A little good luck

I got up a little before 8. I put on some meditation music. The bread machine was pulled out from its corner so I thought Chris needed bread. I started a loaf of bread.
From there it was a standard coffee morning. Then I took a shower and went to Housing. I offered them a check or cash for the overdue rent instead of the cashiers check or money order that they asked for. The lady said they would let me know in a few hours.
I went home to clean on my remaining coffee buzz. I dissolved a cup of salt in a quart of water and boiled it. I poured the salt water into another container so I could rinse out whatever it was that did not dissolve. Then I boiled the salt water to reduce it. I was able to scoop salt from the bottom and I spread it out to dry.
I looked up info on retired routing numbers. It is standard practice within three years after one bank buying out another. But I could not find anything about notifying customers.
I made breakfast, and ate part of it. I went to the bank to see if we had free cashiers checks as part of our account. But no. Still, I asked if there was any way she could waive the fee and she said she could but only once. So I gave her the info and she produced a cashiers check.
I also picked up brochures to investigate the possibility of changing the other account over to BBNT. I asked but they did not know if a bank has to announce retirement of routing number.
Then I went to Publix, and checked for apple chips. They did not have any. I got pickles and sauerkraut instead. At the checkout, a different price came up from what was on the shelf tag. So the lady re-rang the item. Then for some reason she took another $2 off. So I paid and left happy.
When I got back to post, I went to Redstone Housing and handed them the cashiers check. I asked if the original check refusal would be on our credit rating. They weren't sure but they did not think so because they did not report it.
I went home and ate the remainder of my breakfast while reading e-mail.
Chris came home from work. I checked out hand sanitizer recipes online, but I did not have all the ingredients for any of them. I made a salad for supper and ate the last turkey burger.
Michele called Chris to play the dinosaur game. I listened to them for a bit, then I worked on the leaf block quilt again, adding more sashing and nine-patches. Chris turned on the TV so I could see the last 10 minutes of X-Files. Then some 911 show came on. I listened as I worked but did not watch it because it said some images might be disturbing to some people.
It was after 9 when I interrupted their game. I took my evening supplements while Chris got ready to watch TV. Then we saw two episodes of Voyager. The second one was a two-parter. I guess we will finish it tomorrow.
* This is one of the quilts from Renegades. *

Those scrappy nine-patches

I got up at 7:30. I drank a cup of water, then sewed for half an hour. One of the leaf blocks must have come out too small so the maker put a half inch border on it. Then it was a little too big so I had to trim it. To sew sashing strips on it, I had to press the seam allowances out of the way. There were two blocks like that.
I squeezed a lemon into a quart of water and drank it while reading e-mail. When I realized the recyclables were still sitting in the kitchen, I got dressed and sorted them and took the out to the curb.
When my e-mail was mostly read, I went to visit the Tuesday group. I had my rug project, but never actually got around to working on it. I talked to Jane and Susan and Beverly. I kept thinking the other Beverly was coming, but she had people doing some work at her house so she had to stay home.
On the way home, I stopped for kimbap. Then I went to the One Stop and got a ticket for the DMV. I waited about 20 minutes, then they called my number. I handed the lady our two car registrations and she told me the total. I was going to pay by credit card, but she said there would be a charge for that, so I wrote a check and went home.
I read e-mail as I ate the kimbap with kimchi. I got an e-mail from Becca that she wanted to drop off some fabric scraps but she did not have my number. So I tried calling her and then e-mailed her my number. Finally her husband called me and said they were at the front gate. So I went outside to check the mail and bring in the recycling container. Then they drove up. She handed me a sack of sorted and organized scraps! And she wondered why her phone did not ring when I called. I did not have an answer to that. They left and I took the fabric inside. Opening my mail, I found a 5 dollar bill from the Neilsen company.
Then I worked on the leaf block quilt. I put together three-bar sashing and nine-patches, forcing the corners to match up. I decided they would look better if they were all the same instead of being scrappy. Chris came home while I was sewing. He put the tags on the cars. He wondered why his cost more than mine. I did not have an answer to that.
Then he read his e-mail and practically exploded. The rent check was returned unpaid and the rental agent wanted a cashier's check asap. So Chris called the bank. It seems that Pen Fed bought out Fort Gordon Fed and retired the routing number on our remaining checks. I had never heard of such a thing. Pen Fed offered to send us some new checks for free. But the rental agent still wanted a cashier's check. So Chris told me to go get one tomorrow. Good thing we have a local account as well.
I continued to sew until about 7. Then I put a turkey burger in the toaster oven. While it heated up, I chopped garlic and made a salad. I caught up on the latest e-mail.
Then, a little after 8, we sat down to watch TV. Michele had recommended Riverdale so we watched one episode. We were not hooked and went back to watching Voyager, two episodes. Then we went to bed. But later I got up and wrote to my blog so I could sleep.
My goal was to drink a gallon of water today, but I lost count of the quarts. It was either 4 or 5 so I guess I did well.

An evening with F-Troop

I got up at 8:45. With the theme for Voyager running through my head, I needed to know the theme to ST:TNG. So I stitched a border section onto a leaf block. Then I powered up my laptop and searched Youtube for the theme. Once I heard it, it seemed so familiar. How could I forget?
I read e-mail, then made and ate breakfast. I made up more spice mix. I hadn't gotten an announcement for quilting today, so I called Bertha. Apparently everyone else got the announcement. So I got dressed, and packed a quick lunch. It was raining, so I used my umbrella as I loaded my machine in the car. Then I drove to quilting.
I parked by the curb and unloaded my cart under the overhang. Then I moved the car to the parking lot. The ladies were just finishing lunch. I stored my stuff in a corner and joined them at the table. I had seed crackers and dried bananas.
After lunch, I got out my machine. I did some sewing on the Renegades strip quilt from yesterday. I gave the charity quilt top to Dinah before she left. I showed Lauri one of my new quilting rulers. She wanted to know how well it worked once I used it. Some of the ladies stayed late. I would have too, but it stopped raining and I wanted to get while the getting was good. So I packed up at 3:30 and was home by 4.
When I got home , Chris had brought a box from the post office and left it on my laptop. I put away the supplements from the box. I got the house mail. Chris told me I needed to pay the car tags tomorrow at the place on post. Then he got turkey burgers from the freezer and had a heck of a time separating them to lay in the baking pan. He asked if we were going to Augusta next weekend and I said I was waiting for him to give me the go-ahead, which he said he had already done. So I sent a message to Mary to see if it was too late to plan a trip.
After reading e-mail, listening to an audio, and playing Solitaire, I went back to sewing.
I fixed a leaf block. Then I trimmed the rest of the nine patches.
Chris put the latest F-Troop DVD in the player and we spent the rest of the evening watching the antics of Agarn and O'Rourke. Chris went to bed and I stayed up to blog, wishing I were in bed.
* This is a QOV one of the Renegades ladies was working on yesterday. *

Ah, we meet again!

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I got up before 8, thinking it was later. The thermometer on the back porch read 26 degrees. Chris was already up and engaged with his laptop.
I drank water and read e-mail. Then I took a shower and dressed in a nice top and slacks to stay warm. I made breakfast but only had time to eat half of it.
At 10 I went to church. The car said the temp was 43. I got there in time to warm up with the choir. We had a few minutes to ourselves after that. I kept my coat with me since the church did not feel warm. Then the service started. Today was baptism Sunday, so the pastor had us file down the center aisle and stop at the baptismal font to dip a finger in the water and make crosses on our foreheads.
The rest of the service was fairly standard. The sermon was about how we don't need sin-eaters because we are forgiven.
After the service, I put on my coat and drove home. I needed my sewing machine for Renegades. I hadn't brought it with me because I was afraid it would freeze in the trunk during church.
When I got home, I finished breakfast. Chris put my sewing machine in my trunk. I drove to Renegades, which was a straight shot down Drake. Turnout was lower than usual, but solid. I turned in the QOV top. She was very happy to get it and held it up so I could take a pic. Then I held it up so she could take a pic. Afterward, I worked on a top I had started two months ago. Others worked on the pattern of the month, but then they had been there since 9am or so.
Norm handed out round wooden discs with seam rippers in them. I gave him a lip balm. Tina gave me a bag with 5 homegrown lemons in it.
At 3 we started cleaning up and several of us stayed to wait for Lynette. I helped Tina take pics of the quilts that were turned in today. When Lynette arrived to get the leftover fabric, I gave her a packed of vitamin C. We all talked for awhile. Then I packed my stuff in the car and came home.
When I got home, Chris had already gone shopping. I ate a can of organic soup and boiled water to make bone broth. I held the cup in my hands to warm them up.
I listened to an audio while typing notes for my blog and reading e-mail. When e-mail ran out, I started watching Youtube videos on 5-minute crafts, and 8 ways to make a rug, 100 life hacks, etc. I ate some ham and figs for supper. Chris roasted broccoli stems in the oven, but I did not like them.
When Chris was ready, he turned on Voyager. I drank a quart of water with one of Tina's lemons squeezed into it. We watched three episodes. Then we dressed the bed with clean sheets. I typed up my blog post for the day and got ready for bed.
* Norm is in the background and the seam ripper holder is in the foreground. It is his answer to cutting apart chain-pieced units. *

Sewing at home

I was surprised to see how late it was when I got up – nearly 10. It was around freezing outside. Chris was on his laptop. I stitched a border strip to a block and then fired up my computer. I drank a quart of water while I deleted most e-mails and read the remaining ones.
I was considering going to the Sew Day for the modern quilt guild at the Bailey Cove library. But after several hours, I decided it was too cold and not worth the effort of packing up my project. I made and ate breakfast.
Then I spent the afternoon sewing at home. I made 36 3” nine patches out of leftover strips. Ok, maybe I had to cut a few extra strips so as not to repeat squares in the nine patches. I drew a diagram of the quilt so I could count how many extra strips I needed, plus corner triangles and such. I took a break for supper – two salads and the last bowl of soup. Then I trimmed the squares to an even 3.5 inches.
Chris was playing the dinosaur game with Michele. When I announced that it was after 8, he paused their game. She told me how much she liked the purse I made her. I was surprised that it had arrived already.
Then Chris and I watched three or four episodes of Voyager – including one where the Cardacians take over the ship, and drop the crew on a primitive planet. It was a to-be-continued episode, so of course I had to watch the next one. (The holographic doctor and two crewmen got the ship back and picked up the stranded crew.)
Then I wrote to my blog, not that there was much to write, and went to bed.

My sewing resolution is paying off

I got up around 8. I washed up and got dressed. I drank some water and rinsed some bowls to go in the dishwasher. Then I cut border strips for a block and sewed them on two sides. Finally I could turn on the router and read e-mail.
I deleted most e-mail and read the rest. I looked for apple chips online because Jennifer likes them so much and hers are gone already. There are at least two brands out there that are 100% apples, but they are very expensive online. I wonder if they were in local stores at a cheaper price.
At 10:30 I went for a massage. It was quite cold outside. The car seemed to complain until it warmed up. I took the parkway and it was really fast. It was a shame that the masseuse was 15 minutes late. I asked the store manager about black pepper oil. I had read that mixing it with a carrier oil and putting on your feet keeps your toes warm. She had it, but it cost almost $30. Then Gabriele showed up. I got ready for my massage and she rubbed me from toes to head. It was a good massage as usual. But we didn't talk much and the next person was waiting.
When I got home, I left my coat on because I was cold. I made and ate breakfast while checking the latest e-mail. Then I cut strips and sewed them onto blocks, only sewing two sides and pinned the remaining strips to the center of the blocks.
I wanted a break, so I drained the grains from the goat milk kefir and gave them fresh milk. I drank the fermented milk. The only other thing on my to-do list was to take down the Christmas tree, but I hate to see it go. Then I resumed progress on the leaf blocks.
At 3 I laid down to listen to brain wave entrainment for sinus congestion. It ran for an hour which got tiresome. But I was breathing better.
I was reading the latest e-mail and eating apple chips when Chris came home from work. There was nothing from the post office. He sat down at his laptop and got busy.
Having matched all the blocks with an appropriate purple border, I pulled lighter colored purple fabrics for the sashing. I cut strips a few strips from each one until 7:30. Then I made a large salad for supper while heating a bowl of onion soup.
I played Solitaire until Chris was ready to watch TV. Then we sat through 3 episodes of Voyager. Chris went to bed. I stayed up to blog and to see if tomorrow is a sewing day for the modern quilt guild.
* This is a random pic from the internet showing the sashing and corner blocks I have in mind. *

Progress

I got up before 8. There was a block with a border waiting to be sewn on and so I did. Then I turned on my laptop and router. While they warmed up, I taped Michele's package shut and made a label for it. I also wrote a check to another address.
Then I read e-mail and deleted most of it. I made and ate breakfast. I picked some fabrics for borders and cut strips of appropriate width and length.
Then I bundled up warmly and took the box out to the car.
I drove to Stitch-Its with my sewing machine and notions. On the way I stopped for gas, so it was after noon when I arrived. The parking lot was full, but I found a seat at the table anyway. I set up my machine and conversed with the ladies. Some were working on Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt. I had seen the reveal yesterday and wished them luck.
About 2pm I packed up, having done as much as I had prepared to sew.
On the way home, I stopped at the post office. It was 2:30 and they were just re-opening the front desk. I waited in line to mail a package to Michele. I also put a check in the mail and bought a book of stamps.
When I got home, I brought my machine inside. I was tempted to leave it out for the next time I go sewing, but it was too cold. I called Dad to see if he had his dentures yet. He did not, but at least he had his hearing aids and we could converse.
I snacked on apple chips and decided it would be better to have a salad. So I made and ate a large salad. Then I made a batch of seed crackers. Chris came home from work.
I worked on the leaf blocks, matching purple fabrics with each block. But one block actually needed a brown border. One block was way too small and had irregular edges. So I took some of the seams apart and re-stitched them.
At 6pm, we watched two episodes of Big Bang Theory on TV, commercials and all. My tapping buddy had canceled for this week, so Iheated a bowl of soup and read e-mail for an hour, then started playing Solitaire. When Chris was ready, we watched several episodes of Voyager. Then he made his lunch for tomorrow and went to bed. I wrote up my blog post and took some baking soda and mimosa pudica. Then it was time for bed.