Block of the month

I got up when phone alarm would not shut off. It doesn't usually do that. I swished, and read e-mail. I listened to some tapping audios. I collected the trash in the bathrooms and took it out to the trash can. I listened to an audio on how to use Google hangout and other ways to get noticed (business-wise) while I exercised and juiced. I meditated. I made breakfast and ate most of it. I took a shower and shaved my legs. I packed seaweed and fermented nut cheese (which I made yesterday) for lunch. I put it in my sewing box and rolled the machine et al, to my car. It was after noon. When I arrived, the group was small, but then I knew it would be since several ladies are on a quilting retreat. I worked on Barbara's quilt. Dinah helped me put it in the frame. Laurie had her quilt blocks on the design wall. When she had them put together, Maryanne put hers up. They are making the same block of the month quilt. Rebecca helped me sew for a short while. She invited me to her house to see her new plantings. Dinah said she would give me a ride home from the airport in August. What a relief to know that is taken care of! Mirna worked on a black, white and gray baby quilt. For some reason I don't have a pic of it. Cheryl brought a quilt book and I took several pics of quilts in it. At five I packed up to come home. Chris was already home. He gave me a card from Brandon's wife where she gave me her number and said I could call her anytime. We had lamb for supper. I picked some greens from the back yard and mixed them with chunks of tomato. After eating, I mowed the rest of the front yard and a part of the back. Now that every inch has been mowed once, I am on the lookout for where to start the next round. I checked e-mail until Chris was ready to watch TV. We watched Big Trouble in Little China, a movie we already had. Then he got fresh and we went to bed.
*  this is Laurie's version  *

Quilts for Linus

My alarm sounded at 7:30, but we did not get up until after Chris' alarm went off. I took my shower last night, so all I had to do was get ready for church. And check e-mail. When we got to church, Joanie (our intern) asked if we would be willing to stand in front of the congregation with her while she announced that Chris was leaving for Honduras for a year and prayed for us. I did not want to do that, but it seemed important to Joanie. She did it during annoucement time and I stood there trying not to cry the whole time. And not succeeding. Then my emotions were close to the surface for the rest of the service. Maybe I should have refused. During the passing of the peace, Jennifer handed me a stuffed horse puppet that needed mending. After the service, I asked her when she needed it done, and she said I could wait until after Chris is gone. Several people offered their support. So I did a difficult thing: I asked for a ride to the airport for the flight to Richmond. It has been weighing heavily on my mind ever since we made the reservations. The answer was yes and he seemed to give it easily, which was a relief because I don't want to impose on anyone who has trouble saying no. When we left church, we went to the grocery store for food. Chris picked out a leg of lamb. When we got home, we put the groceries away. I made and ate breakfast, saving a small bit for later. I finished listening to an audio that I started this morning, then packed my sewing stuff and went to the church where Renegades meet. I turned in the flag quilt and the backing that I pieced together for it. I also gave them the quilt that I bound. They were taking donations to buy quilting books for the local library in memory of Bertha's brother and my mother. So I made a donation. I got to see the books in Barbara's name. I had brought half square triangles to use for today's project but they were just slightly too small. So I picked out some blue squares and strips and got busy. Other ladies made as many as 41 blocks before they packed up. I only made 26, and not all of those got pressed so they don't count. I helped Mirna vacuum the floor before I left. It was a little after 5 and the lamb was in the oven when I got home. I put on my bathing suit and sat in the car in the sun to sweat while I did Sudoku. Chris called me when the lamb was ready. He cut a nice rare slab for me, and it was good. There were sweet potatoes too. And I ate a tomato as a chaser. I did more Sudoku in den and then we went downstairs to watch R.E.D. It is a cute movie with some violence. I had forgotten how much humor was in it. Afterward, we came up to check e-mail one last time and go to bed. 

*  this is the quilt I put binding on.  I wish I could take more credit.  Someone did a wonderful job.  *

No Payless, but I did pay less

The alarm did not sound because the phone software was poorly programmed. We enjoyed each others company and got up at 9:30. I did my exercises, etc, and juiced. I noticed that I am getting tired of cleaning up both juicers. Then I made breakfast. A check went in the mail.  I checked e-mail, and then went to the Target shopping center where I swear there was a Payless shoe store. When I had driven the length of the strip mall and not found it, I parked and called Chris. He looked it up on the internet and said it was north on the parkway. I did not feel like driving up there, so I went into Target and found a white pair that was acceptably close to what I wanted for $10.00. I brought it home. I finished breakfast and cut up a tomato with greens from the back yard. I watered the planters and the vegetable beds. Chris did laundry including sheets. I checked e-mail, and did some tapping sequences. I sat in my hot car, sweating and working Sudoku puzzles for an hour. I mended Chris' shirt sleeve for the third time (maybe it only rips because I fix it?).   I finished binding a Linus quilt by machine. The new foot pedal only sews fast, so I wonder if he wired it wrong. I finished the binding just in time for supper. We had fish with onions and fresh garlic from the back yard. After supper I read more e-mail and then made a batch of hummus and soaked cashews for fermented nut cheese tomorrow. I set my phone alarm to ring tomorrow morning. When I finished cleaning up the hand mixer and the citrus juicer (for the lemons to make hummus), we went down to watch Premium Rush: a movie about several bicycle couriers in New York City. It was very suspenseful with all the long bike chases weaving in and out of traffic. I can't imagine how all of that was choreographed. Chris put clean sheets on the bed while I put on the pillow cases. I posted to my blog and soon go to bed.

*  I just love fireworks, so here is another pic from the TV last night.  *

Fourth of July

We heard my alarm sound at 8 but did not get up or acknowledge it. I am not sure what time we did get up. Because Chris planned to take my car to a coworker of his to check out the engine/transmission and I wanted to go along, I skipped exercising, and went straight to supplements and juicing, followed by breakfast. I called my dad to wish him a happy 4^th of July. Then Chris drove us to Brendan's house. I realized that I left my phone on the charger again, after telling my dad that he could call me if he had any questions. I had intended to watch the proceedings and maybe learn something about my car. But when I met his wife, we hit it off, and spent the entire afternoon talking. I am not sure what Chris and Brendan did, but the upshot was that he could do nothing for the car, and it needed an o2 sensor. They joined us sitting on the patio and chatting. I did not realize how late it was until their dogs barked for supper at 6. I saw buses transporting people to a site for watching fireworks. We said our goodbyes and went home. We ate our suppers. My dad had called while we were gone, so I called him back. I wandered out to the apple tree and knocked one down to eat while I was talking to him. After the call, I turned on the TV. I wanted to watch the Capitol 4^th of July celebration, but it was only showing on public TV and we do not get that station since it comes from Birmingham. So we had the Macy's 4^th of July celebration on upstairs and I read e-mail until I noticed that the fireworks had started. Then I ran down to watch it on the larger TV. I even took some pics to show on my blog. As I watched, I wondered how I could capture the images on a quilt. I also very much enjoyed the music. I thought my dad would like it, but since he considers it entertainment, he did not plan to watch it. I read more e-mail after the show.  I could hear the sounds of fireworks in the neighborhood, but could not see them.  I stood on a chair on the porch, but was frustrated by seeing only lightning bugs. I read e-mail and helped Chris pick out the bedding he wants to take to Honduras.  I wrote my blog post and cropped all the pics I took.  When I had chosen one for the blog, I published it and went to bed.

Greene Street Market

I heard the alarm sound at 8 but stayed in bed until 8:30. I drank water and read e-mail. The eye specialist called to say he'd seen the pictures from my eye doctor and wanted to take another look because the spot he saw in my eye was not like the one in the picture. He wants to be sure he didn't miss anything and can't believe such a thing would disappear. I read e-mail until the phone rang and it was his office wanting to set up the appointment. I made juice, and then breakfast. There was a lot of clean up between the two juicers. I cut strips from fabric that I trimmed from a Linus quilt. I wasn't sure if they would want it back in binding strips or as border size. I needed a project to work on for Stitch-its. I looked at possible borders for the 16-patch quilt. Then I noticed the time. So I grabbed the quilt that I took Tuesday, and drove over. It never came out of its bag. Marjorie showed me her living trust in a book. I talked about estates with a nurse sitting near me. We also talked about grief. Her daughter was in a neck brace. We all left about 2. When I got home, I finished breakfast, ate an apple, and laid in the sun. Chris came home at 3.  He took my car to have the oil changed while I mowed the back lawn, washed up and wrote a check for grass-fed meat. Chris drove us to the Greene street market. I got out and stood in line to pick up the two beef tongues and one heart that I ordered. (I am not sure how to prepare beef heart, but how hard can it be?) Chris parked and then joined me in line. They were also selling eggs and it reminded me that I meant to bring them my empty egg cartons. I had never been there and wanted to look around, but Chris was ready to go.  When we got home, Chris fixed himself supper. I checked e-mail and read about an opt out list to protect privacy. So I looked up my name on spokeo.com and opted out all of the listings. It was scary how much info they had on me, and it was for sale. We went for a walk, longer than the one several days ago, but in the opposite directions so it seemed easier. When we got back, I ate a slice of beef and had a tomato with greens picked in the yard. I made up a week's worth of supplements. After 7, I went back out to mow. I finished the back yard, the side yard and most of the front yard. The mowing was easy since the grass had been mowed recently. When I came in, Chris was ready to watch TV. We watched our last two episodes of X-Files first season. That is the only season we have, so I don't know what we'll watch tomorrow, unless it is fireworks.

Hyperpigmentation

I got up around 7 when the man next door started mowing his lawn. I sat quietly for awhile to make up a to-do list. It helped me feel less overwhelmed. I boiled coffee, exercised, cleared some clutter, played my trombone, and did the coffee detox. I toasted myself like a marshmallow in the sun, turning often from front to back. I juiced, using both juicers in succession. I watched a video attacking feel-good philosophies. I made breakfast after cleaning up from the juicing. I mowed the side yard and part of the back yard. I watered the vegetables in the flowerbed, and clipped grass by the patio. I sweated the whole time. I checked e-mail, and then showered. I drove to the eye specialist, which was only 5 minutes away. I had to fill out paperwork and did not know some of the answers. I had planned to call Chris in that situation, but inadvertently left my phone on the charger. I waited over an hour and a half to get called to the back because they were running behind. The assistant did an eye exam and checked my glasses to see what the prescription was. Then she dilated my eyes with three kinds of drops. After the pressure check, I had to sit and wait for the full dilation effect. Then the doctor came in and examined my retinas with a very bright light. It was uncomfortable. But he said it appears to be nothing more than hyperpigmentation.  He did see the beginnings of cataracts, but nothing to worry about for many years.   He was really nice, and looked a little like Johnny Depp. There was no charge until after insurance is filed. It was almost 5:30 when I got home. Chris was not home.  I finished breakfast, and ate a sweet potato. I watered three tomato plants out in the yard and those in the garden by the cucumbers. I still couldn't see well enough to read my computer, so I laid down until Maryann called. She had a pressing problem, but solved it herself. After she hung up, I ate a thick slice of the beef roast and then we watched 2 episodes of X-Files. Chris went to bed and I stayed up to rub iodine on my skin and post.
* My tomatoes and cucumbers are just behind the orange lilies in the photo    The hose doesn't quite reach that far.  *

Cherokee Red

I got up just before 8. I started in on clearing e-mail. Then I put on some isochronic tones while I exercised, etc. I also juiced and relaxed for a moment. Then I realized that I hadn't placed an order for grassfed meat for Thursday. So I took care of that. I got dressed, found a bag to put a quilt in, and packed up my foot pedal. I then drove to the Tuesday meeting. I sat at a mostly empty table and talked to a few ladies there. One told me how she had had a stroke and had to relearn walking and talking. Another told me about her husband having two strokes. The lady in charge gave me a sympathy card signed by the members. It was really sweet. When I left there, I went to the Asian store for kimbap and sprouts. When I got home, I made and ate breakfast and some of the kimbap. I put on my bathing suit and laid out in the sun for 20 minutes. I came in to take my supplements and listen to a tapping audio. I parked my car in the sun and sat there for about half an hour, sweating. Then I took a shower, dressed, and drove over to the farmer's market. I was surprised to have arrived a little early. I found tomatoes at several booths, and found one with tomatoes that hadn't been sprayed in a month. I bought $10 worth, then went to the sewing store to get my foot pedal replaced. I took my tomatoes in with me so they would not cook in the car. I had a nice chat with several ladies in there. One of them recognized the variety of tomato. It was 4 till I got home. I ate one tomato right away, and the rest of my breakfast. I read e-mail. I ate the rest of the kimbap with leaves from the greens growing in the raised tray. I was outside finishing an apple when Chris came home. He made himself supper. I ironed a shirt in the basement. I looked up how to get to the eye specialist tomorrow. I put on shoes and wrestled a tomato cage out of the vines in the very back of the yard. I settled it over what I now believe to be cucumbers. I thought I had planted squash there and cucumbers by the fence, but apparently not. I put the cage around them to give them something to climb. Then I changed to mowing shoes, and mowed about half of the front lawn. The UPS truck stopped and the man unloaded large box. It contained wool batting so it was easy for me to carry it inside. I put the mower in the garage and plugged it back in to recharge. I came in to inspect my battings. I drank three glasses of water and it gave me a headache. When Chris was ready, we watched four more episodes of X-Files. The last one was about vampiric fireflies that attack in the dark. What a great thing to watch before going to bed – in the dark.

*  This is a cherokee red tomato.   It tastes better than it looks.   *