Yard work in January

Last night, I slept well at first, but woke up early and could not go back to sleep. But I did not feel like getting up either, because my throat was a tad bit sore. I heard Chris get up. Then I heard my alarm. I heard him leave. It must have been after 8 when I got up. I boiled water. I went to the bathroom to put hydrogen peroxide in my ears while the water heated. When I came back, the pot handle holder was smoldering. I took the pot off the burner and mixed it with room temp water and salt. I drank that then made more warm water and put clove and ginger oil in it. I drank that too. I swished. I read and deleted a lot of email. I exercised to a short video. I put the bread away and washed the bread pan. Chris came home for lunch. He had two boxes from the post office, both marked Swanson's. One of them was in a large plastic bag because something was spilling out of it. When I opened the box, I saw that the bag of hemp seed had a hole in it. I put all the other items away, then put the hemp in another bag. After Chris left, I read e-mail and drank tea. I did tomorrow's Sudoku puzzle. I raked leaves into a box and transferred some to the flower beds and the rest went into the forest behind the duplex. As much as I could stuff went into a hole in the front yard where a tree used to be. When the leaves were gone, I could see that the grass needed trimming. So I went into the shed to get the lawn mower. But there was a bolt missing on the handle. Before I could mow, I had to tape and twine the handle in place. There was charge in the battery so I used it to mow the front yard, such as it was. The trim wasn't as good as I wanted but I figured it would cut better with a full charge. I put the mower back in the shed and hook the battery up to the charger. I also put the rake in there. I guess Housing will call me if they desperately need their rake back soon. I had just sat back down to e-mail, when Jane called. She was coming early for bible study and needed a place to stay. I said sure, but then wondered how I was going to entertain her for two+ hours. I jotted notes for my blog. I picked up around the place, and started cleaning up in kitchen. Then the doorbell rang. I invited her in. I needn't have worried about entertaining her. When she heard about my hair, she offered to cut the back. And she did a good job. She remarked on my Sudoku half ball and I let her have it. She was thrilled. She wanted to know how Sudoku worked and I explained it. Then we sat on the couch and studied Korean. She explained how to type Korean words on a phone keypad. We talked until 6, when she got ready to leave for bible study. After she left, I washed up half of the mushrooms that I bought at the five-day market. (I just love these mushrooms because they look so interesting. I would love to be a little fairy living in Mushroom City.) I fried them in butter. Chris had gone to dinner with a group from work. I savored the mushrooms, and then minced some garlic into hummus and ate that. I made and drank some ginger/turmeric tea. I read e-mail and saw a quilting idea that I wanted to try. Just then, Chris came home for the dinner. After changing his clothes, we filled the water containers from the shower filter. Chris stood on the shower seat while I handed him the pitchers. Then we selected Arabian Nights to watch. But it was a very long movie so we paused it at 10:30 to go to bed.

First block done

We turned off the heat in the bedroom to see if I could sleep in a quieter environment. It was blessedly quiet all night, but I don't think I slept better and I still got hot and cold, not in flashes. Chris got up early. I turned the heat on while he was eating breakfast so it would be warmer for him to shower and dress. I listened to the heater as it came on. There seemed to be two settings: blowing on high and blowing on low. No off. Eventually the grating noise came back. I got up to shut off my alarm and went back to bed. I might have dozed. I got up just after 8 to assess the recyclable situation. There were not many of any, so I put out two of the four: paper and plastic. I swished with an herbal powder. I drank salt water after reading yesterday that it is used to reduce histamine levels. I read more about high histamine. It is recommended to avoid fermented foods for several weeks. I stood on the shower seat to fill containers with filtered water. I had to turn the water on and off with my foot because the filter head was so far above the handle. I sliced up some ginger and turmeric and put them in the coffee pot with water. I exercised and listened to an audio. I got dressed to go walking. I noticed that the ceiling heater was not blowing. So there is an 'off' setting. I set off down the trail. I stopped at the usual exercise stations. But I took the longer way home so I would pass Housing. I stopped in to ask for a rake, but there was no one there. I called out and no one answered. I came home. I made and ate breakfast as I read e-mail. Chris came home for lunch. I finished the Wednesday Sudoku puzzle. I put on some Christian music. I filled and started the bread machine. I made up a week's worth of supplements and made a list of those that needed refilling. I re-ordered those that weren't already on their way. I filed a postal inquiry on the Christmas presents that I ordered. I took a shower. I finished the block that I started yesterday. I worked on the red project. I noticed that 4 o'clock was coming soon and that might be when Housing closes. So I bundled up and walked down there. I did not see anyone, but when I called out, a young man came out to help me. He was happy to lend me a rake and leave a note for whoever was supposed to know about it. I raked immediately when I got home. I did not realize how much I missed raking. I raked everything to the right side of the sidewalk and piled it in the flower bed to decompose. I hoped that removing the leaves from Chris' pathway would cut down on the sweeping I have to do in the foyer. When I finished, I came in to check e-mail. My fingers were cold and the computer keyboard was nice and warm. I could smell bread baking in the kitchen. I made supper. Chris came home late and made his own supper. I made some herbal tea. We watched Top Gun on VHS. And then it was time for bed.

Yoga we did

I got up after Chris did. I drank water, swished and exercised. I checked e-mail. I printed out two copies of the BOM. Housing called to say someone would come to fix the bathroom sink. I made the bed and moved everything away from the sink area. Then I got dressed and put a few things in a bag, including my yoga mat. I went over to Myra's house and Nela was already there. Myra showed me the quilt she was finishing up for the doctor (who is going home to attend the birth of his child). I gave her a copy of the BOM. Nela did not want one. Myra led us in some yoga exercises. We saw it snowing outside, then turn to rain. I gave Myra the chocolate M, the only piece that would come out of the mold. We walked to the gym to see if the sauna renovation was finished, but it wasn't. On the way back, a lady stopped and offered us a ride. I accepted. As she drove up the hill, I decided to bite the bullet and admit that I did not know her name. But then she thanked me for the turmeric that my husband gave her husband and I realized she was the CO's wife Ana. She dropped me off at our quarters and told me where she lived (temporarily) in case I needed anything. When I got inside, I dropped everything and made breakfast. I ate it while reading e-mail. At 1:30 two Korean men knocked on my door. They had come to fix the slow sink in the bathroom. They were plunging it when I decided I had better things to do than watch. I am not sure if they did anything else. I got out the fancy black fabrics that I bought in Masan. I opened the pattern and saw that it called for three fabrics (and I only had two). I found something that kinda worked with the two I bought. But when I laid the fabrics out, there just wasn't enough of the one that would make the lower front and sleeves. I packed it up. I copied the grocery list from the fridge. I took a little round purse with me. I tied a scarf around my head to hide my unruly hair. I walked to the commissary in the cold. I kept my scarf on even inside, but somebody recognized me anyway. I picked up the few things on the list, finding pumpkin seeds only at the last minute. I paid for my groceries and opened the purse into a backpack. The bagger was impressed. I put the bag of groceries inside and wore it home. I left the groceries on the counter and went back to the master bathroom. I cut the front, top and sides of my hair. It wasn't great, but it was better than before. Then I went to my sewing room. I selected fabrics for the January BOM and got started. At first I followed the directions, but then I did it my way. The directions called for cutting triangles amd sewing them together. I prefer to sew first, then cut. So I did. Chris came home and made himself supper. When I got the middle together, I stopped for supper. I minced two garlic cloves into some hummus – the only way I can swallow raw garlic and not have my stomach mad at me for hours. I ate some quinoa, seaweed and bison. I measured sunflower and pumpkin seeds into a mixing bowl. I rinsed them well, then added the sesame and flax and spices and eggs. Mixed well, it went onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet. When the oven was preheated, I baked the mixture for 15 minutes, then left it to dry out in the oven. We watched Mission Impossible and drank ginger/turmeric tea. Chris patiently paused the movie and explained what was going on whenever I asked. When it was over, he went to bed and I stayed up to blog and put the seed crackers away.

Too hot to handle

I woke up several times during the night. Chris got up not long before my alarm went off. I got up to shut it off and went back to bed. But sleep would not come, so I did some sit-ups and that gave me the energy to get up. I boiled water for coffee. I exercised and swished. I listened to audios and guided meditations. Nela called to go walking but I wasn't ready so they went without me. When I finished with my coffee morning routine, I cleaned the kitchen. Then I got dressed and walked up the mountain, stopped at the exercise stations on the way. I returned in half an hour. Chris arrived for lunch just after I got back. He had two packages, both held powdered health foods. I made and ate breakfast. I was listening to an audio when a man from housing arrived. Chris had requested a new light bulb and he came to replace it. He replaced all the bulbs in the fixture with 40 watts. It was dimmer. But I checked one of the old bulbs and it looked like 40 watt but I could not be sure. Then I showed him the light in the sewing room which was so dim. I requested higher wattage bulbs but he said it wasn't rated for that. He replaced the old bulbs with new ones and it was brighter. Then he checked the sinks and found a slow one in the master bath. He tried to get the stopper out but it would not come. Then he asked if I wanted the filter to go in the other shower and I said it was ok in the master bath. I thanked him and he left. I swept the bare floors with a broom. Then I damp mopped. There was still dust. Sigh. I put peppermint oil on the skin above my ear. It cooled the itch down a bit. I watched a video called Your Second Fifty (years) while cracking and peeling acorns. I threw the shells outside. I tested the batteries in my CD player, but the tester wasn't working. Then I cleaned the CD because it looked dirty or scratched. I cut two pieces of quilted fabric together, and then stitch-and-flipped strips over top of it. I put binding on one end, then folded it in half, sewed around it and turned it right side out. Turning it was a real bear. But then I had a pot handle holder (see pic). I moved some items to the shed. I tapped on being uncomfortable with productivity. Seems odd, but something about being too productive is scary for me. I plugged headphones into the computer tower and played a guided meditation. Chris came home just after I started it. When it was over, I got up to greet him. We ate supper. I tried to google what I had copied in Korean from the market, but could not find those 'letters'. Later we started watching a movie neither of us remembered seeing: Molly and Lawless John. But it was not good, so we stopped it and put on Patriot Games (with Harrison Ford). While it played, I got up several times to refill my mug with ginger/turmeric tea. Chris asked me how it tasted. Well, it doesn't seem to matter whether I put slices of ginger, or turmeric or both in. All tastes the same. I hope it is doing me some good. I put a delta wave CD in the player to help me sleep tonight.

The best surprise

Chris got out of bed first and had breakfast. I got up later and drank a quart of water. At 8:45 he jumped in the shower. Since the Catholic service is at 9, I was surprised. After he left, I was reading e-mail and the land line rang. I thought it must be him, but it was Michele! What a wonderful surprise! We had a nice chat and she said to tell Chris to call when he got back from church. So I wondered how I was going to remember that. I sent him an e-mail. I read e-mail for awhile, then took a shower and got dressed. I ate the last of the seed crackers. Then I put on my coat and walked to church. I arrived in six minutes, passing Chris in the stairwell. I told him Michele called. Then I snuck into the theater where prayer was already in progress. I sat with Jane. The sermon was on 10 suggested resolutions gathered from the third chapter of Proverbs. After the service, Jane went on to the Korean church. I went hone to change clothes. Chris put on his backpack and we walked to the Korean church to meet Jane. Lunch was already in progress, so either the protestant service went late or the Korean service got out early. After lunch, Jane walked with us to the nearest bus stop. We caught 305 to the five-day market. We got off but Jane went on. First I went to the turmeric stand. I wanted roots but all they had was powder. I wrote down the symbols at the top of the sign thinking it meant turmeric. I showed it at other places in the market that had roots for sale. But they all shook their heads. I wondered if I had written down the wrong thing. Then we found the stand that sells sweet potato 'gummy worms'. I bought the red and the yellow ones, thinking the red ones were beets. We bought a basket of apples, which Chris put in his backpack, God bless him. We did find turmeric root and had to buy a whole basket. Chris called the CO and asked if his wife would like to have some. On the way out, I stopped for the strange little mushrooms that taste so good. Then we waited at the bus stop for some time to catch 305. When we got back to our quarters, I tried the red gummy worms. Chris said they tasted like sweet potato. So both red and yellow are sweet potatoes. I read e-mail, ate an apple, then pulled blue scrap fabrics for the BOM project. I jotted notes for my blog. Chris helped me filled water containers from the shower filter. I cut up some turmeric root and boiled it on the stove.
I sat at the desktop and looked up chocolate recipes until I found one just right. I typed it in below my seed cracker recipe and enlarged them to fit the page. Then I printed it out and taped it to the wall in the kitchen. I started the process by measuring seeds into a bowl. But when I discovered that we only had half of the amount of pumpkin seeds, I put it all back. The commissary sells pumpkin sees, but is closed on Mondays. I drank turmeric tea while we watched Zorro the Gay Blade. It's a funny movie. And then it was bedtime. If I made resolutions, one would be to get to be earlier.
* Sweet potato 'gummy worms' are not as sweet as hearing from Michele. *

Half is better than none

Chris did not come to bed last night. II had trouble sleeping and kept looking to see if the lights were off. Finally I fell asleep. I woke up thinking it was late but then I heard the alarm go off. I stayed in bed a little longer. Then I got up to drink and swish. I also boiled ginger pieces. Chris was sleeping on the couch. So I could not play the usual video to exercise. I got dressed and walked up on the mountain, tapping because the trail was so steep that I was afraid I would slide down if I tripped. I made a point of looking at the trees and rocks and leaves as I walked. Looking at natural terrain is supposed to be good for your eyes. I made and ate breakfast when I got back. Chris started the laundry. I made hummus, adding tumeric made it better. Then I made chocolate, shaving up the whole brick of cacao butter. I put a cup of shavings in a black korean bowl in the toaster oven. It came out dark, maybe it melted too fast? I put it in a measuring cup and added an equal amount of cocoa powder. It was enough to fill about half the letters in the alphabet mold. I made another batch, using lower heat. It took a long time to melt. Then I added the cocoa powder, vanilla and honey (more this time since Nela commented that it was too strong last time). It filled the alphabet mold except for two letters.
I took the ornaments off the tree. The red and gold baubles had hooks but would not fit in the case that way. So I put on some Christmas music and put little gold loops on each one. I packed them in their container. The little bells were returned to their sheet of cardboard. I folded up the fabric used as the tree skirt. I helped Chris fold the laundry. I ate a sweet potato. I glued the Sudoku flowers into half a ball. I looked up the BOM for the Tuesday group, intending to pick fabrics. But it was hard without a colored picture to go by. I sorted the blue fabrics into dark, medium and light. I looked a pictures of blue scrap quilts to see if if all blues can be mixed or if they need to have something in common. I decided that all blues can mix together, but I probably won't like it unless they have something in common. I drank some ginger tea. Then we watched One Fine Day with George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer. I wrote up my blog post and we went to bed.

Organizing fabric for the new year

We got up late. I drank almost a quart of water. As I checked out the latest e-mail, I glued the last petals of Sudoku paper together into a flower. Chris went to church. I looked for a nature walk online. I filled two pitchers with water from the shower filter. That was not easy because I had to stand on the shower seat to reach it. I found a nature walk on Youtube that did not shake as it moved. I don't know if the person recording it was walking or riding. I put it on full screen and used the headphones. I was trying to simulate forest bathing. Then I tried it with my grounding cord plugged in. But that meant that I had to unplug the laptop. Later I listened to the last meditation paraliminal. I made and ate breakfast while I read more e-mail. Chris came back from the office. I went to my sewing room, and worked the first three Sudoku puzzles for the new year. Then I sorted my fabric stacks by color, and also the bags of fabric by project or remnants of project. I made ginger tea, and continued until supper. Then I made a salad. I printed out the hummus recipe after Chris spent all afternoon getting the ddesktop up and running. I sorted my scraps by size (was that really necessary?). I wondered how they got so messed up and disorganized. I guess the packer must have dumped them all together. I jotted notes for my blog, We watched Raiders of the Lost Ark. I wrote up my blog post and went to bed.
* Here is another pic from the market in Masan. *