Backings with a side order of binding

We heard the alarm go off at 8. We stayed in bed not sleeping. Then we got ready for church. We walked into church just as the announcements were being made. During the service the person giving the sermon talked about doing good things for one's mother, which reminded me that my mom died one year ago yesterday. I spent the rest of the service trying not to cry, and failing at times. I met Art after the service and said I could come count at 4:30. Then several people came up and hugged me and wanted to know what was wrong. So I explained that this was Chris' last Sunday and also the anniversary of my mom's passing. There was a luncheon after church for two couples that were having 50th anniversaries. I spoke to the one couple, and then to Jeanne, whose husband was too sick to attend. She showed me pics of the paraments we made that were hung for only one Sunday. Then we talked about making a banner. Then I came out to look for Chris. We spoke to a few more people and then came home. I made up a week's worth of supplements and made breakfast. I ate in while jotting notes for my blog. I put out Terro again today after doing it twice yesterday. I read e-mail. I learned that radiation eliminates your body's ability to make hydrochloric acid for life (from an interview with Suzanne Somers). “People are so busy counting calories. I think we should be busy counting chemicals,” Great quote.
I changed my clothes, and watered the plants. I went to Renegades. I had to sit at a small table in the back or set one up. Rather than start another quilt (I haven't finished the one from January), I decided to piece backings for those who were making this month's block. I made 4, with a side order of binding for the first one. It was funny because one of the other ladies spilled her pudding donut onto some fabric I was going to make a backing from and we teased her later about backings that come with a side order of pudding. She said it was comfort food for the kids who would get these quilts after being taken from their homes. I packed up about 4. I went home and drank several glasses of water, and then ran to church to help Art count the offering. I was hoping to get it right on the first try like last time. But we had a screw up with the cash since we had to divide it between two different accounts at separate banks and we did not have the right change to do it. Also, the eft payments confuse me since there is no check or cash to represent them. It did not help that Ed came in and chatted with us while I was trying to add up the deposit ticket. After we ironed things out as best we could, I picked up my first quilt from the music room. I checked for the boxes of fabric that had been stored in a closet behind the sanctuary. When I got home, Chris told me Craig lent us a battery charger and tin snips. I walked over to thank him for that and for watering my plants while we were gone. Chris helped me put the bush trimmings on the tarp. Then he dragged it to the road for pick up tomorrow. I picked up sticks in the yard. The small ones went on the stick pile where our neighbor chips them. The largest ones went with the trimmings for pick up. I came in to eat the remaining beef. Then I picked a salad outside and added some items from the fridge. After eating, we went down to watched episodes of X-files. We opened a box that once belonged to Michele and took photos of the contents. That way we can ask her if she still wants those items. I posted to my blog and went to bed.

Broken connector

We slept in late (although it wasn't all sleeping). I swished and exercised before getting online. After checking the first round of e-mail, I slathered coconut oil on my hair and went outside to mow in the front yard and under the magnolia tree. Jennifer called to say that the flower lady was at the Saturday market and that the beef people had another kidney for me. I put the phone down and continued to mow. I could not believe that the fenced in part needed mowing again, but it did so I did. Chris went to the post office for mailing boxes, then started laundry. I took a shower and got most of the oil out of my hair. I made and ate breakfast. I read e-mail, and then returned Marjory's phone call. She told me about her dog being diagnosed with cancer, and about the guild fabric that I was told to keep. She went on and on. And then I heard my name being called. I walked around until I saw Denise and David at my back door. I hung up with Marjory and greeted them. I showed Denise the guild fabric and they loaded it in their truck. I also took them into the basement to see the books we were donating. But they elected not to take any. David said he could sense mold somewhere since he has asthma. I wish he could have pointed it out so I could call it in and have it removed. I guess that will be one good thing about moving to Korea – getting out of this moldy house. Denise wanted David to build her a sewing table with an inset for the machine. So they were asking questions about dimensions. And she wanted me to demonstrate free motion quilting so he could see how that worked in the space. My machine was set up for that so I was happy to comply. Then we went outside to their truck. We were talking when Chris came back from wherever. I never thought of Chris as being tall, but next to the rest of us, he was. Then he went inside and they left. I found him ripping patches off of old military shirts. I was happy to help with that. Then I put away some of the fabric lying around in my sewing room as I looked for my fmq gloves. I did not find them. I continued fmq-ing until the bobbin ran out, which did not take long. Then I set my machine up for straight stitching. I came up for some matching thread and had some leftover beef for lunch. Then I went down with the thread and stitched around the 'star' that had come unglued when the ladies passed it around on Tuesday. I returned it to its fellow stars already sewn together (as part of the hexecontehedron). I ate a sweet potato sprout. I watered plants. We ate supper. We went to Staples for new ink cartridges, and then to Home Depot to look at battery cable connectors. When we got back, Chris loaded the new cartridges and we printed the picture that Dad wanted. We went down to watch 4 episodes from season 6 of X-Files. The first episode made references to the movie that must have come out that summer. Chris thought we had it, but he could not find it. The 4th episode was “To be continued”. Since we have the second DVD, I wanted to watch the next episode, but church is early tomorrow so we just went to bed.

Up in smoke

I heard the alarm go off at 8 but ignored it and got up half an hour later. I swished and exercised. I wrote checks. I checked e-mail and watched a new documentary called “Moldy”. Interesting. Mycotoxin inhalation causes groups of symptoms (weight gain, insomnia, brain fog, lethargy, joint pain, trouble walking, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, irritability, etc) but most medical histories are not thorough enough to catch them all. I looked up essential oils for mold. I put cinnamon and tea tree oils in my diffuser. I juiced, drank and cleaned the juicer. I watered the plants, potted and in-ground. We took the shreddables to the carport. Chris pulled out the riding mower. We examined the battery and the cables, one of which had a broken connector. Then he pulled out the grill. He stuffed in some papers and lit them. We kept the fire going until all the papers with numbers had been burned. Then we added some sticks to create a fire that would more completely consume the paper. He went inside and I stayed outside with the fire to put the envelops and non-numbered paper into bags for recycling. It seemed a shame to burn all those numbers (bills and statements). He came back to roll the riding mower back in and put the grill away since it looked like rain. We worked on sorting books into keep and donate piles, both in the basement and in the garage. I called William to see which electronics I should keep. He recommended the Denon and the Bose. Then I made myself some supper. Chris made his own and then we had bowls of fruit. I meditated. I checked e-mail again. I can hardly believe my unread pile runs between 150 and 200 now. Then we went downstairs to watch 4 episodes of X-Files, including the season ender for the 5th year. Mulder's office burns up thanks to cancer man. It was after 11 by then, so I posted to my blog and went to bed.

Hashtag

Chris got up early but I stayed in bed until almost 9. I exercised and checked e-mail. My tapping buddy and I exchanged a few sentences. I swished and checked e-mail. I juiced zucchini and mung sprouts and a few strawberries. Chris showered, dressed and left. I meditated, and got dressed. I made breakfast. I drove to Stitch-Its. The turnout was low because many had gone to a retreat. Rhonda came with her husband and mother. On the one hand, she looked awful, having fallen and broken her nose and arm. But on the other, it was great to see her out of the hospital and getting around. Christy told me that her bees were doing well. Pam told me all about her two daughters getting married later this year. She's going to have a busy summer. I talked to Pam for quite some time. She recommended that I get on Instagram and hashtag something about the base in Chinhae to meet people already there (like I have a clue as to how to do that. If I hashtag hashtags, will it tell me how to hashtag?). So I did not get home until after three. Chris took my car to have the oil changed. I got out a ladder and the hedge trimmer. It was heavier than I remembered. I trimmed as much as I could by hand. When Chris got back, I asked him to wield the trimmer. Then I did the sides by hand. I raked the trimmings up onto the sidewalk. I found the tarp but decided not to haul the trimmings to the road until Sunday because the truck comes on Mondays. I pulled some weeds in the back yard and asked Chris how much I could trim the rose of sharons without killing them. Then I checked e-mail. I ate some of the Wagu beef. I picked some of every edible plant in the back yard and in pots and made a salad. Chris had a salad, too. Then he made us a fruit salad. He put milk on his and I put fermented coconut milk on mine. I read e-mail until he was ready to watch TV. Then I finished the one I was on, and went downstairs to watch 4 episodes of X-Files. They make more sense now that I am watching them back to back. After that, we came upstairs. Chris started going through his closet and found a bag of white fabric – yards and yards of wrinkled polyester. Neither of us could remember ever seeing it before. It seemed like enough to do every window in the house. Then Chris asked me to pop a pimple for him. That was funny. We read e-mail for awhile, then I blogged and went to bed.
* This is Susan's mondo bag. I have the pattern and plan to make one someday. *

My number one fan

Chris got up before 8 to participate in a group call. I heard him shut my alarm off at 8. I got up to start the day. It was detox day. Abstaining from e-mail, I went through the process as quickly as possible. Then Bob showed up to work on the kitchen sink, which delayed the last part. I enjoyed talking to him as he removed parts of the plumbing to snake the drain. He thought he got whatever it was. But when he reassembled it, it still did not drain. He needed a large nut and I had one, but then he discovered that a second one was cracked too. And it needed snaking from the roof. So he called Roto Rooter. I let him know that we were moving. He left. I finished my detox and filled water bottles and packed my spa bag. I would have juiced but the sink was not useable. As I was going to the car, I noticed that the sun was out. So I laid in the grass for awhile and started sweating. I decided I could sweat just as easily at home as at the sauna and mow the lawn at the same time. So I rubbed coconut oil in my hard and mowed in the back and then in the front. But the sweat was not as good. Just as I was finishing up by the road, Chris brought out my phone. Roto Rooter had called but not gotten me so they went to the next person on the list. However they put me next. I mowed until the mower showed signs of slowing down. Then I came in and took a shower. I could not get all the coconut oil out of my hair. But it sure was nice and silky. Chris was packing up boxes of books to donate. Then the tech showed up. He snaked from the roof but needed to go get the nut/collar part. I made and ate breakfast, checking e-mail. My computer fan arrived in the mail and Chris installed it. I ate some of the corned beef brisket that Chris had in the slow cooker all day. I listened to an interview. The plumber was back in the kitchen, and now with an assistant. They finished the job and left. Chris emptied the bucket under the sink and turned on the dishwasher. One man came back with a form for me to sign. I washed some blueberries and ate them with chocolate. I checked e-mail on my laptop which was doing just fine thanks to Chris. Then we went downstairs to watch “The Desolation of Smaug”. Chris went to bed and I stayed up to blog ( and finished today’s Sudoku puzzle and the one for tomorrow.)
* This is Lauri's quilt *

Fun at the farmer's market

Chris got up at 8 to turn my alarm off. I stayed in bed until 8:30 after being up so late. Then I swished and checked e-mail. I went downstairs to check the size of a pillow top and sent the info to the pastor. I exercised and juiced. As I was cleaning up, I took pulp out to the compost and slipped. I don’t remember what happened but I got a wound on my lower forearm. It did not bother me until I saw it in the mirror. And it wasn’t bleeding much. I dabbed it with hydrogen peroxide. Chris tied a field dressing over it. It was just a big triangle of drab green fabric with two large safety pins. Then I got in my car and drove to quilting. My sewing stuff was already in the back. I brought in the box with my hexecontehedron to divert attention from my arm. And it worked beautifully. Except that one of the stars got passed around and the handling loosened the edges so they all need regluing. A lady brought in her supply of knitting needles and offered them to me. I chose a nice circular one and thanked her. Another lady talked about living in Seoul in the ‘80’s. I got a call from the rental agency saying someone would arrive either late today or tomorrow morning to fix the sink. Beverly talked about Row by Row. I mentioned the guild fabric in my garage and asked her to stop by my house if she wanted any. Then I went to the Asian store for kimchi, kimbap and mung sprouts. The lady divided up a larger container to make the size I wanted. I told her I would be moving and she said she would miss me. When I got home, I ate most of the kimbap before Beverly arrived. I took her to the garage to sort through and she picked out a few things. I supplemented that with pieces from my stash for the project she was doing. Then she left. I finished the kimbap and read e-mail. I listened to two meditations. Chris went to post to the library. I went to the farmer’s market with an insulated rolling bag. Jennifer was there to greet me. She was so happy to hear that our house was under contract. We went to the meat seller. We met Cecelia there. Then they shopped while I bought heart, spleen and ox-tail from the seller and his wife. I put the meats in my insulated bag. She asked how I cooked the meat and I said something about using a slow cooker but it was still being shipped. So she got one out of her truck and lent it to me! Then I met up with Jennifer again. At the hydroponics booth, I bought spinach and zucchini. At another place I bought tiny sweet tomatoes, and at another, strawberries – possibly the last of the season. A special herbal tea, and later, goat cheese. That used up most of the money I had. Jennifer helped me carry it all to my car. But when I got home, I lugged it all inside myself because Chris was on a conference call. I put the food away. I went outside to water plants, do some transplanting, and pull weeds. I moved most of the chicken manure to the apple tree. I came in to read more e-mail. I had some supper, as did Chris. I placed a bucket under the sink pipe so we could run the dishwasher, but it backed up into both sinks. Chris threw in some Drano. I tried plunging it. Chris turned off the dishwasher. Denise called to say she would take all the fabric. It was a sign from God since she decided to make quilts for foster kids and wondered where the fabric would come from. Chris and I discussed my concerns about downsizing and it did not go well. I went outside to tap. When I came in, we apologized and went downstairs to watch a hobbit movie. Then Chris gave me an old sock. I cut the elastic part off. He put it on my arm to hold a tissue soaked in hydrogen peroxide on the wound overnight. He went to bed and I stayed up to soak the sprouts and post to my blog.
* This is Glenda's quilt *

Contract!

Alarm went off at 8. We stayed in bed...until he got up to go jogging. I swished and exercised. I brought in the rain water to filter and boil it. I saw that the chia seed I had thrown out had germinated in the planting tray. I rinsed my sprouts which are growing really well. They love rain water. Parker sent an e-mail saying our counteroffer was verbally accepted and she sent a docusign document for us to make the contract legal. But I questioned one of the numbers. I juiced celery and a pepper. That did not make enough juice and I hadn’t bought carrots so I picked some kale and wild lettuce. They were not very juicy and would have tasted really bad but I threw in some goji juice. Then I cleaned up and got water under the sink when I ran the disposal. The water went into the big sink and it is now leaking. Chris put in a work order last night. I put a towel under the sink.
I made breakfast, refilled several containers, then ate. I had put the kitchen rug out to dry and now it was wet from the rain. My plan had backfired. On the other hand, next time I want rain, I will hang the rug out with high hopes. I got dressed, and went downstairs to collect my sewing gear. I rolled it out to my car and stashed it inside. I also put Carolyn’s stuff in the back. I drove to the church, and brought everything in. I told the ladies we had a verbal contract on the house. Jodi asked about the quilts from guild night. After chatting for awhile, I went home to get them. While I was there, Parker sent another docusign but it did not turn out right either. Just as I was ready to give up, she sent another one which I signed and went back to church. I gave Carolyn her new seat and she put $5 in my purse even though I said she didn’t owe me anything. I gave Jodi the quilts. She said she did not want the guild fabric back and that I could keep it. I was at once glad and disappointed. Sure I wanted it, but we are supposedly downsizing! Bertha said Renegades would take it and they meet this coming Sunday. One by one the ladies left, and before 1. When Glenda came, we were down to three. She talked about how she failed to keep her diet regime and how badly she felt. So I told her about the 21 day weight loss meditation challenge that started this morning. She gave me her e-mail address and I promised to send the link. I was going to work on my blue blocks but did not have any foundation fabric. Just then Chris called and said Parker sent another edition of the document to sign. So I came home, signed that one, and rustled up some lightweight stuff for foundation blocks. I went back to church and made blocks, pressing and trimming as needed. Seems like the supply of wedges is never-ending. Lauri and I stayed until almost 6. As we walked out, it started to rain. I was afraid my hexecontehedron would get wet. But she got an umbrella from her car and carried it for me. Then we both went home. I had leftovers for supper. Then I read e-mail for awhile and caught up on Sudoku. We went down to watch episodes of X-File season 5. Some of them were scary, but the last one we watched was actually humorous. Chris went to bed. I stayed up to soak the sprouts (which are remarkably advanced) and post to my blog.
* There on the right are the chia seeds which germinated very quickly. *