Long and busy day

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

Getting results

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

Church business

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

Lobsterfest

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

Fabric, fabric, everywhere

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

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

Female surgery

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

Being helpful

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