back in place, but I didn't have the energy. I rested a minute, then drove home.
When I got home, I looked at my plants. The pepper plant was a goner. The fern didn't look too good. But the ones on the porch seemed to be ok. I ate some seed crackers, then sat out in the backyard enjoying the last of the sun. When I came in, I put a sweet potato in the toaster oven to cook.
I talked to Kurt, who had just finished one step in the process of erecting a ham radio antenna. Then I called Faye who was trying to play chess with Dad. He was tired so did not do well. Then she had to go. Afterward, I dealt with e-mail, and crafting replys.
I put on the next episode of Royal Pains and used the massage ball. Halfway through, Chris called on the phone. He is now staying in temp quarters while his successor gets comfortable in the regular ones. There is no running water or bathroom in temp quarters. We talked about where to put the mold test dishes, then promised to talk again tomorrow.
I finished watching Royal Pains. I took supplements, then watched an episode of Frazier. I brushed my teeth, and wrote my blog post. Then it was time for bed.
* A quilt top turned in for Blanket Daze. *

Blanket Daze Day 1

I heard the alarm go off at 6:30, but I stayed in bed until it rang again at 7:30. I did not want to get up. The sleep app gave me a score of 84 and said I was in bed for over 9 hours.
I followed the usual morning routine. I brushed and swished. I made vitamin water and turned on e-mail. There was a message from the lab that said to mail my sample on Monday. I listened to podcasts while I ate turkey and put on the Air Doctor (then turned it off so I could test for mold later (which didn't happen anyway)). I swept the kitchen floor again. I started making breakfast. The yogurt maker finished. I stirred the yogurt and put it in the fridge. I finished eating breakfast. I filled a water bottle, then took my machine out to the car. I felt like I was forgetting something.
On the way to Blanket Daze, I got stuck waiting for a train that wasn't moving. I could kind of tell that there was another train behind it that was moving. It seemed to take a lot of time for the second train to get out of the way. Then we waited again for the first train to move. Lots of people turned around and went somewhere else. But finally the line moved forward and I got to the church at 11:30 or so.
I set up my machine on a table that Tina vacated so I would have a spot. All other spots were taken. I showed off my stack-n-whack quilt, and got a lot of positive comments on it. Someone cut a backing for it, and I turned it in. Now projectless, I talked to the queen of the fabric collection. She directed me to a table of 'kits': bags which contained fabrics which might be a quilt in progress. I chose one with tiny hst's, and nine-patches. I bought a carton of eggs from Tina.
The ladies set out lunch. I contributed the bag of dried jujube fruits that the doctors gave me. I realized it wasn't labeled, which is probably violates some labeling laws. There must have been 6 kinds of soup. I tried two of them which seemed to be mostly meat and vegetables. I skipped the cheesy ones.
I cut and sewed pieces to make more tiny blocks. Tina collected our names on pieces of paper for a drawing. After the drawing, she showed off a 'rug' she bought on Amazon or Ebay that was nothing like what she expected. She was warning us to be careful of buying things online. I went over to see her rug, which was made of foam. I liked it. So she gave it to me and said it was my door prize.
I sewed tiny hst's into small pinwheels while taking to Lynette and Laura. I did a lot of trimming. My plan was to add really big sashing so these tiny blocks would make a quilt. Kurt texted me a pic of the machine that took platelets out of his blood. I guess there isn't much else to do in a situation like that. Then 4 pm rolled around and I had to go check the mail. Since the event continues tomorrow, I left my machine there and ironically the eggs and rug as well.
I made good time getting to the post office where I picked up two Swanson packages. I came home and checked the house mail. Then I checked e-mail. Housing sent a freeze warning and asked us to have the faucets drip tonight. So I went out to set the faucets on drip. I ate a can of soup, and a packet of tuna. I was still cold, so I heated the last of the onion soup. I meant to do laundry but didn't have the energy. I read more e-mail, and then got a message from my tapping buddy.
I had forgotten that we were tapping tonight instead of last night. She didn't have any issues, so we worked on wording for her future website. After the call, I called Chris. I told him about the Korean doctors not knowing they had to pay sales tax or use tax. He told me that most doctors hire someone to do that and that I should not do it unless they pay me $50 an hour. Darn it Jim, I am a mathematician, not an accountant.
There was no time for watching TV. I got dressed for bed, and typed up my blog. I drank the last of the vitamin water. I unpacked the Swanson boxes and called it a night.
* This is the final form of the stack-n-whack top. In all likelihood I will never see it quilted. *

Four chances for Fedex

Last night I forgot to turn the Air Doctor on an hour before bedtime. So after I turned it on, I spent some time brushing, and then opening the mold test kit and reading those instructions. Then I went to bed.
I woke up early feeling the urge, but wondering if there was enough for the sample. I tried to go back to sleep, but it was impossible. So I got up and peed in the cup. There was plenty, but I couldn't tell if it was yellow enough. I put it in the freezer, and went back to bed.
I still couldn't sleep. I shut off the alarm when it rang, and tried again. But 15 minutes later I checked the sleep app. 84%. But it must think I am asleep when I lay still, trying to sleep.
Anyway I got up. I turned on the electricity to the bedroom. I put lemon juice in a quart of water and drank some. Then I brushed and swished. I took the cup from the freezer and marked it with time and date. It was yellowish. And not frozen yet – an hour and a half later. Hmm.
I filled out the paperwork and the online form. I called Fedex to schedule the pickup between 9:30 and 1pm. I noted that the freezer pack should be flat, and it wasn't. So I boiled some water and soaked just long enough to straighten it out a bit, then refroze it. I threw food scraps in the back yard. I ate some turkey. I made a bottle of vitamin water.
I worked on the mold dishes. I intended to make a list of the 5 best places to sample, but I couldn't decide. I sent Chris an e-mail and turned my attention to other things. I opened the front door to listen for the Fedex man. At 10:20 I put the specimen in the bag, and the bag in the box and the box in the mailer. I set it outside the front door.
I whipped up a batch of coconut yogurt and set it in the yogurt maker for the requisite 24 hour incubation. Then I made and ate breakfast.
It was supposed to rain today, but it hadn't started yet. So I stayed dry as I put my sewing machine in my trunk and went to quilting. I was surprised how many ladies were there, but then I remembered it was potluck day. I socialized for a while, then set up my machine. Rhonda recommended getting an LED light for Ruth (the featherweight). I added borders to the stack-n-whack quilt top, then pronounced it done. As we left, Pat was taking out the garbage. I offered to take it home for disposal. On the drive home, I could smell hamburgers and cigarettes.
When I got home, the Fedex package still there. I called Fedex again, they assured me the package would be picked up by 4 and will get to its destination by tomorrow. I ate seed crackers, then yogurt with chia added to firm it up. I also opened a young coconut. I listened to podcasts and read e-mail.
At 4:50 the package was still there, so I called Fedex again. This agent assured me it would be picked up by 6 and will arrive at the lab by tomorrow. She also said next time I should drop it off at one of their shipping locations.
I found binder clips in the garage, and attached one to my monitor hinge. I looked up articles and videos on repairing laptop hinges. No one used binder clips as far as I could tell. They said the fix was quick and easy, but they lost me at step 1: disassemble laptop. Ha!
It was a little after 5:30 when I called Faye. She was with Dad who had just finished supper. I talked to him for a few minutes. Faye was happy now that there was a walker in his room so she could practice with him.
William called while I was talking to Faye. I called William back. He said his phone company won't service any non-5G phones after the end of the year. I thought that was awfully arrogant of them, expecting their customers to buy new phones just to stay connected.
Then I called Fedex again because package was STILL on my front porch. I asked for a supervisor but got customer service, who just apologized over and over saying there was nothing they could do because all the drivers had gone home. I put the package in the freezer just in case it was still frozen. I waited for my tapping buddy to come online, not sure what we had decided to do last week. I watched a video where a man took a hard drive from a dead laptop and converted it to an external drive so he could load the files to another laptop. I moved the plants near the house for the night. It is supposed to get cold, but not quite freezing.
I watched an episode of Royal Pains. Chris texted, so I paused it and called him. We only spoke for 11 minutes because his laptop fan was so annoying. He said the issue was between Fedex and the lab because the lab paid for the mailer.
Then I finished the episode and watched another one. I did some stretches and used the massage ball. Then I put on classical music while write up my blog post. Now it is time to get ready for bed.
* another pic from the HQH quilt show. *

Failure to pay taxes

Last night I set the sleep app on my phone to track my slumber. In the morning, I did two rounds of breath work before getting out of bed after the alarm rang. My sleep score was 94, which sounds pretty good, even if it didn't feel quite that good.
I brushed and swished. I made coffee. I exercised and drybrushed. I listened to two meditations from Deepak. I did a lot of tapping as well. Then, since it was so sunny, I sat outside IN MY BATHING SUIT and read for awhile. I came in and took a shower, then I cleaned the bathroom and the kitchen. I also wiped up the spots on the floor that the garbage bag left when I dragged it around the house collecting trash. It must have had a hole in it.
I ate some turkey. I found packages on my front porch. One was another test kit. I opened it and read the directions. This one asks for an early morning urine sample and no drinking after 6. Sigh.
I took a bottle of my vitamin water with me to the Korean clinic. He had two things for me to do. One was to fill out an online form so he could send fingerprints to somewhere in the state of Texas. But the other one was a letter saying they would take legal action if he didn't pay his county sales taxes for last year. He wanted me to fix it. I made a phone call. She said to go online and set up an account, then pay three taxes: state, county and city. It sounded so easy, but when I got to the site, the choices I needed were not there, or they asked for numbers we didn't have. We went to an alternate site to pay the county taxes. It wasn't easy, but eventually I figured it out. But the other two could not be paid that way. Also, he didn't seem to have any receipts to show me. He just gave me a round figure estimate. I don't know what to do if anybody questions the amount. Thankfully the county only asked for half a percent.
It was after 4 when I threw up my hands because I couldn't figure out how to pay the state taxes. He wanted me to have a foot bath then, but I needed to get to the post office before it closed. She gave me a bag of dried jujube fruit. Then I left, and went to pick up my package at the post office. I took it home and opened it. It contained supplements that I ordered two weeks ago. It has never taken this long, and I was so glad to see the vitamin D3.
I ate seed crackers with salsa, and a can of organic soup. I also mixed some chia seed in yogurt. I poured some of the anti-aging yogurt in a jar for Jennifer. I washed out 4 or 5 pairs of footies.
Then it was time for choir practice, so I put on a pair of long pants and put the jar of yogurt in my purse. I drove in the dark to the church. I arrived seconds behind Stacey. We could have come together! Cecily was playing her flute in the sanctuary, but practice hadn't started yet. I gave the yogurt to Jennifer. Then we warmed up, went through a few songs and sang the one for Sunday. After practice, I showed Jennifer how I use the juicer. She is all excited about juicing celery.
I went home, leaving Stacey to practice with Tamara. I dissolved some magnesium citrate in a small amount of water and drank it. I called Chris on Skype. We talked for a little bit, but his fan was still making annoying screeches, so we called it a night. I looked for a binder clip to fix the other side of my monitor. (now both sides are broken) I texted Faye to get an update on Dad. She said they want to keep him for two more weeks. I also texted with Beverly as I typed up my blog post. I really wanted a drink of water, but that would affect the test sample tomorrow. I looked at the weather for tomorrow. It is going to be raining hard. Not a fun day to take my machine out quilting.
Well, the day is over and it is time to set my sleep app and go to bed.
* From the HQH quilt show. *

Two more tests taken

I woke up early, having slept pretty well. I was going to try sleeping again, but I felt a sample coming. I opened the GI kit and read the instructions. I collected the specimen, packed it as per the instructions, and called Fed-Ex for pickup. I left the package on the front porch.
I ate the rest of the heart, and put the turkey back for later. I put on a podcast. I juiced 4 bunches of celery. I drank some of it, and froze the rest as popsicles. I cleaned the juicer and put it back in it's box. I put the box in the trunk. I started a new batch of sprouts.
I rifled through a bag of scraps donated for dog beds. There were some batting pieces I could use for a project, and a few pieces of hand-dyed purple fabric.
At 9:30 I went to quilting. Beverly was not there so I sat next to Anita. I gave her the bag of dog bed scraps. I pulled out my red quilt to work on the binding. I listened to the conversation around me as I sewed. Beverly came in later and sat by the other Beverly. Later I got to talk to her. She was consumed with her daughter's upcoming wedding. She showed me two garters she had made, plus pictures of the bridal shower, and her mother-of-the-bride dress.
We left about 11:30. I went home to made and eat breakfast. I got some listening done, but paused it to go to a massage. The urine collection instructions were to collect a sample at least an hour after a deep-tissue massage. Who am I to argue with the instructions?
I had the offering stuff with me, as well as a bottle of water with some vitamins in it. I went to Ruth's Nutrition, arriving at my scheduled time. My therapist and I talked for awhile, then I used the restroom and got on the table. She talked most of the time, while massaging my back, shoulders, arms and legs. She beat my left foot with a hollow bamboo stick. It hurt but she said it broke down scar tissue. I told her all about finding an on-line practitioner and submitting my samples for testing. She thought it was a good idea.
After the massage, I went to the restroom again, as instructed. Then I drank some water and went to an Asian store for coconuts. Then I went to the church. I carried the juicer inside with me. I entered data and printed reports. Jennifer hadn't come by yet for the juicer, so I put it in her office. I had to use the restroom again, and it was only 45 minutes after the massage – too soon to collect a sample. I peed, then went to the bank to deposit the money. From there I went home.

When I got home, it was almost 4. The Fed-Ex package was gone. The nearest UPS drop off site had pickup at 4. I might have made it, but I didn't have to pee. So I took a walk around the circle. When I came in sight of the house, I had the urge. I filled the little cup as requested, and put it in the fridge while I read the instructions again. I didn't want anything to go wrong. I looked at UPS pickup sites again. I had just enough time to pack everything including the freezy packs, and get to the official UPS store before their 5:15 pick-up time.
I went to the UPS store to submit the package for shipping. From there I walked to Fresh Market for eggs and olives. I walked back to my car and drove home. I called Faye, but she didn't answer. I made a salad for supper. I also had some seed crackers and salsa, and a pomegranate.
I collected the trash from around the house. I watched an episode of Royal Pains. Of course, I had to pause it when Chris called on Skype. We talked for a few minutes, but didn't have much to say. I finished watching the episode. Then I took the trash out, then started writing my blog post. Then I got ready for bed.
* A pic from the HQH quilt show. *

More tests

I think I fell asleep a little sooner last night. I got up once during the night. Later I heard the alarm go off, then got up.
I brushed and swished. I made vitamin mix. I took protein supplements, and got dressed. Later I ate some heart and anti-aging yogurt. I listened to podcasts while working in the kitchen. The doorbell rang and I found a test kit on my front porch. I did not open it at the time. I washed dishes and cleaned counter tops. I checked the weather, then brought the plants out of the garage and watered them. I hung up the mums.
I made and ate breakfast. I packed the strip set project, and went to quilting.
When I got there, most of the ladies were sitting around the lunch table. Some were cutting a cake. When they saw me, Dinah led the singing of “Happy Birthday” for those who were having birthdays this month: Dinah, Donna, and Damour. I visited with the ladies who were no longer eating. We discussed the time change, and no one was in favor of it. I set up at the end of a table. I cut some strips for borders. The cutter was cutting a ragged edge and I discovered there were two blades on it! I took one off and Lauri gave me a case to put it in. I measured the strips for binding and set them aside. Then I sewed and pressed strips for two strip sets. I enjoyed participating in the conversation. Jennifer called to talk about juicing celery. I promised to lend her my juicer tomorrow.
On the way home, I stopped at the post office. There was no package even though it should have arrived Saturday. I went home and checked the mail. I picked dandelion. I found another test kit on the front porch. I opened it and read some of the directions. I called the Chevy dealership to see if they could order a part for Chris' car, but apparently not until he gets back.
I made and ate salad and nuts. I called Faye. She talked about how she found Dad dehydrated in his wheelchair even though she had attached a water bottle holder. He still did not have a walker in his room so Faye could help him practice walking. We talked for awhile. I watched one episode of TQS. Chris called, so I talked to him for 25 minutes.
Then I worked on test kits, filling out forms, and looking up nearby UPS drop boxes. I contacted my massage therapist because one of the specimens is supposed to be collected after a deep tissue massage. I brushed and swished. I typed up my blog post while listening to the end of a podcast. I took extra vitamin C and magnesium. Then I got ready for bed.
* This is a baby quilt that Lauri made. *