More berries

I don't know when I got up this morning. I sewed enough seams to finish row 3 while Chris turned on the router and started his e-mail. Then I listened to a podcast:
6 Morning practices for a miracle morning: Silence and connection, Affirmations (what I am committed to, why I am committed, what I am willing to do, when I will do it), Visualization, Exercise, Reading, and Scribing (gratitude or to-do list). SAVERS. Unwavering faith + extraordinary effort = the miracles you want to create.
I took a break from e-mail to check the pepper plant. I picked our first pepper. It did not last long enough for me to take a pic. But it was tasty. Then I made breakfast. I listened to another podcast, and read e-mail. Chris went to work. I found a copy of the offering sheets that Art and I used to count the offering years ago. I imported it to Paint and erased all the figures, then printed it out to use this week.
My laptop said the battery was at 69% plugged in but not charging. I wondered why it wasn't charging. I unplugged it and the reading went up to 96%, but all too soon the laptop shut itself down. I plugged it back in and started it again. I worked on the rent letter for the doctors. Pat came by to pick up the librarian's annual report. I went back to writing the rent letter. I got a first draft written using a template from the internet. I wanted Chris to read it and made suggestions before I sent it off.
I blended six lemons and poured it into an ice cube tray. I put the rest in the fridge to keep until I could use the tray again. Then I made hummus (and a big mess). Chris came home from work, then turned around and went to the chapel. I listened to a podcast. When the podcast was over, I went for a walk, with a small container. I headed for the berry patch. It seemed like I picked a lot of berries but the container wasn't very full. There were some plants there that might have been poison ivy. I'll bet Kurt would know.
When I got back, Chris was home. I let Chris look at the letter I wrote and make changes while I took a shower to get any caustic oils off. Then I ate fruit while reading articles. Chris went out to the mailbox to find a DVD from Netflix with episodes of McHale's Navy. We watched them back-to-back until 11. Then I sat down to compose an e-mail to the doctors to go with the attached letter with changes. After sending it off, I wrote up my blog post for the day and went to bed because tomorrow is a busy day.
* This is Melissa's quilt from Thursday. *

Surgery at Crestwood

I got up around 8. There was a wet spot on the floor in the living room. I think Chris must have laid there after his morning run. I opened the doors and turned on the fans. I swished and sewed blocks together, almost finishing row 3. I drank a quart of lemon water and got dressed. I turned on the router and read e-mail. I put a cold rice pack on my ankle. I listened to a 20 minute meditation while holding a vitamin C packet in my mouth. I forgot that it would end when I needed to leave. So I checked e-mail again before I realized it was after 10. I grabbed my purse and headed out.
I realized I had forgotten to re-check the directions to her house, so I said a prayer as I drove. And I got there on the first try, but it took longer than Mapquest said it would. Anyway, she came out of her house to meet me. I had to quickly clear my passenger seat so she had a place to sit. Then we talked as I drove her to Crestwood. Since we were running late, I just dropped her off at the Out Patient entrance.
Then I went to Rite-Aid. I walked around the store looking for small spray bottles. But in the end I had to ask where they were. I also looked at batteries. I thought mine said 1215 and all they had was 1216. But the clerk read my watch and said it really was 1216. So I bought that one. Then I went home.
It occurred to me as I passed Dream Maker that I pay my massage therapist $80/hour and Kevin could probably do the same thing she does.
When I got home, I watered the plants, then listened to some audios while I fixed and ate breakfast:
The new car smell is not good for you. Put the windows up and let car roast in the sun. Then open the doors and let all those volatile oils waft away. Do it more than once. It works with house too. Clean air and clean water are the most important items. Gas stoves emit formaldehyde so always use the hood vent, or replace it with an electric stove.
I made a batch of essential oil bug spray. I split it between the two bottles that I brought. I listened to more of one audio as I fixed the bag and put a new battery in my watch. Then I went to see the Korean doctors to give her one of the bug sprays (since she gets bit so much when she is gardening). They were in the middle of trying to access her student loan account. They were happy to see me. At their request I tried to get in. There was something wrong with each try. When we finally got through the ID and password part, there were security questions. But the system would not accept the answers we gave. We got locked out after three tries. But finally I got it unlocked and got into the system. There was no new news. No acknowledgment of the documents we e-mailed them last week. Leanne called to say her surgery was done. I stayed a little longer to review the situation. Dr. Grace took the tape off of my foot and said I should not be wearing the footies. So I took that one off ( and put it back on later so my foot would not stick to the sole of my shoe). She also gave me a cup of jujube tea. And she explained that she wanted me to write a letter to the owner of the storefront that they are renting.
Soon I said I had to go. I drove to Crestwood and asked for Leanne at the desk. The receptionist called around to find her and then gave me a map so I could find it. When I walked in, she was in bed with stuff hooked up to her. She called the nurse who came and handed her paperwork to sign, gave post-op instructions and unhooked the tubes and such. Leanne got dressed while I watched her TV. Then the nurse wheeled her out to the curb. I got my car and brought it around. She got in and I drove.
We went to Walgreens for her medication. She did not have any money because the hospital had told her not to bring anything valuable. So I paid for it, but it was less than $2. She has great insurance. Then I took her home. She invited me in to see her house, her sewing room and her dog. It all looked pretty good after what a mess she told me it was. Her dog was in a pen and seemed friendly enough: sniffed my hand and licked it. But when Leanne took her out, she growled and barked and wouldn't come near me. Leanne and I talked for a bit, then I got up to go. She thanked me for driving and I asked if there was anything else I could do until her carpal tunnel surgery healed. She said she did it all last night. So I went home.
Chris was sitting at his laptop. I listened to more of an audio I hadn't quite finished. I ate lots of salad and some seed crackers. Then I went for a walk. In deference to my ankle, I did not run, or walk fast, or balance on curbs. It went pretty well, no pain.
When I returned, it was almost 8. I listened to another short audio. Then I typed up part of my blog while Chris got ready to watch TV. Chris told me that his interview went REALLY well and that some of the questions they asked indicated how interested they were. Albuquerque here we come?
We watched two episodes of Death in Paradise with the bag of cold rice on my ankle. Then Chris went to bed and I stayed up to blog and rehydrate.
* This lily is blooming from a pot we rescued from the hotel housing last fall. Chris pointed out how fragrant it is. *

My mondo bag

I woke up to go to the bathroom before 5:30. Soon after, I heard my phone alarm ring – or thought I did. Then Chris' alarm went off but he didn't get up. I went back to sleep and he went to work. I got up around 7. I drank some lemon water and swished with remineralizing toothpaste. I sewed some strips to the row 3 blocks. Then I worked on the librarian's annual report for the guild. I put in the info that I had and printed it out for Pat to review.
Then I turned on the router to read e-mail. I learned that English Ivy is the number one plant to remove the top 6 toxins from the air inside your house.
I washed up because I couldn't take a shower without getting the strips on my foot wet. I cut some squares of food fabric for the handles and pinned them on in order. I packed the project and the annual report for Pat and went to quilting.
I arrived there just before the rain hit. Pat was not there. I talked to Leanne. I got compliments on my unfinished bag as ladies headed out. I sewed the squares on to the fusible interfacing of the straps. When the next step was to cut long strips of batting and lining, I found I did not have the proper equipment. There was a lull in the rain so I packed up and went home.
I unloaded my sewing gear and took it inside. Then the big rain hit. I tried to find out if farmer's market was closed, but there was nothing online. My neighbor texted that they are not going to the market today. I listened to an EMF audio, and had some lunch. I mixed up a batch of seed crackers and put them in the oven.
I called my dentist to request my latest x-rays. The receptionist requested I send an e-mail request so they have a record of it. She also wanted to know why. So I said because we might be moving. After the call, I sent the e-mail she requested.
I was listening to a PowerNap audio when Chris came home from work. We talked. He handed me a pair of pants to repair the hem. After I sewed the hem, I also fixed his tie.
Then I worked on the bag handles. I cut batting and backing for them. I fused the batting to the backing and sewed on the handles right sides together, then turned them inside out. I pressed them and topstitched them and pinned them to the bag. That was all step 10. I was excited to finish the bag, so I pinned it to the lining and sewed all the way around. Then I turned it right sides out. I whipstitched the lining shut, and topstitched the bag. I took photos for my blog. But I discovered that in whipstitching I had caught too many layers and so it looked good on the outside but will have to be fixed on the inside.
I made a big salad and ate the first half while reading e-mail. Then I put the second half in my bowl. I ate it while Chris cued up the next episode of Death in Paradise. We watched two episodes. Then he went to bed while I stayed up to blog and put away the seed crackers.

Both on the same day

I got up about 9. I sewed some seams on the quilt-as-you-go project and had the first two rows finished (though not sewn to each other). I turned on the router and did the usual tongue-scraping, oil-pulling, drybrushing, and exercises. I had to modify the exercises to allow for my ankle. Then I started meditation and tapping.
At one point the maintenance guy knocked, rang the doorbell and came in. I shut my door until I could get dressed to meet him. I guess he didn't hear me shouting. He changed the filter in the ac unit and checked the water heater. I showed him the cracked toilet seat and told him that the stopper wasn't always seating correctly so the tank would fill all night. He promised to put in a work order for it.
I went back to my meditation. The phone rang but I didn't stop to answer it because of so many spam calls. By the time I was done meditating, I forgot about it. I started cleaning the bathrooms, then got another call. This one was spam, but it jogged my memory to check on the other one. It was Leanne. I called her back. She was asking for a ride to have carpal tunnel surgery done. So we talked about it and she gave me directions to her house. I looked it up on MapQuest, which was an exercise in frustration. I didn't find it until AFTER I hung up with her and by then I forgot her house number.
It was sunny out so I put on my bathing suit and laid in the sun, which soon hid behind a cloud. I waited it out. Then I came in and started cleaning. When the cleaning was done, I washed up and got dressed. I called the holistic dentist in Tn to make an appointment to get a second opinion. They had July 12 open,which is the day my base pass expires! I took it, hoping to persuade someone to let me get my ID renewed early. I checked the mail outside and watered the plants.
Chris came home from work. He said he wasn't sure he could drive me on July 12th . Then he asked me to make him a loaf of bread. I called my local dentist to ask for a copy of my last x-rays. But there was no answer even though it was not yet 5. The biological dentist' office texted me a link to a short survey of what they need to know before I arrive. I answered the questions. I listened to a couple of interviews. One man said that every day of a fast takes you back one year. He said that a person fasts fine for 9 days and has a problem on the 10th, then something traumatic happened 10 years ago.
I called Consumer Cellular on Chris' phone to find out why I can't send pics. The customer rep reset something and I had to power my phone down and back up. But I still couldn't send photos and he said since it wasn't a consumer cellular phone that it might not work quite right with their system. Chris disagreed. I made myself a mug of bone broth and drank it while Chris did some internet searches and messed with my phone. But he could not make it send pics.
Then we watched two episodes of Death in Paradise. Chris took the bread out of the machine and put it in the fridge. Then he went to bed. I stayed up to blog.

One of the family now

I woke up hearing Chris lying on the floor after jogging. I waited until he got ready and left for work. Then I crawled out of bed and put on the wedge shoes. I brushed and swished. I pulled out an old rolling office chair that has no back. I used it to get around the house while keeping weight off my ankle. I sewed a few seams on the quilt-as-you-go project. Then I made a quart of lemon water. I sifted through the kitchen trash to find the old timer, the one I bought in Japan (made in China) that worked well for years. But it needed a smaller battery than the one I bought for the newer timer. I looked at the papers Pat left for me yesterday in preparation for writing the annual report.
Then I turned on the router and read e-mail. I listened to an interview from the Toxic Home summit:
Hormesis means stressing the body to improve it: exercise, breath-holding, extreme temps, fasting, etc. There are five different types of bioactive light: ultraviolet, blue light, far infrared, red light, near infrared. We get too much of the wrong kinds at the wrong time. For more info, see TheEnergyBlueprint.com
Then Michael Tyrell talked about whole tones, tuning to A=444. The Germans came up with A=440 to suit their own agenda. He said 396hz was an opening frequency. David used to play whote tones on his harp for King Saul. Use a frequency generator app to check frequency from TVs or fans. If adding up the digits of the frequency doesn't result in a number divisble by 3, then it is bad for you.
I gave the sprouts their morning soak. I swept the floor. I chose not to go to quilting to minimize stress on my foot. I made and ate breakfast. I washed up and got dressed. I put the recyclables at the curb, then I went to visit the Korean doctors. They needed me to make phone calls to handle her student loan problems. They were so happy with the outcome that he bought me kimbap and did acupuncture on my right hand and she wrapped my left foot in special tape. She said to come back when I had more time so she could draw bad blood from my ankle. Yikes! She also gave me a bag of solomon seal tea. She said I am part of the family now, and she will remove my mole for my birthday.
There was no time to go home. I headed to church to process the offering. I stopped at a dollar store for small spray bottles but they didn't have any. The church was empty when I arrived. I opened the giving envelops, put them in order by parishioner number, and counted them. I listed the checks on the deposit forms, stamped the checks, and entered them on the computer. Tim came by for a little bit, left to get something, and came back. He helped me find a $5 discrepancy and print the right reports. He showed me a report he is willing to do himself. It took just long enough that the bank closed, so he offered to take the deposit tomorrow.
I skipped the farmer's market because of my foot. I went home, and watered the flowers. I ate the rest of the kimbap. I got spam phone calls about student loans. (Next time I will use their phone.) I made a big salad, and read e-mail. I ate some fruit and looked at fruit squares for the bag handle. I jotted some notes for my blog, then I cut squares from scraps of food fabric.
When Chris cued up “Spy” from Netflix, I sat beside him and we watched it together. He could not remember who recommended it. It must have been someone VERY comfortable with bad language and violence. We both thought it might have been a good movie if they had toned it down. It was a parody of James Bond.
My foot must have been feeling better, because I started walking around barefoot. Then I remembered to put on the wedge shoes and sit on the rolling chair. Chris went to bed and I stayed up to blog.

Mondo progress

I am not sure when I got up since my watch battery died last night. I put on wedge shoes to help with the burning in my heel. I swished while I sewed the three vertical seams in a panel. Then I turned on the router. I soaked my sprouts for 10 minutes. I finished the dowsing audio that I started two days ago and jotted some notes. Dr. Grace called and wanted me to stop by today but I suggested tomorrow would be better.
I read e-mail and listened to something from The Toxic Home summit. I made and ate breakfast. I tested the battery I bought for the timer. It had a full charge. I washed up and got dressed. I gathered parts of the bag plus lining fabric and fusible batting. I put my sewing gear in the trunk and watered the plants out front. Then I went to quilting.
They hadn't quite taken their lunch break. I set my my machine and sewed while they ate. I finished all the vertical seams, but was not sure what to do next because I had left the directions at home. Dinah brought Bertha. Bertha had made a mondo bag and said the fusible should go on the lining, not the outside of the bag. She showed me a video on her phone that confirmed it.So I sewed the 4 panels into a bag shape. Then I cut panels from the lining fabric and the fusible. I fused the fleece to the lining pieces and sewed them into a bag shape. Bertha was gone by then so I packed up to go.
When I got ready to leave, the rain was coming down in torrents. So I waited, and before long the rain subsided. Rebecca and I left the building and went to our cars. I loaded my stuff in the trunk and drove home. Chris was not home yet. I checked the mail. There were papers on the porch from Pat giving me the info I need to write the annual report for the library committee. I hoped it would be a quick and easy project.
I listened to audios and read e-mail. I pulled the frozen sock from the freezer and wrapped it around my ankle. Chris came home from work. He asked me if I would like to walk with him to see how long his morning run is. But I said normally yes, but not today because it would only make my ankle worse. So he went by himself. Not long after he got back, he got a voicemail for an interview for a job in Albuquerque. He called the number and the lady set up an appointment for Friday. She asked if he was willing to move to Albuquerque and he said yes, but I just stared at him. After the interview I told him I would miss him.
I ate half of a cantaloupe and cut the other half in chunks to go in the freezer. I cleared more e-mail and snacked on cashews. I read an article on geopathic stress until I needed a break. I bagged up the recyclables and left them on the porch in case it rained.
I worked on the quilt-as-you-go project from the Tuesday group. When things didn't line up, I discovered that one block was cut too big. I had to take out a seam to trim the three raw sides and then rejoin it to the end block. It bothered me that I hadn't caught it sooner. I ruminated on the call I got earlier from the charity I donated to online. The man said they were changing their name and asked for a donation three times. I declined to donate over the phone. I decided it might very well be a scam.
When Chris was ready to watch TV, we sat on the couch together. Chris got me the cold sock of rice for my ankle and we watched two episodes of Death in Paradise. The lead character was killed in the second episode and replaced by someone less ...interesting. Then I took my evening supplements and looked up the change of actors. It seems the new guy will be around for 3 ½ seasons at least. But then he gets replaced, hopefully by a character more interesting.
I found a watch that still worked but had a bad band. I asked Chris to switch the bands, but he said they were different sizes. I soaked my sprouts again. I wrote up my blog post for the day and went to bed.

Picking blackberries

I woke up and looked at my watch. I thought it said 7:05 so I stayed in bed waiting for the alarm to ring. But it must have been an hour later because when I got up, it was almost 9. I took a shower using one of the shower gels. It did not lather but it smelled good. There was more than I needed, so I put the rest of it on top of a container of salve and got ready for church. I sewed all the vertical seams on one mondo bag panel. Then I read e-mail and drank vinegar water until it was time to leave.
When I got to church, Ron wanted to speak to me. I cannot remember now what it was about. Then I hit the restroom and got a bulletin and sat with Don. The organist had started playing so I had no chance to talk to her about Lamb of God.
Retired pastor Bob led the service. I don't know what happened to our regular pastor. His message seemed to be that we should get more people to come to our church. After the service, I stood in line to shake hands with the retired pastor. I checked my mailbox at the church and found a ThankYou note from Portia for making baby blankets. I kind of think she thanked me already. There were two pieces of chocolate inside.
Susan asked if she could show me something in the sanctuary. So I followed her. She showed me a banner where the word Faithfullness had been spelled with two L's instead of one. She had satin-stitched all the letters by hand – a time-consuming process I'm sure. She was looking for ways to correct the spelling discretely. She asked if I could find fabric to match the leaves. I said I probably had something in my stash already.
Then I talked to Mary, the organist. She said she would be gone next week and we would have a substitute organist that I hadn't heard of. After that, I talked to Shannon, who is having a baby shower next Sunday. I am glad I have a few baby quilts saved up. Then I called Chris to meet me at Publix.
When I got to Publix, I started shopping for items I remembered on the list, and just walking the aisles to see if something jogged my memory. Chris arrived while I was checking a box of eggs. He chose a different one. Then we shopped in the produce section. We also looked at small round batteries for the timer. Even though I bought the digital timer at Publix, they did not have the right battery. So Chris checked out the groceries and I went to Rite-Aid.
That store had completely changed. The man directed me to the back of the store. I chose a battery with the proper number. I also looked at other things, like water flossers and blood sugar meters. I chose a water flosser as well, then went up front to pay. I took my purchases home. Chris had already brought the food in and put it away. I put the new battery in the timer. I set it for 4 seconds, and it beeped at the appropriate time. BUT, there was no display. Chris said it was the wrong battery because it was a SR instead of CR. I could not find anything online to explain the difference. So I don't know if the battery is keeping the display from showing, or if the display wore out when the old battery died.
I made breakfast. Chris told me that Michele wanted me to call her. So I did. She did not answer her phone and Chris said I should skype her. So I did and we had a nice video chat for an hour or so. I ate breakfast while we talked.
The Burkey was leaking so we emptied it and disassembled it. Chris tightened the spigot and we refilled it and left it by the sink in case it was still leaking. But it was fixed, and Chris put it back in place later that evening.
Afterward I decided to go for a walk. I went in the bathroom to put some balm on my lips and noticed that the soap gel had melted. Not a success in my book. I got the idea to ask our new neighbor if she would like to pick blackberries. So I knocked on their door. She had stuff in her hand like she was busy, but when she heard my offer, she gave it to her husband and changed clothes. She got a small container and we set out. We walked to the blackberry bushes I had picked before. We had a good time and a nice chat. I showed her where the flowers were growing in the woods where a house had been. Then we walked home. I tried to get her to keep the whole container of berries since there weren't that many, but she insisted on sharing them. I invited them to come over and meet Chris. So they did. Her husband grew up near Philadelphia so he offered to answer any questions we had. (Did I mention Chris interviewed for a job in Philadelphia?)
After they went home, I read e-mail and listened to audios. I ate some beef that Chris cooked this afternoon. Then I mowed the lawn. The grass was so thick that I felt like I was making hay. It was almost 8 when I came in. I played the piano until Chris was ready to watch TV. We watched two episodes of Death in Paradise. I kept a cold rice pack wrapped around my ankle because there was a curious burning sensation at the back of my heel.
When we were done, I downloaded pics from my camera. I soaked my third batch of sprouts. I wrote my blog and went to bed.
* My shower gels *

Making Mondo

Lying in bed last night, I had a pain in my chest. It was constant and I was worried. I felt around the head of the bed and found a piece of shungite and the multipole magnet. I laid them both on my chest and the pain slowly subsided. I had no explanation for it. Eventually I fell asleep.
I woke up about 9. I went to the garage to get a neck pouch I saw out there. I put the magnet in it and wore it around my neck. I put up my hair. I added some fleece scraps to a bag for stuffing dog pillows. I removed the buttons from the jacket that I took apart to make Michele's doublet. I poked a thread through the 5 buttons to keep them together and added them to my bag of buttons. Then I folded the jacket fabric pieces and put them in the bag with the fleece scraps. I emptied my sewing-away-from-home bag of notions. I cleaned out the scraps and put the little items in bags. I added some q-tips for cleaning machines. I used a q-tip to clean the lint from my home machine.
Chris already had the router on. So I sewed a seam on the mondo bag and sat down at my laptop. I typed up some notes for my blog while my laptop connected to our signal. I listened to tapping audios while reading e-mail. I read about amalgam tattoos – amalgam that is stuck in the cheeks or gums of dental patients. From the pictures I saw, I concluded that I don't have any.
I saw a post from Swanson on my Facebook page showing what was in my cart. I wrote to Swansons to complain. They said it was Google Analytics that put it there, not them. Chris went to my Facebook page and could not find it so maybe it wasn't posted publicly after all.
Chris picked some pumpkin blossoms. He says no fruits are forming. We each ate a blossom. They did not taste like much. I dissolved some gelatin in hot water and added soap, salt and essential oils. I poured it into silicon molds and put the shower jelly in the freezer to firm up. Chris asked if I would like to mess up the sheets before he washed them. So we did. And then he did the laundry.
I worked on the mondo bag, cutting squares to iron on. I did not have enough blue/green squares so I found some cabbage rose fabric in just the right color. I sewed all the horizontal seams. Then I clipped them intersections and pressed them in opposing directions. I listened to another presentation on dowsing for vortexes, until my laptop went blank.
I went for a walk. The streets were wet but the rain was gone. I saw rabbits in several sizes. I was gone about 40 minutes. I watered the plants out front and checked the ones in the back. I picked some dandelion and wild lettuce. I added that to the remaining salad greens and made a large salad. I ate them while listening to Marie Diamond talk about entities and then Jason Pall talking about avoiding toxins.
Chris booted up the little laptop and we watched at least three episodes of Death in Paradise. The local is absolutely beautiful and I hope to go there one day. Then I typed up my blog and we went to bed.
* Here are the panels of the mondo bag laid out as they will be sewn. *

No early renewal

I got up closer to 8:30 than to 9. I put up my hair. I found a pair of Chris' pants on my sewing table. I searched for some black fabric to use as a patch. The stack of whites was nearby so I pulled out some to prepare for dyeing. When I checked the rip which was near the back pocket, I discovered that there was fabric behind it already, in the construction of the pocket. So I put black thread on my machine and turned the stitch length to 1.5. I sewed around the L-shaped rip several times. I wasn't sure it would stand up to being worn, but I folded it and laid it on the back of the couch for Chris to find. I texted Gabrielle to see if she had time to give me a massage today. Then I turned on the router. I drank a quart of lemon water while deleting e-mail. I listened to another round of tapping with Brad Yates. She texted back that she had a cancellation at 5:30, so I accepted. I put a sticky note on my phone so I would remember.
I emptied all the containers and planters that collected water in the recent storm. I could see the tomatoes needed replanting, but I left them to drain first. Later, Chris called to say that hail was predicted, up to an inch in diameter. I was worried about my plants at first, but then thought of my car. I asked Chris what we should do and he said pray hard. I texted Beverly to see if she knew of any covered parking nearby. She thought of Parkway Mall and the awning at the church we quilt at. It occurred to me that anywhere I go, other people will be scrambling for cover as well. Sadly there isn't room in the garage for it. I checked weather.com several times but it did not mention hail.
Beverly called and we talked for a bit. I saw the wind picking up so I had to go outside.
The tomatoes I bought needed replanting. I pulled the old ones out and discovered that they were double-potted. The outside pot had no drainage holes. I wanted to use the bigger ones, so I got a screw and a hammer and put holes in the bottoms of both. Then I covered the holes with coffee filters so they would not get plugged with dirt. I replanted two of my three tomatoes into those bigger pots and the last one into an inner pot. I moved them under the eve of the porch for protection.
I drank some kombucha from the fridge and poured some from the fermenting jar into the drinking bottle. I made two cups of tea to refill the fermenting jar. I think there is a second scoby forming.
I listened to another tapping audio. Tomorrow is the last day of the trial period so I want to listen to as many as possible. I also tapped for driving in bad weather. I had started another audio when Chris came home with two packages from the post office. We went to the visitor center to pick up his new ID. The man said I could not have mine until the day the old one expires, but I can call Housing to get the 'begin' date changed and then I could pick it up earlier. I could not make sense of that. Why are the gate guards reminding me to renew my ID if I can't have a new one until the day the old one expires? I hope nothing goes wrong that day since I will have to leave post to get to the visitor center!
We came home. Chris examined the patching of his pants and was pleased. I continued listening to the tapping audio until 4:45. Then I washed up and put on clean clothes. I took an umbrella and headed to Ruth's Nutrition where Gabrielle was waiting. I gave myself extra time in case traffic was bad. And I went the back way in case the parkway was backed up. So I arrived early, but she invited me into her office where she was having her supper. We had a nice chat there. Then we moved to the massage room. I used the bathroom while she put clean sheets on the massage table. We talked some more. She left while I got undressed and slid under the sheet. Over the next hour, she massaged my thighs and back and shoulders and forearms. Then she sat in her office while I got dressed again. We chatted some more there after I paid. We could have gone on for hours.
Finally I got up to go. It had rained hard during the massage, but now the rain was gone and the pavements were wet. She unlocked the front door for me and I left. It took me longer than usual to get home because I went the wrong way. So it was 7:30 till I got home.
I made a big salad and ate it while reading e-mail. Then we watched three episodes of Death in Paradise while I cut fleece strips. Then we spent some time with our laptops and Chris went to bed. I stayed up to blog and get hydrated before going to bed.
* Another quilt from the Modern Quilt Gild. *

Chris returns from out west

Lying in bed last night, I tried to think of the last time I had a hot flash, and I thiink it was Tuesday. Fasting gets rid of hot flashes?
I heard the alarm go off, but did not get up. I guess because it was raining so hard, I fell asleep because when I got up, it was almost 9. I took a shower. I sewed a seam on the mondo bag. Then I cut some squares for it. I made a diagram of the bottom of the bag to ensure that two matching squares would not end up together. Then I drank a quart of lemon water and read e-mail.
I listened to a presentation on dowsing for Hartman and Curry lines. Yesterday's presentation was on dowsing for geopathic stress lines. I wondered if I could just dowse for a place to sit with no negative energy lines running through it. I made and ate breakfast. I noticed that the scoby floating on top of a jar of tea, was now hovering near the bottom of the jar. I pulled the sprouts out of the fridge, rinsed them and ate some.
Then I made and ate breakfast and got dressed. I put all my squares plus the mondo bag panels in a bag. I rolled my sewing gear to the car and took an umbrella as well. I arrived at quilting just after noon. Pat pulled me aside to talk about library issues. I agreed to write the annual report for the library committee. Then I showed my mondo bag panels to Marjorie, who got me started last week. I searched the fabrics in the back room to find more of the melon fabric and broccoli fabric. But it wasn't there. I told some of the ladies what I was looking for. I said that when the scraps were put out for anyone to take, that I did not take them all because I did not want to be greedy. They hoped I learned my lesson! My backup plan was to alternate squares from the scraps that I had, but there wasn't quite enough for even that. Pat took a pic to show to Beverly P who made a fruit and vegetable quilt recently.
Around 2:30 those of us who were left, packed up and went home. I checked the home mail but it was empty. Chris came home while I was putting laundry away. I talked to him as he unpacked his suitcases. He gave me the change in his pocket. We had some private time. I made a big salad and ate it while listening to a tapping audio. Then I moved my laptop to the guest room. My tapping buddy was on. We tapped together for her issue.
When we finished, I told Chris I was ready to watch TV. I made myself a cup of hot kava tea while he cued up the DVD. We watched The Greatest Showman with Hugh Jackman. I liked it, but then I like musicals. It surprised me that Chris like it, too. Then we got ready for bed. I looked up historical references and discovered that the musical story was not exactly true to life.
* Another quilt from the Modern Quilt Guild *

Weird day

I stayed in bed after my alarm went off. I can't say why I got up when I did. Just all of a sudden, I was up and out of bed. I put up my hair and sewed another row on the mondo bag panel. I saw the new time and talent sheet lying on the desktop keyboard, so I went through it and entered all the information into the spreadsheets. Since I had already printed them off and turned them in, I wondered how this new information would get distributed. On the other hand, he was already doing at least some of the stuff he marked. He indicated that he would be willing to do the church sign, so I texted that bit to the council president.
I tasted the kombucha fermenting in the pantry. It was about right, so I poured the liquid into another container and that went in the fridge. Then I addd fresh tea to the first bottle. I also noticed that another jar of tea in the pantry had formed its own scoby. I had thought it would take a lot longer to form its first scoby.
Finally I turned on the router so I could get some meditation music. But the laptop couldn't find the router signal. It was very odd. I checked the tablet and it did not register the router signal either. I turned the router off and on again. After a bit, the tablet found it. Actually, the tablet found twice as many signals as the laptop did, and the laptop is newer. Hm. Well, anyway, it made my morning even later. I made coffee. The digital timer had some crazy numbers on it. I assumed the battery was going dead. I used a wind-up one instead. Then I meditated and tapped. I cleaned the kitchen and bathrooms. I threw the rugs in the washer. I ran the vacuum through the bedrooms as far as the cord would reach.
Then I sat down to read e-mail. I listened to an audio on dowsing, then checked the internet for more information.
About 3, I stopped and went to the post office. There were no packages, just two ads for Chris. When I got back, it looked like rain. I figured I'd better walk fast. So I walked around the neighborhood, running at times to get around. Almost home, I decided to hang upside down on the children's playground equipment to stretch my back and neck. It was much easier this time to invert. However, I immediately got the sensation of water up my nose and I had to come back to vertical. That burning sensation in my nose followed me all the way home. How I got water up my nose, I'll never know.
I watered the plants with fertilizer. I put some mineral drops in a mug of water and drank it to rehydrate. I tapped with an interview. I listened to a podcast with a lawyer talking about the dangers of 5G:
5G small cell antennas can be used as crowd control surveillance weapon systems. Fiber optic cable is safer in every way. Public utility companies put in the fiber cables, but then were taken over by private companies who are leaving the cable dormant so they can lay claim to it once the statute of limitations has run out. As a public utility, they were under regulations that don't apply to private companies. Basically they are stealing infrastrucrture. City councils should head this off by claiming ownership of the fiber optic networks now.
If your house is between the small cell antenna (5g)on the nearby light pole, then the internet that your neighbor is watching is streaming through your house (and you and your family) whether you have wi-fi or not. Three small cell antennas are equal to one large cell tower.

I looked for fruit and veggie fabrics online with little luck. I picked up the bathroom rug lying outside in the sun. A sudden stinging sensation in my pinky finger made me think of a splinter. But when I examined it with a magnifier, there was a paper cut. Curious. Soon after, Chris called to say he was in the hotel in Salt Lake City and would be flying home tomorrow.
I listened to more of the 2 hour podcast. At 8:30 I tried to watch TV. The laptop was frozen or something. Nothing was on the screen. I kept holding the button down and finally it restarted. I played the piano while waiting. I tuned into Netflix and watched at least three episodes of Frasier. I went to turn off the laptop, but promos for another show were running. After a few minutes, I thought I might try an episode of the new show. But when I hit 'play', it did and I could see that it was 2 hours long. Well, it was too late for a movie, so I just shut the lid and went to my laptop to compose my blog for the day.
* This is another quilt from the Modern Quilt Guild. *

Busy day

I got up after the alarm went off. I put up my hair, then put out the recyclables. I sewed a row of one panel of the mondo bag. I turned on the router and settled down with a quart of lemon water to read e-mail. About 9:15 I got dressed for going out and about.
I drove to quilting. Beverly was already there, but her machine was not set up. She and Anita were working on something else. Jane was helping Eva join quilted blocks with her machine. The machine was acting up, so I took the bobbin area apart and cleaned it out. Anita gave me a whole stack of quilted blocks to put together and some gray strips. I did a few, but then they all packed up to go. So I did, too. The blocks went into my trunk. I may get to them, or I may not.
After my gear was stowed in the trunk, I went to the Asian store for kimbap. Then I stopped by Ace Acupunture to see if the doctors needed anything. He said not at this time. Then he offered me a foot detox. So I accepted. He had his lunch so we kind of ate together. He was eating home made bread with jelly on it. I was eating kimbap. He gave me some of his home grown cherry tomatoes.
After the foot detox (and massage), I went home to have breakfast. I listened to a tapping audio while I ate. Tim called to say he was running late and to start without him. I watered the plants, then I went to the church and opened the safe. I stayed in the intern's office because there was no one else around. I opened all the offering envelops and recorded envelop numbers on the checks. I did the capitol fund ones first and then the general fund. Tim arrived about 2:40. He helped me record the donations on the computer. Then he explained about all the reports to print and file in the office. Finally the only thing left was to take the money to the bank. He asked if I wanted to do it, and I said next week 'cause I have to go places yet.
I went to the Farmer's Market, which was between the church and the bank. It would be convenient to stop at the market on the way to the bank, but not advisable since I would have the money in my car. I checked out the booths. I bought butter and eggs at the meat place. I also got lettuce and tomatoes and cucumbers. I wanted peaches too, but was afraid I could not eat all of what I had already bought.
When I got home, I set the timer for an hour so I would not be late leaving for the quilt guild meeting. I ate the remainder of the kimbap with kimchi. While reading e-mail, Facebook reminded me of tonight's meeting and I discovered that I was running an hour behind! I checked my blog to find something for show-and-tell. The last thing I made that I still had was the red scrap quilt top. So I grabbed it from the shelf and got in the car.
I was late leaving the house and there was an accident on Jordan Lane. I prayed that if there was a faster way that God would show it to me. Although it took an extra few minutes to go around the accident, all the lights after that were green. So I sailed down Jordan to University and up to Threaded Needle Too. I pulled up at 6:00 and the meeting hadn't started yet when I walked in. It was a miracle.
First we showed off our crayon color challenge pieces. I thought they were due last month, but I had mine and I turned it in. For Show-and-tell, I showed the red scrap quilt top and my hand-dyed fabrics. The lady next to me, Pat, had hers as well and she did the other color pallette. Chris called and I whispered to him so he hung up. After the meeting, several ladies came up to ask me about the red top.
On the way out, I asked the owner if he had fusible fleece for mondo bags. He had to call his wife, but yes, he had it. I bought two yards of fusible fleece and a fabric license plate.
It was getting dark so I went home. I called Chris, who was visiting someone whose wife was a quilter. I wished I were there. Then I watched a few minutes of The Orville before Fox told me my preview time was up. I turned to Netflix and watched episodes of Fraiser. I looked up the Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs theme music. Interesting. I boiled some ginger water and poured it over tea bags. I sipped it as I wrote my blog post for today.
* A Harry Potter theme quilt for her daughter *

June showers

I stayed in bed awake this morning, doing some mental programming. I never heard my alarm sound, but by the time I got my hair put up and swished, it was 7:38. I made lemon water and soaked my sprouts, which are probably ready to eat. I turned the AC back on. I sewed two patches together and turned on the router. I read e-mail and listened to audios. I made and ate breakfast.
Around 11:30 I headed out to quilting. I stopped to water the plants in the front of the house. Then I drove to the gas station to fill up. I got to quilting around noon. The ladies were having lunch. I found a place to set up my machine. I busied myself with choosing fabrics and cutting shapes for the 12th block. Most of the ladies hung around longer than usual. Rebecca really liked my fruit and veggie squares. I got caught up in a conversation and lost track of time.
When I looked up, it was 10 til 3 and raining hard. I packed up quickly. Dinah brought me a trash bag to put over my machine. I rolled it down the covered walkway. I dashed out into the rain to get my car and move it to the curb. I loaded my stuff in the trunk and headed to the chiropractor's office.
I guess I was a few minutes late. It was not raining at his office. We had a nice chat. He rolled my noggin around in different positions and said I was doing well. He said to finish the bottle of homeopathic arsenic but not to buy more. He put me on 'will call' status, so I did not need another appointment. When I checked out, I bought one of the special magnets they were selling. Then I headed home.
On the way, I stopped at the post office and picked up a package. When I got home, I took the package inside but left my sewing gear in the trunk for tomorrow. I ate some roasted veggies from the fridge and made a big salad. I ate it while listening to a tapping video.
Then I went for a walk. I purposely went by the berry patch to get some 'dessert'. I ate about a large handful, then walked home again. When I got home, I called Dad (since I hadn't been able to reach him yesterday). Just as he picked up the phone, I felt a tickling on my neck and pulled a tick off. It was alive and kicking. I severed it with my thumbnail. After the call with Dad, I took off my clothes and searched my body for other ticks. Chris wouldn't have wanted to miss it.
I put some coconut flakes in a dish and ate it with dates while listening to some tapping audios. Then I watched episodes of The Orville and ate frozen strawberries. I also played piano during the commercials. I quit around 10. I sat down to write my blog and Chris called. We didn't have a lot to talk about. So he hung up and I got ready for bed, posting to my blog and taking my evening supplements.
* This is a little mouse pincushion that one lady was trying to copy. *

Father's Day

Last night I covered myself with a panel of netting, and that seemed just the right weight. It still took me awhile to fall asleep. But sleep I did, and I woke up to the sound of my phone alarm ringing from the ironing board in the hall. I did not get up right away, but by 8 I was up and combing my hair brushing with chocolate toothpaste, and sewing. Then I turned on the router and threw a frozen chunk of blended lemon in a quart of water to drink while I checked e-mail.
At 9 I took a shower and got dressed for church. I turned my purse inside out because the lining color went better with my dress. Then I drove to church. There wasn't much time to talk before church, but I did connect with Jeanne about the hardanger fish. After the service there was a luncheon. I talked to Mary about the chords for Lamb of God and she wrote them in for me – but I don't think those are the ones she uses. Then we went into the fellowship hall to eat. I found some raw fruit and vegetables I could eat so I wouldn't be hungry at the store. I talked to Ron and Cecelia and Tim etc. Tim and I are going to meet on Tuesday again. Ron gave me another time and talent sheet to add to my spreadsheet.
After lunch, I went to the grocery store. While I was shopping for produce, Consumer Cellular called and said it was important to call them back. A number was given, but it was not the number that called me. I made a mental note to call later. I looked at dental appliances and could not decide between a water flosser or a sonic toothbrush.
I paid for my food and went home. I brought the bags in, and put the greens in the fridge. I washed the cans of coconut water, and soaked my sprouted seeds. I ate a fat bomb. Then I called Consumer Cellular at the number that called me. An automated voice said they did not get a payment. They put me on their call-back list. Pat called and said she wanted to come by to give me a check. So I went outside to pull weeds and water the flowers until she arrived. I walked up to her window and she handed me the check. We chatted for a moment and then she had to leave. I finished watering the flowers and went inside.
In the making of breakfast, I had to whip up another batch of spice mix and refill the chlorella container. I listened to Esther Hicks while assembling breakfast and eating it. I unplugged the laptop and let the battery drain. It took 33 minutes for it to shut down at 15%. I guess that's progress. I soaked my feet to get rid of a suspected wart while texting with Kurt.
I pinned peas and lettuce squares to the fusible interfacing. Then I asked myself what comes after peas? I had scraps of other fabrics that were bluer than peas but greener than blueberries. But there was not enough of either. I suspected there might be a little more in the back room of the Thursday group. I ironed on the ones I had pinned.
Chris called and we talked for a bit. He said he was at his hotel in Utah, and Michele had called him for Father's Day. Then I called my dad, but there was no answer. So I took a walk. I photographed what looked like elderberry bushes blooming in the forest so I would remember to check them later in the season. I pulled up a yellow flower and took it home. I put up my car windows because I heard thunder. I put the flower root in water. Then I picked dandelion in the back yard to made a salad. I watched episodes of Young Sheldon and Family Ties. I paused the show at one point to take the flower outside and plant it in a pot. I also soaked the sprouts for 10 minutes. I tried to enter the new Time and Talent Sheet, but it was too dark. I resumed the show.
At 10:30 I quit watching TV to post to my blog and go to bed.
* Possible elderberry sighting *

No more 5G :)

I listened to a sleep track on my tablet last night, but it didn't help me sleep. The sheet didn't help either, because I was too warm with it and too cold without it. Finally I got to sleep. I woke up early and got up before the alarm went off. I performed my obligatory sewing and turned on the router. I watered the second batch of seeds, which were just barely sprouted. While they soaked, I read e-mail and articles.
I took a shower and got dressed. I was a little nervous about going to talk to our new neighbors about their 5G signal. I fortified myself with a fat bomb and headed next door. I had met the husband Thursday and today I met his wife. They were both very friendly. And I discovered that we both liked crafting and farmer's markets. When I told them about the effect of 5g on me, they were very concerned. He immediately hacked into the router and turned off the 5G. We had a nice chat and I met their two medium sized dogs. She gave me some embroidery thread that she had lying around that she wasn't going to use. We exchanged phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
When I returned home, I made and ate breakfast. I texted with Chris on Skype. As an experiment, I unplugged the laptop while listening to an audio on someone doing a biological health analysis on a home. I watched the battery level drop to 46% over 20 minutes and then it shut itself down. I texted my results to Kurt with my phone while I plugged in the laptop and let it recharge. I generated a battery report, but it gave me more numbers than I knew what to do with.
The interview talked about dirty electricity and geopathic stress lines. Apparently either one can disrupt sleep if it is near your bed. He recommended a special paint to shield the room from TV and phone tower signals. He said incandescent light is better for your health than flickering light. He also recommended Greenwave electricity filters. I looked up geopathic stress lines, and how to find them. I chose a compass app and downloaded it to my phone. I used it in my bedroom but did not find any lines of stress.
I peeled and boiled some ginger root. I threw laundry in the washer. I mowed the back lawn. I made my customary large salad and ate it while listening to a tapping interview. Then I watched back-to-back episodes of Young Sheldon while I chose fabrics and cut squares for the mondo bag. But I couldn't decide whether the grapes should come before or after the pears.
I quit watching around 10:30 and started writing my blog. The house was so quiet. I took my evening supplements and got ready for bed.
* Which set of blocks looks best? *

My nemesis is back - 5G

Last night I used my tablet to listen to sleep tracks, but it did not work as well. And I did not hear my alarm go off so I did not get up until after 8:30. I sewed a patch and turned on the router. I put lemon in water and booted up the laptop. It told me that there was a new router in town, and like mine, it was sending out two signals including a 5G. It was a strong signal, so I was pretty sure it is from our new neighbors.
I went through my e-mail and watched some sewing videos. I unplugged my laptop and took it to the guest room to check the strength of the 5g signal in there. It was lower but still there. Then my laptop gave me a 'low battery' message. It had just registered in the upper 90's. So I ran back to the dining room and plugged it in. I re-started the video I was watching. Not right away, but in less than a minute the laptop shut down. I re-started it and it came back up as though nothing had happened. The battery showed as being 90 % charged. So what happened?
The Man Panel was playing an interview with Dr. John Gray, so I put that on and prepared to make breakfast. But when it came time to add the capsules of supplements to the mix, I realized I was out of daily supplement doses. So I had to stop and make up two weeks worth. Then I finished making breakfast and ate it while Dr. John Gray gave me more info than I could absorb. I hoped I would have time to listen to it again later.
I washed up and got dressed. I put on my shoes and grabbed my purse. I drove to the theater to meet Leanne for a movie. But I was 10 minutes early, so I walked around the outside of the building, which only took 6 minutes. There seemed to be more people stopping by for the movie today than last Friday. So I went inside and bought two tickets. I hoped to get the senior discount, but the lady said it starts at 60. Then I waited by the door for Leanne. When she arrived, I handed her a ticket and we went into the theater. We got good seats. After 20 minutes of previews and ads, they showed a short animated video from Pixar. Neither of us were certain what the point of it was.
And then The Incredibles started. It was a good movie, full of action and suspense. It really kept my attention: I almost forgot I was having hot flashes. After the movie, we walked outside together and, when our eyes adjusted, went our separate ways. I found my car, sweltering like a sauna in the parking lot. I let it cool off and drove back to base. But I stopped at the post office before going home.
I watered the plants. I researched supplements and placed orders with Swansons and Nuts.com. I also ordered more fermented cod liver oil. Then I went for a walk. I saw what looked like a lilac tree in bloom. And I found berry bushes. They were little green compound berries. I made a mental note to come back in a week to see how they were progressing. But then I found another patch that must have gotten more sun. Some of them were actually ripe. I would say they were black raspberries. I picked a handful and continued my walk.
When I got back, almost an hour had passed. I caught up on e-mail. I looked for a magnifier app for my phone, but none of them got good reviews. I was going to explore further, but my phone got hot. I ran out of coconut water, so I drank a can of coconut milk. I listened to John Gray again.
I visited the FOX website on the laptop connected to the TV. I tried to watch an episode of The Orville, but it only allowed me 5 minutes. So I reset it and tried again. This time (but different episode) it let me watch for 53 minutes. Then I went to the CBS website and watched back-to-back episodes of BBT. While it was on, I cut squares of fruits and vegetables and pinned them to the fusible backing for the bag. Around 10:45, I stopped and posted to my blog so I could go to bed.

New neighbors

I heard the alarm go off at the usual time. I stayed in bed, setting an intention for the day and got up just before 8. I put up my hair and swished. I sewed two patches together and cut some fleece strips. Then I turned on the router and checked e-mail. I put on an interview while I went through my fruit and veggie fabrics. I also found some fruit and veggie scraps from the Thursday group. I watched short video about a one minute exercise for the triceps. I hardboiled all but three duck eggs. Our new neighbor came over to introduce himself and ask if the moving truck can park in front of my car. I said I didn't have to leave until noon.
I made and ate breakfast, plus one duck egg that cracked. I also ate the grapefruit that Dr. Grace gave me. I cut some squares from the fruit and veggie fabrics. I washed up and got dressed. Since my sewing gear was still in the trunk, I was ready to go. When I opened my car door, I heard the neighbor and we exchanged pleasantries. I told him if he had any questions, to just ask and that I looked forward to meeting his wife.
Then I took my squares and went to quilting. Marjorie laid out the squares and explained how to make the mondo bag and gave me a copy of the instructions. After she left, I pulled out my blue project and finished square 11. Leanne invited me to join her at the movies tomorrow. I put it in my phone along with three reminders. Then we all packed up and went home.
I got home around 3. Since I hadn't had anything to eat or drink for three hours, I used the swabs from the DNA kit and packaged them to go in the mail tomorrow. Then I made a large salad. I listend to an audio as I ate. I cut up and salted the last bitter melon. After 15 minutes, I rinsed it off and tossed it in olive juice to pickle.
I watered the plants in front and in the back. I went for a walk. I clocked it at 40 minutes. I listened to another audio and drank a lot of water. I put the charged battery back in the lawn mower. I ironed block 11, and took a pic. I noticed a tuck in one section, so I ripped it out and resewed. I printed out some pages with paper-pieced quilting diagrams.
My tapping buddy skyped me just as the printer pulled in the first sheet. We tapped and talked for almost 2 hours.
After the call, I looked for comedies on Netflix. I decided to watch several episodes of Frasier. Then Chris skyped me. It was not a good connection so we gave up on the video part and just texted. I told him about our new neighbors. Then he went to bed, and I stayed up to blog.

I found the Orville

Last night I put the garbage out at the street. Then I was able to get the tablet to play through headphones. (I chose a different set.) I went to sleep listening to a sleep track – or two. I woke up hearing my phone alarm go off at 7:30. But it was almost 8 when I got up. I sewed two sets of patches together. Then I turned on the router and called up some meditation music. The speakers on the desktop were not working. I checked all the settings and they were fine. I traced all the cords to make sure everything was securely plugged in. I was checking for indicator lights and came across a dial on one speaker. I rotated it forward and the sound came on! I wondered how it got turned off.
I heated water for coffee. I swished and drank lemon water. I did the special exercises while listening to Esther Hicks talks. Very interesting. I did the usual tapping and meditations. I cleaned the bathrooms and kitchen. I vacuumed and mopped the floors. Then I took a shower and got dressed. I read e-mail for a bit, then drove to the shopping center where the Korean doctors set up. They welcomed me and showed me the paperwork. But they had sent a message to the person who filed the paperwork and it made more sense for him to follow it up, than for me. Anyway, she showed me pics on her phone and talked about stuff. Finally I asked if I could leave. She said she would call if they needed anything. She gave me a grapefruit as a thank-you. I told her I would eat it tomorrow because I fast on Wednesdays. She took it as a religious practice.
I drove to base and stopped at the post office. There was a letter and junk mail. Then I parked across the street from the gym. I walked/ran for half an hour on the trail. Then I went home and checked the mail there. I saw cars parked next door. I sat at my laptop to catch up on e-mail. I downloaded a pic the Dr. Grace had sent and uploaded it to her Facebook page. I noticed a man and dog out in the back yard next door. But they weren't out for long. I made a mug of bone broth to sip. I listened to audios while I read e-mail. I ordered more genetic tests on Dad's DNA sample. The results were sent immediately, which tells me they did all the tests up front. Or maybe it is one test that searches for a bunch of different markers. I looked for fruit fabrics for quilting tomorrow. I looked at Mondo bags online to see what arrangement might look nice. I found a quilt top I had made from the fruit and vegetable fabrics.
Somehow I got distracted. I watched episodes of The Orville on the Fox network and BBT on the CBS site. I turned to e-mail when that was done. Soon after, Chris skyped me. It was 2 hours earlier for him and he was going to bed. I did a few more searches and then typed up my blog post and got ready for bed.
* A green tomato!*

Financial secretary-in-training

I tried to listen to some brain wave entrainment last night on my tablet. But for some reason, the sound would not come through the headphones. I had to fall asleep without it. I woke up in the middle of the night, not sweating. No good reason for being awake. But eventually I went back to sleep. I got up shortly before the alarm. I put up my hair and swished while sewing the last strip plus joining the ends of a bunch of blue fleece that I cut yesterday.
I turned on the router and booted up the laptop. I called Michele to see how she liked the moon lamp she got from her uncle. She thought it was cool. Then I played an interview while I made a batch of hot flash spray for Beverly. I added some rose water to it, having heard it was good for cooling off. I ate a fat bomb and paused the audio.
I drove to the WalMart neighborhood store to get flax and chia seed. I also got some ginger root and organic cilantro. It was a self-checkout, and I managed to navigate through it. Then I continued on to quilting, and brought in my machine and accessories. I set it up on a table by Eva. Jane was explaining to her how to join pre-quilted blocks. I handed in the three blocks I had made. I went to the front table to get backings and batting and strips for two more blocks. Beverly came by. She set up by me. Jane showed some of us how to join the prequilted blocks. I made the two blocks and by then, most people were gone. I loaded what was on the tables onto a cart and rolled it to the supply room. Then Beverly and I left together. She had to go to work.
I went to the Asian store for three packages of kimbap. Then I walked two door down to the Korean doctors. She wasn't there. I asked if he needed anything and he showed me a letter about her student loan. He wanted me to come back tomorrow and make a call to straighten things out. I didn't want to, but I nodded and left.
I went home to eat one package of kimbap and had kimchi with it. Then, because there was no other time for it, I made breakfast. I had eaten most of it when Beverly called to say she was on her way. I finished my breakfast and quickly watered the plants out front, and jumped in the car. I met Beverly at the church where we quilted. I gave her the two packages of kimbap. We talked until 1:30, then I had to go.
From there, I drove to my church. I sat in the secretary's chair and said some prayers for good luck. Then Tim arrived. We took the offering to a table in the fellowship hall and put the envelops in order. We opened them and wrote envelop numbers on all the checks. I took notes on everything we did. Then we went into the church office and booted up ServantKeeper. We entered the data into the spreadsheet and printed reports. Then we took the checks and cash to the bank. We were greeted by a friendly bank rep. She took us into her office and ran the deposits and gave us the receipts. Then we were done, after only 3 hours!
I went home from the bank, too tired to go to the farmer's market. I changed clothes. I watered the plants on the back porch. Instead of taking a walk, I mowed the lawn, then plugged in the battery to recharge it. I made a large salad but only had time to eat the first bowl of it. I changed clothes again and went to church for the Stewardship meeting.
It was shorter than most meetings. We discussed using Thrively, and getting the church a credit card from the bank. It ended at 8. I asked Tim how he printed out the reports that he handed out tonight. It was started to storm, so I headed home. Till I got near the post, the rain was coming down fiercely. It was so bad that I was tempted to just stop, but so close that I kept going but at a crawl. It was good to finally get home, but I had to brave the rain to get into the house.
Chris had left me a video message on skype. I made one and sent it in reply.
I was not in a mood for The 4400. I wanted something lighter. I looked for The Orville on Netflix, but it wasn't there. So I watched several episodes of the IT Crowd and finished my salad. Then it occurred to me that with no neighbors and the hard rain, it was a good time to play my trombone. I couldn't possibly be disturbing anyone. So I got it out and played partials, and then from sheet music. I tried selections from Phantom of the Opera. But it was easier to sing, so I sang for awhile. Then it was time to post and go to bed.
* This is Lauri's quilt from yesterday. *

Arizona, here he comes

I got up at 6:30. I put up my hair and swished. I sewed all strips but one on the last block. Then I turned on the router and read e-mail. I listened to audios while I made hummus and fat bombs, which I put in the freezer. I also cut a bunch of fleece strips for the rug in progress. Then I got dressed. I rolled my sewing gear to the car and put it in the trunk. I watered the plants in front. Then I drove to quilting.
I was there by 12:15, but lunch was already over. There were some ladies left, so I set up in the back. I dug out my blue blocks to work on. I looked at what others were doing. I assembled block 9 and added it to the stack. Then I cut pieces for block 10. I put that together and added it to the stack. I laid them out to see if I needed more light blocks or dark blocks. Result: I need two more light blocks. That was a help in choosing fabric for the next two blocks. I started cutting. Most of the ladies left. Sheryl showed up. I talked with her and Lauri. I did not have a doctor's appointment to go to so I stayed late. But around 4 my eyes got tired. So I packed up and rolled it all out to the car. When I got to our driveway, I remembered that I wanted to check the post office box. So I drove over there to check and realized it was after 4:30, when the front desk closes. There was one piece of mail and no packages, so it just didn't matter. I went home.
I watered the plants in back and picked three tomatoes. I cleaned out the Bullet that I made the hummus in. I made a big salad and ate it while watching a tapping video. At 6:30, I watched Big Bang Theory. Then I washed my footies and put on a clean pair.
I was about to go for a walk. I headed out the door only to find the rain starting. I decided to have a bowl of fruit and listen to a tapping audio while waiting for the rain to end. I remembered a very painful incident and started tapping on it. Because Chris was gone and there is currently no one living next door, I felt free to rant and rave loudly.
Then my phone rang. I did not catch it in time, so I checked the number. It was our skype number. So I called it back. Chris answered. He said there was no cell phone signal at his hotel in Arizona. We talked for a bit and he waited while I cued up Netflix on the TV (just in case it didn't work and I had questions). I filled him in on the mail. We got The Greatest Showman from Netflix. He wants to see it so I will keep it until he gets back. And then we hung up.
I finished my tapping video and jotted some notes for my blog. Then I watched The 4400. I wanted to watch another episode, so I collated the recyclables for tomorrow. Then I made a cup of hot bone broth and drank it as I watched the next episode. When it was over, I posted to my blog. I tied up a few loose ends and went to bed.

When is a grain not a grass?

I got up at 7:50. I put up my hair and brushed my teeth with chocolate toothpaste. Then I sewed a strip to the block in progress, and turned on the router. I booted up the laptop to see what time it was and re-set the clock on the stove and microwave. Then I sat down to drink lemon water and see what new e-mail came in during the night.
There was an article about how Amazon's Alexa recorded a private conversation and sent it to a co-worker without the participants knowing about it. Amazon claims that it was a series of unlikely events wherein the conversation included all the keywords to activate Alexa and request the message be sent. Participants say Alexa never asked who or confirmed the request. Remember, those digital assistants are always listening. Pretty scary.
I took a shower and got dressed for church. I ate a piece of seed cracker and a fat bomb. Then I read e-mail until it was time to go. I headed out at 9:30. When I was almost there, my phone rang. I did not answer it, but waited until I was parked to call back. It was Jennifer, asking if she was supposed to bring me anything other than the kefir grains. Nope.
So, I went inside. I asked Ron about the time and talent sheets. I got a bulletin and sat by Don. He was happy to see me again. I guess people think we've moved if I don't show up for church. In a few minutes, the service started. Jennifer came in late and sat beside me. During the offering, she gave me a bag with some dried kefir grains in it. She said to use just a few at a time. We talked a little more after the service.
Then Tim came over to talk to me. Jennifer went to the fellowship hall. I thought it was just for refreshments, but found out later that that's where the meeting about Sunday School was. Anyway, Tim asked me to act as financial secretary for him while he acted as executor for his mother's estate. We talked at length about the details of it. I agreed because I was the logical choice, not that I really wanted to do it. We agreed to meet on Tuesday to run through the process. By the time we finished, the meeting about Sunday School was over, too, so we both missed it. I gave Patrick my opinion and then called Chris to meet me at the grocery store.
I drove down Bailey Cove to Publix. I got a cart and walked the aisles. Chris wasn't going to need food, so I got some coconut milk and water for me. I was looking for coconut flakes, when Chris called to see which aisle I was in. He joined me there and we shopped from the list. We got butter and salad greens, and vinegars and oils.
During checkout, Chris suggested I just go home. So I did. I was surprised to find him parked in the driveway when I arrived. I never saw him pass me. He had already brought in most of the food. So I carried in the vinegar and helped put the food away. I watered the flowers in the front and the tomatoes out back. I put a little extra on the pumpkin plants. But I needn't have, since it rained later for a short while.
I made and ate breakfast while listening to podcasts. I added photos to the Ace Acupuncture site. I searched high and low in my sewing room and the guest room for the mondo bag pattern. I found other things, but not that. Chris predicted it would be in the last place I looked. Finally I looked in the box of fruit fabrics and there it was. I should have guessed sooner because I had intended to make it from fruit fabrics.
After reading a little more e-mail, I went for a long walk. I saw a group of daylilies blooming back a bit from the upper road. There must have been a house there at one time. I kept an eye out for other flowers on that street, but didn't see any. I did see some cars outside the duplex next to us. But they did not look like they were moving stuff in.
When I got back, it was about 7:15. I suggested to Chris that we watch TV early and go to bed early because he has to get up early. He agreed. But he had to fold his laundry first. So I heated some onion soup and ate it while watching him fold. Then he took the folded clothes, put some of them away and put others in his suitcase. He searched the bedroom for a net laundry bag. I pulled out the green one that I re-made for him and he packed it. But by the time he was done packing a suitcase and carry-on, it was after 8. He warmed up the little laptop to stream Netflix to the TV. I told him I couldn't use it while he was gone because of the password. So he changed it to something I can remember. Then we watched two episodes of Death in Paradise. Afterward he went to bed and I stayed up to blog.
* dried kefir grains *

Sprouts

I got up before 7:30. I put up my hair. I caught my alarm just as it rang, so as not to wake up Chris. I found a message on my phone and tried to respond to it, but apparently it was too long and it wouldn't let me edit it. So I had to write it over again. I sewed several strips on the strip block so it would be done by Tuesday. Chris woke up and turned on the router when he came out. I checked e-mail and saw one from 23andMe. It was Dad's ancestry report. Apparently there was enough DNA in his sample to run the tests. On both his maternal and paternal side, he shares DNA markers with the Yamnaya, a pastoral nomadic culture which migrated to Europe in the Bronze Age.
I listened to a podcast while playing Solitaire: A 90 year old Japanese doctor named Nakao: Urine contains information from the blood about the sicknesses present in the body. Through the throat, it sends that information to the cerebrum and the immune response is generated and orders are sent throughout the body. The natural healing power of the body is reinforced. Studies showed that gargling and discarding is as good as swallowing since it touches the throat. 20% of illnesses can be cured and 80% can be prevented this way.
Jennifer texted me that she was buying sprouts at the farmer's market. They looked good, but I had grown my own. I ate some sprouts to see if they were ready. Sort of. But I guess since I am not going to eat them all at once, I should start eating them now. I played a whole book of sonatas on the piano. I put on my suit and sunbathed in the back yard. Then I showered and put on regular clothes. I accompanied Chris for errands: the post office, the library, recycling, and the gas station.
Chris got ready and went to 5pm mass at the chapel. I made a quart of tea for the scoby I found in an old bottle of commercial kombucha. Then I folded my laundry and put it away. I tried some special tea. I cut strips of fleece from the bag of fleece that Anita gave me. The electricity went out, so I put the laptop to sleep to conserve energy. I cut more strips by the light from the window. When the electricity came on again, I took out the lettuces and made a salad. I wondered where Chris was. I ate while listening to an audio and doing some tapping. Chris came home from the chapel and said there was a fish fry afterward for the retiring priest.
When I finished my salad, I paused the video I was watching and went for a walk. It was after 7:30 and I saw lots of fireflies. I remember when I had the energy to chase after them. But that was a long time ago. I visited the flowers growing in the woods. The peonies and amaryllis were done, but the daylilies were in bloom.
When I got back, I saw that my walk was longer than half an hour. It wasn't long before Chris was ready to watch TV. We watched 4 episodes of Death in Paradise. Such lovely scenery. It makes me want to go on an island vacation. I fell asleep during the last episode. Chris pulled clean sheets from the dryer and put them on the bed. I woke up to help with the top sheet and blanket. Then I posted to my blog and went to bed.

Only takes 8 women to do the job of 11 men

I got up around 6:30. I put up my hair and brushed my teeth with chocolate toothpaste. I swished while I put away the fabrics from yesterday. I taped paper over the long narrow window by the door to keep the sun from fading everything in sight. Then I finished the black and white charity blocks. I turned on the router and started drinking lemon water. I put argan oil on my itchy ear. It worked over the past two days but not so much today. I read e-mail and looked up reversing cavitations. What came up was xylitol and urotherapy. In fact, according to the articles I read, urotherapy can cure just about anything. There was a book about it, but on Amazon it listed for over $2000. I guess it is rare; out of print.
I cleared e-mail. I made and ate breakfast. It was about 11 when I went out the front door, but had to stop to water the plants.
I went to the guitar store. The man was very nice. He explained the difference between classical and acoustic guitars. He only charged me the price of the new strings. My guitar was completely strung and he re-tuned it, saying that the strings stretch over time. We talked for 20 minutes or so. He assured me that if I practiced an hour a day, that I would make lots of progress in 6 months. Then I paid him and put the guitar in my trunk.
Then I went to the other end of the shopping center, where the Celebration Quilters were working. I had brought my cutting tools so I could cut pieces for the blue blocks I am working on, but I forgot the instruction sheets. So all I could do was square up the sections I had already made. The rest of the time I sat and talked to the others. Rebecca was working on her giant turtle quilt. They took a break for lunch. At 12:45 my phone signaled a reminder for the movie.
I drove home so I could put the guitar and my cutting tools in the house. No need to have them sit in the sweltering heat. I also had a bite to eat and a can of coconut water, which I brought with me when I left. I met Leanne at the movie theater. She bought us tickets and we watched Ocean's 8 in the IMAX theater. The previews of coming attractions were pretty violent so I was afraid the movie would be, too, but it wasn't. The 8 women who pulled the heist were not armed and I don't think anyone got hurt. After the movie, we talked about seeing Incredibles II when it comes out. Then I drove home.
I checked the mail and handed the package to Chris. I watered the plants out back. I read e-mail and listened to audios. I made and ate a big salad. I ate one of the tomatoes from the farmer's market. I went for a walk around the neighborhood.
When I got back, we watched the last episode of Inspector Lynley. Then I soaked my sprouts and posted to my blog and drank kava tea.
* Charity blocks *