Daily Notes for January 30th. Very cold last night, snow transformed into ice. Plane crash.

Another scrap square....shadow on the cloth- it's not this dark.

Well, it seems to have snowed again last night. Son is out there shoveling the thin layer up off the driveway.   Before it turned into a sheet of ice- but perhaps the surface under the snow is already ice. Twelve degrees here in Maine with bright sunshine.  My furnace is working to get us up to 64 degrees here in the house....I had it warmer for husband when he was alive..For me? I have wool sweaters and socks... Son has his second floor room much warmer.  I haven't been up there....Not supposed to do stairs.

I traveled to the four numeral channels on my tv lineup....HD.  And set several favorite shows to automatically record episodes.  This used to work and then it didn't......time will tell. Seems so unimportant as the families of 68 plus passengers on that plane have now lost people they love.

I am having a few back to back rough days.....I went to my room early and then got some duct tape to stop a draft from coming in the window next to the toilet....I seem to have gotten it from a breeze to just a light chill.  I slept well.  At least I have no memory of falling asleep- I just woke up realizing I had slept.

Son and I shouted at each other yesterday....I think we are too similar in wanting to have things our own way and to be in control.....it was bound to happen- it happened all the time when he was younger...he would get so ANGRY with me (at the ripe age of four).....and that is what is happening again...at 55 and 76.

That's about it...I was- momentarily yesterday ...quite proud of myself- I cooked a meal for myself and ate it. Washed the pots and pans and dishes..... That hasn't happened in awhile....I did get my days wrong on the Hydration Chart but I had had my water.... just not in the right block of the chart......I have had my morning water and made a large 10 ounce cup of tea... decaffeinated.... limited in the amount of sugar I added.  I will have an additional 8 ounces of water and then sit on the couch and read my BOOK.

I don't know why but my neck muscles are stiff and my right shoulder and arm ache ...tension..maybe? 

Still Spring Notes- Chill in the Air and Heavy Clouds. 51 degrees.

 Soup.  Minus the stove.  Need to put on the Thinking CAP.   Did "bake" a sweet potato in the microwave yesterday.  Very successfully done.  Excellent.  I have two more.  A fully loaded sweet potato is one of my favorite "meals".  I have also had soft white bread,  juicy tomato, salt and mayo sandwich.  Which was also very very delicious. Also any dry pasta can go in the microwave with less water- but same timing plus an extra minute or two.  I plan and giving that a trial as well.  I found a site called Dorm Cooking.  Entertaining.  I may return and dig deeper.

The Down Pillows in the washing machine ALSO worked out well.  Still have stains on them from husband's oily skin but they are no longer oily to the touch and they smell nice.  So back on the bed. But first I need to find the pillow protectors and wash them.  Possibly with bleach. Bleach was a no no with the Down Pillows.  We don't bleach feathers.

I am starting to go to bed later and waking up earlier.  Getting used to being awake and dressed by 8 am. Certainly not my usual.  Ten hours of sleep a night- approximately.  Was twelve hours.  I must be getting better????  I feel better.  Less "nervy" if that is understandable???  I was using a lot of energy just being "aware" and now I can ignore things....again.

The final book in the Devereaux Series was as wonderful as usual. Today I am reading Jane.  In this adaption Jane's Rochester is a Rock Star.  A YA book by April Lindner.  My Library Friend recommended it highly.  She and I like the same things. We never are disappointed.  DebL also recommended two books and I am going to try and find them after I hit send here.

I still cannot find the pieces of an appliqué quilt-- the blocks and strips were hand appliquéd.  Years of work.  Now missing...no sign of any of it in all the boxes I have emptied. A Great Disappointment.

Winter Notes- Saturday. February 24th- 31 degrees and sunshine.

This might be a repeat...I am cleaning out the picture file.  Cosmos.

I went to bed at 9:30pm and got out of bed at 9:30 am.  Twelve hours.  I was tired.  Really tired.  And now I feel well rested.....I think during the, perhaps YEARS, of husband's decline---I was awake a lot- on alert.  And now ...getting used to being "off duty" I can just go to bed and sleep......just sleep.  It feels good.  No dreams so...I know that is not really great but perhaps dreams will return someday.

I had an assortment of things to eat yesterday.  Nothing I would call "a meal".  I am really thinking- when is the last time I actually had a meal at home?  Christmas?  I mean, I cook food but will just carry the bowl to the table or to the couch and eat it and then carry the bowl to the sink...is this a meal?

This actually might be the way people in 2024 eat. Walking around the house....spooning food into their mouth.  Carrying a sandwich on other days while looking out the back window...or eating a pear looking ou the front window at the mess the birds have made of the birdseed in the feeders.

C and I are not on the same schedule.  Well..he has a schedule and I do not.

I read the morning paper, ate my oatmeal, took my pills and am finishing up my cup of instant coffee. I did as much of the sudoko puzzle in the paper as I could....13 numbers.  Some mornings- I get only single digits.  I haven't actually completed a puzzle....ever.

I am reading Dumpling by Julie Murphy.  YA book.  This book was made into a Hallmark Movie but I have never seen it on tv.  I would like to.  Jennifer Anniston plays the mother.  Another book I love is also a movie - The Hating Game.  I have no idea where it is shown.  

National Pancake Day- February 28th....

Daily Notes November 25th

Cranberries are up first thing today.  I'll get them cooked and laced with sugar and booze and tucked into the fridge when they cool. Extra cranberries are excellent breakfast food with yogurt especially with booze. Then I'll decide what else to make.   Probably the Pumpkin Pie.  Do not like making it on The Day. 

I am reminded that the acorn squash does better in the microwave.  But the sweet potatoes like the oven. The (cooked already) Turkey breast is thawing in the fridge.  I can prep the Brussels sprouts but will wait to make the green bean casserole.  Mashed potatoes are last minute as is the gravy.

So, I can sit on the couch and read my book.  Thayer's Let It Snow.  Small book.  And it just happens to be snowing here in Maine and 29 degrees.  No sunshine.  House lights are on. 

Paula and I emailed back and forth regarding making felt tree ornaments.  She sent me patterns for Peppermint Candy and an Owl.  And we both went crazy for the Twelve Days of Christmas ornaments on Pinterest. Quite labor intensive and not much time right now but the French Hens looked amazing.  Maybe one.  Maybe. But I know I can crank out 8 Peppermint Candies.  

And I still have all the parts and pieces ready to make one of Dee's Rats.  Even wool for his overcoat.  I might even use some of the donor sweater to make my Rat a scarf. I had planned to make Rats after Christmas- but then we had the Carpenters and Painter here etc and then it was COVID. and.......well, you all know how that went.

And there might be Time for one or two of the potholders- then I can do the handsewing of the binding while watching movies.

Time for another cup of coffee (decaf) and then........cranberries and we'll see how it goes.  Friday we take my car to the Auto Body Shop.  So I won't have a car for awhile.  Some metal "heat shield" needs replacing.  Honda just ripped the thing off daughter's car (same year and model as mine) and called it good.....I may suggest it to the auto body shop guy.

Daily Notes- November 6th- 125 Covid cases here in Maine in one day- almost 2400 in Kentucky

Hold Tight!!!  It feels like this doesn't it.  Hold tight to Sanity.   Hold tight to Health.  Hold tight to Family. Hold Tight to your Mask.

A brief detour here to find husband's slippers.-- Hold Tight to your Memory.

My eyes are sore- too many tears.  Just reading the newspaper brings tears.  I stopped watching the news.  I check in once or twice a day to see the totals.  But absentee ballots are time consuming.  I watch the people unfold, flatten with downward palms of hands, then go to the next in the box.  No machine could be as careful.  Votes of those who voted early and mailed in their votes.  They must be counted.

My fall back food right now- a perfectly grilled - grilled cheese sandwich.  Tea with more sugar than usual.  Only two pieces of dark chocolate covered caramel per day.  I haven't started in on Pantry Soup as yet.  But I can see it on the horizon.  I made a Mug Cake in a coffee cup yesterday.  It was okay.  Needs tweaking.

Also, on my Horizon.....LESS.  Less of everything.  I have bags ready to take to Goodwill.  I am counting the number of pairs of pants I have for Winter.  Some needing hemming.  Too many.  I don't have enough years left to warrant this many pairs of corduroy pants.  I don't need MORE but I do need to have LESS. On the phone with daughter- she offered me items she was seeing at Target- I said no to all of it.

I am reminded of my father's closets and basement after he died.  Hundreds of glass jars. Dozens of pairs of Levis in the same size.  Hundreds of packets of soup and noodles.  All went to Goodwill.

Yesterday, in the Magic Attic, searching for wool yarn to mend the neckline of a Goodwill item for daughter.....looking around.  Thinking- how can I leave all this for someone else to deal with.  I am 74. I am my father's daughter and he made it to 86?  So, I have twelve years left on the lower end.  Finite.  Do I need anything? No.  I even have more bobbins for the machine than I will ever use up. And my very own stockpile of canning jars.  Instead of Levis I have corduroy pants.  Somewhere- where ever he is--my dad has a smile on his face.   Chip off the old block.  Some comfort in that.

Someone- someday will be over the Moon with giddy happiness finding all my fabric- most likely at Goodwill.  I will ask daughter to drop off only a bit at a time.  Give more quilters a chance at it.  If people still sew??? They might not.  Things might change quite a lot in years to come.

Daily Notes- August 19th

 

Went looking for something to take a picture of this morning.  Husband gets irritable regarding Muffy and her clothing basket.  So, no Muffy today.  But this.  On the ironing board.  Not a square on top but a square cut way and the under revealed.  Like a watercolor batik.  Like a rain storm on a hot sultry summer day.  Coming in fast, pouring and then gone. Yesterday afternoon- from first clap of thunder to last rain drop- 15 minutes.  But I am loving this cloth photo.

I pickled the fresh garden cucumbers from last week.  They had been in the cold fridge so still good. From someone else's garden.  Mine made no cucumbers just leaves and blossoms.  The grocery cucumbers- had bitter peels so they got peeled and sliced thin and salted.  I drained them this morning.  Later they will get mixed with sour cream and dill.  My lunch. Most likely eaten standing up in the kitchen looking out the window.

We are going to the bank to cash checks at some point in the day.  An assortment of checks.  And then to put gas in my little Honda car.  Should last me into October (or longer). Twelve years old and 34K on the mileage.

Continuing with my reading but it it is going slower- more interruptions. Turning the hoses off an on.  Watering the tomatoes and annuals in containers.  Cleaning off the actual desk top and not the computer one.  Doing a load of wash.  Have one more of heavy work pants etc- from husband.  Making refrigerator pickles.  Thinking of making peanut butter pie and topping it with cold fudge sauce.  Would be extra crunchy peanut butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and light cream not heavy cream.  Considering it.  It's a no bake just mix and eat sort of "pie". Unless I stop into the grocery and buy heavy cream.  It's near the bank. Might be nice to own a pint of heavy cream in these serious days.

The cherry tomatoes I am thinking I might have in one of the boxes on the drive might be three kinds- three colors of tomatoes.  Artisinal Multi Color Blend. So far, everyone out there is still green. I'll take a picture of them if they ripen in many colors.

If I go into the grocery, I might buy the heavy cream and a few tomatoes and some more fresh mozzarella for more Caprese.  I have a ton of fresh basil out on the back deck. Yes, I could make pesto but....I won't. I am reminded of good pasta with pesto that my husband's friend Charlie made for us one summer in Florida.  It was good.  The guys he knew were all in the same business as my husband and they were all excellent cooks except for my husband.

I should have considered marrying a man who would cook food for me. At almost 74 I think that opportunity has passed me by.  I am lucky my husband learned to make his own breakfast.  Toasting a bagel. Pressing a button for coffee.  Oh- he does now, also, make his own lunch.  He rolls deli ham and turkey with slices of Swiss cheese. This is progress but I think we have gone as far as it is possible to go.

Daily Notes- July 24th

The aftermath of pickle making.

Twelve Pints and two stinky containers.

Stinky because of days of salting in the fridge with raw onions.

I have rubbed the insides with baking soda. That sometimes works to remove odors.

A "productive" Day here.

The second AC unit is installed and as husband said- easier.

It took most of the day to get rid of the humidity in the bedroom wing.

But sleeping last night was quite pleasant.

I had another "fall" after the AC unit was installed.

I tripped and fell- a carpeted surface.

A bruise on my leg where it hit some furniture.  Left shoulder a bit tender.

No broken bones. And I could have smacked my face.

I am well padded and have excellent bone density for an old woman.

And being an old woman- I did wet my pants.

And after that I canned the pickles  One batch after the other.

Which is an incredible difference.  Only one clean up.

From now on that is how I will do it.  Two batches prepped at the same time.

If I had three of these containers- I would do three batches.

As it is, I do not intend to do any more pickles until mid August.

When there is a glut of squash and people are eager to give it away.

The rest of the day I watched the news 

Trump bragging the doctors gave him the Dementia Test- which is epic-

Do you think anyone has had the nerve to tell him it wasn't an IQ test????

Daily Notes- June 6th --Twelve Weeks

                                          

The view from here.  I have a lovely north facing window behind the sewing machine.  You can just make out the path to the mailbox (the lightest part of the photo) to the far right.  I've managed to scratch up the plate with all the pins I leave on things I sew.

Discovered a very tiny tick today on my hip.  It had been there long enough to have created a red, swollen bump perhaps not as large as a quarter.  I can only feel it and not see it.  Tick is now scotch taped to the calendar on the date found.  We do that now- for evidence later if I start running a high fever and get delusional (which has occurred with previous tick bites).  The tiny ones carry the worst of the tickborn diseases.

The sun comes and goes.  We were hoping for rain.  Husband is going to water the fenced garden- the blueberries and grapes.  The Queen of Plums had many blossoms this year and now is loaded with tiny infant plums for only the second time in all the years it has lived here with us.  Just like the Peach Trees.  I am tempted- at almost 74 years of age- to try for an apple tree.  One of the trees with two or three varieties grafted.  My rhubarb is looking good but needs watering to stay good.  Husband is supposed to be watering but.........will I need to remind him a dozen more times before it "sticks" in his brain?  It's like a sieve.  Yes.  He got "distracted" and started weeding.

The chipmunks have dug up all the little plants in the two hanging baskets. Payback for adding pepper spray to the bird feeders, I guess.

Daughter is out scouting for books today in Portland.  She found the whole Outlander Series minus the last three books so she is pretty happy about that.  Only three books on my list though- but will help for the next wave of the Pandemic in October thru January.

I am thinking about cooking an actual meal today.  Still just thinking.  Pizza tomorrow.  I don't have much in the way of animal proteins in the freezer since I lost the freezer contents in the last big, long power failure.  I could make lasagna.  I have those things.  Too much like pizza.  I could also make quiche.  Husband won't eat it.  Hell, I'll just fry him a pan of frozen potstickers and I'll eat tomatoes and be done with it.  My salad greens died a few days ago of neglect.

And husband is filling up the laundry basket pretty much everyday.  So- there is always laundry.

Daily Notes- June 4th

                                         

French Watering Cans.  Both have leaks along the bottom seams.  A Design Flaw. Hold four liters and easy enough for me to carry- evenly balanced- when full to the top with water.  I used them to water the Peach Trees.  Twelve liters each.  The hose and sprinkler would have been easier but so much wasted water. And the back and forth and carrying -well, not much but some exercise........

Husband went out to get his hair cut.  According to him- the stylist thought I did a nice job on previous cut.  So there's that to think about.  I think he would be better off with clippers and an overall short crew style.  But who listens to me?  Well, I do listen when I talk to myself- more frequently now......

Allie brought over the tomatoes I selected from her list.  Ten.  I think.  But I am not going out there to count.  I have already been out on the front steps too many times.  And not even 10 am.  Each tomato plant is in it's own large yogurt tub.  Allie eats quite a bit of yogurt on the WeightWatchers Program. The zero points yogurt.  I asked.  She has it with fresh pineapple for breakfast.  Pineapple must be zero points also. She grows tomatoes because she loves eating them for lunch all summer.

Allie and I looked at the Peach Trees.  At all the little infant peaches.  It's still too early to know if they will stay or drop off.  I also noticed my cucumber seedlings are developing white leaf edges.  Cucumbers might be a "no go" this year.  Virus.

Husband is having back pain and will not be doing much today.  He lifted and turned.  Getting the compost bags out of the car on Tuesday.  I arrived in time to do the remaining three.  I do not lift and turn. Does he listen to me?  No, he cannot hear my voice with his 8K high tech hearing aids.  He can hear tiny squeaks in the crawl space under the house.  But not me, standing next to him.

I had oatmeal for breakfast.  I am going back to it.  The boxed cereals were giving me acid reflux.  Either the cereal or the larger amount of milk that goes with dry cereal.  The oatmeal only needs a very small amount of milk and is cooked with water.  Microwave cooking.  And finding the milk I can drink- getting harder all the Time.  So using less means I'll have more milk.

I am not sure how I will spend my day.  I've read the two romances from the library.  Ordered three more.  I have Wolf Hall back and can get started on it.  And I do want to re-read Where the Crawdad's Sing- but will need to reserve it.  I may have to empty my reserve account- only allowed ten in order to get more books.  I'll write down the titles.  It may be months before libraries start doing loans to each other.  I maxed out this morning.  So I deleted three on my reserve list and didn't write them down.

Cloth isn't of interest.  Paint, another no.  I was awake at 5 am.  So perhaps I am just very tired.  A nap.

Daily Notes- May 24

                                               

Transplanted from the milk jugs to flats.  To grow a bit more before the garden or the Grow boxes. Today I have Tomato seedlings (yes!!!) and cucumbers to transplant from the jugs into little pots. I also have dill to move into the small plug trays -that bare space mid-left.  It gets warm out back on the deck but move to the front porch and you need a sweater or a coat.  Freezing.  My hands are so cold right now.  And I'm in the house.

My daughter sent a text this morning from the Grocery Store.  She found zinc.  A supplement she takes for her immune system.  An article in the Sunday paper mentioned that we now know how to survive and find toilet paper, hand disinfectant (soap is better), flour and yeast and make masks. Once I had Dee's Pantry Soup recipe- I was good.  Didn't need much else- we had toilet paper and flour and yeast already.  Am making Dee's Soup today. To warm myself up. But will add collard greens, I think, along with the cabbage.  Because Pantry Soup is a "fluid thing" and can accept change and innovation.  As survivors do.  I might even bake a few sweet potatoes.

I still have books to read.  But I am closing in on the last of them.  The library has cleared my record of the books I returned but is still not processing my requests (or anyone else's).  They will move forward with requests and parking lot pickup in the next week or two.  No one is going to be allowed inside the library itself. We have a large homeless and transient population that spends the day in the library when it is open. I can understand the library staff concerns.  I will be very happy to wait in the parking lot for my books-

As soon as things open back up and the used book supply chain resumes- I am stocking up on books for the second go round of the Virus.  Like as soon as the people packing themselves into churches and fast food restaurants with Trump's okay this weekend- start getting sick and dying.  We are already seeing people with "no masks and no worries" everywhere.  They may have to change Maine's motto to "Live Free and Die".

Daughter is here to pick up her Salvia plants.  They lived in the Magic Attic Bathtub since October and are now going to be planted in her front garden beds.  Black and Blue Salvia.  Zone 6 (warmer).  Maine is a Zone 5 (colder).  After a lovely Summer and Fall the plants will return to the Bathtub for another Winter.   Daughter also brought me a bag of cherries since I am running out of  "fruit for the day" bananas.

I washed my car yesterday.  Really good- I went over it twice.  And I noticed that not only did my father upgrade my modest  Honda Fit to Sport model, leather seats and steering wheel but I have custom rims as well.  As I was scrubbing them I was thinking- these look very different.  Open. With design elements.  sigh.  My Dad.  The car was in the garage when we came...he was dying and dead 12 hours after we arrived.  And that's when I saw the car in the garage- when we got back to his house.  Now my house.  Now my car.  Now my problems.  2008.  Twelve Years.  My car.  32K.  I just don't drive all that much but it's the perfect car.  I can get in and out of it.  Laughing.  The BMW- Roadster. Gosh that was a pain to get in and out of but I loved driving it.. I gave up the BMW to drive the Honda Fit.  What does that say about me?????

Daily Notes- April 7th

                                               

Paddington sends his love to all of you!!  I bought him on my first European trip to England.  I was collecting bears and it was fun to carry this one home.  He has red rubber boots.

Yesterday I went out into the garden to help mulch the blueberries and give them fertilizer.  We were both very tired- in a good way-- after the work outside.  Enjoyed hot showers and hot soup for supper. Each day seems shorter than the day preceding.  I don't know why that is.  But it's a good thing.

G is out of soup and so am I so there will be some sort of cooking today.  I wish I had an eggplant. I would like eggplant parmigiana.  But shopping day is Thursday.  So we will wait.  I have eggs so I might make a frittata.  Not sure if G will eat that.  Pretty certain he won't. I am also wanting Brownies  but will have to look for a recipe.  I usually make a boxed brownie.  This will be today's "adventure". I didn't go to the farm stand.  I have enough of everything so getting more seemed...well, not right.

Paid bills today and ordered fertilizer packets for the Grow Boxes etc.  From Louisiana.  Hope they are still open for business.  I know that state is having a really hard time with the virus.

It was supposed to be a sunny day today but the clouds rolled in a day early.  And it feels chilly in the house when they are overhead. Every little while the Sun reappears.  We found a station on the very old tv that plays "light classical" music with no interruptions.  We had it on yesterday and again this morning while reading the paper.  Husband is still listening as he does his word search puzzles. I brought the tv back when we emptied my father's house in Ohio after he died.  Twelve years ago.

What would my father have made of this quarantine?  He would have started up the sewing machine and made masks for sure.  He could make anything.  Like so many who lived through the Great Depression.  He'd also have made a sour dough starter and been baking bread for himself and neighbors unless he couldn't find flour and that would have made him really mad.  And he would have been worried about me.  The old tv got me thinking of him.

Daily Notes- September 7th

A sample of how I could paint-long ago.  This bud took a long time and it is actual real size.  The method is called Botanical Watercolor and is an exact (as possible) image of the living specimen.  As you can see-- I am a long ways from being able to do this right now. This type of Watercolor actually uses very little water and in some cases only glycerin mixed with pigment.

The radiators are in-- just in Time-  I am wearing socks and corduroy pants!!  G has on three layers for cutting the back grass before it rains again.  Dorian is off the coast.  Skies are a delicious watercolor in shades of grey.  It's cold, damp and windy.

We just got back from Dairy Queen!!!!! Yes!  Riley seemed good today so into the car we went for Chinese lunch and DQ.  And because there is no sun and it's cooler-- we didn't have to worry about the dog being in the car. I had the Georgia Mud Fudge Blizzard.  I know you're smiling Connie!!!

We also saw the gray and white cat the neighbors have been talking about.  Wondering who it belongs to. It came up from the east side of the drive, across and then into the back yard.  G saw it race to the west side of the yard and come back up with a wiggling mouse in it's teeth.  Good job.

I was very ....I don't even know what to call it....but yesterday all I felt able to do is watch four or five hours of Law and Order Criminal Intent.  A season I had never seen.  The last one.  Riley was good with it and kept me company.  He's learned a "trick"-- his first and only one--- he is closing doors with force and they slam shut.  And I think he likes doing it because it startles G and I each and every time.  I didn't believe he was doing it but I actually have seen him and it's amazing.  Twelve years and no tricks and now at 13 he slams doors.  And quite proud of the achievement.

And in the evening we all three of us--- watched the New York tennis. Lordy, I don't like that Italian guy. But I guess the one up next--is so much worse.  He gave the finger to the crowd last time he played. And when did the Tennis Guys all get so tall and awkward looking?  Six- five, six- six and I think the one coming up might be six-seven. I think the final is tomorrow.

Well, I'm reading a Bodice Ripper Romance and I am half way in and need to get back into it and finish.  Will she have to marry the bad guy (a Rake) and is the guy they are protecting really the King of Feltland? I know-- it's trash but it's been years since I read one of these and it's sooooo bad but soooo good.  Like junk food.

Daily Notes- May 4th

Another good night with the dog.  Two in a row.  Two Melatonin.  He is alert and is having running dreams while asleep--like the old puppy days.  When he ran marathons in his sleep.

G found a pheromone gel that we can apply to Riley's nose to calm the panic attacks within seconds of their starting up.  That has been the key to our helping Riley regain his Life and the Joy he takes in chasing birds.  And squirrels. And a good solid hours long nap.

We are back from the daily walk in the woods.  I asked if we could go on a longer walk--Riley and I enjoy that--but it turned out to be hard for G.  So, today 1.5 miles and I guess we'll go back to just the one mile tomorrow.  If there was a rock for him to rest on--Riley and I would go alone.

We tried Wild Wings restaurant for lunch yesterday-in the rain.  Sports Bar.  Twelve thousand big screen TV's, noise, and bad food.  Well, not bad--just not good enough for a second visit.  Their blue cheese dip for the celery and carrots was.......not good.  Awful, in fact.

We are delivering the rooted pussy willow cuttings to our daughter's house--she can't come get them for some reason and will probably go get an early ice cream or something.  It's a little past 1pm. Nothing good to watch one PBS (public station) --like no cooking shows that aren't repeats.  I am going to cash in some reward points and get an Amazon gift card and buy Amazon Prime Video.  then I can watch all sorts of PBS programs they have bought up, movies etc.  Next winter I may buy HBO for a month and watch Game of Thrones.  Deb says it's soapy but entertaining.

But now that it's May and we have put away the snow boots and heavy coats--- we don't watch much tv and I have tons of stuff recorded on the TiVo.  And I have Netflix for awhile more--they seem to have lost appeal.  Tons of programing but 90% junk I would never watch.  I have a list of things I want to watch but need to find it.

The one inch squares doll quilt proved to be impossible to needle.  So no hand quilting.  I am doing a very improvisational quilting on the sewing machine--crossing lines-irregular spacing and thread colors.  I'll just get it done and bind it and throw it into a bin in the Magic Attic.  Perhaps it will age well?

Daily Notes- April 18th

Ten by Twelve inches.  Things are happening.  No more of the tan/green fabric so I started in on the gold/yellows.  I liked how that tan/green was a "resting square" but I searched most of an hour in the solids box.  Nothing.  Where did only 6 squares come from?

Finished reading Paris By The Book  (Connie you will like it) at one in the am.  Author is Liam Callanan and I am going to read his The Cloud Atlas next or All Saints or Listen and other Stories which ever one arrives first on the library reserve.

I stopped at Walmart after my haircut to see if they had a cassette/CD player.  Sony.  It looks good and now I will be able to listen to music while I sew.  I'll start with vintage mixed tapes of early sixties music.  My friend's husband made them for me.  I used to play them when I had parties.  In the big player we had. One would finish and the next one start--in a continuing loop. I was complimented on my good taste in music.  The tapes remind me the early 60's in college and the joy of that music.  Makes you want to dance.  Or just sing along.  We all know the words.

It looks like it's going to rain.  Hard and for a long time. My car is out in the driveway so it'll get washed.  I might don my raincoat and use a large sponge with car wash soap on it when it 's raining really good.  To scrub the last of the road salt off the flat back side of the Fit.  The hatch has this wing over the top and the backside never gets clean even in a carwash.  2008.  30K in mileage.

I keep looking at the picture up top.  I need more "resting" squares.

Daily Notes- April 7th

 Because I feel like I need a hug today.

Well, I went to bed at 9 pm yesterday and woke up at 8 am today.  Eleven hours of sleep.  So tired.  My main meal of the day was Chinese dumplings and G had dumplings and a bowl of hot and sour soup.  Then DQ.  I had a vanilla cone.  No chewing and nothing "sticky" which rules out the small Blizzard.

Today was Goodwill Sunday and I looked at a VERY expensive grey green lightweight wool pantsuit.  Pockets never cut open-still basted shut.  Twelve dollars.  I carried it around for awhile and realized--I'm never going to wear a wool pantsuit--anywhere-- in Maine.  Also carried around a very saturated color plaid cotton dress.  I had looked at it last week for Summer!  But decided, realistically, I would look like I was wearing a tablecloth.  Then as I was hanging the three items on the rack --there it was-- a vintage pink linen LLBean camp shirt. No DARTS.   One size too big.  But too big is an easier fix than too small.  It looked like it had never even been washed. Not soft like my white ones. I was so happy.

I told G I was going to wear the pink shirt with the pink (rose) LLBean pants and he made his gagging face (which I hate)....... a face that often makes me wonder why I even married him. He shuffles around looking like an 80 year old bum--but that's okay.  And his squashed up hat perched on his head like ???..... That's okay as well.  I guess all the pink would "call attention to myself" which he doesn't think is a good idea.  So, I'll wear the outfit HERE in the house.  Where he is. Every day. HA!

I also found a one dollar men's shirt with a very old fashioned pattern for my old fashioned fabric box.  Instead of picking the seams I just cut next to the seams.  It was a size small so maybe a half yard.  It's a creamy white with well spaced grey/brown dots.  It will play well with the dark patterned things in the box.  Soft, well worn cotton.  Not depressing.  Not calling attention to itself.

I have southern pulled pork in the oven --we'll eat around 3:30 or 4.  I need to slice up some onions and peel some potatoes for the side dishes.

I conceded defeat and returned the incomplete puzzle to the library.  I was never going to actually work on it...week four is long gone.

Daily Notes- April 4th

Happy Birthday to this Big, Lovable, DOG!!  Twelve Years Old. I was going to take a new picture of him this morning but he is not interested in posing--turns his back on me, covers his face etc.  He no longer needs the choke chain collar to keep him in check.  Now, a soft, "no Riley" is all that is needed.  Such a good boy.  Unless you are trying for a picture.

Riley wants to go for a walk but G is on the couch with the heating pad and some Tylenol.  Having a bad day with the shoulder pain (which he hasn't talked about for days).  He has a stress test tomorrow and a PET scan on Monday.  G reported looking on line regarding the shoulder pain and he says none of the medical sites has anything good to say about it.

I did what I could--gave him the Tylenol that he always forgets to take.  I never know how seriously to take his comments regarding pain--I even doubted he was having a heart attack until the dog pressed his head on G's chest.  If someone is always saying things hurt--how do you know when it's really something????  I think his doctors have the same problem I do.  Pain is personal and hard to define.  

I am getting bored with my daily plate of cooked cream of wheat cereal, butter, sugar and cinnamon.  So yesterday I tried having honey oat toast with strawberry rhubarb jam.  Wow, did that hurt.  My jaw was not happy about toast---and I forgot to cut it into tiny squares. My jaw likes plain soft soup, hot runny cooked cereal, yogurt with squishy fruit.  I tried a banana this morning--jaw is not a fan of the banana either but perhaps if cut into small pieces?  Jaw does not want to have to bite anything.  The 4X a day 600mg of Advil is not working.  Of course, I forget to take it.  I don't  have my iPhone set to remind me to take pills like G does on his.

I found some free images on the internet of Vincent's paintings.  You may or may not see them here. But I was interested in one site that did macro images of Vincent's brush strokes. After April is over--I might mix up some paint and give those signature strokes a tryout on a canvas. Experiment.

I never decided on a 100 day Art Project.  Yesterday, instead of hand sewing my tiny 1.5 squares (from last Winter/Spring) together I used the sewing machine to sew them--faster and less strain on my old sticky eyes.  My square of tiny "inches" is now seven inches square-slight crooked due to the initial hand sewing.  I may keep going--I have a rainbow of colored squares precut for the project.  The sewn square is mostly a range of four shades of pink.  Light to dark and I just added a pink purple to the most outside edge.  I have three or four shades of green and some yellow to add.  Enough to make a small doll quilt I think.  And then hand quilt it.  I had thought to make a placemat but the hard use a placemat gets would destroy it pretty fast.

I still have "five ratty items" to get rid of this week.

Daily Notes- January 14th

From a website.  Plant based cloth dyeing.   Eucalyptus leaves.

I still have my steaming pot filled with onion skins.  Using it to "deaden" bright fabric.  The yellow adds a layer to cover and change bright backgrounds.  And soften any bright printed details.  Where once I enjoyed the sharp contrast between light and dark--I am now appreciating a lower contrast level.  Perhaps I understand the comments of older quilters 20 something years ago---they said my fabrics "hurt their eyes".

I promised G a pot of chicken soup today.  It warms him up when days are long and cold.  Bright sunshine here in Maine.  26 degrees.  I think this is the high for the day.  There are reasons only 2 million people live in the entire (large) state of Maine during the cold months--like 8 months of the year.  28 degrees is the high.

I am right on the edge of setting up my empty milk bottles and filling them with soil and seeds.  I also need to work on my labeling.  Didn't work so good last year.  I have stick on numbers for each bottle but I think I need to make a chart.  A big chart.  Because last year I started the same seeds two and once three times.  A mistake, for sure.  A Big Chart would stop that nonsense.  G hates it when I clutter the kitchen cabinet doors with charts.  But--I need a chart.

The Fairy Garden Class is coming up fast-- Saturday the 26th--twelve days.

I'm reading the first of three Permaculture books.  And the first book gives directions for finding the one place in your yard where the sun shines most--summer and winter.  That's where the greenhouse goes.  Not--like we were thinking---where we have room for it.  But actually--the sun does shine there (all day) in both summer and winter.  Dumb luck, huh?  Now we need to figure out how to add a heating barrier to the north side.  Well, and get the guys over here to put the damned thing up.

The book also said a sunporch could be a little greenhouse--like the vestibule.  It's 45 degrees in the vestibule right now- without any heat other than sunshine.  The fig tree, the two large geraniums and the asparagus fern are happy.  Oh, and my rosemary plant.  The citrus is in the house.  It's getting ready for the flowers to open.  I am spraying with insecticidal soap to keep the bugs down.  Would be nice if it actually made a piece of fruit--but the scent of the flowers will be wonderful.  Last winter we lost all the leaves right after the flowers opened.  Thought the plant was dead.  It wasn't.  I can't come up with the name of the insect but it left a sticky surface on the leaves. Scale or mites.

Well, I'm on to the soup.  Great games yesterday.  Patriots and Saints.  On to Kansas City.

Daily Notes- December 17

All the Christmas Cards have been written, stamped and picked by the Postal Service. Gifts have not been wrapped- not that there are any gifts for anyone but our daughter.

Goodwill---was glorious.  Nothing actually cost one dollar yesterday but I did find the ONE pair of LLBean corduroy pants in ALL THE MONTHS I have been looking.  And while they are a size larger than I wear--I can sew-- they are exactly what I needed.  I think they are black or dark navy (hard to tell colors in winter light) and women's, petite, curvy.  I am a woman and curvy but hardly petite but for some very strange reason--the petite at LL Bean fit me better than anything else.  I have the new pants on the sewing chair so I can close up the back pockets and cut off the actual pocket from the inside--why do they have them???? ( do you know of any curvy woman "large backside" who uses back pockets?) and make tucks in the waistband so it fits correctly.  Thankfully, the pants were larger and not smaller.  I have never gotten good at making things larger, other than myself..

I also found a soft lamb's wool pullover sweater in very dark red with a open neckline.  I absolutely cannot wear a close neckline on anything.  I think I may have choked to death in another Life. The sweater was also a larger size than I usually wear so it'll be loose and cozy.

I also bought a cashmere sweater in a spring green which will be used to make patches for other sweaters unless of course a miracle happens and I lose 35 pounds.  It could happen. Instead of buttons this sweater has cashmere flowers with snaps.  Adorable.

I also purchased a beautiful summer sky blue linen shirt--unworn with it's original price tag of $110 from Vermont for ten dollars.  Again, it will wait to see if I lose 35 pounds.

I also found a lovely old soft linen tablecloth and a very very old linen dishtowel,  well loved before and now to be well loved by me.  The blue printed design is so faded as to almost be a whisper.  I suppose the two might be from the same source, the same home.  I look forward to holding in my hands as I dry dishes for years to come.  As I do with very old soft handkerchieves.  What an old word.  And nearly always one in my pants pocket.  I am old fashioned.

And for one dollar-- a box with twelve beautiful Hallmark Christmas Cards for next year.

It snowed overnight. About two maybe three inches.  G will have to get the snowblower going to clear the driveway before it changes to rain and then freezing ice.  They just got back from the walk in the woods.  Riley LOVES snow.  The bananas are now "dead" enough to make banana bread and while that is baking I'll make a loaf of the orange cranberry.  Daughter picked up the lentil vegetable soup I made for her.

Daily Notes- November Twelve

Image from lottahellenberg.com

Reminded me strongly of the many different ways I drew pomegranates one winter.  The artist here was trying different mediums and papers as I did with my drawings.  I am going out later to the library to return unread books and will stop at the grocery to get a pom or two. I like eating the seeds.

I have washed and dried avocado pits ready to go in the freezer until I decide to use them to color cloth.  I never found a source of black walnuts so no dye pot of those going here.  I see on the internet pots of walnuts and pom skins simmering on wood stoves.  Ready for cloth to be dipped and dyed.

Drinking lots of hot tea.  Watching lots of movies on Hallmark--I suggest myself as "continuity assistant" during filming and editing.  From one shot to another G and I watch as items move about the tables, desks etc.  Drink levels go up and down.  Scarves are wrapped around necks differently and the one that makes me craziest--men's ties not all the way up. Or up and then down.  At business meetings, weddings (groom) etc.  How hard is it for someone to just get the tie up to the neck? Just have someone shout--"tie" and get the guys to do it themselves.  Not doing it makes them look so sloppy in a smart metro sexual very tight suit. Of course none of the men shave. And the women all use that hot curling iron.  Ringlets on everyone.  Even long loopy ringlets.

When I start noticing these things-- Hallmark interest is expiring.

And G is shouting in happiness.  He does not like Hallmark Movies.

So, rest time is over--I am going back to my task for the day.  Vacuuming floors and carpets. Washing baseboards and window sills.  I already finished all the kitchen cabinets and their many, many layers of edges.  Oh, how I detest them.  Is 12:35 too early for a gin and tonic?

Daily Notes- September 22

Vincent.  No one does it better.  Looks like muscari bulbs under the trees and a few red tulips.

I am here, directly from work teaching Bulb Planting, with the odor of eucalyptus on my hands.  None grows here so I asked our floral department to order me a bunch.  Twelve dollars with my discount.  Many, many pieces of cloth will be eco printed.

My favorite soccer playing associate employee has joined the Navy.  He'll be gone before I return on October 22 for the last class I teach.  He'll do Navy training and then hopefully be able to try for the SEALS.  He has given up on the FBI.  I always call him My FBI Man.  I told him, if he comes to work--at any time in the Future--in his uniform--I want them to call me so I can come in and see him.  Of course, I didn't mention that I would cry all over him.  Best I keep that to myself.

Another employee--I have a real soft spot for these sincere, hardworking kids--joined the Air Force--as the only way to go to college.  We were eating lunch one day and he walked toward the lunchroom in his full uniform  and (I was told) my face broke out in the biggest smile and I ran to hug him. So handsome. So proud to have done this to make a Future for himself.  No mother.  Father an alcoholic.

And they told me only 4 signed up for the Bulb class.  But I had more copies made and I had a full house--all seats taken.  A good class.  And at the end--I tell them they can ask me anything--not just Bulbs. So we got into composting, brown tail moths, Japanese beetles.......... it was good.

I am tired, my voice is shredded and I need a shower.  But, it felt good to be out in public and it felt even better to go home early when I was done. I even found a few good sized boxes (in the warehouse) for sending things to people during the Holidays.

Well, I'm going to take a nice, long, hot shower.