My troubles all started with the gophers...

 

Sunday

I got up late, not having slept well due to RLS. I went through the morning list. I had downloaded a book on curing with cayenne pepper. I worked on cutting it down to the essentials. Then I got dressed and uncovered the tomato plants. The gopher trap was sprung. I released the body of a gopher caught in the cylinder trap. Somehow I hurt my back resetting it.

I made breakfast early, then got dressed for church. Chris removed the dolly from my trunk. I took music and cheese squares to the chapel. I put cheese squares in the back and greeted a new guy. I assembled my trombone and the service started with praise songs. Chaplain did announcements. Rick read the scripture and chaplain spoke at length. Then we played two hymns.

Keli drove her son home and came back. The time to start practice came, but no one was ready. Michelle carried the boxes of bells to the fellowship hall. Sophia helped me set them up. I went out front to start band practice. Then John and Michele walked in. I assigned Elizabeth to Andrea's part since Andrea was sick.

I let John run the bells practice while I ran band practice – playing through the hymns for next week, both Thanksgiving hymns, and all the Christmas music. Then I dismissed the band and went over to the bells in the fellowship hall.

When they finished the piece they were playing, I asked who had the G and the high and low Cs and high E. Then I pointed at each one in turn to play the Jeopardy theme. It was priceless! Then we all put the bells away and cleaned up the music, stands, and table padding. John and Michele left while Michelle and I and Elizabeth talked in the parking lot.

Then Elizabeth and I went to the swap shop so she could find shelving. Jenni came in too. She wanted me to mark her Messiah music with the count. It wasn't that hard to count which made me wonder if something is wrong. But I marked it while she tried on shoes. Then we locked up and went home.

My back was hurting. Chris had leftovers set on the counter top. I filled a bowl and put it in the toaster oven. I returned Steve's call. I talked to Michelle about tomorrow. Family members signed into the game and we began to play. I ate while listening to them chat. There wasn't actually a lot for me to do. Becca came up with a plan to blow open the ice ceiling above the dragon, so I helped with that. Then Michele and John chased the dragon until they killed it.

I covered my tomato plants. Then after the game, the four of us went walking around the school and chatting. Later Chris and I went home. I fixed tea and we watched Blue Bloods. I continued working on the e-book. Then I wrote my blog and went to bed.

Sewing class

 

Saturday

I slept fairly well considering how late I went to bed. I got up around 7:30. I puttered around in the kitchen, then Chris got up and began his puttering. I worked on the morning list. He showered and went to Mass.

When he got back, he talked about going to Michele's house to help her declutter (per her previous request). I jumped in the shower so we could leave soon. But while I was soaping up, he said the trip was off because she already did her sewing room yesterday.

So we went back to our regularly scheduled Saturday morning massage. After the massage, I checked e-mail and looked for figs online. I read Yahoo's terms of service and privacy policy. I wrote them a reply that I was very dissatisfied with both.

At noon, I made and ate breakfast. Then at 1:45, I fished my sewing sample from the dryer and took my sewing tote to the chapel for Sewing Class. At first I was alone as I set up the room. I texted Saronna and soon their car arrived and all the kids piled out.

As I helped them choose fabrics for their chenille pumpkin, Molly arrived. She wanted to help, so I asked her to oversee the rotary cutting. She helped Moira while Sophia cut out all of Wilhelm's pieces. Then Sophia cut her own pieces while I had Wilhelm trace and cut out a pumpkin shape. From there, they each covered their pumpkin in diagonal lines and sewed over them onto the background. Then they cut between the lines to create chenille.

Wilhelm finished first and ran off to play. Then Moira finished and finally Sophia and I were left. She seemed more interested in talking than in sewing. But she finished by 4. Her dad took them all home. I neatened things up a bit and headed home myself.

I stopped at the post office for mail and got a package of teas. I changed into jeans and went to 607 to rip out the garden. I filled a leaf bag with zucchini and cucumber plants. I also amassed a pile of small zucchini, some were a little soft. I took the bag to my garden and emptied it. My squash plants looked ragged, but I covered them anyway against the cold.

When I got home, Chris was cooking supper. He went to pick up Michele. When he got back, the three of us had supper together. At 7 I went back to the chapel for Project Night. No one was there, so I started packing up from Sewing Class. Then Casey arrived with Cedric. He brought me pomegranates from Cosco. I paid him. Then we chatted for quite some time. I cut some green and red paper to take home for craft practice, then packed up. We all walked out together. I locked the doors and we headed home.

I was going to call Steve (who keeps calling when I am in class), but Chris wanted to fold laundry. So we did that. Then I made tea and we watched Blue Bloods. I worked on my blog and we made the bed. I downloaded an e-book on cayenne cures and started reading it. Then went to bed.

Prompting Gemini to write a song

 

Friday

I got up soon after 7:30. I started the morning list, whipped up a batch of cheese squares and popped them in the oven. I finished the morning list, then got dressed and took some of the cheese squares to the chapel.

I opened the chapel and the Clark kids showed up. Saronna had a math game of cards that go in stacks. So we set up 4 topics. The kids went through each pile once, placing each card in the appropriate stack. Then they got a snack. By 10, they were finishing up the piles. Then the kids left. Saronna and I talked for awhile. I checked the lights and restrooms, then locked the doors. We talked outside for a bit, then went home.

I worked on making leaves for the pumpkin block, photographing it, then posting an announcement for the class. I read e-mail. I made and ate breakfast. I wrote down a grocery list. We went to the commissary to get what they had. Then we went to Tooele for the rest. We shopped at all the usual places and came back to the base.

Chris unpacked the groceries while I laid down. But I couldn't sleep. I checked the gopher traps. No gophers.

I pulled up the lyrics that Michelle got from Chatgpt last week. I started to tweak them. Chris made supper. I ate while tweaking. I messaged back and forth with Kurt. He used Gemini to make music and lyrics. It sounded good, but the syllables were not right. He did it again. I sent him the lyrics I tweaked. But Gemini changed them and wrote a song.

Finally it was time to prepare for Game Night. I made tea and picked some greens for Michelle. I stopped at the swap shop to lock it at Shelly's request. When I arrived at Michelle's house, she was decorating for Christmas. We talked for awhile before calling up the game. I was stuck for some time. Finally I figured it out and played forward.

I got to a place where Indy was on a ledge. Some bug in the game was nudging him off the ledge and he fell in the lava. I had coded him for invincibility so he didn't die, and the game would not let me exit and start over.

I handed the keyboard to Casey and he inadvertently hit Quicksave. So, after he got the game put right, I had to start the level all over again. So this time, he agreed to do the jumps for me. I almost got back to where I started before I realized how late it was. I saved and exited the game. I thanked him and went home.

Chris was already in bed. I worked on my blog, then went through my evening ritual.

Picking more green cherry tomatoes

 

Thursday

I got up before 7:30. I finished a Sudoku puzzle and worked on the morning list. I threw laundry in the washer because I needed to wash the chenille pumpkin sample. I filled a bottle with water and minerals. I set a tub and coffee grounds by the front door.

At 9, I took my Bible and all that stuff to the ACS building. Keli pulled up beside me and I gave her the tub and the coffee grounds.

I went inside to Bible Study. Jenni came in a minute later, followed by Eryne and her daughter. Karen led the Bible Study. She read about Mary and the rest of us looked up the verses mentioned in the reading. Then we compiled a list of prayer requests. After praying, we talked about having Bible Study in the evening next week and I agreed to make bread since Eryne could not. We discussed caroling from a trailer like we did last year. Then we headed out and got called into Emily's office to further discuss caroling and having a bonfire later.

Finally Eryne followed me home. I showed her my quilt rack. She thought it might work for her mother to make a tied quilt. We also discussed high loft batting. Then she left. I went to the commissary for milk to feed my ferments. The cans of goat milk I was going to use were not right. So when I got back, I fed my ferments and put them in the dehydrator to grow. I checked the gopher trap and shook out the gopher caught in it. Carrots work so well as bait.

I made and ate breakfast. I jotted notes for my blog. I watched The Highwire. I set both gopher traps in the sunny side yard, each with a piece of carrot.

I went to the garden and picked hundreds of green cherry tomatoes. It was unbelievable since I picked as many last night – all from the same bush. I packed more mint around the squashes.

When I got home, I searched for flicker rates for LED vs incandescent. Turns out it is very complicated. Then after Retreat sounded, I went outside to rake leaves from the curb for my garden. I filled a 5 gallon bucket several times. I went inside.

Chris came home with his Thursday pizza. I worked on e-mail, and watching ornament videos. I made and ate supper. Later I heated tea and we watched Blue Bloods. I went back to watching ornament videos while listening to some podcasts. Then we got ready for bed.

Picking lots of green tomatoes before the freeze

 

Wednesday

I got up before the alarm. Chris left for work. I prepared for coffee morning.

I cleaned the bathrooms and kitchen. I washed dishes and lots of spoons. I cleaned the floors. I read online for a bit, then went in the steam tent for 20 minutes. I took a shower and spread vitamin C on my face. I laid down to let it dry. 

 I checked e-mail and someone messaged me wanting to drop off a futon at the swap shop. So I got dressed and drove to the post office. I opened the door and Eryne walked up. So we chatted. Emily walked by and checked out the other swap shop room. Then Veronica arrived with the futon. She and her son put it in the furniture room and arranged things around it. After she left, I finished talking to Eryne and then gave Emily my full attention. When we were done chatting, we both left. I went home.

I mixed some yogurts with pumpkin seeds. After eating that, I made egg salad and ate that, too. I deleted a bunch of e-mail and read others. I started watering the plants. I checked the gopher trap – it had not been sprung so I concluded that it was set the wrong direction in the tunnel. I placed it the other way and dropped part of a carrot in the hole.

I went to the garden to get the other trap. It had not been sprung either. Jack was tending what was left of his garden. We chatted, then I picked all my cherry tomatoes so they won't freeze. I put handfuls of mint over the remaining squash.

I went home. It was too dark to set the trap from the garden. I laid out the tomatoes to ripen. Chris made his supper and ate it. I got online to look at supplements and grow lights for vertical gardens. Somehow I ended up looking at Christmas crafts made of toilet paper rolls.

I worked on my blog. I made tea. We watched an episode of Blue Bloods. I went back to watching ornaments being made from tubes. Chris went to bed, and later so did I.

Metronome: mechanical vs digital

Tuesday

I got up before 7:30 because of the daylight coming into the room. While I was in the bathroom, Chris took his shower and went to work. I checked the old computer and its hard drive check was at 2%. Sigh. I went through the morning list. I cleaned up the floor where the layers of the tower garden had lain. It did not freeze overnight after all. I set up mirrors around the tower garden.

I got out my metronome (an old one like Grandpappy had). The weight had come off and there was a piece missing. So I looped some thread through the holes and tried to tie it on. That gave me a syncopated beat. I played each of the 4 parts to a hymn listening to the beat. I decided that the tablet would work better. But it wasn't charged. So I plugged it in.

I listened to something online while chopping up cherry tomatoes for dehydrating. I opened a can of goat milk and put it in the dehydrator with the tomatoes to ferment.

I made and ate breakfast. Later I walked to the post office for mail. When I got back, I looked for another watch battery but we didn't have any of that size. I looked at videos of how to connect batteries in series.

I went to check the garden at 607. There was nothing to pick. Then I went to my garden and picked tomatoes. The squash was not ready. I reset the gopher trap there, then went home and set one in the shady side yard.

I raked leaves and dumped them in the spare trash bin. At 5, I went inside to read online. I watched videos on recharging watch batteries. Chris came home and made supper. I kept reading as I ate supper. We discussed my hypothesis that the kitchen lights are disrupting my sleep. I was considering moving my computer but there is no good place for it. Chris said he could mostly do without the overhead lighting in the kitchen.

The hard drive was at 5%.  Then I made tea and we watched Blue Bloods. Later he went to bed. I stayed up to catch up on messages, then I got ready for bed. Suddenly I remembered my blog and got up to write it before going back to bed.

Anticipating the first freeze

 

Monday

I got up around 7:30, having slept just ok. I got up to start the morning list. I was doing Sudoku when Chris left for work. I went through the list and did a few other small errands. I posted for band. I entered hours in the VMIS system, but the fields went blank after each posting.

The old computer was still doing Startup Repair. I looked it up and one advice was to restart the computer from a bootable device. However it never gave me the chance to hit F12. So it went to Windows, but never completed that start. I had to restart again.  I made up supplements for the week.

I made and ate breakfast and read e-mail. I walked to the post office for the mail. Someone left a chair in front of the swap shop, but I didn't have my keys to open the door. I chose hymns, then went to the library to return the books on CD and to make a large copy of a hymn. Afterward, I went to the garden and pulled up two onions – one had been chewed on.

I made onion soup in the toaster oven. I blew and raked leaves in the side yard, then ate supper. I researched candidates and filled out ballot.  Chris opened my watch and I dug out the battery.

I went to the chapel. Sophia was waiting. We set up the bells, sort of. I texted Jenni, then started playing with Sophia. Keli had to work at the commissary. We played till Jenni came, then continued playing until and after Andrea arrived. Finally I said we should do bells just the three of us, and that's when Michele and John arrived.

I gave John my ballot to take to town tomorrow. Then we all went to the fellowship hall and got the bells situated where people wanted them. I played the same bells as Jenni, only an octave higher. We went through both songs, several times. We called it quits around 8 and packed up. We agreed to meet at 2:15 on Sunday to practice. They left and Jenni and I followed a bit later, making sure all the lights were off and the door locked.

When I got home, Chris had the tower garden levels scattered on the dining room floor. He apologized for the tomato that did not survive the trip. We stacked it back together and put it in front of the window. I checked the old computer. It had only completed one percent of whatever it has been doing all afternoon and evening.

I worked on my blog. I made tea and we watched an episode of Blue Bloods. The DVD was a little messed up but we got through it. I took the evening supplements and read online. Then I got ready for bed.

All Saints Day

 

Sunday

I got up late after having slept really well. How late, you ask? Before or after the time change? Both my laptop and my old 4g phone (in airplane mode) agreed it was close to 9. The stove and the microwave thought it was close to 10.

It was raining heavily. I went through my morning list. I got my cleaning hours tracker up to date.

I practiced some Christmas music. I scrubbed 4 burner bowls and put them in the dishwasher. I washed a ton of spoons, then made a bowl of yogurts and ate it. I worked on the old computer, then made and ate breakfast.

I got dressed for church. I took cheese squares and a zucchini with me. I arrived at the chapel and put the cheese squares in the back. I greeted the guest pastor, then assembled my trombone and warmed up in the sewing room.

Soon after I got back, the service started with three praise songs. Then Pastor Jeff gave his sermon. Then Keli and Jenni and I played two Reformation hymns. And the service was over. I spoke to a young man who came with the pastor. I gave the zucchini to Keli. I spoke with Bryce at length. Then I took the cheese squares and my trombone and went home.

I brought in the pomegranates and cranberries from last night. I cleaned the produce drawer and put them in it. I made a batch of liquid laundry soap. Michelle called and invited me over for a potato casserole. So I finished up the soap and washed the rice container from last week. I took it with me to Michelle's house.

When I got there, I gave her $20 for the fruit. We sat down with bowls of potato casserole, then prayed and ate. When I mentioned how well I slept last night, she gave me the bottle of mushroom drops that she had me sample yesterday.

We talked of writing a song for the swap shop. So she turned to ChatGPT and got it to write lyrics to several well known tunes. I found it difficult to imagine those words to those tunes. The verses were sometimes dumb, sometimes spot on and sometimes funny. It was interesting that she never mentioned Dugway in the prompts but the AI put it in the song.

Hours later, I went home. I rebooted the old computer again. I read messages and e-mail. I changed into my nightgown, then realized I had forgotten the mushroom drops. I called her and she said she would bring them over after her workout. Oddly enough, she arrived at the same time as Chris did. So they spoke briefly, then she left.

Chris set his laptop back up and changed the clocks.  I made tea and we watched an episode of Blue Bloods. Then Chris went to bed while I worked on my blog.

Hot chocolate for Halloween

 

Saturday

It was a long long night. I had a hard time getting to sleep, worrying about Isadora. Then, as I lay on my side, something happened in my hip – like it went out of joint. I could no longer lay on my side – either side. Fearing it would swell and prevent me from getting out of bed in the morning, I went to the bathroom to get my walker and I went to the kitchen to get the curcumin capsules and my phone. I swallowed the capsules and put the phone by my bed, just in case. I'm not sure I slept after that.

I got up after 8:30. I worked a Sudoku puzzle, then brushed my teeth and walked to the kitchen without the walker. The hip still hurt, but was not swollen. I started my morning list, not sure how far I would get.

I got through all of it, surprisingly. I told myself I had a free day, but my mind came up with things to do. I emptied my vacuums and gathered up all the sponges. They went into a bucket of hot water, soap, and bleach. I put all the cleaning cloths and mop heads and dusting pads in the washer. It wasn't a full load, so I added some fabric and a pillow case. I emptied my purse and wallet and neck pouch. Those went in as well. Then I ran the washer. I folded the king-size sheets already in the dryer, and put them away.

I made and ate breakfast. I turned on the old computer. I cleaned the laundry room. I folded the cleaning cloths when they came out of the dryer. I rebooted the old computer and this time hit F12 at the right time. It booted from the CD. But I could not find the programs that John suggested I run.

I raked all the gopher mounds so I will be able to identify new activity. I looked high and low for the Halloween toys from last year, but I could not find them.

I went to 607 to check that garden. I came away with a spaghetti squash, a zucchini, and a small lemon cucumber. Then I went to pick my garden. I got lots of cherry tomatoes. The squash were not big enough to pick. I set a gopher trap. Casey was working in his garden and came over to chat and see if I was coming over later.

When I got home, I put the cherry tomatoes and squash in the window to fully ripen. I made and ate supper. I updated my list of cleaning jobs. I took a shower. I put on some garb. I called Michelle to see if she had any blue eye shadow, but she didn't. She told me to call Isadora. So I did. She offered me gold eye shadow and that went with my outfit.

I had a few last things to do. Then I went over to Michelle's house. She had tables set up in front of her house. She was warming chocolate milk on a portable gas stove. Chairs and a firepit were off to one side. Isadora painted a gold crescent moon on my forehead.

I joined Michelle in handing out cups of hot chocolate. She sent her husband off for more milk. After adding milk, she added Mexican chocolate discs, which dissolved in the milk over time.

Lots of kids came, as did their parents. Finally the crowd thinned out. Saronna walked over and we sat around the fire and talked. Eventually Casey put all the chocolate, syrups, and whipped cream cans away. He took down the tables, too. Saronna left and the rest of us went inside.

Michelle called up the game for me. We talked a bit and she went to bed, as did the kids. Casey stayed up on his computer. I loaded the game and tried the exit again. That brought up the screen where Indy can buy more ammo. But the game was not cooperating. Casey helped, and we got through it. Then Indy was in a new place. But he was agonizingly slow. I got the block moved, but he could not jump from it to a ledge. I was going to save it and exit, but the last keystroke kept repeating over and over. Casey had to shut the computer down to stop it. Then we had a time getting the game back at a point AFTER buying ammo. I played then, for some time, following the notes I had from last night.

Around 10:30, I saved and shut it down. I thanked Casey and headed to my car. He had left pomegranates and cranberries on my trunk. I would have paid him then but I had taken all the money out of my purse earlier. I put them in my front seat and headed home. I worked on my blog, then got ready for bed.

Cleaning a day early

 

Friday

I got up at 8. I went through the morning list. I got dressed, took cheese squares from the fridge and went to the chapel for Math Morning.

The Clarks were waiting for me. Saronna had math cards. She separated them into piles of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. She placed the piles on a table. We adults sat around another table with veggies, fruit, mushrooms and cheese squares. Each child picked up one card from each pile and brought them to an adult. The kids would give their answers and the adult verified them. Then the kid could pick something from the food table. It was a little tough for Jedediah who is only 5.

At 10, we packed up. We chatted a little more, then went home. I made a grocery list, then stopped by the post office on my way to the commissary. I shopped for a few groceries and went to Shelly and got my hair cut.

I went home and put away the groceries. I made and ate breakfast, read e-mail.

The rain came down hard and the winds were strong. But eventually it died down to a dull rain. I packed bathroom cleaners in my car, along with a jar of yogurt andwent to Tina's house. This was in lieu of Saturday. I cleaned her bathrooms and dusted some shelves. We chatted and she gave me a shot of an Irish whiskey. It wasn't Bailey's but it was very good.

On my way home, I stopped and locked the swap shop. At home, I ate fiber gel and pulled up the gopher traps. I got one gopher. I did several Sudoku puzzles. I made supper from leftovers and a zucchini. I listened to a podcast on the benefits of laetrile. I prepared for Game Night. I worked on my blog. I posted Matthew's pics of furniture he wanted to sell.

I put some cheese squares in a baggie and went to Michelle's house for Game Night. They were not having a good night because Isadora was furious with them. However, I played the game while Michelle watched. I eventually finished the level and was given the opportunity to buy more ammo for the next level. I guess I did it wrong and the whole thing froze. Casey had to restart the computer. Since I hadn't saved it, I had to start over from the last save from last week.

Michelle and I talked about how the therapist at school left because it was only a part time position and now none of the kids have her to talk to when they have personal problems.

I re-played the game to the next level. I saved it just before walking Indy through the exit. Then the game froze up again, but now I think I know what keystroke the game is expecting. It was 11pm, so I thanked them and went home.

Halloween party at the senior center

 

Thursday

I awoke early and could not get comfortable or go back to sleep. Finally I took a Moon Drop and then went to sleep. But when the alarm went off at 7:30 I was not ready to get up. I made myself get up at 8. I went through the morning list. I added milk to my yogurts, and made a quart for Tina.

I went to Bible Study and we read through part of the book Water from the Well. We chatted and prayed. Jenni talked me into agreeing to go to Tooele Senior Center with her. I went home to pack a lunch. Then she came to pick me up.

She was dressed up like Sally from The Nightmare before Christmas. Other people at the Senior Center were dressed up too, but many were not. I had to fill out a paper in order to attend. We sat down for lunch and talked to our table mates until they brought out plates of food. I did not partake. I had brought hardboiled eggs, cashews and cherry tomatoes. After eating, we went to look at the tables of wares for sale. There was some cool stuff. All I bought was a crocheted scrubbie for my sink. I had a nice chat with the gentleman that made butterflies out of stone.  I also asked about quilting or sewing groups, but they didn't have any.

Later we went to Melanie's. They still didnt have chamomile flowers. I bought something from the outdated pile. We went to a station to add air to Jenni's tire. I feel like I did it right, but the tire did not fill. Then we went to the pharmacy to pick up salve. We chatted on the way back to base.

Passing Headquarters, we saw nothing was set up for the event this afternoon. She dropped me off at home. I checked e-mail quickly. Then I went to Housing to turn in the key to 203. Jack gave me some small pumpkins and a butternut squash. I told him his carrots were magic and netted me two gophers.

I went to my garden, picked some cherry tomatoes, turned the water back on, and dumped bad water down some gopher holes. I went to the post office for mail, then to the gym to give Davis his share.

I went home. I reset the gopher traps and brought in the recycling bin. I put on The Highwire and made tea. It was their 500^th episode so there were lots of flashbacks.

I made breakfast for supper, but it didnt put my day back on track. I listened to a book on CD in the dark bedroom, hoping to fall asleep. I may have dozed for a few minutes.

I watched two episodes of something called Best Medicine on Netflix. I did 10 minutes of red light before bed, then realized I forgot my blog. I did my blog, put the last of the yogurt away, and went to bed.

The Pennsy Dutch case

 

Wednesday

I got up after the second alarm. I rinsed the sprouts, then prepared for Coffee morning. I noted that the old computer had a blank screen instead of the defrag process I was expecting.

After meditation and tapping, I took niacin. I cleaned the bathrooms and kitchen, unloaded the dishwasher, and washed dishes. I read outside for bit, then prepared the sauna. I steamed for 20 minutes, showered, and made vit C face cream and covered my face.

I laid down to listen to a book on CD. The phone rang: a man wanted to get into the swap shop, so I told him 4 because a lady had already booked an appointment for 4.

I listened some more, then got dressed and went to inspection at 203. I passed inspection and we chatted a bit. Then I went home to load a dolly in my car.

I went to the swap shop and unlocked it, but no one came. So I headed home. At the corner, I saw the man drive past me. So I turned around. I parked then unloaded the dolly. He used it to carry bins into the shop. We put most of it on the shelves so he could take the bins home. Then I followed him home to give him a cleaning quote. He mentioned furniture to sell so I took a pic. We chatted, we loaded a table into the back of his car, then returned to the swap shop. After putting the table in the furniture room, I locked the doors. We talked some more – he is Pennsy Dutch – we both went home.

I got home about 5:30. I made and ate yogurt. Chris came home from work. I ran back out to scrub a drain that the inspectors thought was subpar. After I got back, Chris took a suitcase over to John and Michele. I ate some eggs, then went out back to check the gopher traps which I had baited with Jack's smallest carrots. Both contained gophers. I emptied the traps, but it was too dark to reset them.

I worked on my blog. I went to the chapel to help Michelle sew a costume for her son. It took over an hour and I did most of the sewing. Jenni called wanting me to go to the senior center with her tomorrow. I told her I was not in the mood. Partly because the lady never showed up and when I texted her she said 'sorry I forgot.'

When I got home, I made tea and we watched Blue Bloods. Chris went to bed and I stayed up to read messages.

Working on the old computer

 

Tuesday

I got up at 8, having not slept as much as I had hoped. After some Sudoku, I went through the morning list. I listened to part of series on soil health. It contained directions to making a nuruk cake – fermented grain for soil health.

I plugged up the old tower to the power strip, plus the mouse and keyboard and monitor. I looked up a video on Youtube to show me what to do. I downloaded Hirons boot CD and Rufus. I used Rufus to write the Hirons file to a thumbdrive. Then I put the thumbdrive in the old computer and turned it on.

I reset the gopher traps while waiting for it to boot up. I chose Windows from the menu and hit enter, then set the timer for 5 minutes. I jotted notes on my blog. I checked again, and it said it was loading Windows, but that lasted for 10-20 minutes, then the screen went dark.

I made and ate breakfast. I got the computer up and booted from the drive. I walked to the post office and came home with a package. I went to the commissary for kombucha, then to Housing to schedule an inspection for 203.

I went to 607B to pick the garden. But Janet and Molly were sitting outside next door so I stopped to talk to them. Jack rode up and we talked to him as well. I followed Molly to her house to see the flowering plants she inherited. Then I picked the garden at 607 and went to my garden. I picked tomatoes and put water down a gopher hole.

When I got home, I ate fiber gel. I saw the computer was still defragging. When Chris came home, he fixed supper for us both. I ate while listening to a podcast labeled “No - War is not good for the economy”. I jotted notes for my blog. I made tea. We watched an episode of Blue Bloods. Chris and I both went to bed. I got up in the middle of the night to put the house to bed.

Scoby snacks

 

Monday

I got up at 8, having gotten up earlier and tried to go back to sleep. I went through my morning list. I checked e-mail and posted an announcement to Facebook for band and bells practice. I made tea to feed the scoby. It was way too big so I pulled it apart to find the strongest layer. I put that back in the jar and cut the rest into pieces which went into the dehydrator.

I made and ate breakfast. I read e-mail and checked messages. I went to the post office, but there was no mail. I proceeded to the library for an enlarged copy of a hymn. Then I went to 203 to finish up and get all my cleaning stuff out. I stopped at the swap shop to drop off a few things he left behind.

I put leftovers in the toaster oven. I re-set the gopher traps. I ate supper, then went to the chapel for band practice. Keli couldn't make it because she was needed at the club for troop feeds. I set up for bells, then Jenni and Sophia and I played through hymns for Sunday, for Thanksgiving and for Christmas.

When John and Michele arrived, I dismissed the band. Only Sophia left. Jenni wanted to play bells. So I gave her the part I played last week. We got out more boxes of bells, then got them situated in place. They were not in order which really through me off. We played through 790 until it went ok. Then we practiced 794. I pulled out the really high B and C to demonstrate for Jenni how it was supposed to sound. They agreed it was a nice addition.

After an hour, we packed up and turned off the lights. I followed John and Michele to my house. There, they picked up all the bags of glass recycling. I gave John money for helping to clean. Then we all chatted for a bit and they went home. Michele wanted to get started on a cranberry pear pie.

I made tea and watched Blue Bloods with Chris. He went to bed and I read e-mail and messages until I remembered my blog. Then I jotted notes for that and went to bed.

Praying for Boone

 

Sunday

I got up at 9, having been awake most of the night. For whatever reason, none of my RLS tricks worked for long. It was as if RLS was trying to make up for being absent all week.

I went through the morning list. I made more breakfast mix and the supplements for the week. I also made cheese squares. Then it was time for breakfast and to get ready for church.

When I got to the chapel, I dropped off the cheese squares in the back. I went up front to set down my handbag and music bag. I heard the kids playing in the back of the sanctuary and it reminded me to go back there and remove the xylophone toy. I hid it in the sewing room under fabric.

I talked to Diane and Jenni. Chaplain started the service with praise songs. We prayed for Boone and Jamie. He is in the hospital with cancer and all his family was there. We the band (though Keli didn't come) ended it with hymns. Diane tried to play the piano part. Then Chaplain followed the hymns with a prayer.

John came over to talk to me and we talked of many things. Lastly, I asked him about my Windows 7 computer. He told me to download Hirans boot CD, put it on a thumb drive and boot up the computer from that. It sounded so simple.

I went to Jenni's house and she gave me eggs. Then I went to Michelle's house and Casey gave me kimchi fried rice.

Then I went home to discover Chris was already home from Virginia. I changed my clothes. I ate the last grapefruit while watching a video on Hirans. I watered all my plants at home. I went to the garden to check for squash and to water the outer tomato plant. Then I sat in the sun till 5.

I signed into the game and the others were soon there. We only chatted a bit before getting into the game. Our intrepid explorers bought updated gear in the city, then picked up a dragon friend and headed to a fight. We fought giants on wyvern and dispatched them all. But they were only the advance guard.

After the game, I worked on my blog and made tea. We watched an episode of Blue Bloods. Chris went to bed but I stayed up to read.

Shampooing carpets and mowing the lawn

 

Saturday

I got up around 8. I went through the morning list and started the parasite protocol. I listened to something online while I filled capsules with slippery elm bark. I washed things too small for the dishwasher, then scrubbed carrots from Jack's garden. I made a place for a sweet potato in a sunny spot. But I wasn't strong enough to bring it inside.

I made and ate breakfast. Later I vacuumed and shampooed the high traffic areas of the carpet. I took a break to read, then went out to mow the back yard. I took another break and put supper in the toaster oven. I went back out to mow in the side yard. When I smelled something cooking, I ran inside. Supper was done. I ate and read online. Then I put the mower and the gas can away. I returned Chris' call. He was going to bed early to get up at 4am for his flight home. Then I took a shower.

I stopped by the post office for the mail, then went to open the chapel. I found my chenille pumpkin craft and got out the sewing machine to work on it. Then Casey and Michelle arrived. While I was talking to them, Jenni came. Casey put up Tetris and I played until Jenni needed help with the sewing machine. Then Michelle played the game. Later I played another round, ending at level 8. Jenni left. I talked to Casey and Michelle till after 9. Then we packed up and went home.

I heated tea, then worked on my blog. I watched the last episode of Call the Midwife. So sad. I got ready for bed and put on the first CD of a different book. It was also too loud so I had it playing in the bathroom, but I couldn't make out all the words. I was still awake when it finished.

Finishing the carpets at 203.

 

Friday

I got up at 7:30, having been awake for some time. After Sudoku, I went through the morning list. I took out the reuteri that had been fermenting since Wednesday night. I put ingredients in the bread machine and pressed the 'dough' setting, Then I went to the chapel for Math Morning. Saronna brought an equation game that was like Scrabble. Near the end of our hour, the chaplain came in to see what we were doing and talk about some new policies.

Afterward, I went to the post office, then home. I made a grocery list and went to the commissary. When I got back, I formed rolls from the dough and put them in the oven to rise. I emptied the old yogurt jars, then filled clean jars with milk and fresh inoculate. I put them in the dehydrator to multiply. I ate some of the old yogurt.

I made made and ate breakfast. I moved some tomato plants to a sunnier spot. I went to 203 to open the door. I helped Isadora to carry the TV to the beauty shop as Steve had promised it to the beautician. I took Isadora home to change. I went back to 203 to clean windows and furniture and baseboard. After awhile I texted John who said he was on his way. But then Isadora showed up. She worked in the bathroom. Later John arrived. He moved furniture and I swept and shampooed where it used to be. Later he put the shampooer in my trunk and went home.

Isadora and I stayed to finish the bathroom, then we carried stuff down to my car and I took her home. I turned off the water at the garden. Maybe that's why the squash are rotting on the vines? I also dug out a bunch of thistles.

I put leftovers in the toaster oven with an egg on top. I went through all the pea sprouts to separate the good from the bad. I ate my meal with some of the rolls I made. I worked on my blog and listened to Highwire Plus interview. Isadora wanted her money, so I worked on dividing up the funds for my helpers. I put the money in envelops, then prepared my drink and went to game night.

I talked to Michelle's mom who was visiting. I paid Isadora for cleaning and Michelle for the pomegranates which she picked up from WalMart today. I played the game, frustrated about not being able to go from the water to the ship. I tried every two-key combination I could think of and finally one of them worked. I played till 11. I said goodbye to her mom as Casey carried my computer tower out to the car. I drove home, spent some time in the bathroom. I put away the rolls. I jotted notes for my blog and put on the next CD and went to bed.

Curcumin for the win

 

Thursday

I got up at 8. I had a hard time moving due to pain in my back from the squatting exercise. I took two curcumin capsules. I went through the morning list, except for exercise and practicing. I packed my Bible and a bottle of water.

I drove by the church to see if anyone had gone there. Nope. Then I went to the kids room at ACS for Bible study. Eryne walked in with me. Karen, Jenni and Wendy were already there. We discussed the chapel, then read the last chapter of Genesis and discussed it. We prayed and went on to discuss other things. Then we left.

I stopped by the post office to return a package from yesterday that I had opened before discovering it was not mine. I went to 207 to make sure it was ready for inspection. That took half an hour and I found a corn chip.

I went home for breakfast and to watch The Highwire. I paused it at 12:50 to attend inspection. Bobbie noticed that the ceiling of the microwave had spots. I don't know how I missed that. I wiped them up. We all signed the papers, then stood around discussing this and that. Then I went back home to finish The Highwire.

I spent the afternoon clearing e-mail and reading messages. I looked up squash soup recipes. Then I went to my garden to look for squash and to 607 to look for zucchini. Finally I went to 203 to vacuum and shampoo the carpet that was showing. That took almost 2 hours. I went home to have supper and read online. I worked on my blog and made tea. I watched Call the Midwife. I got ready for bed and put on the next CD. Eventually I fell asleep.

Making yogurt fresh from the package

 

Wednesday

I got up after 8, trying to sleep late because I woke up early. Actually, I didn't get much sleep at all due to an unusually persistent case of RLS. And the CD got stuck again.

After the usual coffee morning, I put laundry in the washer.  I cleaned both bathrooms and the kitchen.  I washed dishes, vacuumed and mopped floors. I had planned on mowing, but then it rained.

I read e-mail and messages, then sat in the steam sauna for 20 minutes.  I took a shower, made a vit C cream and applied it to my face.  While it dried, I checked Facebook.  I got dressed, mixed some yogurts and added leucine and pumpkin seeds.  Later I folded laundry and put it away.

I went to the library to get more copies of music for bells, and to return the book which was falling apart. Melissa thought she could fix it.  When I got home, I researched supplements and put together an order. I mixed up a new batch of reuteri yogurt, put it in the yogurt maker. I called Chris and we talked for a few minutes, then he went to bed.

I made tea and listened to a podcast on think tanks. I worked on my blog. I watched an episode of Call the Midwife. I got ready for bed and removed the mirrors from the bedroom. I put on the next CD. This time the player was in the bathroom so it was a little quieter. Then I went to bed and slept rather well between visits to the bathroom.

Finishing up with 207

 

Tuesday

I got up at 8, having awoken early and not gone back to sleep. I think I fell asleep last night listening to the book on CD, because it got stuck on a loud sound and I woke up to turn it off. I went through the morning list. I made rice with leftover vegetable juice, then sorted papers in my music bag,

I cleaned at 207, getting ready for John to come over and move furniture. I went home at noon for breakfast and e-mail. I fell asleep briefly. When I woke up, I texted John.

I went to 203 to clean, but then he texted back. So I went down to the parking lot to meet him. I asked him to carry the carpet cleaner up to 207. Then he moved the furniture in the bedroom to one side. I vacuumed and shampooed while he did the same to the livingroom, then I moved to the livingroom and he moved the bedroom furniture to the other side. And so it went. Then I asked him to do the same in 203 while I finished up 207. I moved the vacuum and shampooer to 203 before I left.

It was after 5, so I went to check my garden, then home. I ate fiber gel, then checked messages. I put steamed vegetables in the toaster oven. When they were hot, I added some other things. I ate as I listened to a presentation on menopause.

Near the end, Chris called and we talked for a bit. Afterward, I pieced puzzles online while listening to other short videos. Finally I worked on my blog, made tea, then watched Call the Midwife.

I put the next CD in the player and did my before-bed stretches, then retired for the evening.