The very long tomato

Thursday

I got up at 7:30. I was surprised since I went to bed so late - although I did tap before laying down. I brushed my teeth, washed up and got dressed. I went to the kitchen and put the B12 under my tongue. I made vitamin C water with electrolytes. I hunted for the tomato pattern and could not find it. I tried on all the tops I got from the swap shop. Only two were keepers and one had a spot. So I soaped the spots and left them to soak.

I went to the chapel and waited in my car like the other ladies who arrived before me. I guess I spaced out because I was startled by the chaplain knocking on my window. So I got out and joined the others who had gathered. After discussion, I rode with Keli and the others rode with the chaplain. We went to Ditto to the chem lab for a tour. Kurt would have loved it. We had to show our ID's to get in. We got to look inside labs and see what safety equipment and procedures they had. We also got to ask questions. Sadly I forgot to bring my camera. They did an experiment under a hood where he put a few drops of brake fluid in a beaker of pool shock. It did nothing. And then it caught fire. Whoa! Then he made chlorine gas so we could see the color of it.

When the tour was over, Keli dropped me off at the chapel. I drove home and was surprised to see it was 12:30. I tuned into The Highwire. I ate half of the fiber gel and watched for a bit, then made and ate breakfast. I figured out how much I owed Jamie and put it in an envelop. I marked the last several contracts with the hours and amounts. Then I got caught up in reading e-mail and other messages.

I made another tomato pattern and then looked at the sample picture. It was bigger. So I made a bigger pattern. I tried to free-hand the inside, but that didn't work. So I got some thin paper and traced it from the computer screen. I mounted that on cardboard and cut out the insides with an Xacto knife. I used the pattern to cut out felt in the appropriate circles.

I took a break to get the gopher head ready. I ran over it with an iron and wax paper. Not sure that helped. I tied a bow on top and put it in a box. Then I messaged Emily to see if she was in her office. I jotted notes for my blog. When Retreat sounded, I went to her office anyway, but she wasn't there. I stopped at the library to get something for us to watch, but the librarian said my husband had already been there. So we chatted for some time and then I went home.

I had a bite to eat, and listened to an interview while sewing the tomato parts together and putting in the seeds. I posed it on a plate and took pics. Chris came home with his Thursday pizza.

I listened to part of another interview. I posted to my blog and made tea. We had finished Brokenwood, so we tried another police drama that takes place in Italy. It was in Italian with English subtitles. It was ok, but probably better in the original language.

After watching, Chris went to bed. I stayed up later to read e-mail. Then I went through my bedtime rituals, did some tapping, and went to bed.

Picking up the accordion

Wednesday

I got up before 7:30. I cut up banana peels. I prepared for coffee morning by making coffee. I stretched and rotated all my joints. I drybrushed my skin and read for half an hour. I meditated and tapped. I cleaned the kitchen and bathrooms. I vacuumed and mopped, then took a shower.

I made a quick trip to the swap shop to get the bag of clothing I left behind. I put those clothes and some cleaning cloths in the washer. I filled a water bottle. Jamie came to pick me up.

We chatted as she drove us into Salt Lake City to the accordion place. She stayed outside to smoke while I went in. The man brought the accordion out and I opened it to check it. The case was in bad repair so I asked about a new case. He took me in the back and showed me the soft-sided cases that they use now. The case comes with backpack straps which seemed pretty good to me. I tried it on and bought one. Jamie carried it out to her car and I carried the old case.

Then we headed to the fabric store. It was a lot bigger than it looked from the front. There was A LOT of decorator fabric, but they had all sorts of others as well. Jamie had brought the dress she wanted copied and the clerk pointed us to rolls of similar fabrics. We had a great time feeling all the rolls and discussing the merits. Finally she picked three. Another clerk cut them for her. Then we used the restroom. She went outside to smoke, leaving me alone. I realized that I was surrounded by fabric and had no idea where the front door was. Oh well. I wandered till I found my way out.

From there, we went to Tooele to Joanns. We found some waistband elastic and a diamond art kit. After that, we went to Little Caesar's. She got a bunch of pizzas. Then we drove back to Dugway. She brought the accordion in and stayed long enough to look at the dodecahedron I made years ago.

After she left, I talked with Chris. I was getting cold, so I ate a bowl of pork and rice. John and Michele came over. I showed her the fabric Deb gave me and she took some. Then we watched the last episode of Brokenwood.

After that, Michele said she was too tired to drive and John said he was too tipsy. So Chris drove them home in his car and I followed to pick him up. Then Chris got ready for bed. I read some messages. I worked on my blog and realized there was wet laundry in the washer. I threw it in the dryer, then finished my blog and went to bed, late.

** This is Jamie getting excited over all the fancy new accordions **

The garden in back on my radar

Tuesday

I got up before 7:30 having slept pretty well. I got ready for the day. I worked on the sticky gopher ball. The ammonia I used yesterday didn't work, so today I used rubbing alcohol. Just rubbing didn't work, so I let it soak while I read e-mail and other messages. I checked again and it wasn't ready. So I let it soak some more. I compared supplements looking for a probiotic with bifidobacterium longum BB 536.

I went early to inspection of 627. I took a bucket of cleaners and looked through the house to make sure she hadn't missed anything. The inspectors came. Jack found dust on top of the fridge. I can't imagine how I missed that. Everything else looked good. When Jamie arrived, I asked her to clean the top of the fridge. We signed the papers. Jack accepted the key to 627 plus the key to 645 and the other inspector had a key for him. I hope he was able to keep them separate. He left and we ladies stayed to chat.

Then the accordion place called. Jamie said she could take me so I told them I would pick it up tomorrow. We went home. I made fiber gel and consumed half. I washed dishes in the sink. I made and ate breakfast. I found info for Emily about the garden. She wanted to put the clean-up event in her flyer.

At 2, I went to the swap shop and worked with Jenni for 3.5 hours packing up adult clothing. We also let people come and 'shop'.

After 5:30, I went home. Chris was there, having supper. I ate the rest of the fiber gel. I made supper, and read more e-mail and messages as I ate. I worked on my blog and made tea. We watched one episode of Brokenwood. Then Chris went to bed and I stayed up to read.

Busy afternoon

Monday

I got up around 8 and got ready for the day. I checked e-mail. I looked through the Zoom worksheets. I examined the resin gopher skull. It was sticky and I thought maybe the resin hadn't been properly mixed. I looked up how to dissolve resin and ammonia was suggested. So I poured some ammonia in a bottle cap and let the sticky side of the gopher skull soak in it. I left it set until almost 11 and checked it. There was still a streak of sticky resin on it. So I put it back in to soak some more. It was on a cookie sheet so I stuck it in the oven so I didn't have to smell it.

I posted for band tonight. Then Keli said she couldn't make it at 6. Had she told me earlier, I would have scheduled band an hour later. But maybe reading my post is what prompted her to tell me. Then I chose hymns for next Sunday and Palm Sunday.

I went to the swap shop for the meeting. I chatted with the other ladies until Jamie came. Then Brian started the meeting. He told us that the work would begin either this week or next, that we could put stuff in the Connex, that if the swap shop closes it will only be for a week or two. We went to see the connex and some other empty spaces where swap shop stuff could go. Then he told us about all the plans the base has for a new park, running and biking trails, batting cage, golf cage, etc. Sounded too goo to be true.

After the meeting broke up, I went to the post office to get the mail. A lady asked if I was Fern and I said yes. So she asked about getting a quote for cleaning her quarters. I told her I could do it after 2.

Til I got home it was almost 1. I drank fiber gel and fielded some calls. Deb wanted me to come by and get some fabric she was clearing out. I texted Jamie about the quote. I made and ate breakfast.

All too soon, I paused whatever I was watching and went to the inspection at 645. I didn't see the inspectors cars, but I went in and two were there looking around. They said the oven looked great. I explained about all the other stuff I had to clean. We all signed papers and I left. I went to 610 where Jamie was looking over the place with the occupant. I joined in. The house looked pretty good to me. Better than 627. I would have been happy with $400 but Jamie was thinking $600 so we quoted her $500. She was happy with that because another lady had quoted her $800.

From there I went to Deb's house. She showed me two tubs of fabric and ribbon she was getting rid of. I agreed to take them but could not carry them. We talked about this and that. Her husband came home. He carried the tubs to my car and I drove home.

I stopped at Housing to schedule an inspection for tomorrow for 627 which Jamie said was finished. When I got home, I had a bite to eat. I read some messages and jotted notes for my blog. I rested up for band. Chris came home. We chatted.

I went to the chapel for band and realized I had forgotten the music. So I unlocked the door and went home for the music. When I got back, Saronna and Randy were set up. I asked Randy about buying a live sheep and rendering it. He said he knew how. Jenni came and we played through a bunch of hymns and Broadway tunes. Then we packed up. Keli stopped by with cartons of eggs.

When I got home, I drank the rest of the fiber gel. I read some e-mail, then put pulled pork in the toaster oven. I continued reading. I read about a green house heated by compost and also a geothermal greenhouse which was heated by pipes underground.

I made tea and we watched an episode of Brokenwood. Later Chris went to bed. I stayed up to read online. Then I joined him.

Can they read?

Sunday

I got up around 9, having spent a lot of time awake in bed, but then sleeping in. I got ready for the day. I read messages and watched interviews. At 11, I decided to make cheese squares. I preheated the oven while I mixed eggs and cheese. It got very smokey in the kitchen and by the time I was ready to put the mixture in the oven, all the fire alarms went off. Chris turned on the fan and opened a bunch of windows.

I made and ate breakfast, then got dressed. I took some of the cheese squares to the chapel along with my trombone and music. I talked to several people and played through one of the hymns for later. Then the service started with praise music. Cpl Popken gave the message since Chaplain was out of town. Popken ended the service and we had to remind him that we had hymns to play. So we played. People sang. The service ended.

Afterward, I talked to John M for awhile. The doc said he could play trumpet and might come to band. I went home and changed clothes. Chris and I took my car to put air in the tires and gas in the tank. We stopped at the post office to check mail from Saturday. There wasn't any, but I spied three bags of clothing outside the swap shop. They were directly under the sign that said we aren't taking donations right now and please don't leave bags in the hallway.

I put together some amended water (Boogie Brew) and took 3 buckets of compost to the garden. I raked the grass clippings out of the way and put down the compost and poured the water, raked it back and put hay on top.

I came home and saw a message from Erynne. I went to Erynne's house to get the two paintings from Thursday. When I got home, I put pulled pork in the toaster oven. We signed into Discord for the game. We played the game: we went to some small town that we had saved earlier. It was under attack again so we saved it again. Then we went to an inn for the night. Pixies were stealing stuff from the patrons, so we caught one and questioned him. He agreed to help up.

After the game, I worked on my blog and texted with Jamie. I put egg boxes on the front door for the egg lady. I made tea and we watched one episode of Brokenwood. Afterward, Chris went to bed and I stayed up to work on the Zoom worksheets, filling in the blanks. It was 11:30 till I got to bed.

A day of no commitments

Saturday

We got up before 9. We both read e-mail on our computers. Chris gave me a massage, then took his shower and I took mine. I got dressed and drank half of the fiber gel. I made more supplement doses, then made and ate breakfast. Chris put a big pork roast in the oven.

I turned on my phone. Jamie texted that she didn't want to drive in the rain so could we go another day? I suggested Wednesday afternoon. I had eaten the last egg for breakfast, so I steamed a batch of eggs. I read e-mail and listened to podcasts, one on sleep. I steamed more eggs. After the ice bath, I peeled them and put them in the pickling brine.

Chris brought Michele over for supper. We all ate the pork with rice and zucchini. We all had a chat. Then he and she watched some war movie. I went back to reading messages and interviews. I worked on my blog.

By the time he took her home, it was almost 9. But we watched TV anyway. Then it was 11:30! So we went straight to bed. It was so nice to have a day of no commitments.

Cleaning up after her kid

Friday

I got up after 8:30, not having heard any of my alarms go off. I got dressed and made fiber gel. I posted to the Facebook pages that the swap shop would be open fro 10:30 to 11. Then I grabbed my clipboard and went to Math Morning.

Saronna came with her kids and Keli was there too. She had scheduled a practice for the kids who are practicing for Easter. So those of us doing math had to shut the door to the fellowship hall so we wouldn't hear them and be distracted. I worked with Moira and we completed all of her overdue math.

I went home and rehydrated. Steve called to say he couldn't be a volunteer any more. I went to the post office to open the swap shop. No one was waiting to get in, so I went to get our mail. Steve was talking to the clerk about dogs attacking an older woman.

I went back to the swap shop to find a lady there with her little boy. He played in the toy area while she looked around. I went into the furniture room to unpack a laundry basket of fabric items. At 11 I went to the toy room to turn the lights off. There was a big mess of cracker crumbs and the toys were scattered a bit. So I put the toys back and got out the vacuum and swept the whole room and part of the second room. I was not happy.

I went home about 11:30 and had some fiber gel. I looked at Telegram messages then realized I needed more breakfast mix. So I made that, then made and ate breakfast. Around 1pm I realized that I hadn't tuned into Zoom and it was too late. I made a grocery list, then kept reading. Chris came back from the convenience store. We went to the commissary and bought a few things. Then we went to town. I nearly fell asleep listening to the book on CD. We shopped at Melanies, who had hardly any of what I wanted, then went to Macey's for sprouts and organic produce.

When we got back, I listened a podcast. I filled in blanks on the worksheets from the Zoom calls this week. Chris had supper, then went to his game night. I finished that podcast and listened to another one. I ate supper. Jenni called so I paused the interview. By the time she hung up, it was time for me to post to my blog and get ready for my game night.

I put tea in a bottle with magnesium, ashwagandha, and glycine. I went over to Michelle's house. Isadora was playing Sonic the Hedgehog. We chatted until she 'died'. Casey pulled up the Indiana Jones game. The kids watched for a bit, but then went to bed. I started in the outer ring of Atlantis and made progress but not enough to get past it. Michelle called so we both talked to her through Casey's phone. While she was talking, he looked up a walkthru for the game. He gave me the hint to put the cup on the pedestal and then open the lava flow. This allowed Indy to bring a cup of lava to the big machine that makes energy beads out of it. Like anyone could carry a cup of molten lava. Then Indy sent a robot after the guard who captured Sophia. He found the room she was in and lifted the grate the covered the door. But she would not come out, saying she was afraid the gate would drop on her. So Indy left to find a rock to prop it up, but she yelled at him for leaving her. Sheesh. He went to the canal and floated through several 'doorways' to a place where he could get off on the other side and go in. He found a statue guarding a door but could not get the door to open.

It was after 11 so I shut the game down and thanked Casey. I went home and found Chris was still up. I went through my evening routine and we went to bed.