Annual conference blocks

I got up early, surprised how cold it was. But it was warmer in the basement where I exercised. I fixed and ate breakfast. I was watching a video on Youtube about how sheriffs could take back the country because the federal gov't has no constitutional jurisdiction over them. Had to leave before it was over. I grabbed my trombone and stand and headed for church. I was there on time, the trumpet player was early, but the tuba player was late. The director showed us all the places in the program where we had to move, since we are only supposed to sit up front when we are playing. I realized that I should have practiced more, because my lips hurt afterwards. I stopped at a yard sale on the way home but did not find anything. I e-mailed some people on Freecycle to get someone over here to pick up the paper. But no one responded. I raked in the backyard for an hour, then had lunch and ate it outside. It is so nice out that I wish I could do my e-mail, but it is so hard to see the screen. I added block side borders to the quilt top and stretched it out on the dining room table to photograph it. Then I tried to print the stats for the Annual Conference block to design it downstairs. But the printer refused to cooperate. Even Chris could not make it run. One of the themes suggested for the block was Midwives for Haiti. So I got out every box of scraps in my sewing room, but could not find any pieces with babies on it. I ended up using some baby fabric left over from the Yongsan quilts. I printed the church name in ink because I did not want to drag out my embroidery machine and do the design from last year, or digitize a new one. Eventually I finished the block but was not very satisfied with it. Should I do another one, or just check it off the list and go on to the next project? Deb, the leader of the quilt group here, finishes all kinds of projects in addition to doing major yard work, and running her own website. Chris did laundry, fixed a vegetable soup, went to the library, and started gaming before 5. When I showed him my block, he thought it was ok. I ate his soup and drank some of the leftover mint tea. I took the supplements that I forgot to take this morning. I decided to sketch out my blog entry for later, then make another block. The center was simple. Then I tried several borders, and decided on the one showing the lady being of service. It fit the theme of the conference. Hopefully no one will know it is actually Red Riding Hood's mother.

Good Friday

I fired up my laptop to get an audio going. There is a new one everyday and each one lasts
about 100 minutes. Who do they think has that kind of time? I listened to it while I bounced on the rebounder. Then I had breakfast. I offered my packing paper one last time on Freecycle. But this time I got responses, at least 4 of them so far. Instead of going outside where yard work could get a hold of me, I went down to cut and sew narrow borders on Steven's quilt. Then I had lunch outside and did some meditation. I came in to watch BBT and Castle on the computer. So glad March Madness is over. Claire called to tell me where I could order and pick up raw milk. Maryann and Steven Skyped me just as I was about to go back out for one last errand. Steven showed me the pics he took at an anime convention - mostly cute young women dressed in costumes. Chris came home early. After Skype, I picked up the dead weeds from yesterday. We ate an early supper. I practiced my trombone one last time, then took a shower and dressed for
church in dark blue pants and a pink shirt. I had a few minutes, so I cut and sewed on a wide border to the quilt top. We left immediately for the Friday night service. There were enough people wearing black that there must have been a memo that I didn't get. The choir sang three times. The third time we were singing in the dark, having memorized our parts. The congregation left in silence. When we got home, Chris tried to contact Michele, but she was not responding to Facebook, e-mail, or Skype. I went down to iron the last two seams on the quilt top. Chris came down and loaded a movie in the DVD player. We watched "Letters to Juliet". It was very romantic. And now it's bed time and I have to find a pic to post with this entry.

I don't want to see any more poison ivy

Thursday is 'recycle day' so my first activity was to gather up the recyclables in the kitchen and a paper bag. I filled the bag with the lowest grade packing paper from the carport and put everything out by the road. Then I came in to start another audio. I listened to it while rebounding and moving stuff around in between sets to clean up the room a little. Then it was breakfast time. After breakfast, I read some e-mail. I noticed it had rained so it must be 'pull weeds' day. I armed myself with long pants, footgear and rubber gloves to pull out poison ivy. After I finished the ones I knew about, I went looking for more; a twisted version of an Easter egg hunt. Better maybe, because following the root leads you to the next emergence. By 10:45 I had finished pulling, cleaning the tools and washing up. Looking for poison ivy, I had come across a number of dead sticks and branches. So I went on 'dead stick' detail, even pulling them from trees when I could reach them. Then I weeded the front flower beds and uprooted small trees attempting to grow there. I read some more e-mail and looked at my blog for December to see the names on the moving trucks in the pictures. I called one of the companies to ask them to take the boxes away. They said they only do it on the day they are there IF I had asked for them to unpack the boxes. I asked them why they can't pick up the boxes now since they are a local company. They did not give a good answer to that so I promised to file a complaint. Claire arrived while I was on the phone. She brought me specialty flours, several kinds of beans, quinoa, rice wraps, etc. She does not eat these anymore and was kind enough to give them to me. We talked for some time, and looked around outside. She left after Chris came home. Chris and I fixed salads for supper. Chris made some salad dressing. He also stopped the smoke alarm from beeping. After supper, they sky darkened and rain poured heavily. We went down to watch more episodes of NCIS. At 10 he went up, but I stayed to watch the special features on the DVD for season 1.
* This is a random pic because I did not take any today. Can you tell which one is Michele?

Meeting the neighbors

I set my laptop to play one of the audios, and listened to it while jumping on the rebounder, and while fixing and eating breakfast. I read e-mail until the audio finished. Then I wrote some checks to put in the mail. When I walked out to the mailbox, Barbara was at her box, so she came over to talk. She had some interesting info on the plants between her property and ours. Then the man across the street from her came out, so we walked over there and she introduced me to Clint. His wife had just died in the last week or two. They both think it will be a bad summer for bugs. After that, I watered the seeds I have planted. I also picked up sticks that I don't want Charlie to run over with his mower next week. I sat for a while with a stack of plant books trying to identify one in the flower bed. No dice. I took some closeups of irises for later use. I came in for a veggie popsicle and several Sudoku puzzles. Then it was 5, so I took a few minutes to practice, and then it started to rain. I put on my bathing suit and went out to scrub the deck. At first it was uncomfortable to have cold raindrops on my back, but then I worked up a sweat and it felt good. Even though I did not need a shower 'cause I was already wet, I took one anyway and ate supper. I went to church for choir practice. We practiced for the Thursday service, the Friday service and the Sunday services. When I got home, Chris and I watched two episodes of NCIS before he went to bed.

Finally it is done.

I woke up really early because I was cold. Chris retired the thick comforter last night, and the charm quilt I made just isn't as warm. Anyway, I got up to put on my bathrobe and went back to bed. I fell asleep and had an interesting dream which reminded me of Seuss's Bartholomew and the 500 hats): I was getting ready to take a bath by disrobing, but no matter how much I took off, I was still dressed. Any idea what that means?
It was almost 9 when I got up. I did a set of bounces on the rebounder, then put on one of the interviews while I prepared and ate breakfast. I dealt with as much e-mail as I could while listening and taking notes. When it was over, I went outside to water what I have planted. I pulled weeds around the tomato plants and on the western side of the garden. I dug up some more dirt from under the grate and put it in the flower bed. Charlie was mowing across the street and came over to shoot the breeze. I gave him a glass of tea because he looked so hot and tired. After he left, I planted some spinach there by the brick wall, and some in the bed behind the house. I planted cucumbers in a mound by the fence. These things need to be watered regularly now and I just hope I can remember where all the seeds are buried. Ha.
I took a shower and dressed casually. I picked some greens from the yard and put them through the blender. Then I got out a bigger juicer than the one I have been using, which I think needs to be retired. I juiced up the carrots and celery from last week and added it to the green juice. I poured it in popsicle molds and placed them in the freezer. I don't think I have to worry about anyone stealing my popsicles. Chris got out the leftover chili. I had just filled a bowl when there was a knock on the door. Chris answered it. As soon as I ate, I had to leave for quilt group meeting, so I never did find out who it was or what exactly he wanted. I brought a box of fabric that the group placed in my keeping back in November. I turned in the quilt top I made from fabrics in the box. See pic. The group was small tonight, and most had no items for show-and-tell. Sadly I did not have my camera for those who did. So we discussed plans for future meetings and workshops. Jen gave me more leftover batik triangles from a quilt she is making. Then those who wanted fabric went through the boxes and we carried the leftovers out to Deb's car. On the way home, I stopped at the Asian market for natto. He did not have it on the shelf yet, but went into the back to get it when I asked for 4 of them. I was thinking of the 4 in a package, but he brought me 4 packages. Oh well, it doesn't go bad. Then later I passed a Dollar General and picked up a watering can and a vegetable brush. I was home by 8:30. We still had time for 2 episodes of NCIS before Chris went to bed.

Maybe I am a yard wife

I heard Chris roll the garbage can out to the street, but then I fell asleep again since we were up so late last night. Later I got up, bounced on the rebounder, and had breakfast. I read e-mail and put on one of the recorded audio interviews so I could listen to it while folding laundry, putting away the quilts from the other day, clearing unwanted stuff from the livingroom, etc. I did a lot of little chores too, like watering the tomato suckers, hanging a picture in the guest room, practicing my trombone, etc. I went outside for some fresh air and sunshine. It is only supposed to take an hour, but as usual I kept going. I irrigated the seed beds in the garden and weeded the flower beds by the patio. I dug out some small trees. I picked up branches to add to the branch pile. I watched the sun to see where to plant spinach so that the midday sun won't scorch it. I carried out a box of fabric to go to the guild meeting tomorrow night. At some point I had lunch and started mowing the lawn. When the mower needed a break, I worked on a donation quilt, then went back to mowing until the mower ran low on juice. I know I arranged for someone else to do the mowing, but there is something almost hypnotic about mowing lines and patterns in the lawn. Chris arrived home when the mower quit. I finished sewing the borders on the quilt top, then went up for supper. I picked a bowl of wild lettuce and wild violet leaves. I read the latest e-mail, then went down to iron the border seams while waiting for Chris to come down for NCIS. He quit watching at 9:30 t0 go to bed. I photographed and folded the quilt for tomorrow night. I guess I'll go to bed, too.

Palm Sunday

I left for church by myself since I had to be there early for choir and Chris wasn't ready. I wasn't too happy about it, but I forgot once I was at church. I saw Doris there and we talked about edible plants. She had two more books for me. Because it was Palm Sunday, everyone gathered outside with palm branches before the service. Chris walked up just before the minister got started and I was surprised to see him. We processed in and up to the altar to put the palm branches in a vase, then took our seats. Everything else went as it normally does. After church I went to Target to get my watch battery replaced while Chris went to Publix. I found out that Target doesn't do that anymore, however the man at the camera counter was able to identify and sell me the correct battery. I put it in myself. When I got to Publix, I searched for Chris and found him in the organic veggie section. After adding lemons and frozen fruit to what was already in the basket, we checked out and drove our respective cars home. We carried the groceries in. I changed clothes and we put them away. I jumped on the rebounder for a bit, then had lunch. I read e-mail and watched a live interview and demo with Jack Canfield. I did not see all three hours of it, and I do not feel the worse for it. Later I went out to mow in the fenced in area, and in the front yard. I gave the mower breaks by doing some raking. I found poison ivy in another spot, near the twig and branch pile. When the mower finally gave all it could give, I put it away. I finished raking, and went over to the garden to plant pepper seeds and cucumber seeds. Since the cucumbers need a hill, I used the desiccated leaf dirt from the grate in front of the car port. I hope it is good for planting. I put away the tools and counted out about 30 sheets of packing paper to put in my car for Tuesday. Someone wants it for a class pattern. Then I picked some lettuce and dandelion for a supper salad. After the salad Chris and I shared a bag of frozen tart cherries. Then we went downstairs to watch multiple episodes of NCIS. Gotta go to bed now as it is after midnight.