Packing is a pain

I got up before 7. But it was cold in the house and I ended up back in bed, wanted to take advantage of the daylight but also wanting more sleep. I eventually talked myself out of bed. I worked on my hashtag quilt. When I laid it out on the floor, there were too many same fabrics side-by-side. I was perplexed because I had laid all the blocks out on my sewing table before sewing the blocks in rows. So I had to unsew a few and move them around. I turned on the router and checked e-mail.
I started to make lip balm but did not have enough coconut oil. I cut blue sashing strips for the rows of blocks. Then I got dressed and went to the neighborhood Wal-Mart grocery store. In addition to organic coconut oil, I was going to get jars of pickles for the quilter's Christmas parties (since I don't like fixing food.) But they all had polysorbate 80. So I bought olives instead. I got a few other things including goat milk. It seems to set better in my stomach than cow milk. As I was checking myself out in the self-check lane, a lady came up to me and introduced herself as representing the bank on post. She offered to pay for my groceries. I told her there were others who needed that more than I did. But she insisted so I let her. Maybe she picked me because I wasn't buying much. I thanked her and took my bags out to the car and went home.
I wiped off the jars and put them away. I took the kefir from the fridge and poured it through a strainer to get the kefir grains out. I poured the goat milk into a jar and added the kefir grains, hoping the quart of goat milk would keep them busy for the next two weeks.
I put the olive oil and beeswax in the double boiler to melt. The coconut oil was solid so I put it on a heating pad to soften up so I could get it
out. I was able to make and eat breakfast waiting for it to melt. Finally I measured it out in lumps and put the glass measuring cup in the bottom of the double boiler to liquify. I poured the oil in with the others now melted. Then I got out the essential oils and vitamin E oil. I put them in the bottom of the measuring cup and poured the oils on top. Then I got out the little plastic pots and washed 25. I opened a new syringe and used it to draw liquid lip balm from the measuring cup and fill little pots. It worked fairly well once it warmed up. I filled a small jar for later and used up all the leftovers, making 35 little pots. I washed the implements and put the stuff away. I mixed up more spice blend to take on the trip.

Then I went to the massage place. I was a little early and Gabriele was still eating lunch. But I used the restroom and she got ready. I gave her a pot of lip balm and we talked for over half an hour. Then she left and I undressed. My phone rang as soon as I got under the sheet. I got up to answer it. Cecily wanted to know if I wanted a sweet potato for Thanksgiving dinner. Yes.
The therapist arrived a moment later. She started on my calves, which were really tight. It felt like there were eggs inside, tender painful eggs. She did her myofascial release technique and got most of them out. Then she massaged my arms and finally my neck and shoulders. My shoulders were tight, too, but not nearly as tender as the calves.
After the massage, I paid her and and reaffirmed that I would be gone for two weeks.
After we said good bye, I bought a bottle of lavender essential oil at the front desk. Then I drove home. It was after 4:30, but Chris wasn't home. I picked dandelion greens and made a salad. Chris came home and started laundry. I stopped eating to add a few things to the basket. Chris made his own supper and Michele called him to continue the dinosaur game.
I got out a suitcase and put underwear in it. Then I got out all the stuff I bought in China to pick gifts for everyone. I made some more hot flash spray. I packed some lip balm. I looked up the 10 day forecast for Virginia. It was cold. So I went looking for winter clothing. Chris came out to the garage with me and moved boxes around until I could find the long-sleeved shirts and heavier socks. I obsessed over outfits to pack. I threw several sets of shoes in bags.
Then I turned my attention to food and supplements. I had already done the daily morning ones, but I had to pack some for night time. Then the breakfast stuff. I combined 14 days worth of several things into one container. I put some snacks into the box as well, like nuts and dried fruit. Oh, and coconut water.
Then I looked around for diversions. I cut some strips of fleece for one project. I wanted to take the hashtag quilt, but it was too much. So I packed the tea cup project instead. By then it was 11 and I was exhausted. I posted to my blog and went to bed.