God and Country service

 

Sunday

I got up at 8, having had RLS. Chris was already up. I started the morning list. I did not exercise because my back hurt and I was swimming yesterday. I watered the plants outside and in. I ate yogurt with the red light, then read a few pages. I made a batch of cheese squares. I made breakfast mix. Chris got dressed and went to church early because the chaplain sent out a text. But I wasn't ready.

I cut up a pineapple and a package of strawberries and mixed them together. I threw in some frozen blueberries, but they kinda made the pineapple blue. I put a freezer pack under the bowl and another one on top.

The patch on the long red dress I was supposed to wear wasn't quite dark enough. I dabbed some paint on it, but it wasn't dark enough either. So I tried thread painting it. The thread was right but I didn't get coverage. So then I clipped some frayed threads from a seam and glued them on top. That seemed to work.

I went to my closet for a slip and saw another red dress. I tried that on and decided to wear it instead. I packaged the cheese squares and took them, the fruit, and my music to the chapel. It was 12:10.

I put the fruit in the fridge and the cheese squares in the fellowship hall. I returned to the sanctuary and put the music on the stand. I assembled my trombone. The chaplain did a practice run through the service so Keli and I played one verse of each hymn. Then we sat and waited. People arrived and found seats. Kyle was taking pics of Chris and Chaplain and Randy in their outfits.

The service started with a prayer and an invocation. We played a hymn, then had scripture readings. Another hymn. People got up to say what they were thankful for about our country. A third hymn, then we sat down with the congregation.

A video montage with music played while chaplain got in character. Then Chris as the town crier got up to give his speech introducing Patrick Henry and the events of the time. Finally, the chaplain gave Patrick Henry's speech, word for word, and very dramatically.

After the service, people went to the fellowship hall for cake and drinks. The chaplain had two small watermelon and we cut them up. It made more than I expected. We sang Happy Birthday to America and two young boys. People ate and talked. Then the women cleaned up the food. Diane took the extra cake to the gate guards. We decided to leave the decorations until Tuesday, then pack them up before Bible Study.

I went home to change clothes. I checked e-mail. Chris canceled the game because his foot hurt. He made fish for supper. I read outside, then came in and ate. I made two more batches of cheese squares for the firefighters.

I went to the garden to water and weed. I went home and put away the squares. The sprinklers did not come on, so I watered by hand. I made tea and we watched TV. We dressed the bed. I read more messages and worked on my blog. Chris went to bed, and I worked on VMIS, then went to bed.

Sewing flags

 

Saturday

I got up at 7:30. Chris was gone to the Tooele parade, but I could smell the chicken he put in the oven to slow-roast. I went through the morning list.

I read a book by the red light. I read too long and suddenly it was 10:45. I jumped up to go to the garden. Then got ready for making the flags. I cut some fabric and packed others. I made templates for the red and white fabric and for the blue fabric. I packed scissors and pens.

I thought I heard something so I walked out into the hall and nearly ran into Chris. I nearly screamed in surprise. Since he was home to take out the chicken, I took a quick shower and put on my bathing suit and wrap. Chris carried the dishes of chicken out to the car. I brought my sewing stuff. We headed to the pool, but he dropped me off at the chapel. I went in to get a sewing machine in a rolling cart. I walked it to the pool pavilion. While he set up the chicken, I set up the sewing machine. Then he left to get plates and flatware. I talked to Janet and Michelle. Chris came back with Michele, but not John. Later Victoria showed up.

Anca sewed a flag, had her husband take a pic and posted it on Facebook as an advertisement. People put out their food and men grilled. We ate chicken, hotdogs, burgers, and potatoes. Some kids made flags. We talked with Michele and Victoria.

After they left, I went to the empty pool. But kids followed me. I swam for an hour. Chris went home.

Janet made two flags. I packed up the sewing machine and called Chris. He brought me home (stopping at the chapel to drop off the machine). I read some e-mail. We cuddled and fell asleep. I woke up and ate fiber gel. I put fish in the oven and read e-mail for a bit, then ate the fish. I worked on a pair of shorts. I pinned the fabric to the carpet to keep the edges from curling. I pinned the pattern and cut out the shapes. I looked up how to stop the curling and it said to wash and press the fabric. A little late for that. I got the four pieces sewn together by serger, and investigated using the elastic from the jersey sheet for the waist band.

I took the pepper plant and the biggest squash plant to the garden. I planted them there and ran the soaker hose. I came back, sat with Michelle and Isadora at the park. I paid Isadora for trimming the yard. Kim came by to pick up her dog. We all talked, then everyone went home.

I made tea and we watched Criminal Minds. I worked on my blog and read. Then we went to bed.

Frustrating game night

 

Friday

I got up late because of so much of the night spent with RLS. I went through my morning list. I fixed a bowl of yogurts, then added milk to the not-quite-empty jars. I put the jars in the dehydrator to ferment.

I went to the garden to water and pull a few weeds.  The ground seemed wet so I altered the timer from every 6 hours to every 12 hours.  When I got home, I made and ate a quick breakfast. I also made a grocery list. 

 Then we went to Tooele for eye doctor appointments.  Apparently we have vision insurance now.  We got our eyes checked and ordered glasses.  Then we shopped at Luckeys, Melanie's, and the auto store.  Chris bought a new thermostat for my car.  Finally we got some food at Macey's, then drove back to base and shopped at the commissary.

When we got home, we put away the food.  I read e-mail, then laid outside.  I tried to check Facebook to post for tomorrow, but internet was down.  I worked on my blog offline while Chris called and called and called.  Finally he got through. 

 I checked on the yogurts, they were not quite ready. I mixed 16 drops of rosemary essential oil into a small bottle of castor oil. I applied it to my face. I read my book until Chris took the fish out of the oven. I ate, and he fell asleep on the couch. I prepared a bottle of tea, and put cheese squares in a baggie.

 I went to Michelle's house for Game Night.  First she wanted to talk about the girl who had falsely accused her of manhandling.  Then Casey had left the computer on so we called up the game. I tried fruitlessly to get Indiana to jump to the bridge. Then Michelle called up a walk-through on her phone and I saw he was supposed to jump from the higher ledge. But that was fruitless too. But once I voiced that, somehow he made it. Then I walked him to the Nazi camp. I did a Quicksave, but the game started to glitch and apparently I caught the glitch in the save so reloading game brought the glitch back every time. I tried to play around it. I got shot down every time. Finally I shut down the game.

 But Michelle talked to me for another hour, so I got home around midnight. I posted to my blog and went to bed.

Troubleshooting the mower

 

Thursday

I got up at 7:30. Chris was sleeping on the couch. I went through my morning list. I delivered yogurt and whey to the Clarks. Randy wrote down the make and model of my car so he could look up where the thermostat is. Then I visited Michelle to get the chapel key back. We talked for awhile. Then I went to the garden to water, and finally to the chapel to see her decorations. It was nicely done. She did a good job.

When I got home, I ate fiber gel, then read outside. I made and ate breakfast and watched The Highwire. I paused it to go open the swap shop and to pick up the mail which included a remote for the DVD player I picked up somewhere. I posted an announcement for the swap shop, then finished watching The Highwire.

I went out to mow. I slapped the right side of the handle till it started. I mowed for a bit. But then I lost my grip on the handle and it stopped. I couldn't start it again so I gave up and called Isadora.

Isadora came over to weedwhack. I showed her how it worked, then went inside and worked on removing clutter from the guest room. I tried on a long red dress that was stretch to call Colonial. Chris tried on his costume. I talked to Isadora, then we went to the chapel for practice.

Ladies came to decorate the fellowship hall. I wished Michelle were there because she has a good sense of balance and proportion. After the practice, I went to help decorate and clean. Then Eryne told me about a health problem she was having. When she left, I called Chris to pick me up.

At home, I got a can of tuna for supper. Then I left it to go lock the swap shop and check the garden. I came home to finish the tuna fish and have chia and blueberries. I worked on my blog. I made tea and we watched TV. Then I read messages and looked up endometriosis. I posted to my blog and went to bed.

The gophers got gassed

 

Wednesday

I got up before 7:30. I prepared for coffee morning. After meditating and tapping, I cleaned the bathrooms and kitchen. I washed some dishes. I vacuumed and mopped, then read outside in the sun.

I prepared the sauna and steamed for 20 minutes. I took a shower, ate yogurt and read e-mail. Then a knock on the door signified the gopher team come to gas the gophers. I threw on a bathrobe and encouraged them to get all the gophers.

I made a flag on a skewer. Then I went to show it to Emily who I thought was in charge of the potluck. I wanted to set up a sewing station to make them there. But she said she wasn't in charge but was in favor of the project.

I went to the library to get a book. I talked to Mindy about decorations. She had 4 boxes full from Dugway Days and said the chapel could use them. Then I went to the garden. Michelle called and agreed to help pick up the boxes. I finished planting two squash, then met her at the library. We put all the boxes of decorations in her car. We went to the chapel with decorations. We talked some more.  I gave her the key.  Then we took the trolley back to the library. Melissa talked to me for a long time.

When I got home, I read e-mail. I spent a lot of time taking the lawn mower apart to see why it doesn't start. All the connections seemed to be fine. Then I slapped it and it started. But there was no time left to mow. My sprinklers should have come on but they didn't.. I went to the garden before 9. When I got back, some of the sprinklers were on. I made tea and we watched TV.

I finished watching a video on the Shroud of Turin. I worked on my blog and went to bed.

I caught the other gopher

 

Tuesday

I got up before 7:30, as Chris was taking his shower. I hadn't slept well even though I took only one drop of progesterone. Then again, I forgot to turn off my phone last night. I began the morning list, I exercised and practiced all three songs for Sunday. For some reason, it was easier at home than at church. I watered all the outdoor plants.

I checked e-mail, then went out to flush all the gopher holes, squish their tunnels and rake the mounds. There were quite a few on both sides of the house. I had to hose down my legs afterward.

I washed dishes that were sitting in the sink.  I went to the garden. I bagged the gopher from yesterday. One trap had been covered in dirt. I reset both traps, and added a soaker hose to the sprinkler set-up.

I went home, ate fiber gel, then read my book. I made and ate breakfast while reading e-mail. I walked to the post office but there was no mail. I tried to catch up on messages.

I went to the commissary for canning jars at Jenni's request. Lots of people I know were there at the same time. I ate fish for supper. Chris came home from work and fixed himself supper.

I went to the chapel at 6. I sat in the fellowship hall and finished picking out the stitches on a pair of shorts, then I ironed the pieces and pinned them to the fabric. I rolled up the project and threw it in the sewing room.

I went to Michelle's house where she was setting up for an early birthday party for Cedric. The Clarks came over and we had cake. Then I raced back to the chapel for Bible study. I was in charge of chapter 32. We read it and discussed it and many other things. It was almost 9 when we left.

I went to the garden. Another gopher was caught in the trap, but not dead. I put it in the bucket.  My garden should be safe now.   I watered a bit with the hose. I went home, made tea, and we watched TV. I worked on my blog, then read other things before going to bed.

Yogurt and cheese

 

Monday

I got up at 8, having slept pretty well. I brought in the milk and eggs. I pulled the yogurts from the dehydrator. I started the morning list. Having so much yogurt, I decided to make cheese instead. I heated and cooled half a gallon of milk for future yogurt and cheesed the other half with rennet. I soaked sunflower seeds and added them to the fermented cashew butter for Michelle.

I ate fiber gel, then hardboiled a batch of eggs. I posted to the Facebook pages for band and used my last music meme. I laid out in the sun and read a book. I came in and made breakfast. Faye texted me more music memes. I ate breakfast. I walked to the post office to get the mail.

The library wanted some fabric for a project they are doing on Wednesday. So I picked out some I could part with. I also packed gopher traps in my car. Then I drove to the library to deliver the fabric. I went to the garden, watching the engine temp meter rise. I found places to put the traps. I watered here and there. I pulled mint because it is taking over.

I drove home. I called William to see if there was anything I could do to keep my engine cooler. I looked online and one guy said to remove the thermostat and drive to the repair place without it. I cleaned my trombone slide and packed it to take to the chapel. I had a bite to eat and jotted notes for my blog.

I went to the chapel for band. Chaplain was there, all dressed up like Patrick Henry. He had a costume for Chris as well. Keli came, as did Sophia, but he talked to us until Chris came. Then he had Chris say his part while Popken adjusted the sound. Then we played our hymns and chaplain said some of his part so he could time the music.

All in all, we left late and didn't play much.

When we got home, I ate some cherry tomatoes and mushrooms. I worked on my blog. I watered gopher mounds in the yard, but no gophers came up. When I heard the sprinklers come on, I headed for the driveway as the nearest safe place. I caught my breath and drove to the garden.

When I checked the first trap, there was a gopher partially caught in it. Sadly it was still alive. I put it in the bucket while I watered what needed watering. Then I released it from the trap and reset the trap in the same hole.

When I got home, I made tea and we watched an episode of Criminal Minds. Michelle came over to get the fermented cheese. She took some whey as well. After the show, I worked on my blog and listened to part of a video discussion. Then I went to bed.