Field trip for Doug

 

Tuesday

I got up before 7:30. No pain. After Sudoku, I went through my morning list. I went to the garden to water the outside edges. I mowed the side yard, then practiced hymns. I mowed other side. It was easier to drag the mower than to push it.

Someone called wanting underwear for an emergency. I went through my old ones and pulled out the best. I also threw in a Depends because I could not find pads. She met me at the swap shop and I gave her the bag. Then I checked my mail and went home.

I made and ate breakfast. I checked e-mail.

At two I went to pick up Doug. Doug is an alien about 3 to 4 feet tall. Doug was fragile. Gary put him in my back seat. Then I went to the library to ask Keli if her husband could fix my mower. She said yes. I also thanked Melissa for letting me borrow her mower.

I picked up Cedric and we went to the swap shop. I took pics of him in his gopher-like outfit and of Doug. We laid Doug in the back seat. I wanted to go through the gate with Doug in the back seat. Cedric was not up for it, but Isadora was. So he got out and she got in. We drove to the church off post, then decided to photograph Doug there. We stood him up in front of the front doors. Then we put him back in the back seat and came back through the front gate. I showed my card to the guard, and he glanced in the back seat but didn't say anything. As we drove out, it occurred to me that we could have pointed to the alien and said 'he forgot his ID'. Isadora was all for turning around and going through again, but the moment had passed. We put Doug back where I got him. I took Isadora home.

Back at home, I took the mower to the garage next door. I rolled it inside and shut the door. I went home and read articles online. I ate some frozen mango to cool off. I cleaned an empty water jug with soap and hot water and hydrogen peroxide. It seemed to get the green out.

I walked to post office to unlock the swap shop. MeryAnn drove up with donations just as I left. I read online, then Chris came home. I ate supper and read e-mail. I went to the garden to water and weed. Ironically, the sprinkler had full power.

I went home and read more e-mail. I locked the swap shop, then worked on my blog. I made tea, and we watched TV. I looked up the actors. I looked for a more robust alien. But I did not find what I was looking for. I also looked for silicon masks or a pattern for a stretchy mask that encases the head. Nope.

Finally I went to bed.

Filming and mowing

 

Monday

I got up at 7, hearing Chris and our guests. I felt the pain in my side again. I went through the morning list. I talked to our guests before they left, then watered the outdoor plants and some grass. I looked up hymns and music memes.

I went to the library to make large copies of music for band. I asked Melissa if I could borrow her mower. She texted her daughter to leave it outside. When I got home, I made breakfast and ate it. I hardboiled eggs. I went next door to get the mower. I mowed some shady yard and the front yard and it was really hard to push.

I went to Michelle's house for the full size Buc-ees costume. She decided to come along. We went to the swap shop for filming. The CSM was there. Eryne came with two girls. We chatted, came up with some ideas and did some filming. They left.

I went home for a drink, then Tara showed up. We did some more filming. I went home for supper. Chris came home for his supper. I went to band. It was just Jenni, but then Keli showed up, so we played the hymns again.

We went home. I read e-mail and had some fruit. I went to garden to weed and water and fertilize. When I got home, I worked on my blog. I made tea and watched TV. I read the latest e-mail, then went to bed.

Mysterious pain

 

Sunday

I got up early because my side hurt so much I couldn't go back to sleep. I had a hard time getting out of bed. I made my way to Chris' workstation. I asked him to look at my side and see if there was a bruise. There was no discoloration. I had him rub some IcyHot on it and I took some curcumin. I took a shower. Raising my leg to get in the tub told me that it was a sore muscle issue. But the hot water helped.

I went through my morning list in the kitchen slowly. Chris had made oatmeal for our guests. I practiced and watered the plants inside and out. Moving was still painful.

John and Michele came over to take our guests to Salt Lake City to see the aviary. I went to the garden to water what the sprinkler won't reach. I noticed that the first water out of the hose was quite hot. I waited for it to cool before I aimed it at the garden.

When I got back, I read some e-mail, then made cheese squares. I made and ate breakfast. Then I got ready for church.

I went to the chapel with cheese squares. Leaving them in the back, I went up front to assemble the trombone I leave in the front row. I chatted with people, then the chaplain started the service (with hymns because the praise song video equipment wasn't working). We greeted each other afterward, then prayer and scripture. The chaplain wrapped up Ephesians and gave an overview of Philippians. Then the band played 2 hymns and he gave a benediction.

After the service, we talked about future hymns. I talked to John, too. Then we closed the church. I took my cheese squares home.

I checked e-mail and ate the rest of breakfast. John and Michele and our guests came back early. Gary came over to see the riding mower. He pumped up the tires and jumped the battery. Then he paid me and drove it home. Jenni came over to see what my house looks like clean. Thankfully she didn't make a big fuss about how different it was.

Most people napped while I read online. I looked up Psalm 91 and picked some hymns from the list. I already had the first one, but had to make notes for a copy of the second one. I made tea for kombucha. I ran to the garden to switch from soaker hose to sprinkler. I also changed the time. If I can't get full pressure at any time, I might as well water early just like it is recommended.

We all got ready and headed out in two cars. We drove to an Indian restaurant in Tooele. Our favorite one was not open, so we went to a different one. It was good, but not as good. There wasn't much ambiance. Chris and Susan ordered the coconut lamb and it was the best choice.

When we got home, I read e-mail. Susan and Alan must have gone to Michele's house for awhile. When they arrived, they retired to their room to pack for tomorrow. I listened to James Corbett, and then worked on my blog. I read articles and such till after 11. I went to bed feeling fine, until I laid down. Then the side pain returned.

Fun with Susan and Alan

 

Saturday

I got up before 7:30. I heard Chris moving around. I didn't hear our guests who were going to get up at 6:30. I went to the kitchen to make oatmeal, but Chris already had. I did the morning list except for practicing.

I thought Michele was taking them out for the day, but they changed their plans. They ate breakfast while I ate yogurt. I put the jar of reuteri back in the dehydrator since it was still liquidy.

They wanted to look from elevation so we took them to the pass and stopped at the top. They walked around and read the sign about Lincoln Hwy. When we came back to post, we stopped at the commissary. She really liked the size of it. We took the food home and I walked to the swap shop with them. She found a book for her grandkids.

When we got back, Chris set out sandwich fixings for them and I made breakfast for me. Michele and John came over. Later she left with them to help hang pictures. He read on the couch in the living room. I ate the second and third parts of breakfast, then read e-mail. I went to the garden to fix another leak in the soaker hose. It then worked well, but wasn't long enough to reach everything. In conjunction with the sprinkler, it might have done enough but because of sharing water pressure, it didn't work. I watered the edges and went home.

I read e-mail and listened to video clips. Chris finished his game. He worked on cooking pork chops in some kind of sauce. Michele and John brought Susan back. Susan set the table while Chris finished up the side dishes. Then we sat down to eat.  After supper, we conversed.

When I realized what time it was, I jumped up and got ready for Project Night. I went to open the chapel and turned on the lights, etc. I played the piano and then rested. Jenni walked in first. We talked for just a moment when Michele and John arrived with Susan. So then we all went to the fellowship hall. We each worked on a project. The conversation was lovely. Then at 9, we packed up and left. I turned off the lights and locked the chapel.

John dropped off his mother at our house, just as I got there. She went in the back so I sat down at my laptop to work on my blog and read e-mail. When I finally stood up, my side hurt and it felt like I had bumped into a table. I went to bed, and could not lay on my side – only my back. It occurred to me that it could be a kidney infection or an infected ovary. I laid quietly until I fell asleep.

The other set of parents

 

Friday

I had not slept well, so I got up about 8. After Sudoku, I went through the morning list. We put the bed back together. Chris laundered the sheets.

I ran through the newest e-mail. I cleaned and decluttered. I called Isadora and she said she could come after lunch. I made and ate breakfast. Isadora showed up and I had her clean the front porch, including the siding.

I vacuumed and picked up clutter in the main living areas. She finished and I paid her. She went home. I went back to cleaning and decluttering. Later Michelle came over to see what I had done. She looked around and said everything was fine. I didn't believe her.

After 4, I went to the garden to mend the hose, but then other leaks popped up. I took some stuff to the swap shop, then locked it up. It was just after 5 when I got home. Chris said Susan and Alan were going to stop at Michele and John's house first, then they would all come here. So I cleaned until they arrived. We greeted them. They were tired of riding the car, so we took a walk around the block.

John and Michele had brought a shepherd's pie casserole. Chris put out a dish of fresh snow peas. We sat around the table and had dinner. Michele and John left around 9. The rest of us kept talking. Alan went to bed. Then three of us were talking. When I realized it was after midnight, I pointed it out. Then Chris and Susan went to bed and I stayed up to blog.

Filming the alien scene

 

Thursday

I got up at 7:30. After Sudoku, I went through the morning list. I prepared a bottle of water and went to the chapel for Bible study. We read and discussed chapter 34 of Genesis. A really heavy read. Yikes. Then we closed in prayer. Some ladies left, but Eryne came up with the idea of having a Gopher Fun run in September.

I went home to grab tape and scissors and zip ties. I took them to the garden to fix the leak in the soaker hose. It took a lot of wrapping and tape, and I thought I had it fixed.

I went home to make up a week's worth of supplements and then eat breakfast and watch The Highwire.

Two men came to fix the toilet seat. All they had were the cheap plastic replacements. They said they could order a wooden one. So I asked them to exchange the seat in the hall bath with the one in the master bath since we are having company this weekend.

I cleaned up more clutter. I put together a working lamp in the guest room. I tried to filter out the small pieces of walnuts from the debris at the bottom of the bag. Using my salad spinner basket got the bigger pieces. But there was no good way to sort out the little chunks. I broke down boxes and threw out packing paper. I messaged with Faye and we brainstormed ideas for the swap shop movie.

At 4:30 I went to the swap shop to film the alien scene. Gary wasn't there yet so I moved things around to make the place look better as a background. He arrived with the alien costume, then went home for batteries. When he got back, I helped him get in the costume. We did three or 4 takes till it seemed right. He said to keep all the takes in case we have to patch the best parts together. A man came in just as we were leaving, so I let him look around and get what he wanted before I locked it up.

I went home and found Chris having supper. He said Michele was wanting to hang pics so I called her. She wanted nails. Then I was about to sit down to supper when I realized it was 6:30. I jumped in the car and went to Self-Help to give the clerk a gopher skull ball as a thank you gift for stopping by my house last week to get the mower running. He seemed to really like it. We talked till 7, then I left so he could close up. I went to Michele's house to drop off my picture-hanging kit. She didn't want to invite me in, saying it would be cleaner tomorrow.

So then I went to the garden to re-route the soaker hose and run water through it. But the patch leaked badly. I am not sure the water got to the end of the hose. Sigh. I ran the oscillating sprinkler too, and still not enough water pressure to hit the whole garden. So I had to water parts by hand.

When I got home, I ate supper and watched New World Next Week. Then I worked on my blog and made tea. We watched an episode of Criminal Minds. I read Telegram messages. Chris went to bed. I picked up a few things in the living room. Chris came back out for something and I asked him to plug in the lamp in the guest room since his arms are longer than mine. So he did. But for some reason he wanted to move the bed from the wall. He pulled on the footboard and the bed fell apart. He stood the mattress and boxspring on end, then fiddled with the side rail until the metal piece was in the right place. Then we left it for the next day.

The new hose doesn't work any better than the old one.

 

Wednesday

I got up at 7:30. I prepared for coffee morning. I did 4 rounds of tapping and meditation. I cleaned the bathrooms and kitchen. I did some vacuuming and I mopped the kitchen floor.

I went to the post office for mail and to open the swap shop. When I got home, I took a steam session in the sauna, then took a shower. I rested, then ate some yogurt. I dozed off in the recliner.

Then I looked at music memes for a bit before going to the library to get books. I ended up talking to Melissa for an hour.  Then I locked the swap shop.  When I got home, I cleaned some more clutter.

 I went to the garden with Chris to re-do my watering system. I needed him to loosen tight connections.  I hoped to find a time of better water pressure, but it was not to be. I brought a new soaker hose, but when I hooked it up, the water leaked out before it reached the end of the hose. I pondered how it could be patched.

When I got back, I made tea. We watched one episode of Criminal Minds. I looked up some of the actors and why they left. That went into other aspects of the show, like how unrealistic it was, how many rules were violated, etc. Finally I finished my blog post and went to bed.