Dishware everywhere

I don't remember when I got up. I started unpacking boxes. I couldn't stop. Finally I made myself take a break. I read a book while lying on the special heating pad. When that became uncomfortable, I went back to unpacking. It was around noon. I fired up the modem and put on an audio. One of her first sentences caught my attention: At 95 your brain should be just as sharp as at 25. Age-related cognitive impairment is usually a combination of solvable issues.
My masseuse called to ask if I could come at 1 instead of 3 today. There wasn't time to make and eat breakfast, so I ate a can of organic soup. Then I got dressed and filled a bottle with filtered water. I headed to the store where she rents a room and was surprised to find myself there in 15 minutes.
We put clean sheets on the massage table. She asked if I wanted the bed warmer on and I said no. I didn't even need the sheet, but it is standard protocol to have one over the client. She massaged my neck, my TM joint, my legs and my feet.
Then she left so I could get dressed. I got dressed and sat in her office. I paid her and we set up an appointment for next week.
I came back to base, stopping at the post office box. I was able to pick up my latest Nuts.com order. When I got back to the house, I checked the house mail. But there was only junk mail. I put the audio back on. I unpacked some more while listening. Then I made and ate breakfast.
Chris came home from work. He brought me a basket of fabric from a lady at work who has decided she won't get around to using it. I looked through the basket and concluded that she is not a quilter. It is mostly home dec fabric.
I sat out in the back, enjoying the setting sun while reading more of my library book. It was an interesting story without being gory (so far).
I rinsed dishware that came out of the boxes, including the crock pot. I also washed dishware from the dishwasher to make room for stuff that was actually dirty. We have enough dishware to outfit 4 kitchens. I made a kind of egg drop soup in the tea pot as supper.
We watched the last episode of Lucifer Season 2. We paused it when Faye called and put Dad on the phone. He sounded a little out of it. Then we finished the episode and watched the deleted scenes and gag reels. Then Chris went to bed and I stayed up to check e-mail and post to my blog.
* This is someone else's quilt that I took a pic of last week. *

Oh mow I'm not!

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I got up at 8:20 after lying awake and dozing off several times. I brushed my teeth with a chocolate solution. (Cacao remineralizes teeth!) When I got to the kitchen, I starting loading the bread machine. When the old flour was gone, I washed the container and started on the new bag of flour. Since the last loaf did not come out well, I looked up the manual and used one of their recipes.
I played my trombone, not needing my sheet of extra notes. I ate some leftovers and listened to today's interview from the Alzheimer's summit:

Alzheimers begins in the hippocampus. Info is received from the hippocampus and filed in the rest of the brain. But if the hippocampus is not working, the whole brain suffers. We must stimulate the hippocampus: doing something new, or doing something emotional or reviewing emotional memories. Isometric exercises are good, too. Stimulate smell and ask what memories are associated. Negative memories/emotions are more powerful for stimulating the limbic system. After smells, then familiar tastes and memories. Then have them listen to and sing familiar songs , then relate a memory. Then look at photographs and spark emotional memories. Then gentle touches. Each sense is added to the others so it may take 5-6 hours a day by the end of the 8-week program.

I watered the flowers and put my sewing gear in the car. I stopped at the bank on the way to sewing. I got cash for massages and ordered another ATM card. When I got to quilting, there were a lot of cars there so I thought there might not be any seats left. But Charmaine made space for me. I worked on the red and blue squares from Linus. Making the 9th square was fairly easy, but then I had to decide on sashing, a necessary thing because my squares were bigger than the original squares. I tried re-sewing some of the original ones to make them larger, but there wasn't enough light in the room for that. (The ceiling is painted black and the walls are dark red.) So I packed up and came home.
I checked the bread machine and the display was showing [H]. I looked up the onine manual and there was no explanation. I made and ate breakfast, then drove to the post office to check our box, but it was empty. When I got back to the house, I checked the house box, and it was empty too. I listened to another audio, about doing new things that feed your soul. The bread machine was done so I took the loaf out. It had fallen but was still in better shape than the first loaf I had made.
I looked up supplements recommended by the Alzheimer's summit on Swansons. There were only a few. I went to the garage to unpack. I found shed things in a box and there were all my gardening tools. I did not realize I had taken them all to Korea. I also found spare parts for the Neuton mower, and the power charger. I reassembled the handle to the mower. I reinforced one side with tape. But then...the key was missing. The safety key that that allows power to go from the battery to the motor. I examined every piece of paper that came from the box. No key. No key anywhere. I called William to see if there was a way to hotwire it, but he did not know of one.
I went back to unpacking boxes. I found one full of quilts. Soon Chris came home and I got him to carry that box inside for me. I told him about the key and he said to go ahead and order one. So I flipped through the manual looking for a part number. I also wanted a part number for the missing attachment knob.
While I was busy with that, my tapping buddy called. It was our regular Thursday night session. We went over an hour as usual. This time we tapped for better vision. And it seemed to work.
After our session, I submitted an order for a new key. Shipping was almost as expensive as the part. The site would not let me order a new knob. Then Chris and I watched two episodes of Lucifer. Chris made his sandwich for tomorrow and went to bed. I stayed up to sip hot bone broth and write up my blog post for today

Progress on unpacking

I got up around 7:30? I searched for an interview to listen to. As it played, I searched through boxes for my coffee maker. When I found the coffee pot in the box in the garage, I suddenly remembered that the coffee maker arrived in the previous shipment and all I needed was the coffee pot. So I had to look through the cupboards to find the coffee maker. I rinsed the coffee pot and filled it with water to warm in the coffee maker. I ran water in the tub to see if it would hold water. It did, but I decided to save the salt/baking soda soak for the end of the coffee morning. I hoped the repair man would not arrive before noon.
After the usual coffee morning activities, I took a detox bath which involves a cup of baking soda and a cup of sea salt. I am not sure how long I laid in the tub, but afterward I took a shower. I laid on the infrared heating pad for a bit. Then I put on another audio while I made and ate breakfast.
The interviewee talked about not sitting for long. So I got up and got out my trombone stand. I unpacked my trombone and played the hymn once. Since I agreed to come half an hour early to choir practice to play with the organist, I needed to have my arrangement of the hymn written down. For that, I needed a pencil. But the only pencil I could think of was in a can on the computer desk. It was completely surrounded by boxes and I could not reach it.
I re-arranged boxes. I erected a set of heavy-duty shelves in the bedroom so I could move in the boxes of clothing. But they were pretty heavy. I put the Korean chests on top of each other. They were light. But on top of that I put the TV cabinet. It was not. I could not just lift it up there. I had to made a stairstep of boxes and leverage it up a little at a time until I could swing it into place. Finally I was able to shift one last tower of boxes out of the way and get the pencil. But I needed a break to have the energy to use it.
I laid in bed for awhile. I did some stretches there. I was still there when Chris came home from work. He changed clothes and put something on the stove for supper. Eventually I decided that resting in bed wasn't helping. So I got up and sat at the piano to write a few notes. All I did was ornament the long notes at the end of each phrase. Then I went outside to read in the sun for a few minutes. Even though the sun was on my back, my eyes were hurting.
Soon Chris called out that supper was ready. So I went in and put some of the ground beef and veggies in a bowl. I put a little salsa and the remaining buckwheat noodles on it. My glasses were on my head. After eating, I put the trombone in its case and gathered the music and my purse. And my glasses were gone. I couldn't find them anywhere, so I left without them.
I arrived at the church at 6:25. I waited in my car until the organist showed up. The choir director was right behind her. We all went into the church. I got out my trombone and my handwritten music. The organist played a verse, then I played a verse, then she played a variation and then I played a variation. We decided we would do it again on Sunday.
Other choir members showed up. We ran through our songs for the next month. And we ended at 8.
I left choir practice and stopped at Publix on the way home for bread flour, organic soup and Command hooks. When I got home, he was on his laptop. I made a salad and a mug of hot bone broth. Chris made his sandwich for tomorrow.
We watched three episodes of Lucifer. Then Chris went to bed. I stayed up to write my blog in reverse. Somehow it is easier to reconstruct my day in that order.
* a pic from yesterday *

The last shipment

I go up about 8. I drank water and got dressed. I moved my car out of the driveway and took out the recyclables. I sent Beverly a message so she would know I wasn't coming to quilting today.
I was checking e-mail when the moving men arrived just after 9. Someone was supposed to call me first, but no one did. Still, I was happy to see them. I showed them the space in the living room that we had cleared and the space in the garage. One haded me a clipboard with 5 sheets of numbers on it. Then they backed the truck into our driveway. Its back door opened and they set a ramp. One man pried off the door from the crate. They brought the boxes and furniture out. As they called out the numbers, I checked them off the sheet. Then I had to tell them which boxes went into the living room and which went in the garage. At first all the kitchen (marked K-ware) and clothes and fabric (marked Yarns) went to the livingroom, but it filled up pretty quickly and then everything had to go in the garage.
Mostly the checking off went well. A few numbers got two checks and some got none. Some boxes were not labeled, and one was not on the manifest at all (but it was our stuff). They unwrapped a few things like furniture and chairs and the ironing board. They took a break and I brought them glasses of water. The taller man was a font of information. He knew which charities that the thrift shop on post supported. The shorter man had me sign a bunch of sheets. He gave me copies. He said to give them a couple days notice and they would pick up all the empty boxes and paper after we unpacked.
It was quarter after noon when they left. I checked on e-mail. I made and ate breakfast. I ordered a new meter for checking electrical and magnetic fields. I called Housing and reported that the fridge was leaking onto my salad greens and freezing them.
Then I started unpacking. I moved the shorter shelves in the sewing room so I could put the taller black one where it wouldn't interfere with the overhead light. Then I started unpacking boxes labeled 'yarns'. I guess that is Korean for fabric. The livingroom was full of boxes and it seemed the 'yarns' were in the ones hard to get at. I kept at it, filling the shelves with blues, and greens and yellows and purples and browns and pinks... When I thought there couldn't be any more, there was. Finally Chris came home. I needed his help to move heavy boxes out of the way. But he wanted to change and eat first. I couldn't exactly argue with that. So I tore down some empties and filled them with paper. I went into the garage to open boxes there. When he was done eating, he helped carry boxes to the kitchen. We unpacked dishware and I washed it. We also found spices and jars of mustard and Nutella and peanut butter. Not to mention, more rolls of plastic wrap and tinfoil and parchment paper and baggies, etc. (We must have thought these things were going out of style).
I made and ate a salad. I texted with a friend in Chinhae. Chris suggested we quit and watch TV. But then he started filling out a job application online. So I had time to check e-mail and made a hot mug of bone broth.
I sipped while we watched one episode of “Agatha Christie: Marple”. I put Chris to bed.
I heard dripping in the kitchen and located the sound in the fridge. It was the little square thing in the back just under the freezer. I thought the man had fixed that.
Then I typed up my blog and went to bed.
* I was just starting to get comfortable in this place... *

Good news...

I got up at 9. I drank water and listened to interviews. I warmed a cup of milk in a pan of hot tap water. Then I used it to make bread in the new bread machine. I made and ate breakfast. I texted with my tapping buddy. I practiced my trombone. Then I got dressed and went to quilting.
I tried to take off the headrests in my car, because I don't need the driver's head rest and the passenger headrest obscures my line of vision when looking out the back passenger window. When I was unable to remove it myself, I looked it up in the manual. The front seat ones are not removeable. :(
I worked on dividing the brown Linus quilt into two parts, then removing the binding from one and using it to finish off the other one. That was Dinah's idea. We also discussed asking the Linus people if we could give it to the hospice place that has asked our group to donate quilts. It seemed to me that it was more appropriate for older people than for kids. Dinah left early, so Bertha and I finished up together. And then we went home.
I parked in the driveway and took my machine and sewing gear out of the trunk. A man in a big truck was clipping errant tree sprouts from the flower beds. Then I drove to the post office, where I found one piece of mail. When I got back, I checked the street mailbox and it was empty. I was hoping for something from Netflix.
I listened to several audios while making seed crackers and constructing an order from Nuts.com. While I was at sewing, Chris had called to say the moving company wanted to bring our last shipment tomorrow. And I said YES!!! But now I had to think about where all the stuff will go once it gets here.
Chris finally came home from work. It was almost 7. He made his usual supper and I made a salad. We discussed how to handle the delivery tonorrow.
Chris moved the kitchen table from the living room to the kitchen. I moved boxes out of that corner so the table would fit. I moved items and boxes in the garage to make more space out there. Then we moved the computer desk from parallel to the wall to perpendicular so the next computer desk can be back to back with it (because there is no wall space left for it). I played my trombone, then packed it up and put it in the master bedroom so it wouldn't get lost in the shuffle.
Chris hooked up the small laptop to the TV. But it wanted to do updates first. We waited and waited....and waited. Finally Chris hooked his laptop to the TV and we watched two episodes of SHIELD. I kind of dozed off on the couch. I laid there a long time before I convinced myself to get up for my evening supplements and to post to my blog.
* This is what I sewed borders on today. *

Househunting for fun

I got up around 8 and took a shower. I listened to an interview while making breakfast. Many people diagnosed with Alzheimer's actually have a treatable condition, like hormone inbalance, thyroid issue or non-symptomatic bladder infection. Also being on medications that they no longer need.
I made and ate breakfast, then got dressed for church. We left abut 9:50 and arrived at church five minutes before the choir began their warm-up. I signed us up for the pictorial directory photo session. Then I practiced with the choir.
At the beginning of the service, each family was handed a slip of paper to write their contribution on. At the end of the service, we walked up to drop it in a basket on the altar. Then the pastor prayed over the basket and over the lunch to follow.
After that, I took my choir folder out to the car. Then we went into the fellowship hall for lunch. I enjoyed visiting with all my church friends. When most people had left, Chris and I helped move the chairs and tables out of the way for a class tomorrow. Then we drove home.
As we pulled up to our house, Rebecca was sitting in her car in our driveway. She asked if she was early, and yes, by 25 minutes. I invited her in to see the house. I gave her the tour, then changed my clothes. She gave me dehydrated apple slices as a housewarming gift.
I got in her car and we went to an open house. It was one I had seen on Zillow. No, we haven't any word on whether we are staying here or not, but I like looking at houses and so does Rebecca. Anyway, I liked the house except for the windows. They were original to the house and not double-paned insulated. There were a lot of trees in the back yard and not much with proper sunlight for a garden.
When we left, we went to Drake and looked for signs for another open house. We enjoyed commenting on all the houses we rode by. When we found the open one, we decided not to go in because it was way below the level of the road – not what I had in mind.
We drove on. We followed another sign and found ourselves in the cul-de-sac on Garth Road. We went inside and were greeted by a very nice real estate agent. I looked to the left and was amazed by the very large chandelier over the modest dining room table. The house was amazing, with 4 bedrooms and 6 baths. Two bedrooms were on the first floor. And there was a garage and storage below. Out back was a large deck and a firepit and a rocky area where a garden might be possible. The $500,000+ price tag was not encouraging.
From there we found a place that was for sale by owner. It had a nice back yard that was perfect for a garden. But they were not having an open house and we did not knock on the door. It was after 4, so she took me home. It was a very pleasant afternoon.
Chris was on his laptop. I went outside to sit in the sun and listen to an interview on electropollution: Thousands of people are electro-refugees. At this point the only place on earth without any man-made radiation is a place in West Virginia where a special telescope resides, looking for celestial radiation. Man-made radiation is not allowed to interfere with the sensitive instruments. There is a colony of people nearby who live there to escape the health challenges of everyday life in the rest of the electrified world.
I sat in a chair for awhile, but got restless. I plucked grass from the edge of the patio and scraped up the dirt left behind into small pots for planting stuff later.
I ate some seed crackers and a banana. Then I laid on my new PEMF heating pad in the guest room. I filled the time by reading a library book.
I got up a quarter of 8 and made some hot bone broth. Chris tuned his laptop to Netflix and connected the TV. We watched two episodes of SHIELD. Chris went to bed.
I finished reading a library book, although it took hours. I think I took a nap in the middle of it. I wrote up my blog and went to bed.

Sewing away from home

I got up at 7:15. I listened to the Female Brain Summit, and part of the Alzheimer's summit. I washed up and got dressed. I took pics of my hair because my brother requested one. I packed some seed crackers, an apple and coconut water. I put my sewing stuff in the car, and watered the flowers.
Then I headed off to Linus Blanket Daze. I had never been there before. There was a map in my head from studying roads on the internet. I followed my chosen route until the last turn. I could not find Dallas St. I had to go up, over and back down. I parked in the lot and walked to the church. When I ascertained which building it was in, I went back for my machine and sewing gear. I knew some of the ladies from Renegades. One of them told me that Dallas street no longer goes through to Pratt. No wonder I couldn't find it.
I chose a table to set up my sewing machine. Someone gave me an unfinished project to work on. 5 ½ blocks were done. I finished the 6th one and had enough pieces for a 7th. I had to cut more for an 8th block.

As I sewed, I listened to the women talking about Mike the headless chicken, a motel composed of wigwams, and Roadside America. There were door prizes and I won a Linus mug. (I was kind of hoping the winners got to choose a piece of fabric to take home). The lady sewing beside me had a stack of quilt tops that needed to be amended in some way to be more suitable for Linus purposes. I offered my opinion on her options and found myself taking one of them home with me.
At the end, when we were all packing up, I found out that Tina had brought cartons of eggs from her chickens. I could not resist the temptation to buy a dozen even though I knew Chris had gone grocery shopping while I was sewing.
Driving home was much easier than getting there because all of the one-way streets were going my way.
When I got home, I googled Mike the headless chicken to see what they were talking about. Chris put casserole dish of chicken and veggies in the oven, then we took a 2.6 mile walk, taking the route he ran this morning before I got up. It started to rain on us. He watered the flowers again because they were wilting.
He had bought me a 9'volt battery for my Gauss meter. I installed it but the meter still did not work. Chris took it apart, but could not find a problem.
I read e-mail and watched some short videos. When supper was ready, we ate. I made a mug of bone broth and Chris made popcorn. I practiced briefly. Then we watched several episodes of SHIELD. We dressed the bed in clean sheets and Chris retired. I stayed up to write to my blog

A productive day

I got up at 6:20. I brushed my teeth and swished with the coconut/cacao powder solution. I drank water and reviewed a map of Redstone Arsenal. I listened to part of an audio while reading e-mail. Then I washed up, got dressed and hunted down my footies. I put on my shoes and grabbed the overdue library book.
I headed out to the dealership. Chris told me to leave at 8, and I may have been a few minutes early, but I arrived before 8:15.
I pulled into the service bay, not sure where to park. I left my car in the middle and, since no one approached the car, I got out and went to the desk. A man took my name and checked the mileage on my car. He told me to wait in the waiting room. I wasn't there long, before another man came to get me. He was the technician. He asked if he could drive my car and I said yes. So he popped the seat and lowered it and pushed it back so he could get in. I got in the other side. We went for a drive, the same one I did when I test drove it. We discussed how the engine decides when to shift gears, and how GM needs the start/stop technology to make their cars compliant with the gov't requirements. So they won't budge no matter how customers complain. It was enlightening.
We tried to make the AC noise come back, but it did not appear. We drove around the parking lot and heard nothing. He said technicians did not get paid unless they fixed something so he really wanted to hear that sound. We pulled back into the bay. He said to bring it back if I hear the noise again.
After he left, I drove slowly out. I couldn't figure out where the noise had gone. The air from the AC was warm, so I turned the dial to as cold as possible. As I drove around the parking lot, very slowly, I turned the blower down to one notch. And then I heard it. Not the same sound as before, but a sound. I went back to the bay, but the technician was off driving with someone else. The other guy said to have the sound checked out at the first oil change.
So I headed back, stopping at the post office to check the mail – none. I also dropped by the library to put the book in the book drop.
When I got back to the house, I watered the flowers. I listened to interviews from Alzheimers summit. I copied a list of herbs and supplements from the interview page into an e-mail for my reference file. There was lots of talk about the benefits of rhodiola rosacea. I made and ate breakfast while listening.
At 12:30, I drove south across the post to Gate 3. I got turned around on Redstone Road because it looked like everyone was turning early, and the road turned north. But when I trusted the road, it did come out at the gate and soon I was parked at Cecelia's house.
I visited with her and Art. Then she asked me to look at the little sewing machine she bought for her granddaughter. Then she mentioned her printer. So we looked at that for too long. I made progress, but the software insisted that she register it before it would let her print.
All of a sudden I noticed that it was after 2:30, my massage appt. I called Gabriele to tell her I was on my way. And in 10 minutes on the parkway, I was there. She and I talked for a bit and so the massage got a late start. But she couldn't go past 4 because she had another client. She massaged my back, neck, shoulders and stomach. Then she left while I got dressed. I paid her and then I left. I decided to go to Great Clips and try my luck. I had to wait a little bit, but not too long. And I got a good hairdresser. She understood what kind of haircut I needed - wash and wear hair. It came out like a mess and she proclaimed it cute. It was a little out of my comfort zone, but the hair of my youth is gone so I will have to get used to this.
When I got home, Chris was on his laptop. He had sweet potatoes and veggies in the oven. I sat down to jot a few notes for my blog. I sat outside for a few minutes. I read e-mail and watched an episode of The Quilt Show.
Then I washed three pairs of footies while Chris loaded Lucifer in the DVD player. We watched the last episode and then one of SHIELD. I kind of fell asleep and Chris carried me to bed. But I woke up with the thought that the footies hadn't been set out to dry. So I got up to do that, to post to my blog, and to turn the router off. I had a headache and wondered if the 5G router was responsible.
* the back of our house *

Making hay while the sun shines

I got up at 8 and rinsed the nuts I had left in a bowl to soak overnight. I got dressed. I listened to an audio on tapping for money issues, but as it turned out, there was no actual tapping involved. Another one was on smart meters and 5G dangers.
I made a new batch of fermented nut cheese, and left it to ferment. Then I made and ate breakfast. I watched the first episode of a summit on reversing dementia. It seemed more like a sales pitch for watching the rest of the summit.
I played the hymn on my trombone that Jennifer suggested. I wanted to play a variation on the tune as well, but I needed staff paper to write it down as I worked it out. I couldn't find any.
I watered the flowers and went to quilting. I worked on sewing random squares together. And of course, chatting with the other women.
On the way home, I stopped at a thrift shop. There were two bread machines on the back wall. One had a scratched bread pan, like someone tried to pry the bread out with a knife. But the other one looked good. The lady at the desk said I could have it for $8. I said I would pay $10. Then I asked if she had an espresso machine. She pulled one out that hadn't been priced yet. Since I was prepared to pay $15 each, I offered her $30 for the both and she accepted. I paid and she helped me carry the appliances to the car. She asked if I knew anyone who was willing to volunteer in the store. It made me wish I hadn't given all my time away.
When I got home, I brought in the appliances and my sewing stuff. I had an early supper, and washed the new bread machine and pan. I listened to an audio and read the bread machine manual online. I paused it when Chris came home from work. He said the Org Day menu was expanded and did I want to go after all? So I looked over the menu and chose the salmon.
The yard was full of grass clippings from its recent mowing. So I got out a rake and pulled them all to the back fence. I got blisters on my hands from the wooden handle.
I drank several glasses of water and wiped the sweat off. I read e-mail until my tapping buddy called. We tapped for her issues and getting to sleep.
Then I practiced my trombone until Chris was ready to watch TV. We watched three episodes of Lucifer. Then, as usual, Chris went to bed and I stayed up to blog.

Library Search

I stayed in bed later than I planned. Then I got up, and brushed my teeth with coconut oil, baking soda and cacao powder. I got dressed, and collected garbage from around the house. I put it out in the big trashcan for pick up. I put on tapping audio, and while it played, I drank water, swished and checked out Holmes Ave. On that street is a church having a sewing day on Saturday. Getting there looked easy until I saw the one-way streets.
Then I boiled water for my usual coffee morning. I listened to an audio on balance and cognition; simple exercises for brain and body, while I cleaned both bathrooms, the kitchen, and the dining room. I swept the floors, too, and watered the mums. I ate some seed crackers with the last of the fermented nut cheese.
At 1:15, Pat came over. We were going to type the library info into a spreadsheet to alphabetize it by author, but then the author section appeared in the folder. She also wanted to put it on the guild webpage. Someone had said they had the info on a thumb drive and we did not want to reinvent the wheel. So, she drove us to Patches and Stitches to see the quilting library. We selected some books for the meeting tomorrow, in case someone wants to check out a book. They can also check one out to themselves by going to the quilt shop.
Then she drove me home. I started making breakfast. Chris came home. At 4:13 I paused eating breakfast to go to the post office. There was only one thing and it was for Chris. I stopped at the library on the way home. I returned my latest book and two DVDs. Then I checked out two more books. The clerk reminded me that they still want the previous book.
I went home and finished breakfast. I read one of the new books outside. Then I took a shower. I searched the pockets of all the suitcases and found the library book in the second to last one. Then I grabbed the tablet and headphones, and went to choir practice. We practiced a few numbers for the next month or so. The rehearsal went a little long. Afterward she asked me to play trombone for the service on October 1st . I had to leave soon to get inside the arsenal gate by 9.
When I got home, I made a mug of organic bone broth to sip while Chris and I watched two episodes of Lucifer. Then Chris read a book in bed and I stayed up to write to my blog.
* This quilt was on the wall at Patches and Stitches. *

Two groups in one day

I got up about 7. I drank a quart of water with salt and vinegar and put on an audio:
Sugar is a primary driver of metabolic disease. A study that replaced refined sugar with refined starch, calorie for calorie, for just 10 days resulted in better (though not great) metabolic markers. Happiness and pleasure are different. Extreme pleasure (dopamine) leads to addiction, but you can't overdose on happiness (serotonin).
While listening, I chose some pieces of fabric for a charity block. Then I cut 5 inch fabric strips, and subcut into 2 blocks and 2 strips. Sewing was the next step, but the machine was not set up. I made and ate breakfast. I listened to a short audio talking about a study that concluded that users on smart phones are less assertive than users on desktop computers.
At 10:30, I watered the plants, and left for quilting. Beverly was already there. I sat with her and talked to her and a few others. Around 11:30 or so, we went to the Asian store for kimbap. I ate a few pieces in my car then drove to Bev's house. She let me use her machine to sew the block. I made 4-patch squares and half-square triangles and assembled them into a Jacob's Ladder block. I had to take several blocks out and turn them the right way. Beverly had been dehydrating apples and she gave me some slices. While I was sewing, it started raining. We chatted for a bit and then I went home.
The boxes and paper we put out for recycling were still on the curb, getting wet. I ate the rest of the kimbap, and ironed my block. I checked e-mail while listening to another audio. The rain stopped, so I went outside to read.
I heard Chris come home. He put veggies in the oven to roast. I started unpacking boxes of curtains and sorted them into piles based on how likely I am to use them in this house.
Before I finished, I suddenly looked at the time and discovered it was almost 6. I threw on my shoes and ran out to my car. I drove to The Threaded Needle Too. I texted Beverly at stop lights to let her know I was on my way. The parking lot was full so I parked out back. I went inside the store and walked to the back, where 13+ people were sitting at two tables. The meeting was already in session. Someone got me a chair and an agenda. The president talked about charity projects and fundraisers and sewing Saturdays and such. It sounded like very interesting stuff. Beverly came in a bit later. Show and tell was interesting and there was a demo of the Accu-quilt Go.
After the meeting, I talked to Amanda. Beverly and I thought about whether we wanted to join or not. Then I walked to my car while she watched, just in case I got mugged or something. I waved at her and drove home.
Chris was on his computer. He told me there were roasted vegetables on the stove and that I'd better eat them before he did. So I ate what I could and put the rest in the fridge. I sat down to read a book until Chris was ready.
We watched an episode of Ms. Marple. Then Chris sliced the bread loaf and made his sandwich for tomorrow. He said the bread pan was scratched as well as the paddle. So I looked for a replacement bread pan and paddle. There were some on Ebay for upwards of $30 and they were used and possibly scratched. I decided to check thrift shops and yard sales for another machine.
I wrote up my blog post and then realized I had turned in the charity block without ever taking a pic of it.
* This is the quilt Jane is working on. *

The ice man cometh

I got up not too long after Chris left for work. I drank several glasses of water and listened to an interview from the Parasite Summit: Avoid sushi. Put paper bags in the grocery cart before you put the food in so the food doesn't touch the cart. Don't kiss dogs or cats. Cinnamon, garlic, vanilla, onion, turmeric, clove, rosemary, eucalyptus, and black pepper all help with quorum sensing and dealing with parasites.
While listening, I washed the bread machine inside and out. I tried to scrape hardened bread crumbs off of the paddle in the bread pan and noticed that the non-stick layer was coming off. I didn't want that in the bread. So I put the ingredients in the mixer. I found some loaf pans in garage but preferred the shape of the machine loaf pan for making sandwich bread. I wondered if I could stick it in the oven with parchment paper over the paddle (which wouldn't come out). After mixing the bread dough, I put it in the oven to rise, but the oven took a long time to get warm and the bread didn't look much risen after an hour. I kneaded it again. I turned on the oven, and it eventually got warm, but smelled like gas.
I called in work order for a leak in the back of the fridge, leaving a message because no one picked up. I heated water on the stove and put the mixing bowl over it to warm dough. I went ahead with another audio. I checked e-mail. When the dough was risen, I mixed it again, adding raisins. This time I put it in the bread pan with parchment paper. I let it rise again. I called the dealership and made an appointment to bring in my car. I turned on the oven to heat, and later put the bread in at 325. I made and ate breakfast. I followed along with a tapping audio, and did some more tapping on my own for feeling productive. I saw the mower man across the street. I called Housing again, mentioned the fridge and that our back yard still needed mowing. I looked up bake times for 325. But they suggested checking the internal temp. So I did, and it passed that test. I took it out and let it cool.
A man showed up at my door to address the fridge leak. He took everything out of the freezer and started pulling sheets if ice out. Lots of ice. Meanwhile, I cleaned the counter tops, and stove. He needed a heat gun so I got one from the garage. Then I made up supplements. But when I went to order a new one, I discovered that we had no internet.
After the man left, I went to quilting. There were lots of ladies there, unexpectedly. But we had a great time chatting. I talked and sewed. I ended up with 29 blocks. I was one piece short of another block. I sewed what I could but have to wait for the next shipment to get another piece of that fabric.
We packed up about 3. On the way back home, I stopped at the post office and found one piece of business mail. When I got back to the house, I put my sewing stuff in the guest room. I ate two pieces of leftover chicken. Then Chris came home. I checked the house mailbox (two pieces of mail for previous resident.)
I listened to an interview. Then a man mowed our back yard with riding mower and trimmed it with a weed eater, leaving it neat but full of grass clippings.
To enjoy the sunset, I read a book outside on the back porch. Then I ate a carrot and started listening to another interview. I paused it so we could put the boxes and paper out for recycling tomorrow. It might rain so I hope they come before that. I ironed several pieces of fabric that came from the wash. Chris made popcorn and then we watched one episode of Agatha Christie's Marple. Due to the length there wasn't time to watch another and Chris went to bed. I of course stayed up to recount the events of the day.
* This is Jodi's beautiful applique quilt top. *

Making blankets for hurricane survivors

I slept a little late, but even then did not feel like getting up. So I stayed in bed, tapping and setting positive intentions for the future. I got up about 9 and realized I needed to leave for church before 10. So, I drank water and took some vitamin C. I had my shower and chose a dress. It needed ironing, so I gave it a quick press. It had a hole in one seam, but there wasn't time to fix it so I just put it on. I grabbed a quick bite of seed cracker and packed some in a baggie. I also grabbed the dried bananas and threw them in my purse. I carried my machine out to the car and took a pair of flats for later. Because I needed to leave early for choir practice and I wanted to go straight to quilting afterward, Chris asked to stay home from church.
I headed out before 9, but had to turn around when I realized I had forgotten my choir folder. There was an odd noise in my car as well. When Chris saw me coming, he grabbed my folder and handed it to me. I mentioned the noise and the feeling that the car was holding back. He climbed into the passenger seat and we made a small trip down the street and back. He switched off the AC and we tried it again. The noise was gone but not the pulling back. He said to take it to the dealership.
Finally I was on my way to church, praying I would not be late, even though I did not see how that was possible. I sang hymns to warm up my vocal cords. When I got to church, the choir hadn't started yet. I had time to greet several people and get into place. Then I realized I had forgotten my glasses. So I looked on with Roz since she had large print music. Someone suggested I borrow a pair of readers provided in a basket at the welcome desk. So after we practiced the anthem, I went out to get the readers and a bulletin.
I sat in my usual pew with Don and then a lady named Loretta came and sat with us. The service had a new setting: setting 8. So the responsorials were different from last Sunday. I don't think Chris would have liked it.
After the service, I talked at length with Loretta. Then I went to my car, where I changed shoes. I drove to the Adventist church where Renegades were making fleece blankets for Project Hurricane. Plenty of fleece was provided. I started by sewing three fleece panels together. Then I trimmed off the selvage edges. I turned the raw edges under once and stitched them down. Tina gave me a stack of labels. I sewed one on. Then I was handed a pile of fleece blankets to label. Here and there I sneaked a piece of seed cracker or banana bit. Then someone gave me a fleece blanket whose edges had been cut into flanges to be turned inside out. I went around the whole thing then sewed a label on it. Finally I picked a piece of minki from the table. I trimmed the raw edges to straighten them and cut off the selvage edges. I rolled the raw edges under twice and stitched them down. At that point, every one else was finished and packing up. Even Norm, who always comes to sew with this group. He is 88. He drives himself and brings a table-mounted machine.
When I finished the blanket, we folded up all the tables and Lynette vacuumed the floor. We had 49 blankets. I took my sewing stuff to the car and drove back to base.
Chris was on his laptop. He had gone grocery shopping. He asked if we had any glue so I got out the glue box but warned him that it had been in storage for 2 years. He wanted to glue the lead figures back onto their bases; the ones that the packers had packed sideways. Then we went looking for the ice cube trays and eventually found them on top of the juicer.
He pulled a baking dish of chicken out of the oven. We ate at the dining room table. Then I sat outside and read my book during the sunset. After dark, I came in and called Cecelia. We agreed on a time for me to go visit. Then I read for another hour. Then we watched more episodes of Above Suspicion. Seems to me that the writers like to show the pics of gory murders more often than necessary.
After the second one, Chris went to bed. I sat down to write down the events of the day.
* I did not nake the ones in the pic, but I did sew labels on them. *

The missing armies

We slept late and did not get up until 9 or so. I drank lots of water in order to keep from clenching my teeth. My current theory is that dehydration is responsible. I read e-mail. I looked at the beginning and end of the September 10th service in Korea to see if there was any announcement about the new chaplain. But there was nothing on the recording.
I rearranged the items on the kitchen counter top, then made and ate breakfast. I swept the master bathroom and parts of the livingroom. I boiled the ginger slices again. I poured the water into egg molds to make more ice cubes. Then I watched Chris unpack the last of the book boxes in garage. Our neighbors drove up and we talked to them briefly.
I made a list all bulk supplements and foods. I typed them into a spreadsheet so I could easily alphabetize them.
We wanted to take a walk and it looked like rain. So first we moved the recyclables back into the garage. Then we went for a walk. Chris was tracking it with an app on his phone. But after a mile the rain started. So we walked back quickly.
I found another cache of supplements for the list and added them. Then I laid down on my new far infrared heating pad while listening to an audio on my laptop. I nearly fell asleep.
After that one was over, I listened to another one while making seed crackers.
Chris went to 5pm Mass. I read e-mail while listening to the neighbors out on their back porch. Since it is side-by-side with ours, they sounded like they were in our back yard. Duplexes were better designed for privacy in Korea.
I went looking for my ice cube trays and chocolate molds. What I found was bins of lead men in the bottom of a wardrobe box. I took my book and sat outside reading. The neighbors had gone inside so the only disturbance was the drip-drip-drip of the downspout.
Chris came home and cooked brown rice noodles. When I came in, they were done. I topped them with the salsa from the orchard. It was quite good. I told Chris about the bins of lead men. He got them from the garage and brought them to the dining room table. But he was too upset to open them because they had been packed in the box on their sides.
I checked e-mail, then went back to reading the book. At 8, we watched TV: something called Above Suspicion. It had gory pictures in it. I hoped they wouldn't stick in my head later. After TV, we made the bed together. Chris went to bed and I wrote my blog post from notes I jotted during the day.
* Another picture from the orchard. *

A bushel and a peck

I got up thinking Chris had gone already. But he was out front, tearing down boxes at the curb. At this point, I didn't think the recycling truck was going to come before next week. He came in and we hugged for a minute, then he went outside to wait for Rob. I opened my laptop and checked available wi'fis to see what I was being exposed to. I went to each room and there was no less than 5, and ours was off. The laptop wouldn't show more than 7 so it could have been much more. Finally I turned ours on so I could check e-mail. Apparently ours is sending out two signals, a regular and a 5G. What's up with that?
I listened to a detox video on the Pain summit while I cut up a ginger root into very small slivers and simmered it on the stove. Take-aways: Fixing PH keeps parasites in intestines where you can treat them. Parasites are nocturnal and could be waking you up between 1 and 3 am. Their eggs can lay dormant for up to 18 months.
At 9 I called my tapping buddy. We tapped together for over an hour and both of us felt better. I made and ate breakfast. I watered the plants. Then I got in my car and drove to Beverly's house. It was a quick trip because all the lights seemed to be in my favor. On the other hand, I missed a turn and had to go the long way.
When I got there, she was ready. We got in her car and she drove us to the Scott's apple orchard in Hazel Green.
They had more than apples. I got a bag of sweet potatoes. They also had honey, jams and jellies, fruit butters, salsas, and cider. I asked the man what they spray on the apples and he said he didn't know, just that it was what the local university said to spray and that it degraded before they picked the apples. Hmm.
They had a few varieties of apples to choose from. I couldn't decide, so I filled a ½ peck bag with some of each. Beverly got more, but not just for herself. She said they'd have a lot more varieties next month.
We headed back to town. But on the way we stopped at the school where she works. She delivered a bag to the security guard there. When he heard I was a quilter too, he asked if I could make a Pittsburg Steelers quilt. I told him I didn't have that kind of fabric, but he talked like he was going to get some.
We went back to Beverly's house to drop off the apples and get my sewing machine from my car. We took it to Huntsville Sew-n-Vac for a part. But the man said it was discontinued. He also said he would look around for a used one.
Then we went back to Beverly's house. She had a pattern and material for a robe. I explained how to read the pattern envelop and the instructions. She also had a skeleton to quilt. I wasn't much help with that.
Finally I had to go. Just as I was leaving her neighborhood, Chris called me. I asked him to run by the post office since I wasn't sure I could make it in time. But the roads were busy in the OTHER direction and I had no trouble getting home in good time. While I waited for Chris, I ate an apple. And I poured concentrated ginger tea into egg molds – they were the closest things I could find to ice cube trays. When Chris got back, he brought me two packages from Swansons. I opened them and put the items away. He browned some ground beef and onions for supper. He also put some sweet potatoes in the oven. I checked e-mail, then ate supper. I went out on the back porch to read my book as the sun set. It was peaceful for a bit, but then our neighbor started sweeping her back porch and talking on the phone. I kept reading. But then she started spraying something so I went inside. I ate a papaya and saved the seeds. I read about how to sprout them. When the sweet potatoes were ready, Chris and I each ate one. I called Cecelia, and she asked if she could call me back in a few minutes. I washed all the dishes from supper and wiped the stove. I pried the ice cubes out of the jello egg molds and refilled one. I boiled the ginger slices again. Then we sat down to watch TV. We saw the last episode of Lucifer on the Netflix DVD. Then Chris wanted to watch Street Fighters on loan from the library. So we did, and I almost fell asleep. He went to bed and I stayed up to take my evening supplements and write to my blog.

The massage

I turned off the router last night because it proclaimed to be 5G. I had read about the health effects of the pulsing of 5G. That did not sit well with Chris, but he let me do it. I also put an eraser on my cyst and wrapped it with a stretchy band. Someone had posted that they got rid of their cyst overnight and I thought it was worth trying, but it did not work for me.
When I woke up in the morning, my nose was stuffy so turning off the router did not help that. On the other hand, there was no phlegm in my throat. I moved my little table where I use my laptop to the kitchen and turned the router back on. When I fired up my laptop, all the Waterfox windows had been closed. I went searching for the first one in my history file and all of a sudden, they were all back.
I started reading e-mail and listening to audios. I drank a lot of vinegar water.
On the Parasite Summit, the speaker was talking about preventing parasites in the first place. He recommended eating dark colored foods, cumin, tumeric, ginger, galangal, digestive bitters, milk thistle seed, watercress, horse radish, warming spices: oregano, sage, basil. Antiparasitic essential oils. Wasabi and pickled ginger are served with sushi for a reason. When you take bitter herbs, you eat first (and the parasites get the leftovers).
Beverly called and we talked about tomorrow. When I hung up with her, I made and ate breakfast. I got dressed and put my sewing machine in the car. I left later than I anticipated, but stopping for gas and then at the bank went more quickly than I thought. I ended up at Stitch-Its. For two hours all I did was hang out and talk. Then I unpacked my machine and set it up. I worked on a QOV and finished three blocks and started three more. I told Pat I would help her put the quilting library on a spreadsheet.
At 3, I went home. I had some lunch and unpacked some sewing stuff. Chris came home. I drank water and listened to an audio. Then at 4:30 I headed out. Chris had said Martin Road would be really busy. So I went down Johnson Road and took the access road. The parkway was backed up. But once I crossed the Martin road intersection, there was a right turn I could take to go the back way into the parking lot. I was early for my massage, so I sat in the car and read a few pages. Then I went inside the store. She was having a bite to eat. So I used the restroom and then we put clean sheets on the massage table. She worked on my back and legs and arms and shoulders and neck. She found big knots in my calf muscles. And she went after them in a way that would make a Korean masseuse proud. But I was prepared, after two years in Jinhae.
After the massage, we talked a bit and I paid. I drank a can of coconut water. We set a time for next week. Then I left. I was going to hit up Home Depot, but seeing all the traffic, I just went back to the base.
Chris had roasted some cabbage, so I had some of that. Then I ate a can of organic soup and an orange. I read from my book until Chris was ready to watch TV.
We watched three episodes of Lucifer. Then Chris went to bed. And I wandered around the house, looking for something to be a photo for tonight.
* Here is a pic I took in August at the Monday morning group. *

My first choir practice

I spent the night keeping my teeth apart so as not to put any pressure on that back tooth. Chris' alarm woke me up.
I brushed with my homemade coconut oil toothpaste. I drank several large glasses of lemon water. I put water on to boil and then tried to simmer coffee, but it wouldn't work. The flame kept going out. I tried all 4 burners with the same result.
I swished with sesame oil and listened to an interview with a dentist on the Parasite summit: Bad bacteria are normal bacteria whose balance has been upset. Coconut oil and many essential oils upset the balance of bacteria in the mouth: microbial homeostasis. If bacteria are in balance, swishing is unnecessary. The fluoride in toothpaste makes your teeth harder, but more brittle. The fluoride added to tap water is not the same as in the toothpaste. It is a waste product of the fertilizer manufacturing, aluminum manufacturing, and uranium enrichment; three large industries. It contains residues from the processing.
I put on some relaxing music. I tapped, and meditated. My tooth stopped aching. I was very happy about that, but I wondered what changed. Then I cleaned the kitchen and hall bath. I swept the living area with the dust mop. Finally, I made breakfast and added a little kefir. It was the consistency of a lightweight yogurt.
I took a shower, then listened to an interview on fermenting. She said veggies are healthy but fermented veggies are even better.
I prepared a sample of kefir for Karla and texted her. She did not text back. Chris called to say he needed me to pick him up at work at 4:15. I looked up how to simmer on a gas stove. There were several answers, but the one I liked best was so turn the burner grate 45 degrees. Then the pot sits farther from the flame. I tried it out and it worked.
I distributed items from a box in the laundry room. I took doubles out of the drawer and put them on a top shelf. I scattered coffee grounds over the flower beds (which only contain bushes). I worked in the garage, moving boxes and organizing.
I went looking for a flashlight, when I got Karla's message. It was 3:45. So I put the flashlight on my laptop for later. I dropped the kefir at Carla's, then stopped by the post office to pick up a package. From there, I went to Chris's office. I sat in the parking lot, repeatedly calling both his work number and mobile number. I tapped for a bit, then sang through all the choir music. He showed up just after 5, his meeting had run late. He said he had called me at 3:30 to say not to come until 4:30. We went home, but by way of the library so I could return one book and check out another.
Chris put cauliflower in the oven to bake. I used the flashlight to check out the items left in the bottom of a very tall box. I also moved some things around and lost track of the flashlight:( I went to the group of mailboxes for this street. I found some letters for Chris and a DVD from Netflix. Chris got out the DVD player and said it needed batteries for the remote. I took another look at e-mail and ate some of the cauliflower. It was really good.
Then I drove to the church for choir. The other altos were glad to see me. I hadn't sung much, but most of it came back. I realized I used to bring my tablet to keep me on pitch. The new organ was quite nice.
On the way home, I stopped at Publix for coconut milk, coconut water, and batteries. When I got home, I saw all the empty boxes and paper out for recycling. Chris said he would have asked for veggies if he had known I was going to the grocery store. I checked for new e-mail, and then we watched two episodes of Lucifer. It was a nice change from SHIELD.
Chris ran the dishwasher and went to bed and I stayed up to blog.
* This is Bertha's other quilt that she lent us. *

Organizing the 'hurricane' that hit my sewing room

I got up about 7:30 and drank a glass of water. Chris wanted 5 minutes, but it took longer than that. I drank more water. I moved the shower curtain from the ball bath to the master bath. I put the curtain from the master bath in the laundry room, along with a shower curtain that we unpacked yesterday. Then I read e-mail and responded to messages. I wrote my blog post for yesterday.
Every place I had planned to go today was closed or canceled, as was the gate I would have used to get there. So I stayed home.
I listened to an interview from the pain summit: People with unbalanced gut flora have a higher perception of pain. I poured the kefir through a strainer to get the grains out. I gave the grains another cup of milk to work on, and drank the yogurt-like product they had already produced.
After I ate breakfast, we went to the garage to unpack the last boxes. They were marked 'books' and 'magazines' and they were really heavy. We opened all the ones on the left. I guess Chris got tired of moving them around because he decided to accept the ones on the right as unopened. The figures he was looking for would not have been in so small a box.
Then I worked on organizing my sewing room. Anything not quilting-related had to go. But there was no place to put it. So I had to work concurrently on the guest room and the laundry room. When I finished with the guest room, I was able to put a table runner on Grandma's sewing cabinet and put a machine on top of it. It was a thrift shop machine, not my original one, which I thought came in the shipment from Korea, but now I can't find it. Both the garage and the laundry room looked better once I finished (or rather stopped for supper). So did the sewing room and I had a big box full of fabric pieces to give away.
I ate supper and read the last part of the library book, the most riveting part, where the weirdest stuff happens. I must have clenched my teeth because the broken tooth started to ache and I was afraid I might have cracked it in another spot. When I finished, it was 9, so I thought we would only watch one episode of SHIELD, but he got hooked and we saw three. Then he went to bed. I stayed up to drink water, take my evening supplements, and post to my blog.
* This is one of the quilts that Bertha lent us. I took the pic before I returned it yesterday. *

Still a no-sew zone

I got up sometime after Chris left for work. I drank several glasses of water. I got a tiny piece of glass stuck in my foot. I could not see it, even with a magnifying glass. So I called Chris and he said to come over. I got dressed, hobbled to the car and drove to work. I called from the car and he came out and was able to remove it. On the way back, I stopped at the post office (to salvage something from the trip). The office did not open until 9:30, but I opened the box and found two bottles of supplements.
I went home and packed the car with items I had borrowed from Bertha and Carolyn. I took pics of Bertha's quilts before I packed them. Every house on the street had an immaculate yard which made ours look bad. So I rolled up the hose and put the pots out of sight.
I made breakfast, sway-testing for each ingredient. After I ate, I put my sewing stuff in the car, grabbed an umbrella and drove to quilting.
There weren't many ladies there, although a number dropped in just for a bit. Bertha helped me move what she loaned us to her car. She encouraged us to keep the bright pink yard stick. I hadn't asked to borrow one, but I should have. It came in so handy. Carolyn told me to keep all the stuff she lent us: mugs, bakeware, a very nice pot, and sheets.
For more than an hour, I visited, enjoying some social time after staying home all last week. Then I got out my machine and started sewing. I decided to chain-piece and once I got through the first chain, I discovered that the bobbin thread wasn't feeding through properly. So I pulled it out of the whole chain and wound the top thread back onto the cone. Then I sewing the chain again, and pressed it. I started the second round, but ran out of centers.
The rain got heavier. Ladies packed up to go home about 3, in anticipation of the hurricane. I had wanted to go to the bank and Publix because they are near quilting, but went home in case the weather suddenly got really bad.
Chris let me in the house. Everyone on the base had been sent home 59 minutes early. And everything was canceled for tomorrow and gates closed. I grabbed a few bites for lunch and then we unpacked boxes in garage. We found a pair of computer speakers in one. I hooked them up to my laptop, hoping to make it more audible, but the sound level was about the same.
I read e-mail. I saw that Linus project looking for 5000 blankets for Texas. I wanted to rush to my room to make quilts, but it was such a mess and there was nowhere to sew. I started organizing while listening to Nick Ortner's tapping presentation. Then I listened to an interview on the wonderful world of parasites.
Chris cooked brown rice noodles for supper. I had a bowl of that since it proclaimed to be gluten-free and Terri had given it to me. Then I read more from my library book. I fell asleep before I finished it. At some point, Chris roused me just enough to get me to bed. But then I laid half awake, feeling my intestines at work. Maybe I shouldn't have eaten the noodles?
Eventually I went to sleep, not having blogged, or taken my evening supplements or worrying about the hurricane.
* No sewing in this room *

Starting a batch of kefir

I slept pretty well. I woke up before 8, but stayed in bed for a bit. I got up to take some vitamin C and read e-mail. At 9:30 I took a shower and got dressed for church. Chris was going to do the same, but I told him to stay home because he still sounded sick. I put more comfortable shoes in a plastic bag and headed out.
I got to church in plenty of time. I sat quietly in my pew. Jennifer handed me a choir folder, but when I tried to look at the music for today, she said it wasn't in there. So I decided not to sing. Doris gave me a big hug, and told me a little about her surgery.
The service went well. The sermon was about how human the members of Christ's body are. And maybe that IS the main work of the church.
After the service, there was food to celebrate September birthdays. I had some fruit chunks and spoke to several people. Then I followed Jennifer home. She showed me the plants she had growing and picked some herbs and cherry tomatoes to give me. She also gave me a small container of kefir grains and a small frozen thing to keep them cold (and some old plant pots so I could do some container gardening.)
I left her house, changed my shoes and went to Publix for groceries. I had the list but not my phone so I couldn't call Chris if I had questions. I got the cheese first and then went for the tortillas. There was an old woman standing in front of them, checking each and every package. I waited and waited, and then grabbed a package of large flour tortillas, but not the brand Chris usually buys. I continued my shopping. But later I had to pass that aisle again, and the lady was still there, trying to decide. She reminded me of someone I know. When I had everything on the list and a few more things, I checked out and drove home.
Chris helped me bring in all the groceries from the car. He put them away while I changed my clothes. I put Jennifer's herbs in water. I put the kefir grains in a cup of organic milk. I got out the hose and hooked it up so I could water the mums. Then we went out back and put stuff from the back porch in the outside storage unit to protect from the rain. One set of shelves went to the garage and a larger matching one went into the sewing room. Then we opened boxes in the garage. There was more fabric, quilting and otherwise. There were lots of books and magazines and lead figures. There was a 12” statue that was broken. I photographed it for the moving company. There were tools and electrical stuff. But no garden tools (unless you count the watering can).
Around 6 we called it a day. Chris cooked up ground beef with stewed tomatoes for supper. I read from my library book until he was ready to watch TV. We had time for two episodes before he turned it off for the night. I took a break between episodes to made tea and have some watermelon. He fixed the drawer slide the broke this morning and then went to bed.
I was sorely tempted to go back to reading the book after TV, but the storyline was a little too dark to read at night before bed. So I sat down to type up my blog post for the day.
* The packing company won't have a leg to stand on if they refuse to pay damages. *

It's been so hot...

I woke up several times during the night but was able to get back to sleep. I woke up thinking about how we don't have room for both a dining room and a guest room. One of them has to go in order to get everything in here.
I don't know when Chris got up, but for me it was after 8. I drank several glasses of water. I reorganized my supplement box to include the ones that came in the shipment yesterday. The bottle of vitamin E had been exposed to some heat. I tried to pull the fused softgels from the bottle, but they were stuck pretty hard. Chris cut the bottle open so I could get them out. Once I had them separated, I put them back in the bottle and taped it shut. I was glad none broke while I was separating them.
I finished watching the quilting video from yesterday. I downloaded the next set of Centerpointe audios and loaded them on my tablet for sleeping purposes. I looked at houses on Zillow. Then we rearranged furniture in the guest room to make space. I cleared the boxes from the guest bed; unpacking them or finding space elsewhere.
Then I heard my skype ring. Michele called us from Chester. We had a lovely chat about DACA. Cecily joined in for a few minutes.
After the call, I had a bite to eat. Then I watched a live event on tapping your way to optimum health. But all he did was talk about the scientifically measurable results. There was no actual tapping, which was a shame since I drank six cups of water in preparation.
We unpacked boxes in the outside storage room until all had been opened. As usual, there was a lot of stuff that we can't use here, but maybe when we get a larger space. Then we proceeded to the garage. I flattened boxes while Chris pulled out his carelessly-tossed-in-a-box little lead men. We unpacked a box of pictures and mirrors.
At 4 we stopped. I heated up a can of stewed tomatoes and frozen organic veggies. Chris got ready and went to Mass. At 5 my tapping buddy called. It was her turn to be tapped on and it seemed to go well. Chris came home before we were done.
After the call, I read e-mail for a bit. I took measurements in the dining room and sent them to my sister. Then I boiled water for tea. When I started reading a book, Chris put on Agents of SHIELD and we saw two episodes. I drank my tea and helped Chris put clean sheets on the bed then typed up my blog post for the day.

Hon-dini

Chris took the day off so we slept in a little. Then I took a shower. I checked e-mail and was watching Genetic Roulette when the doorbell rang.
The movers came at 9am instead of 10. They carried in boxes of stuff from Korea – the small shipment. It didn't take long. But when we went looking for the items on the high-value sheet, we could not find the flute. It was not in the box that it was labeled on. We checked other boxes too and finally had to write down that it was missing. The coffee maker was there, but no coffee pot. (I assume it will be in the next shipment.) Also, one box was all oily. But when Chris opened it, there was no source of oil. However, another box contained a plastic tub that was cracked. Inside the tub was a plastic jar of coconut oil inside a plastic bag. It was empty. Several supplement bottles had bulging bottoms and were melted inside. It had gotten hot enough to melt the cocobutter, but not hot enough to melt the bees wax.
A jar of honey, never opened and still sealed, was half empty. It was inside a zip-lock bag which was dripping with honey and there was honey inside the tub. It reminded me of the question 'how do you get out of a room with no windows or doors?' I had to wash all the items in both boxes. I re-packaged as many as I could and put some in the freezer so insects could not get at them.
I called Beverly at 12:30 and we talked for over an hour. Then I made and ate breakfast. Chris did some unpacking while I was talking. He found my flute in a different box. Then he laid down to rest. And I did some unpacking, mostly supplements. But the can opener was a welcome find. I listened to part of Jeffrey Smith's interview.
Denise called at 3 and we talked for over an hour. I unpacked my new infrared heating pad. The instructions said to leave it running on high for 2 - 3 hours. So I did, but forgot about it until I sat down to write my blog. I put up a shower curtain in the hall bath. I set up my embroidery machine and made sure the touch screen worked.
Chris put some things in the washer and laid down again. I threw in a few more things and ran it. I sat outside at sunset and read a book. Then I came in and had some chicken.
At 8, we watched three episodes of Agents of SHIELD. Chris went to bed and I took my evening supplements. I had not written anything down so I had to think hard about my day to write this post.
* not broken, never opened, still sealed, but half empty. *

The condition of this unit has improved

I slept in after Chris left for work. When I got up, I drank lots of water with vitamin C. I checked e-mail and swished. I looked at houses for sale on Zillow – just in case. I rolled up a sheet of newsprint very tightly and used it like a curtain rod to hang a lace panel in the window. It looked pretty good, but the tape did not last throughout the day.
I went from room to room, filling out the very long and detailed 'condition of unit' form. The lamp I was using to check outlets got stuck in the outlet in kitchen. I used the coffee grinder after that. I put stars by the items that needed to be fixed.
I walked the form to the housing office. I showed it to Donya and she said she would submit work orders. I asked about touch-up paint. She said Self-Help would give me some. Then I walked back a different way, not sure it would work, but it did, though it took longer.
I made breakfast. I ate it outside, sitting in the backyard. I listened to an interview. I was sitting on the couch, when a man knocked on the door. His buddy wasn't far behind. They came to fix the things on the sheet. So I pointed to the issues. Most were easy fixes. They replaced the blinds, realigned the drawer to the stove, sprayed wd-40 into the lock, sprayed wasp spray into the light fixture, pushed harder on the smoke alarm than I did and pronounced it ok, tightened the outlet in the guest room. I also mentioned the sound of water in the bathroom. The older guy could not hear it. The younger guy said it was a sound toilets normally make due to the air trapped in the porcelain passageway. I could not make sense of that, but accepted that there was no leak and I had done my due diligence to report it.
I went back to the interview. I was able to listen while making up 10 days worth of supplements. I also read e-mail.
Chris came home from work and made a cup of lemon/citron drink. He changed his clothes. I went to the post office to check the mail and there was a package from Swansons. Why it did not come packaged with the rest of the order yesterday, I don't know. Then I stopped by the library to check out a book.

Denise called me while I was driving, so when I got home, I called her back. But she did not answer.
Then I read the rest of the expose on private prisons: Deplorable conditions. Poorly paid, understaffed, negligent on medical care because it costs too much. And they don't want the inmates to reform and go free because then they don't get paid.
I asked Chris to get the weed eater out of the box. It was packed so tightly with other garage items that I couldn't get it out. While he ate supper, I untangled a long cord and plugged in the weed eater. I cut a swath of several feet across the whole near end of the yard. The grass was so thick I could not tell how deeply I had cut it. I decided that was enough for one day.
After watching a sewing video and part of another GMO video, I paused to help Chris unpack. We did several boxes. One held a broken piece of glass. We opened the guitar case and saw that one string had come loose or broken. Then we came to two shelving units, one sat on top of the other. So, we discussed it several ways, then rearranged the sewing room to accommodate it. I am still not sure how I will get my sewing desk in there.
Then Chris called it quits for the night. We sat on the couch and watched two episodes of SHIELD. Chris took some vitamin C and went to bed. I stayed up to blog and take my evening supplements. I should be getting better, but the congestion won't quit. Maybe I am not sick, just allergic to something.
* The dining room needs something, but what is it? *

Dining table is back together

I heard Chris getting ready for work. I got up to have some water and blow congestion from my sinuses. I drank some water and went back to bed, but not for long. I boiled water to disinfect my toothbrush. I found myself sucking on my teeth so I drank more water, with vitamin C. I found a long lace doily that I thought would cover the sidelight by the door. But it was out of shape. I went into the sewing room to iron it. But I could not find an available outlet. All were covered by shelving units. I had to drag the ironing board into the hallway. I dabbed some water on the wrinkled places and ironed it flat. Then I drank more water and deleted the first round of e-mail while listening to a video.
I boiled water for coffee and put on some meditation music. But instead of a quiet morning, there was lots of lawn mowing going on. At one point it sounded like it was in our back yard, but no.
When I finished, I cleaned one bathroom, and then three men knocked on the door to fix the window in the bedroom. I left them in there while I cleaned the kitchen, and emptied the dishwasher. They said the part they ordered was too small so they would have to order another one. If it was going to take a long time, they would take a part from an empty house. I told them they could take a part from one of the windows in this house that we were not going to put furniture in front of. He nodded, but then they left.
At one point, I heard sirens wailing. It took me 15 minutes to realize that it was the county tornado warning system. Probably more relevant to another part of the county. I went outside to water the mums and pull weeds. I put away towels from the dryer. Then I heard the giant voice say “Tornado warning. Take cover immediately.” A little alarmed, I did not know if I should close the windows or not. So I called Chris and he had no idea there was a warning. So all the sirens were just in the residential area? I waited for a few minutes and decided nothing was happening and went ahead with my day.
I decided to put Christmas fabric in the chifferobe in the garage. But when I opened the door, it came off the top hinge. I carefully shut it again, then went looking for a screwdriver. I had one with the sewing machine I bought weeks ago, but it was buried in the closet. I looked through Grandma's stuff but did not see one. I found one in the laundry room, but got side tracked doing something else. Then it occurred to me that the moving men were supposed to come this afternoon and assemble the dining room table. So they could do the chifferobe door as well.
I took the bowl of soaked cashews and sunflower seeds out of the fridge. I blended them in the Magic Bullet with fermented coconut milk. I left it out to ferment and scraped the leftovers from the blades.
The toilet handle fell off. There was nothing to hold it on. I went looking for a screw-in piece for the handle. What I found were shelf clips. I tried one in the living room, but it didn't fit the cabinet. I tried one from a different bag and that worked better. I did not see any like the shelving unit in the sewing room, though.
I ironed two shelf liners and put them in the china cabinet. I arranged glassware on them.
I measured lots of sides and heights of furniture pieces, trying to figure out how to arrange it to make the best use of space in the sewing room and guest room. (Bertha sure knew what she was doing when she lent me a yardstick.) I wasn't having a lot of luck. I started making breakfast. And that's when the moving men showed up to assemble the dining room table.
I sat down to jot notes for my blog. Chris came home from work. He had a sore throat. I showed him the door to the chifferobe and he said to tell the moving men. When they finished putting the table together, I showed them the door and they fixed it in two minutes. Then they piled all the wet empty boxes outside onto their truck and drove away. I waved from the garage.
Chris wanted to shop for Nyquil and Dayquil. So I put my shoes on and got in the car. We stopped at the post office first and got a package from Swanson. Then we went to the Asian store. There was one package of kimbap left, which I got. He asked for cough medicine and she pointed out the Korean equivalent. Then he asked for the honey/citron drink and she showed him where it was. He bought that instead. Then we went across the street to the WalMart neighborhood store. There he found Nyquil and Dayquil and a loaf of bread.
On the way back, we ate some of the kimbap. I finished the last few back at the house. He took the medicine. Then I finished making breakfast and ate that while reading e-mail. I decided not to go to choir practice because I could still be contagious. Then I got hung up reading an expose on private prisons. Chris broke the spell by turning on SHIELD. We watched two episodes. He put some shelf pins in a cabinet for me and went to bed. I took my evening supplements and posted to my blog.
* Here is where I keep all the flowers I am not allowed to plant. *