My 44th birthday

I heard Chris get up. I turned over to go back to sleep. Later, I laid on my back again and pulled the infrared heating pad over me and turned it on. I started to sweat, which was the idea.
Later I turned it off and got up. Even though my phone was not where I could hear it, I was up by 7:45. I brushed and swished and sewed. I had to juggle sewing machines to get the right one in place. I did not need to turn on the router because it had been on all night. There was a birthday card from Chris lying on my laptop. He had written in it how much he appreciates me in his life. Sniff.
I drank some vinegar water and composed my blog post for yesterday. Then I jotted a few notes for today and listened to a short video. It did not play exactly right, so I rebooted my laptop. Then I watched episode 3 of Interconnected.
Preservatives in foods are really antibiotics. They kill bacteria so the food won't spoil. When you eat the food, the preservatives kill one or more species of bacteria in your gut. We need to use antibiotics more responsibly, considering the collateral damage. States with higher use of antibiotics, have higher rates of cancer. Hygiene Hypothesis: we keep our surroundings too clean. Our immune system doesn't get the workout it needs to be strong. Less exposure to germs can leave you more exposed to allergies or infections.

I rinsed my radish mix of seeds. They are almost ready to eat. I listened to more audios. I ate a fat bomb, and some steak. I finished the binding on Jane's quilt, but saw places in the sashing that needed repairing. I made and ate breakfast. I searched for fat quarters for the exchange on Sunday. I worked on a letter to my foster child. I opened a pkg from yesterday, and read the paperwork. It was the hormone replacement meds from the compounding pharmacy. I ate a pomegranate. Then Dad called. He had questions about Milk of Magnesia.
A little after 2:30 I put on my coat and drove to the place where I get massages. I wasn't worried about being on time because she never is. But today she was, and I wondered if someone had canceled on her. We talked, both before, during, and after the massage. It was exactly what I needed.
I went home, and it was still raining. I got the mail before I went in the house. Two pieces were for our next door neighbor, so I ran over to deliver them. She and I talked for a bit and it was nice.
Then I went back to our place to put on nicer clothes. I gave Chris the ring I bought last week so he could give it to me at dinner. Chris took me to Meza Luna. It was a very nice upscale restaurant. And I did not see anyone on the cell phone. It took a while to order because most choices had pasta or bread, or fried food. But when the server described the sword fish, I chose that. Chris got a pizza. I took some enzymes and waited for the food to arrive. Chris told me how lucky he was that I agreed to share his life, and he put the ring on my finger.
When the food arrived, my swordfish was very small and his pizza seemed large. I told myself I could eat again when I got home. It was very tasty and I ate every bite. I also had a small nibble of his pizza. Then he paid the bill and we left, in the rain.
At my request, we went to the neighborhood WalMart store for flax seed. They have it in large containers and I got two. I also wanted gloves, but did not see any, just socks. I did notice a large gift bag, so I got that for the blankets I am supposed to embroider.
When we got home, Chris went back to his laptop. I decided to sew something for a swap. I decided on a teacup. I cut little wedge shapes and sewed them together. I opened the little gooseneck light package, but I could not open the battery compartment. Chris opened it with a pair of pliers. Then I tested three batteries and put them in. The light did not work. However, Chris saw some tiny diagram that I missed and reversed the battery in the middle. Voila – there was light! I layered the unit, with backing and batting and sewed around, then turned it inside out. I sat at my computer to round out the scallops and pin them for topstitching.
Soon it was 8. I made tea and brushed my teeth. We watched part of The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. Netflix sent it, but we are not sure why. It was a Don Knotts movie. When we got bored with it, we turned to DS9 and watched two episodes. Chris went to bed and I stayed up to blog, and take the new medication.
* I decided that 50 was the top of the hill. When I reached 50, there wasn't enough momentum to carry me over the hill, so I am sliding back down the hill. Therefore, I get younger every year now. *

All bound up

I did not set my sleep app last night. The downside was that my phone was out in the diningroom and I never heard the alarm ring, so I got up an hour late. Then I followed the usual morning routine: scrape, drink, brush, swish, sew, drink, e-mail. I also put labels in books for the guild library. Beverly called. She said I should sew something for myself on my birthday. It sounded like a good idea, but I didn't know if I was up to starting a new project.
About 10, I ate a fat bomb and a piece of steak. While listening to an interview, I made breakfast. I ate, and then spent some time digitizing phrases for the Korean blankets. I tried sewing a straight line on one blanket and most of the stitches were skipped.
Then I paused the interview so I could get dressed. I looked for projects to bring to quilting. I found 4 that needed binding or spot repair. So I put those in bags and went to quilting, leaving my machine at home.
There were a lot of cars when I got there, but not so many ladies inside. And many left after lunch. I got to talk to a few people just before they left. I gave Pat the library books. Then Leanne arrived. We talked about ways to embroider names on difficult fabrics. I got all the spot binding repairs done, and did a few sides of the yellow quilt. Christy packed up and left, so we all did.
When I got home, I was surprised to see Chris. He said he hadn't felt well at work so he came home early, but now he was feeling fine. (It must be because I came home:) I brought in the house mail. There were two packages for me, but I didn't open them. I resumed the interview, and got a pomegranate to peel. I gave some to Chris. After eating it, I had to examine the floor for escaped arils so I wouldn't step on them and create a mess.
When the interview was over, I watched a presentation on horsetail for dental health. I also watched episodes of summits on autoimmunity and gut health.
All the grass was dead from freezing nights, but the dandelion was still alive. I picked some and washed it for supper. Chris chopped up cilantro for his supper and gave me some. I added some sauerkraut and kimchi to that and the dandelion and treated it like a salad. I peeled and chopped turmeric root and ginger root to make tea. I finished the binding on the yellow quilt.
At 6:55 I moved my laptop to the guest room. I brought up Skype and my tapping buddy called me. We tapped on overwhelm and frustration with a certain project that got dumped on me. Plus anger at myself for getting myself into this situation.
When our call was over, I took my laptop back to the dining room. I brushed and swished. Chris called up DS9 and we watched two episodes. The house got cold because we had turned the heat off so we could hear the TV. Then Chris got ideas, so we went to bed and I didn't post to my blog until the next morning.
* This is from the modern quilt guild. I finished the binding today. *

Mad as a hornet

The app and the phone alarm got me up. I brushed and swished and sewed some patches together. I made coffee and did special exercises. I put on some meditation music and did some meditation and tapping.
My neighbor came over to give me a poinsettia. It was lovely. Then I had to run to the bathroom. So I texted her later to see if there was anything else she wanted. She gave me some cheese that she had bought for her mother who had been for a visit. Sounded good to me.
I cleaned the bathrooms and kitchen. And I took a shower. There wasn't time to vacuum. I jumped in the Malibu and headed to the gas station on post. But cars were lined up to use the pumps and I did not want to wait. So I went off post and stopped at a gas station on Jordan. I did the math and decided I had used a little less than one gallon of gas. I went inside the store and paid for it. Then I went outside and pumped it into the car, and proceeded to the dealership.
The technician showed me a page documenting that they found nothing wrong with my car. I explained that the growling was a new thing. But he said the diagnostic machine found nothing wrong. So he brought my car around and handed me the keys. I got in my car and it suddenly felt small. I drove home.
I watered the plants outside. The fern didn't look good, but the others were ok. I made breakfast and ate a few bites while listening to part of a presentation on dental health. I had to pause it to go see the Korean doctors. I got there at 2, and brought the nice boxes that they give out onion juice and jujube juice in.
He wanted to know why the insurance claim did not go through. He showed me an e-mail from the company. I read through it and identified the relevant sentence. But we looked at the form and it had the right data in the box. So I called the company and waited.
While I was waiting, Dr. Grace asked me if I knew where to get embroidery done. I told her I had such a machine. If only I had been struck dumb a second before I opened my mouth! She got so excited. She showed me two fleece blankets that she'd bought. And two napkins that had cross-stitched characters on them. She wanted the characters cut out in a heart shape and appliqued to the blankets, and messages embroidered above the hearts. I told her it would take some time and she said she needed them on Friday. I said it wasn't possible. So she said by 9:20 on Monday morning. I told her I couldn't guarantee quality in such a short time. (She probably thinks I have nothing else to do.) I tried to say no but she begged and I reluctantly agreed.
Then the company answered the phone. I talked to the lady and found the problem, which was in a different box. We made the change and submitted it again. Then we worked on setting up other patients. But although they were all Blue Cross Blue Shield, each card was different and it was impossible to tell which numbers went where on the form. I tried an internet search but had no luck.
At 4 I had to leave. She wanted to take another mole off of my face, but I didn't have time. I went home. Chris was there. I was fuming about the extra work the more I thought of it. I was feeling behind before, but now? Arrgh! Chris told me he might get offered a good job in Korea and should he turn it down? I finished breakfast and ate some steak. I also had some cheese. I called Beverly back. I got out my embroider machine and hooked it up to see if it still worked. And it seemed to. But then I ran out of time.
I went to the church. I spent almost an hour and a half entering offering data and printing reports. It was perfectly timed. I turned off the computer and walked into choir practice.
Cecelia told me she needed another bottle of magnesium. I didn't tell her that I just submitted an order yesterday. After practice, I talked to Elaine. She showed me a technique for calming an allergic reaction. I spoke to Jennifer for a few minutes, then went home.
When I got there, I made tea and swished again. We watched two episodes of DS9, then checked on one of the actors. I wrote up my blog post while Chris did something on his laptop. Then it was time for bed.
* Here is another quilt shown off at the guild meeting. *

Good news and bad news

I woke up before the sleep app went off. I wondered if it could sense my heartbeat if I put my finger on the touch screen. So I ended the current sleep record and started a new one. I held my finger there for several minutes. But when I went back to look at the recording, it hadn't made one.
I brushed and swished. I sewed the ends of binding together and started the backside. I read e-mail for a while. I ate a fat bomb, and listened to part of an episode of an autoimmune series. Then I paused it to get ready for my dental appointment.
I took the small quilt to the dentist' office. I worked on the binding until the hygienist came to call me. She settled me in the chair with a neck pillow, knee pillow and blanket. She took bite-wing x-rays. Then she cleaned my teeth. The dentist came in to check. She said I had great bone around my teeth, but that last molar had deteriorated visibly since my last checkup. She said there was no point in replacing the filling without putting a crown on. The glue would not hold without enamel and the tooth had no enamel on it. The hygienist took intraoral pics. When the cleaning was totally finished, she asked for my credit card so she could check me out there in the little room. But I asked about their in-house insurance. So she took me out front and another lady explained the program. Instead of paying $227, I paid a $99 one-time fee and $28 per month. At that rate, my subsequent visits are free, including regular x-rays and cleanings, and 15% off of crowns and such. I signed up for the insurance program.
Then I drove to the Chevy dealership. I dropped off my car to get looked at and they gave me a black 2018 Malibu as a loaner. Such a sexy car. It is bigger than mine so does not fit me as well. I drove it home using Gate 9.
I made and ate breakfast listening to more of the episode. Then I had to run to church. I had hoped to go early to count the two weeks worth, but everything else took too long.
Pastor was there. He invited me to a small gathering of staff at his house. I spoke to him briefly, then pulled all the envelops out of the safe. I sorted them by date so I could keep the Sundays separate. I processed the first pile, which was small. I told myself it was going to be fairly quick after all. But I had missed a bunch so the second pile was huge. In fact, there wasn't room for all of it on one sheet. Other people stopped by the office and talked to me. One lady needed help finding the frozen meals to deliver. Since she was over 90, I got up and got them for her. But all this delayed the processing of the checks and cash. By the time I had the deposits ready, it was after 4:30. There was no time to enter the data into the computer or print out reports. I picked up a poinsettia that Jennifer had left for me, and went to the bank before it closed.
I was hoping to get home before dark. I almost didn't, what with waiting in line, and chatting with the clerks while they processed the four deposits. As I drove home, I had to fish for my ID to get on post. I found it by the time I needed it. Then I went home and parked. My wheels ended up in the grass because the bigger car is harder to park.
Chris was home. He did not have any packages for me. I checked the house mail, only to find junk. I set about opening the mail Chris had brought home. I ate a can of veggie soup and some beef. I made some charity donations. I boiled the last of the ginger and turmeric roots chunks to make tea. I made up two weeks worth of combined supplements. I ordered more. I jotted notes for my blog, and started a letter to my sponsored child from Plan International.
It was after 8 when we sat down to watch TV. We watched two episodes of DS9. I took my evening magnesium after drinking kava tea. I finished my blog and went to bed.
* One of the round robin quilts from the modern quilt guild. *

Home again, home again

The sleep app rang just after 7CST and later the phone alarm. We stayed in bed, snuggling. Then I got up to shower. I made and ate breakfast while Chris ate the leftover cheese rolls from last night. I checked e-mail. It was chock full of Cyber Monday deals, but I did not have time to read them all. I listened to an interview with Dr. Klinghardt on EMF sensitivity while I sewed binding:

He said using a cell phone dissolves the mercury in silver fillings faster. A two minute phone call can reactivate the dormant epstein barr virus for four years. The electromagnetic fields we are exposed to are cumulative. A smart meter is basically a cell tower installed on the wall of your home. Certain frequencies can be used to make people docile. One frequency can make people sterile over the course of several generations – 2.4 G. Trower did the studies, thinking it would never be used. Now he tries to warn people. Swiss shield works now but might not be effective against 5G frequencies. There is an app that turns android phone into frequency meter, but he doesn't remember the name of it. Go to Littletree group.com to buy a wi-fi shield bag. To detox from heavy metals, use an ionic foot bath with salt water: the best one is by Kie science. Wear wi-fi protective underwear. Turn off fuses at night. Cover wall with aluminum and ground it. The use of cell phones shortens the life of your brain. Klinghardtinstitute.com

I paused the audio to pack and get dressed. Then I resumed it. When the interview was over, we had 12 minutes to check out. We carried our stuff to the car in two loads. Then Chris turned in the key cards. We stopped at the gas station to fuel up and Chris set the GPS. Then we were on our way to Huntsville.
We listened to a book on CD called Sharpe's Devil. It was interesting, but some of the descriptions were bloody. We stopped several times at rest areas. We arrived home half way through the book. We moved all our luggage into the house. Chris got the grocery list and we added a few things to it, then went to Publix to shop.
At Publix we got the usual items, plus a baby toy. That will be my donation to Toys for Tots. I had looked up their guidelines and they had a special need for toys for the 0 – 2 year range.
There were no jars of black olives in the olive section, nor were there any empty spaces. This tells me they moved them, probably to an endcap somewhere. But we never found them.
When we got home, we carried the groceries in. I checked the house mail. There was a card from Mary Ann, a bill for Chris and something for the neighbors next door. I put on my coat and walked it over. But I did not stay to chat because there was so much to do.
When I got back, I remembered that the pharmacy had called me over vacation. So I called them back. She told me what the doctor recommended and how to use it. I gave her my credit card number so they could mix the cream and mail it to me.
Chris was trying to broil beef in the oven but it would not get more than warm. So he cooked it in a cast iron fry pan. I ate a can of vegetable soup while it cooked, and jotted notes for my blog. Then I read e-mail, trying to catch up. I drank a packet of jujube juice and one of onion juice. I unpacked the food box, and then the beef was ready. It was sooooo good.
I ate in front of my laptop. I came across a message from Netflix announcing the DVD they just sent. I had never heard of it, so I checked my queue. There was a bunch of stuff I never heard of. Chris hadn't either, so we deleted them.
Chris had turned the oven off and back on. This time it got hot, so I mixed up a batch of seed crackers. I was out of pumpkin seeds, so I used pine nuts. While it baked, I unpacked the breakfast box. I put coconut oil and coconut butter on the stove top to melt in the heat generated by the oven.
At the behest of an e-mail from housing, Chris turned the outside faucets to drip. He brought in the pepper plant. All our plants were alive when we got home, but they may not survive tonight. I collated the recyclables and left them by the door for Chris to take out in the morning.
Then we watched 2 episodes of DS9. I took my evening supplements and unpacked my suitcase. I mixed the oil and butter and cacao. I poured it into molds to make fat bombs. Then I sat down to write my blog and maybe catch up on e-mail.
* I didn't take any pics today, so here is one from the party on Saturday. *

Leaving Richmond

We slept in late. When I got up, my dad was already up and dressed. I got dressed and realized that my gray travel pants were missing. Chris gave me his gray sweat pants to wear. I asked Dad if there was anything he needed me to do, and he said no. We talked for a bit, and William arrived to take him to church. I made and ate breakfast, noticing that my vitamin C patches were missing. Then I started packing. Chris loaded the car. I ran the vacuum cleaner in the livingroom and the den. William came back to hang up Dad's car keys. He and I looked through the leaves on the sidewalk to see if Dad's missing lens was there. But we didn't see it. He left. When I was done cleaning, we got in the car and headed out.
We finished our book on CD and started another one. But after the first CD I decided it was boring. So we switched to another book. We ran into traffic in a few places which added time to our trip. I darned one of Dad's socks while he drove.
When we got to the hotel in Bristol, the parking lot was practically empty. Chris went to check in. I had to put on my socks and shoes and coat. Then I went in. But I did not see him. So I asked the lady behind the desk if my husband checked in. She said she could not give me that information. I said it was nothing like that, just that he had just left the car to come in. She suggested I call his cell phone. So I did. He answered from the bathroom. I walked up and down hallways until I found it. I used the ladies room, then walked the hall some more for exercise until Chris came out.
We brought in one armload each from the car and took it to our room. Then we drove a short distance to Red Lobster for supper. I got salmon and he got fried flounder. We talked to our waiter who was experienced, but wanted to find a more reliable source of income.
After the meal, we went back to our hotel and brought up the rest of the stuff. Chris settled in the anteroom to game with the voices. I set up my laptop and checked out stuff in the room. I flicked off breakers in the panel to shut off the exhaust fan in the bathroom, but with no luck. I read e-mail until my tapping buddy came online. Then we tapped together for 90 minutes.
Chris was still gaming, so I looked into HRV monitors. The EmWave2 was on sale but it seemed like a cheaper unit should do a similar job. So I spent the rest of the evening looking at apps and such without a clear success.
When Chris' game was over, I realized I should have written my blog. So I am doing it now so we can go to bed, then get up early and get back to Huntsville.
* This is Kurt doing his Geordi LAforge imitation with a lit birthday sign. *

Early birthday party

The sleep app went off near 7, and the phone alarm at 7:30. I washed up and got dressed. I packed my suitcase, then took my food box downstairs to make breakfast. I read e-mail, but only for a short time. I filled all my water bottles and Chris packed the car. Marie and Alfred came back from walking the dogs. We said our goodbyes, then got in the car and headed out. I texted Kurt that we were leaving.
It was raining all the way to Richmond. We listened to several CD's of our second book on CD. We arrived at Dad's house around noon. Kurt and Patrick arrived soon after. I passed my EMF meter to Kurt. Dad and I started printer training. He was able to print copies of page 2 of his grocery list. We paperclipped them in sets with page 1 from the office store. But time got late and we had to leave for the restaurant before the training was complete.
Dad got in Chris' car and we drove him to Joe's Inn, arriving at 2. Faye and Kevin arrived with a birthday cake. Kurt and Patrick were there, too. We found a table large enough for all of us and William and Karen, too. But when William arrived, he said Karen wasn't feeling well.
It took some time to get a waitress and have our order taken. But when the food came, it was good. I got pork chops, which is what my mom always made for my birthday. Dad got the chicken Parmesan, which looked like a portion for at least two people. There was no way he could eat it all, so I gave some to Kurt who had a much smaller meal of meatloaf and mashed potatoes.
Before Dad was done eating, the waitress brought the cake and candles. Kevin had to remind me that I was supposed to blow the candles out. So I did. Then I cut the cake and passed out pieces. Dad requested only a token piece and I sent one home for Karen. Faye and Kevin gave me a card and two presents: a lighted seam ripper and a snake-light for my sewing machine. William and Karen gave me two bottles of essential oils: sandalwood and bergamot. We continued to talk as Dad ate. Finally he gave up on the mountain of spaghetti. There was not enough left to take home.
The waitress brought the checks and, much to Dad's dismay, we each paid our own. Then Chris brought his car to the curb and we loaded Dad in and took him home. Faye met us there, but did not stay long because Kevin needed to go home. He wasn't completely healed from his surgery. Kurt and Patrick came, too.
I'm a little fuzzy on what happened next. William showed me some sewing notions in a sewing basket that came with a pretty Singer model 66. Kurt packed and left for home. Patrick was still here. Dad lost a lens in his glasses. Patrick and I searched everywhere but did not find it. Eventually Patrick had to go home. Dad practiced his choir music to see if he could still use the glasses. It wasn't good. I looked at his anthem list and pointed him to the right anthem for this Sunday. It was better but still not good. I got out my tablet to use the piano app. It was not as much help as I hoped. Dad tried a different pair of glasses and that helped some.
We worked on printer training. But it did not go well. Sometimes the laptop sent the file to fax instead of the printer. Sometimes it printed blank pages. I tried to darn socks while instructing Dad. Chris came to look at what was going on and said Dad would have to change the settings between printing tab A and tab B. Finally I told Dad to take an unmarked copy of his master grocery list and use the 'copy' function on the printer. We practiced it several times and I wrote the directions on a sticky note stuck to the top.
I told my dad he needed a bath. He said he didn't have time for that, but he had wipes. I suggested he get in the shower and I would spray him down, then give him a soapy wash cloth, and spray him clean after he washed. Surprisingly he agreed to that. But first he had to lay out all the items in his pockets. Then he took all his clothes off. I led him to the shower and told him to remove his Depends. But he was uncomfortable with that. So I traded places with Chris. I checked my e-mail and wrote to my blog while Chris made sure Dad got clean and dressed, and laid out clean clothes for tomorrow.
I felt sick to my stomach and didn't know why, so I took some activated charcoal. I felt better as I wrote up the day. While I wrote, Dad drank jujube juice, then had a bowl of soup and some casserole. He was still eating when I finished my blog and went to bed.
* Faye - you light up my life. *

Black Friday shopping

I heard the app alarm ring and waited for the phone alarm to ring, but it didn't because I had turned it off the day before. I figured that out at 7:31. Because we were leaving at 8:30 for Black Friday shopping, I got up, washed up and got dressed. I brushed and swished. I checked e-mail and discovered a serious overflow of Black Friday offers in my inbox. I deleted some and marked others for consideration later.
I filled my water bottle and started drinking. We women put on our coats and got in Marie's car. She drove us to Tyson's Corner. We parked and entered through Nordstrom's. I needed a bathroom at that point, so Marie asked a male clerk. His response was “Are you staying in the store?” She replied yes so he gave us directions.
After the bathroom break, we headed into the mall. We looked for socks for several people. And a coat for me, and clothes for Michele and Marie and Carol. We went to Macy's and waited a long time in a short line. We also went to a few other stores then went back to Nordstrom's for lunch. We stood in line to order, then sat at a table. When the food was brought, we said a prayer and dug in. Cecily did not eat much, but Marie and Carol helped her. We wrapped up most of the rolls to take home.
On the way out of the mall, we passed a jewelry store. I wanted to look at wedding bands, but all they had out were watches. The man said there were only a few left. He opened a box and I looked at the simplest one. It had tiny diamonds on it, priced at $2000. He opened another case. There was a plain gold band for $1000. A few more cases came out, and finally I saw one that was the same shape as the one I lost, but smoother. It was only $200. I handed over my credit card, then waited while he processed the transaction. It took longer than I expected and I began to wonder. But he was looking for a box. He put the box in another box which went in a bag. Then I signed a piece of paper and we were on our way. Cecily remarked that I should wear it, but I wanted Chris to present it to me.
From there, we drove to Seven Corners to the Burlington store. It wasn't full of coats like I expected. But eventually I did find a black coat that was nice enough for church and casual enough for quilting. We went down the sidewalk to a shoe store. Michele shopped for boots. Since there was a BOGO, Carol got a pair, too. I bought myself some socks. Then we went home.
It was midafternoon. Cecily showed the guys some of our purchases. Chris and Michele put on new socks and gave me their old socks to stuff dog beds. Carol washed those old socks so I wouldn't have to take them home smelly. I showed Chris the ring I bought and he put it on my finger.
I navigated through Black Friday sales, buying only one or two things. Chris and Al were in charge of making supper and it was well underway. Cecily sat and put together an online puzzle. I then remembered I hadn't sewn. So I stitched binding until the thread ran out. I put the needle between my lips while I cut more thread. But it dropped and I couldn't find it. Chris found it in the carpet. I threaded the needle and put in a few more stitches to get it started.
At 6:30 we were called to the table. There was a large bowl of beef burgundy stew, plus green beans and rolls. Chris said the prayer and Marie ladled the stew into bowls. Chris lamented that it needed more wine. After eating the stew, we took our bowls into the kitchen and let the dogs lick them clean before putting the in the dishwasher. Then Marie handed out pieces of pie with whipped cream. I got a tiny taste from Chris' plate. Carol did the dishes and went downstairs to her room.
I sat in the livingroom at my laptop and went through more sales e-mails. I placed another order. The others watched football. Cecily and Marie went to bed. I got to the end of the e-mails (for now), and took time to type up my blog so I could get ready for bed.
* Lunch at Nordstroms. *

Happy Thanksgiving

The sleep app went off at 8. I had turned the phone alarm off. I snuggled with Chris for awhile. Then we got up and showered and dressed.
We watched the Macy's day parade, with Cecily and Marie and Carol darting into and out of the kitchen performing food prep tasks. Cecily asked for anyone's laundry so I brought our laundry bag down. She did a white load and a colored load.
I worked on my wallhanging for a while. Then I brought my breakfast box downstairs because the others were eating lunch and invited me to join in. But by the time I made breakfast, they had left the table.
I sat at my laptop in the living room where Al and Chris were watching football. The dog show was over. Then Al and Marie took the dogs for a walk. Cecily came and sat down. We talked about not being able to do what we used to. Cecily said that blood vessels narrow when you don't eat enough fat, and that fat bombs are exactly what my father needs. I asked Cecily about my shoulder pain. She said it was bursitis and recommended some gentle stretches.
Then it was time for rolls. Marie rolled out the bread dough. Cecily spread the butter, Marie sprinkled sugar, Cecily sprinkled cinnamon, and I did the nuts and helped with the raisins. Marie and I rolled up the dough and she sliced it into segments and put them in baking dishes.
I took off my apron and went back to my laptop. I read e-mail and listened to a few audios. Cecily talked to me off and on about Christmas lists. Then I went upstairs to see Michele. Chris was sleeping on her floor. I went in our room and put all the laundry in my suitcase as well the toiletries case. Chris came in and climbed under the covers. I took my bottle of argan oil to Michele and asked her to put drops of oil between the hairs above my right ear. She did a good job. Then I found a clip to put up my hair.
I went down to the kitchen. The turkey was done and the rolls were coming out of the oven. But Cecily said it would be another 20 minutes. I watched a 7 minute video with flashing lights and music designed to facilitate meditation. Al carved the turkey.
Finally we all sat down to our Thanksgiving feast. Chris said the prayer. Then we passed the stuffing, turkey, relish, gravy, rolls, rutabaga, and cauliflower casserole. It was all good, as far as I know. I had a little extra because I was passing on dessert. Carol and Cecily put most of the food away and then we had pumpkin and pecan pie with whipped cream. Marie and Al watched foot ball. I played solitaire and meditated. Eventually Chris went to bed. I stayed up to blog and then followed.
* Every man sticks his own bird. *

Going North

I hear the app go off and then the alarm. We stayed in bed for awhile, and then I had to get up. The house was quiet, but Dad was sitting in the den wearing shorts. I checked out his feet; one foot had short toenails and the other had amazingly long toenails. I gave him some fat bombs to eat while I cut the long ones and filed the short ones. Then I put his socks on.
I took the rest of the fat bombs from the mold in the fridge and put them in a bag. I gave Dad a cup of jujube juice.
Chris had a conference call on his phone in the dining room. Dad and I went through papers in the den, looking for ones from specific charities that he wanted to give to. I wrote a couple of checks for him. But then I had to get dressed and start packing. Chris' call ended at 11:15. We packed everything in the car, said goodbye to Dad, and were on the road by 11:35.
Traffic was dense, but not horrible. We listened to a book on CD while Chris drove. Somehow he was able to listen to the GPS at the same time. It took about 3.5 hours to get to Marie's house in Annandale. Carol, Alfred and Cecily were there to welcome us. I stood guard by the door to keep the dogs in while Chris made several trips to the car to bring our luggage in. Then we visited while watching the food channel.
After a bit, Marie came home. The dogs were so happy to see her. There was more visiting. Cecily and Carol worked on supper. Later Michele came home from work. Soon after that, supper was ready.
The main dish was shells stuffed with cheese and covered with meat sauce. Cecily knew I didn't eat pasta, so she made shrimp for me. We also had salad and snap peas. I ate the cheese stuffing out of two shells and gave the pasta to Chris.
After supper, Marie, Michele, and Chris went to the wine store to get stuff for tomorrow and Friday. Cecily, Carol, and I sliced onions for stuffing. Cecily sauteed them on the stove. Then the others returned from the wine store. Some of us sat in the livingroom watching football. I played Solitaire on my laptop. Chris had a number of glasses of wine and was very affectionate. Finally he wandered off to talk to his sister. Cecily went to bed. I took a break to visit Michele upstairs and braid her hair while she played a computer game. I filled a water bottle to drink while posting to my blog.
I went upstairs to get my headphones. When I came down, I got in a discussion of headphones with Alfred. Chris came in and started kissing me. Marie came in for a bit, then went to bed. We had a discussion of what it means to get a franchise tag in football. The question came up whether Le'Veon Bell was getting any money at all for sitting out the season. No one knew. Al went to bed. Chris and I stayed up a little later, then went to bed.
* This was taken at the wellness clinic last week. *

Tuesday exists after all

I reset the sleep app to go off at 7:30. It rang just after 7. We stayed in bed until almost 9. I turned on the router as Chris packed up the bed. I heard Dad moving around in the kitchen and muttering to himself. I was a little surprised to see him since he claimed that Tuesdays don't exist and he skips to Wednesday. He was talking to himself over his supplements when I came in the kitchen. He explained that the math doesn't work for Tuesdays because one pill is two days on and one day off. So now he puts out his pills every three days, leaving the Tuesday slot blank.
He made himself breakfast while I melted coconut oil. I put some in his cereal. It took awhile to melt. I ground up cacao nibs and flax and chia seeds. I took our remaining three eggs out of our egg carton so I could use it as a mold. I lined it with minimuffin paper cups. When the oil was liquid, I mixed it all and poured 24 little cups and slid a cookie sheet under them. I put them in the freezer to harden. I kept the coconut oil in warm water so it would not solidify. I made another mixture in the measuring cup. Then I made and ate breakfast.
Dad was looking for his grocery list so I helped him find it. Chris tried to get the printer to talk to the old computer, but had to stop at 11 to join a conference call. Dad put his shoes on to go to the grocery store. I moved my breakfast stuff out of the kitchen because I did not know how long we would be gone. Then I walked out the front door. I watched as Dad drove away. I wondered if he forgot me. I did some cleaning in the kitchen while he was gone.
I sat at my laptop and wrote notes for my blog. I read e-mail. I started a meditation with Deepak. I realized I had forgotten to sew. I did some binding yesterday. Today I sewed a new piece of towel to the crocheted hanger. I zigzagged over another hanging towel that was getting loose at the top. I put both in the bag with the other hanging towels.
Faye called. Or did I call her? Anyway, she told me to take some genealogy sheets from a paper tube. It was easier said than done, but I took two: one for me and one for Yvonne.
Kevin came over. He made an Italian vegetable casserole. Chris went to the store for stuff to make chicken curry soup. I helped Dad go through papers on the diningroom table and recycle most of them. Faye and Kevin shared the cleaning. Kevin went to the Moose lodge to make reservations for Thanksgiving. Faye stayed here for a while, but then joined him for Cheeseburger Night.
I guided Dad to his chair at the table. Chris had a bowl of soup waiting for him. Chris ate soup too. I finished the last of the chuck, and then ate a bowl of soup. Michele called and invited Kurt to the Damour Thanksgiving. But I told her it was too late, that Kevin had already made reservations at the Moose lodge for 5.
When Dad was done eating, we put on our coats and picked up his choir stuff. He and I walked up and down the street until Gabriella arrived to take him to choir. I thanked her for taking him.
We put supper away. Chris and I watched three episodes of DS9. Then he watered the houseplants and I brushed and swished. I heard the back door open. Bobby was bringing Dad home. I spoke to him, then guided my Dad in. Dad was hungry so I got him some casserole and jujube juice. He also took his pills. I found another gift card in an envelop on the table and had him stick it in his wallet. Then I sat down to check e-mail and write my blog post for the day, if I can remember all of it.
* I'm running out of pics. My mole scab fell off on Saturday and here is the result. I guess the doctor didn't get it all. *

The new kid on the block

My sleep app rang at 6:30. I tried to go back to sleep, but then the phone alarm rang at 7:30. We got up and folded the bed back into a couch. Dad was moving around so I checked on him. I looked at the list of things to be done while we were here.
I looked up the indoor-outdoor thermometer and read about how to change the batteries so that the indoor unit would recognize the outdoor unit. Chris and I did that, and then it worked, except for the time. But there is a clock right above it, so that wasn't critical.
I tried to get Dad's printer to print copies of his master grocery list. But each time the paper jammed. He said he'd had it for 30 years and did not want to throw it away and thought he could get someone to fix it. Chris said it would cost more to fix than to buy another because printers are so much cheaper now.
I suggested we put the list on a thumb drive and take it to an office store to print. It was made in XL so Chris worked to get in into OpenOffice format.
I was supposed to drive Dad to Staples to get copies of his master grocery list. But the driver's seat would not move forward so I could reach the pedals. So Dad drove and we agreed not to tell Chris. When we got there, we went to the copier department. The lady told us it would be cheaper to do it ourselves at the up-front copier. But then someone else needed it because the other one wasn't working, so she did it for us in the back. She did not find it easy, but it would have been impossible if the file was still in XL. Dad asked for 10 copies, which she made. I paid for them, and then we checked out planners. But he did not see one he liked. Then we looked at printers. I knew nothing except what Chris told me: Dad had a parallel printer cable and there was nothing like that anymore. A clerk came along, and steered us to HP printers. She recommended a printer/copier/fax/scanner that used a special ink that was cheaper than toner and made more copies. It was on sale, so we got that plus paper, a USB cord, and an ink cartridge.
My phone died at the store just after calling Chris to make sure we got the right thing. A male clerk took the printer out to the car for us. He said it was heavy. Faye was sitting in front of the house in her car when we got home. She got the printer out of the trunk with no trouble and took it in the house. Chris lifted the old printer and took it to the living room so Faye could set up the new printer. Faye and I read the directions and install the ink. Then we came to the online part where we download the correct driver to whatever computer Dad will use with the printer. His laptop was the obvious choice. But the screen that came up was confusing to us, so we tabled the issue.
Faye and I went to Joanns. I was going to give her my birthday/Christmas list (which was written on the back of an envelop), but I brought the wrong envelop. So we went together. She bought sewing stuff that I picked out for my birthday. Then we had to leave so she could get to Kevin's doctor appointment.
I helped Dad create a grocery list from the master list, and mark which items were found at Fresh Market. Chris took pity on me and took Dad to Fresh Market. I went through the food in the fridge and threw some out, plus lots of empty bags and packages. Then I wiped it as best I could with the remaining food still in there. I wished I had more time. I started one of Deepak's meditations. But then Dad and Chris came home. They were only gone an hour.
I heated a can of coconut milk in a pan of water on the stove. I wanted to shake it up, but it was too solid. However, I forgot all about it after turning the heat on.
I found a drawer full of tea towels, not in mint condition, but pretty good and many of them were already hanging towels. I showed them to Dad. He was pleased to see them. He wanted them to go in a bag. So I shoved them into the nearest empty bag. But he didn't like that one. He looked around until he found a Redwing bag with an old shirt and another hanging towel in it. So I put them in that bag and put the old shirt on the scrap pile.
I gave Dad some jujube juice to drink. I rescued my can of coconut milk from the hot water. I opened the can and poured some in the jar of fermented milk, and left the rest to cool. I worked on replacing the towel part of one of the hanging towels. I typed up my blog post while Dad made up his pill container for the week. He had trouble telling the difference between Primidone and aspirin. I checked behind him and found that one day had two of the pink pills and another day had a primidone but wasn't supposed to. Also, the Tuesday slot was empty. He said it was a non-existent day. I asked if that was a good idea and he said he'd think about it. I asked if he should have someone check his pills every week. He said this was the first time he made a mistake. Somehow I doubt that.
I finished my blog post and prepared for bed.

Dad duty

I had a hard time getting to sleep. I was wearing earplugs and eyeshades, but I could still hear the kids upstairs. And there were people talking in the parking lot. Also, even though I put my laptop to sleep before I went to bed, it kept turning back on and the screen would light the room. I could see the light underneath the shades. I got up several times during the night to shut it down.
My sleep app went off before 7:30 CST then the phone alarm rang. It rang again at 7:30 EST, too. I tried to go back to sleep since I did not get much sleep. I dreamt about eating bananas.
Chris got up to take a shower. I drank water and prepared my breakfast. When he came out, I washed up and brushed my teeth. He went to fuel up the car. I swished and sewed a few stitches on binding. Then he came back and we ate breakfast. I turned on my computer to find out that it had updated and closed my windows. It connected automatically, but I could see there were at least 3 5g signals available. I read e-mail and listened to a podcast on kidney health.
When it was over, I realized we had 15 minutes to check out. I rushed around packing things up and making sure we had everything. I helped Chris carry the stuff to his car. Then he checked out and we got on the road.
We ran into heavy traffic in several places. That gave us more time to listen to our book on CD. We finished one and started a second one. When we were about ½ an hour away, I called Dad and then Faye but got no answer. A few minutes later, Faye called to say they had just arrived home from church.
When we parked in the driveway, William was on the back porch sweeping leaves and twigs off. Faye helped us bring our stuff inside. I talked to Faye for awhile. Chris went to the store to get steak for supper. I made a list of things to do around here. Faye left. Dad and I looked at his printer while Chris made rice, fried onions, and chuck roast. He came back to tell us supper was ready. He looked at the printer and said it was done for.
While Dad and I were eating supper in the kitchen, Patrick called from the front door. (the doorbell doesn't work.) Chris let him in. He went through recyclables and such, looking for stamps and boxtops. After he left, I put velcro on Dad's bib, and mended a pair of Dad's pants with an old shirt he gave me. Although stained, that shirt was in better condition than things i have mended in the past. I looked high and low for a good tea towel to make a pair of hanging towels from. No luck. Then I helped Dad write checks and take out the garbage.
At 10, I made kava tea. I got out my laptop to write my blog post for the day. I swished and took calc-phos. Then Chris and I made up the hide-a-bed and retired for the night.
* Golden rod flowers and gingko leaves left out to dry while we are away. *

No such thing as a silent hotel room

Chris got up at 7:30 when my phone alarm went off. He made breakfast and read e-mail. I got up to finish packing and doing last minute things like watering the plants. I also had Chris pull the tape off of my back so I could take a shower. Maybe I should have taken the shower first so the tape would come off more easily. I packed two quilts that needed binding. I would have brought Jane's quilt too, but the matching thread was not with it.
It was 10:30 or later when we had the car packed and got on the road. As he drove, I put CD's in the player. We listened to a book by Janet Evanovitch. We made one pit stop. I went to the bathroom and he got a cheeseburger. Otherwise, we shared food from the food box and the cooler.
When we got to Bristol, we stopped at a Red Roof Inn. Chris checked in and they gave us room 108. But when we got inside, the sound of traffic rushing down the interstate was loud. So Chris asked for a room across the hall – 109. It was much quieter in there.
We set up our laptops and read e-mail. I also meditated. Then someone with active children rented the room above us. The kids ran back and forth, their footfalls thudding loudly. These rooms have no carpet so there is nothing to muffle the sound. I hoped they would go to bed sooner than we did.
We watched three episodes of DS9. We had to turn off the heater so we could hear the TV. It took my mind off the kids upstairs. They settled down for awhile, then the thudding resumed. Chris went to bed and I brushed my teeth, so I could swish while writing my blog.
* This is the orphan block top that I mentioned yesterday. *

Can't beet this soda

With no phone nearby, I did not know what time it was. I got up and went to the kitchen to find that it was 6:45am. There was frost on the ground. I went back to bed with my mp3 headphones. I tried to relax and meditate.
I got up again at 7:40. I brushed and swished and sewed Chris' pants and some fabric squares. I turned on the router. While it was booting up, I typed in names of quilt books to print out labels for the newest books in the guild library. But I did not attach them.
I checked e-mail, then ate the last of the steak. My neighbor came over to return my water bottle from when I had given her sumac tea. She gave me a flyer from their church for a Christmas cantata.
I wrote my blog post for last night. I made and ate breakfast while reading more e-mail. I laid out golden rod flowers and gingko leaves to dry. Then I got dressed and went to the bank to deposit the checks Pat had given me for ordering library books. When I got back, it became such a nice day that I went for a walk, checking out the sumac trees.
After the walk, I mixed up a batch of seed crackers during the talking part of one of Deepak's meditations. I had just gotten to the silent part when Chris came home. He had things to talk about, and then I finished the meditation. I read e-mail and listened to interviews. He hard-boiled the remaining eggs for our trip. He did laundry, too. I put things in the food box. I ironed the orphan block top and took its picture. I also ironed the binding on the yellow quilt. I looked up the weather in Midlothian and Huntsville. It's going to freeze tonight but not again before we come back. So if the plants survive till tomorrow, they might make it the rest of the week.
I unpacked the box from the post office. It had 12 bottles of carbonated beet juice. I drank one and it wasn't bad at all. Chris did not want to taste it.
We folded laundry and put it away. We watched two episodes of DS9, finishing season 5 and starting season 6. Chris went to bed. I made a jar of mouthwash and swished with it. I packed the bamboo salt. I typed up my blog so I could go to bed.
* Seems like it would be dangerous to shake it. *

Cocktail hour

When I did my stretches before bed, I noticed that my right knee would not bend all the way without pain. It was like something got caught in the patella. So I worried about it as I was trying to go to sleep. I woke up around 5, feeling really cold and wondering if it was caused by fasting, so not a good idea in the winter. I snuggled up with Chris. But then his alarm went off and he had to get up for work. I pulled the infrared heating pad into bed with me and turned it on. I did some tapping and think I went back to sleep. I heard the sleep app ring and I let it go, wondering just how loud it would get. After a minute, there was another sound added to the tune that was mildly annoying. Then the phone alarm rang. So I shut them both off and got up.
I brushed and swished, and sewed another corner on the orphan block top. I brought the other Singer sewing machine to my desk to see if it ran better than the old one. It seemed very tight. I adjusted the tension and cleaned it with a q-tip. I tried the bobbin winder with the needle bar detached. The old one would heat up at that point, but this one did not. As I pulled the power cord off of one to switch to the other, I thought I heard “Dave? What are you doing, Dave? Don't touch that power cord, Dave.”
I turned on the router and boiled water for tea and nuts. I turned on the laptop but it could not find the router signal. I had to reboot the router. Then I listened to episode 9 of Healing from Vaccines. They were talking about the benefits of home hyberbaric oxygen tents.
I ate some steak and sprouts. I marked two envelops “Not at this address” and put them in the mail. I jotted some things to remember to pack. Heifer was having a 'double your donation' day, so I made a contribution in Dad's honor for Christmas. Maintenance came by to change the filter on the furnace and check the water heater. He was in and out in less than 5 minutes.
I made more spice mix. I made breakfast and ate it while listening to an interview on stress. I got dressed and threw some projects into the sewing box. Then I rolled it to the car and put it in the trunk. When I started the car, it said 'Be careful, there could be ice.' So I checked the temp, it was 33. Brrr!
I drove to quilting and parked in the grass as usual. I rolled my cart inside and set up at the table. There were not many ladies there, although some had left at lunch, and I was a little later than usual. Maybe the cold kept them away. For my first project, I sewed strips to the outside of the top of squares. Leanne came in and sat beside me. She was finishing handsewing a label on her table runner. We talked and then participated in the group discussion. Pat gave me some new library books to label. I finished the green corners on the orphan block top. I also made binding from a piece of fabric in the closet.
We all packed up at 3 and closed the blinds and turned off the lights. Rolling out to my car, the box fell off the car and the machine and fabric and quilt tops went flying. Leanne helped me pick it all up and she gave me a bungee cord to prevent it from happening again.
They went home and I went to the Alison Wellness Clinic. I was early, but they had me fill out paperwork and they mixed the solution while I was in the bathroom. Then she showed me to the IV room. There were 4 chairs and I picked one where my left arm was on a side table. She put numbing spray on the crook of my left elbow, but it still hurt when she stuck me. She did not want me to hyperventilate, or tense up, or bite my finger. But I couldn't relax and she had to take it out. She chided me for tensing up. People who are not sensitive to needle pricks just don't understand. I was hoping to have my right arm free, but it was not to be. She tried the other arm and was successful. I put on my mp3 headphones and tried to relax. I did some mental tapping and visualization. One by one, three other people came in for the IV party. Two were having weight-loss solutions and the man was having chelation. Gee, we could have sung rounds of "100 bags of IV on the pole."
My drip went pretty quickly compared to the others. When the bag was empty, she ripped off the tape on my arm (ouch!) and pulled the needle out. That part was ok. I did not feel any different for having a pack of vitamins and minerals dripped into my veins. I went to the front desk to pay. I submitted a request for the testosterone cream that the doctor had recommended. They said he would write the prescription next week and it would go to the compounding pharmacy in Florence. I did not sign up for another IV.
I braved the chill and went home. Chris wasn't there. I got the house mail and checked e-mail. There was one from Chris saying he would be late. So I brought in my machine and sewing box myself. I was hoping he would do it since there was a bandage around my right arm. I went out back and picked some dandelion. I listened to a meditation with Deepak. Chris arrived just after it finished. He showed me a small hole in his pants so I had him leave them on my sewing table. I made and ate a salad. Then I punched holes in the remaining coconut. I poured the water out and drank it. Then I put the sphere in a bag and whacked it on the floor in the laundry room. When I scraped out the meat, it was purplish. But it tasted fine so I ate it. I took selfies to see if I looked any different with all the nutrition in my system. I still didn't feel anything.
I moved my laptop to the guest room. I asked Chris to move Grandma's sewing machine to the left so I could have more room to sit there. Soon my tapping buddy was on Skype. This week we tapped for my neighbor's losing their dog to cancer. We set a new time to tap next week since Thursday will not be convenient.
Then Chris and I watched two episodes of DS9. We went to bed to cuddle. I was too tired to get up to blog and do all the pre-sleep stuff, so Chris shut off the computer and the router and I slept through the night, mostly.
* Me and a Meyer's cocktail with extra vitamin C, which is dripping into my right arm. My left arm is bandaged from a failed attempt. If there is a next time, I will bring a REAL cocktail to help with the needle stick. *

It's gonna be a cold night in Huntsville

It was almost 8 when I got up. The phone alarm had not rung. I gargled, drank, and swished twice. I sewed a corner triangle onto the orphan block center. Then I turned on the router and checked e-mail briefly. I heated water and started listening to session 8. I drank more water and threw in coffee. I sucked on some bamboo salt, and took a dose of niacin. I drybrushed and then the flush hit, which was perfect. I did my exercises and rebounded. I played three of Deepaks meditations to catch up. I turned the heat off so I could hear them.
Afterward, I finished session 8 while cleaning the kitchen and washing dishes. Then I cleaned the bathrooms, using Powerizer on the toilet bowls and tub. The Powerizer did a great job. I watered the plants which were huddled together for warmth by the front door. It was cold last night, but the only one that looked distressed was the basil plant.
I took a shower and got dressed. It was still raining. I emptied the box of jujube juice and took the box with me. I drove through the rain to the Korean clinic, arriving a minute or two late.
They were happy to see me, and thought the mole scab looked good. Dr. Grace said she would burn off another one next time. Dr. Lee wanted to work on filling out insurance forms for patients. I called the company that files the forms to get more info. But after waiting 20 minutes for a live person, I found out that she doesn't know the diagnosis codes. She told me to Google them. I asked if she had a sample sheet and she told me to Google that too. So I hung up. Dr. Lee called a friend of his who sent him a sample sheet. It wasn't exactly like our form but it was helpful. I filled in a patient form to auto-fill half of the insurance form. I wrote down how I did it. I Googled how to print screen, but the result was too small to be readable. But in trying to change the size, a drop-down menu appeared with 'Print' on it. So we did, and it worked.
Then he showed me a credit card bill with an exorbitant interest charge. I checked it out, called the company, got it paid off and the interest waived. They were both very happy. She gave me a Korean red knotted hanging decoration. He gave me a box of jujube juice and a box of onion juice packets. She taped my back, which was not happy after scrubbing the tub.
I told them I was going to visit my father next week so I would not be coming to their clinic. I showed them his picture and Dr. Lee guessed scoliosis. Dr. Grace said if he came here, she would treat him for free. I said I would pass that on.
I ran out into the rain and got in my car and drove home. Chris was still gone, even though it was dark. I brought in the mail and reparked my car after moving the trash can which was in my spot. I checked my e-mail. Chris came home soon after. One piece of mail was for our next door neighbor. He took it over there. When he got back, he showed me his new ties that the tailor made. They were not quite solid colors, but close enough that it wasn't worth it to me to make any.
While he ate his supper, I looked at my blood test results and compared them with values in articles I found online. Then we watched two episodes of DS9. Afterward, Chris went to bed. I stayed up to blog and swish.

Long and busy day

I woke up before 7:30 and got up soon after. I brushed and swished and sewed a 16-patch block. I turned on the router and assembled the ingredients for bread in the bread machine. I boiled water to soak nuts and made tea. I checked e-mail and then got dressed.
I went to quilting. Beverly and Anita were spraybasting a quilt. There was free fabric on the table. I chose a piece with numbers on it, but it turned out not to be quilting fabric. I made a pink backing for the other Beverly's quilt. I showed the first Beverly some of the projects I had brought home from Blanket Daze. She took two of them. I told Robin about the church that needed quilts for a Christmas party for abused kids and she gave me 7 from the storage room.
We were going to walk, but it was bitterly cold. So I just went home. I did not pass GO, collect $200, or pick up kimchi. I made breakfast and listened to an interview. When I had one bite left, I got a text from my neighbor. She asked if I could come over and take pictures of them and their dogs, since one has cancer and won't be around much longer. So I went over there and we talked. I took the pics in the back yard. We talked some more. I felt very badly for them and prayed for their dog.
When I got back home, I finished breakfast and the video. But then I had to jump in the car and head to church to count money. In doing so, I forgot everything I was supposed to bring. So I had to write down the donations on a blank piece of paper. Thankfully I had my phone to do the calculations. I did not have the sheet that tells me what all I need to do. But I think I remembered it all. There was a medical group doing some sort of screenings. It was a little distracting.
When the deposits were prepared, I turned on the computer and entered the data. It all added up. Then the church secretary came in and talked to me. We had a nice chat, but finally I had to tell her that the bank closed at 5. She left to oversee the medical group packing up. I printed out the reports and put everything away. Then I went to the bank.
I did make it before 5. But I had to wait in line and then the clerk was talkative. So it was after 5 when I got home. I made a salad and ate about half. Then I had to jump back in the car, this time taking everything I forgot the first time.
I went to the meeting of the modern quilt guild. On the way my masseuse called. She wanted to know if I would like to go to a Beach Boys concert. It sounded interesting but she meant tonight. So no.
I picked up a quilt that needed binding before the meeting started. Then I sat through the first 45 minutes of the meeting. I got to see all of show-n-tell so that was good. I snuck out during the budget discussion to go to my church for the stewardship meeting.
It was a good thing I went. Only the head of stewardship showed up. I was a few minutes early so I dropped off music for Jennifer and picked up the Tri-Ease. Then I put the bank bag back in the safe. Then the two of us discussed numbers and he told stories he thought were relevant. It was a little after 8 when I left.
I got home about 8:30. William had called so I called him back. He had not bought the sewing machine he told me about. He wanted my birthday list so I read him several items from it. Then Chris and I watched several episodes of DS9 from season 5.
I nearly fell asleep in bed with Chris, then got up to write my blog and do all the pre-bed routines.
* I like how she put a traditional block in a non-traditional setting. *

Getting results

Chris' phone rang at 7, and my app went shortly after. I could hear the rain on the roof and did not want to get out of bed. But I had to. I got up to brush, swish and sew a few seams. I drank water and checked e-mail briefly. Then I got dressed. I found my teacher briefcase in the garage. I removed stuff to make room for my clipboard, to keep it dry. Taking an umbrella, I headed out for the Alison Wellness Clinic.
I arrived slightly before my appointment at 8:15. But in a few minutes, another lady was shown to the back. So I waited until after 8:30. Then I was taken to a back room and told where to sit. I jotted notes to myself. Then the doctor came in with my blood test results. Basically it all looked good, except my hormones were low. And my LDL was high. Although my vit D was normal, he suggested it should be higher. He recommended a testosterone pellet or the cream. I asked questions and he answered them, even on his way out of the room to meet his next patient. I asked more questions of the lady who was taking notes for my file. I asked for a copy of the blood test results. She told me about her pellet insertion. It did not sound comfortable. I paid $50 at the front desk, then braved the rain to go home.
Chris was up and dressed. We checked the readouts on my car to see if the tires were low and they were. So I asked him to go to the dealership with me.
He drove, stopping at the gas station first. Then we went to the dealership and entered the bay. He got out to talk to the assistant. I tried to put my keys in my pouch, but the pouch was not in my purse. That meant no ID. Chris and I explained to the assistant about the tires and the difficulty with getting up to speed first thing in the morning. He made me an appointment for Tuesday after Thanksgiving to get a loaner car and leave mine there overnight so they can check it out cold. We waited while they inflated the tires. Then we went home.
I told Chris that the doctor recommended testosterone. So he shared his with me, which took longer than expected. I checked e-mail, then made and ate breakfast. I listened to part of an interview while I ate. Then I paused it. I covered my sewing cart with plastic and headed out to quilting.
I arrived in the rain. When I went in, the ladies were done with lunch, and were sewing. I set my stuff down. Carolyn said there was batting for me in the closet. I unrolled the communion banner and ironed all the pieces. I talked to everyone. But they started to leave when the rain let up. Rebecca gave me some of her scraps.
After everyone left, I had more room to cut the background of the banner and some strips for a charity quilt. I also trimmed what I put together on Saturday and got it ready for corners. Then I put everything away, packed up and went home.
I resumed listening to the interview. I picked some dandelion and made a salad. I listened to two of Deepak's meditations. I read about bioidentical hormones on several sites. I also read about sleep apps. Jennifer called and asked me to do several things tomorrow, so I put all of that together. I listened to an interview on raising chickens. I forwarded it to my tapping buddy because she raises chickens.
Finally I brushed my teeth while Chris turned on the TV. We watched two episodes of DS9. He made his sandwich and left the bread maker open for me to use tomorrow. I stayed up to blog and maybe do recyclables.
* Bertha finished this quilt top to give to the party for abused and neglected kids. *

Church business

My sleep app went off first and later the phone alarm rang. I got up soon after to brush, swish and sew the seam I pinned yesterday. I read e-mail for a bit, then took a shower and got dressed for church in my warmest dress. I played an audio while I made more flax mix. I had time to read a little more e-mail and then I put my laptop back to sleep and I went to church.
A free pecan pie came with my last NUTS.COM order. I didn't know what to do with it, so I decided it could go to church. Chris put it in my car last night so I wouldn't forget it. It was frozen this morning. When I got to the church, I was going to drop it off in the fellowship hall, but there was a Sunday school class in there. So I took it in the sanctuary and left it in a pew while I practiced with the choir. Afterward I took it to the fellowship hall and unwrapped it so it could thaw.
Don was sitting in my pew for the first time in a month (since his stroke). We greeted each other warmly. Other people came up and hugged him, too. Cecelia sat with me and we talked. Then Jennifer and Jim sang a duet and the service started.
There were lots of announcements. The pastor's sermon was about the game of tag, the concept of home base and how today's generation wouldn't understand the analogy. If you always stay on home base, you aren't really playing the game.
After the service, we all went to the fellowship hall for lunch. The tables in the kitchen held boxes of pizza. The table in the big room had three trays of fresh veggies and desserts. I filled a plate from the veggie trays, perhaps taking more than my share. I sat with Cecelia and Doris. We had a nice meal. Cecelia asked me to order her some calcium tablets and I left myself a note on my phone. After the meal, we went back to the sanctuary for the annual meeting. It was long. We approved the budget. We approved reports. We did not approve having the council negotiate with Verizon to rent them land for a cell tower. Several people spoke in favor of it, saying the towers are everywhere anyway, but no one liked the deal Verizon was offering. We know other churches with cell towers, but their deals are confidential. We voted to see how much it would cost to get a lawyer for this.
There were a lot of veggies left over from lunch. Cecelia put a bunch in a bag for me to take home. I wrapped up what was left of the pie and took it home for Chris. When I got home, I changed clothes and ate some steak. Then we went to the grocery store for the usual items.
When we got home, Chris put the groceries away while I went to harvest goldenrod before the sun set. There was a police car hiding back there by the pile of wood chips. So I harvested the yellow flowers and went home.
I picked dandelion and made salad by adding stuff from the grocery store. I read e-mail for a bit. Then I worked on the banner for church. I was auditioning border widths. I did some math, trying to get the length and width to the golden ratio.
At 8, Chris turned on the TV. As he was cuing up Netflix, I brushed and swished and brought along a cup of tea. We watched two episodes of DS9. Then he checked one of the actresses, and went to bed. I stayed up to blog, but not too long, since I have to get up early tomorrow.
* This is one of the quilts from Blanket Daze. *

Lobsterfest

About 5 I got up to turn off the computer , the router and the lights. At 7:30 I heard my phone alarm ring. Chris got ideas. He gave me a massage with coconut oil. Later, I got up to brush, swish and sew a few seams. I pinned the next seam for tomorrow morning.
I read e-mail, and watched a few videos. I saw part of the last episode of Transcendence. By then I was finished eating breakfast. I got dressed and headed to quilting.
Going through town, I counted how long I had to wait at each traffic light. It was only 20 seconds. When I got to Blanket Daze, they were sewing. I left some seed crackers on the lunch buffet and took my seat. I started working on 5 red and green orphan blocks. I 'shopped' for coordinating fabric. I cut 4 blocks and sewed them together like a nine-patch. Then I hunted for a green to make corners. I found a good piece, but it wasn't quite the right size. We stopped for lunch. Later I was able to get three good triangles out of it, but the fourth will have to be pieced.
Due to an unexpected death in the church, we had to pack up early. I looked for fabrics to go with all the projects I had picked out. Then I packed up my stuff. I helped Lynette pack up and then put lids on bins so Laura could cart them out. When it looked as though there was little else to do, I went home.
Chris was waiting for the laundry to finish. Then we went to Lobsterfest at the church next door to our church. We thought we'd park at our church and walk over there. But we were not the first to think that. Our parking lot was slap full and some parked on the grass. Ok, there was one spot by the back door. Chris parked there. I went into the church office to get some papers. Then we locked up and walked across the greenway to St. Thomas Episcopal Church. They were having Lobsterfest: food, large blow-up houses for the kids, live music and a silent auction. We went inside where the food was. Someone gave us a menu. I picked the lobster by itself, and Chris got the BBQ dinner. I walked to a lady by a computer and submitted the order. Chris paid with his credit card. Then we sat at a table covered with newspaper. When my name was called, I went to get the bag. My lobster was wrapped in packing paper and Chris' dinner was in plastic containers in a bag. He ate his dinner, saving the BBQ for last. There were sets of instructions posted on the tables showing how to open a lobster and get all the consumables out. I followed the instructions. It took me a lot longer to finish my meal than his. Afterward, we walked back to our church for his car, and went home.
Using the papers I picked up at the church, I found the error and sent an e-mail to the treasurer. Then I picked dandelion and made a salad with what fixings were left from the week. I also watered all the plants that are now nestled up against the house by the front door.
I meditated, then watched an episode of TQS. I played several games of Solitaire, trying to reach the next level. Then we watched three episodes of DS9, because the second one was a 'to-be-continued'. We dressed the bed with clean sheets, except that the coconut oil did not wash out completely. Chris went to bed and I stayed up to blog and set my sleep app.
* I meant to take pics of the guy in a lobster suit, and the instructions on the table, but it was not to be. *

Fabric, fabric, everywhere

I turned over and the app sounded, figuring I was awake. I stayed in bed for a few minutes, then got up. I brushed and swished and sewed the center seam on the patch quilt. I boiled water for tea and nuts. I drank water while reading e-mail. I watched the next episode of Transcendence and rubbed the spot formerly known as a mole with onion. I figured since the Korean doctor gave me the onions that she couldn't argue with it.
To find fulfillment, ask yourself three questions: what experiences do I want in my life, how do I want to grow, and how do I want to contribute?

I made seed crackers and hummus. I put some seed crackers in a bag to share. My sewing stuff was already in the trunk from yesterday. I reviewed the route to Holmes United Methodist in my mind: straight on Holmes until it becomes one-way and I have to turn. I go one block to the right, three blocks up, and one block to the left, then onto the church. Well, I kept looking for the intersection where I have to turn. And it never happened. Suddenly I was at the church. I guess they took out the one-way section. But, all the traffic lights were timed in the other direction, so I had to wait a full light cycle at each intersection. Grr.
I wheeled my sewing cart to the church and inside to a table. Ladies were already eating. I put out a plate of seed crackers with the rest of the food. I got myself a bowl of chili and small salad. I ate while talking to Betty and the others. When they went back to sewing, I turned in the red-white-blue and scrap quilt top. Lynette wanted me to make a backing for it. She pointed out a bolt of fabric. So I cut off a piece of the right size, folded it in with the top and put it on a stack.
Then it was time to pick a new project. Half of the fellowship hall was filled with tubs of fabric. Lynette introduced me to the fabricmeister. She showed me some sets of orphan blocks and I picked several. I searched for fabric that would go with them and settled at my machine. There were 7 disappearing 4-patch blocks. I had never made one before, but it should have been simple. I measured the big squares: 3”. I measured the small squares: 1.75” So I cut my blocks at 4.75”. I made a four-patch and cut 3” off of each side, and sewed the pieces back together in a different arrangement. But my block was half an inch smaller than the others. I took one block apart but only gained a quarter of an inch. So I sashed the two green blocks I made and sewed them in with the others. I bordered it until Lynette said it was big enough. By then almost everyone else had left. I pieced fabric until I had a backing for it, then folded them together and added it to the stack. I left my machine set up for tomorrow, as many ladies did. I picked up my crackers and went home.
When I got home, I checked the mail. The door was open and the box was empty. Hmm.
I met Chris inside. He hadn't checked the mail. But he had a box for me from the post office.
I made a salad and later had some dates. I read e-mail until 7:30 or so. Then I listened to a paraliminal. When it was over, I auditioned some borders for the quilt of squares until Chris was ready to watch TV.
We watched two episodes of DS9. I was so tired that I went straight to bed. I thought I would get up later to finish my blog, but that didn't happen.

Female surgery

I got up at 7:40. I checked out the spot and took a pic of it. It was not as red as yesterday. I brushed and swished and sewed blocks together, getting everything done but the center seam. I turned on the router and made tea for later. I read e-mail and watched the next installment of Transcendence. I made and ate breakfast. I took a glass dish of steak out of the fridge and put it in the oven to cook at 250.
I rolled my cart to the cart and put it in the trunk. I drove to Stitch_Its. I was surprised to see so few cars and surmised that some ladies had gone to lunch. But when I got inside, some were getting ready to leave. I set up by Leanne, who wanted to talk about her week. Pat gave me a check and she had stories to tell. Everyone else left. Later Rhonda came and she had stories to tell. Most stories were about having female surgeries. I used my hot flash spray several times. I let it 'accidentally' land on the spot as a sort of disinfectant. I did not get a single stitch sewn.
When I got home, it was almost 4. I pulled the steak from the oven and turned the oven off. I cut off a piece and put it in a dish. Then I went out back to pick some dandelion. Chris came home while I was out there. He had a Nuts.com package for me. I put the contents away and ate the steak. Then I made a salad and ate that. I read e-mail for a while. Then I ate some frozen watermelon and blueberries.
After that, I moved my laptop to the guest room. I tapped with my buddy for 90 minutes. She seemed pleased with the results. Then I moved my laptop back to the dining room. Chris had DS9 cued up. So I brushed my teeth. And then I sipped kava tea while we watched two episodes of DS9.
Chris went to bed and I stayed up to blog.
* All my blocks, nearly sewn together. *

Being helpful

I woke up at 6:53. I felt rested so I got up. I brushed and swished (twice) while sewing squares together. I turned on the router and queued up meditation music. I made coffee. I did my exercises, drybrushed and then meditated with Deepak. Between meditations, I brushed my hand against my face and the 'thing' partly ripped off. So I carefully pulled the last little bit. There was a bright red spot on my face. Blood wasn't dripping, but dabbing at it did produce a red spot on my tissue. I sprayed it and put a bandaid over it.
After the last meditation, I cleaned the bathrooms and the kitchen. The red spot hadn't changed so I put some ozone cream on it and replaced the bandaid. I vacuumed the dining room thoroughly, including the undersides of chairs where cobwebs like to hide. I emptied the cup of the vacuum and got all dusty. So I put the shower cap over the left half of my face and took a shower. I could wash the right side of my hair but not the left. Then I got dressed.
I jotted a few notes to my blog and then went to see the Korean doctors.
I arrived at 2. Dr. Grace took off my bandaid. She could see the ozone cream on the spot. She was a little upset with me. I asked about putting alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide or even ice on it and she said no, nothing.
Dr. Lee showed me his monthly bill for trash removal. He said it was too high and that they had so little trash that they could take it home and dispose of it. But the company said that a 2 cu yard trash bin was the smallest they had. So I called the company to see about canceling the service. The lady said it would cost $1100 + a removal fee. I got them to agree to exchange it for a residential bin and to cut the fee in half.
A patient came in and they attended to her. I walked through the back rooms and checked out the back door, which I had seen flood months ago. I asked if I could go through the door and she came with me. I looked around outside but saw nothing, so supposed the flooding was from the rain spout being overfull. I sat at her desk and wrote a letter for her about the back door. Her husband wanted me to send it to his computer. So I had to save it, but all the choices were in Korean. So I called Chris to ask which hot key was SAVE AS. And then I figured out how to save and send it.
Then he mentioned his AtnT bill, so I took a look at that, plus several months previous. I noticed that they had been getting a $25 credit per month but it was gone on the last month. So I called ATTNT and got it reinstated. Then he wanted me to help him file insurance for a patient. So we sat down to do that, but there was too much I did not remember from last week. I was tired, cold and hungry. And it was getting dark. So they tabled it until next week. They gave me a box of jujube juice, and a bag of onions to take to Chris.
When I got home, I checked the mail. Then I took the food in the house and told Chris the story. He had brought in some of the plants. I read e-mail until almost time for choir practice. I checked the weather. Then I put on a long sleeved shirt and a coat and headed out.
We sang some new songs in choir practice, mostly ones I won't be there for. Then we sang the current one up front. I may have to practice it at home. The guy behind me couldn't find the notes. On the way home, I wondered if Dad was having trouble with notes too.
Chris had DS9 cued up when I got home. I drank my tea and brushed. Then we watched 2 episodes. He went to bed, leaving me instructions to take meat from the fridge and put it in the oven tomorrow before I leave for quilting. I stayed up to blog and send Dr. Grace 'before' pics of my mole.
* This is what's currently on my sewing table. *