Daily Notes- November 30

                                        

I bought this fabric "primitive style" work (long, long ago) before I knew of Janet Bolton.  This is pretty much a copy of her work sold by another Janet.  I have several forgeries.  And I own the book by Bolton so I know the others are copies.  This little one is six inches square.  I liked it because I liked chickens at that Time in my life.  This little square is usually hung on a small nail in the fireplace mantel.  Looks like the chickens are decorating a tree. I made quite a few quilts with chickens in that period of my Life.

I never actually did any primitive work as I tended to shift pretty quickly to Modern when putting squares and rectangles together and never really considered embellishing the surfaces with new subject matter.  Perhaps......my "bases" need some hand appliqué work???  Modern chickens and flowers?

It's 20 degrees this morning in Maine.  Very cold overnight and the news says a very big storm is approaching- due on Sunday into Monday.  This morning the Sun is shining and the grass is still green.  It's all very odd.  And very COLD.

I went on line this morning and found a Pinterest page with Bolton images. I drew a few in my drawing notebook right next to me- always ready for me to draw something (finding a pencil was difficult this morning).  One of the drawn images has a reindeer and two trees under a star filled night sky.  I might just give it a try.  My rendering is in no way accurate and I made no indications of color of fabric.  So, while the image idea is Bolton's- the finished work will be quite different.  The page with her work also contained images of work by Jude Hill.  And it was a nice surprise to see it there.  Sort of an indicator that I am walking a certain Path and haven't strayed too far.  Even though my work will never be exactly like either Janet or Jude.

We have to drive over to Comcast and file a complaint.  They have stopped sending me a paper bill in the mail.  Just an online indication that a bill "is ready to see".  I am in arrears as I only pay bills when I get them in the mail.  I do no bill paying on the internet.

While in that area we might stop in at the greenhouse and look at Christmas Trees.  Or not.  Twenty Degrees.  It's really cold out there.  So glad the furniture moving was done yesterday.

G feels the living room is COLD now that there is no furniture in it besides a couch and two side tables and lamps.  And the old antique cabinet full of dishes.  The thermostat registers the same number as always.  So he went to bed a few hours early.

Daily Notes- November 29

                                                

Today, the day after Thanksgiving, was the day for moving furniture.  G and Daughter carried things to and fro and around the Town and now my living room side (of an L-shaped room) is quite empty and I am liking that more than I thought. We have the dining section set up for the computer desk and the tv and the tv couch.  A FORMAL dining room was never anything we wanted.  This might change when the family room/kitchen gets blown up and remodeled.  But not in Winter.

I will LOVE it when it's all white.  Not the antiqued yellow I painted it so long ago for a New Year's Eve party.   Yes!!! I painted this entire large room all by myself with a faux distressed French Farmhouse vibe.  First paint and then the distressing.  In 1999- soon to be 2000, this was the very thing to do.

Now I just want everything WHITE.  And dark hardwood floors. New very high baseboards.  And the black Italian slate tile in the halls. My rugs are hooked.  In all the colors.  Very Americana.  They stay. I am trying to imagine what sort of furniture I will buy.  It will have to be chair height as G and I could never get up and out of the low slung Nordic stuff I really like.

G is exhausted.  But the furniture is in one of the three new places that adopted it all, the three wreaths are down from the attic and hung on the porch.  You get a picture of him since facial recognition would have a tough job identifying him.  And Yes, that is a BIG chair.  Called a Chair and a Half.  Just shy of loveseat size but still a chair and there were two of them.  The denim on the top half faded quite a bit and that is odd as the room it's always been in faces north. Daughter also took a side table on the way out. Those chairs are HEAVY!!!  Daughter has ALWAYS wanted the chairs.

I forgot to make the Brussels Sprouts for yesterday's dinner.  Forehead SLAP!!!  Entirely forgot until I had seated myself and looked at my plate.  I checked my list-- not on it.  So, in a few minutes, I'll prep my Sprouts and get them into the oven- with a sprinkle of Connie's favorite spice mix.  I had saved some for Thanksgiving.

Well, those Brussels Sprouts won't roast themselves.

PS. When I reminded the Carpenter of the baseboards, I'll also ask if he could build a bookcase in the wall behind the tv couch.  See how that goes over.

Daily Notes- November 28

                                       

Sewn yesterday - late afternoon into evening.  I needed something to keep me from eating the rest of the baked pretzels in the bag.  Keeping my hands busy with stitch and cloth.  Using only what is in the small bin next to  the couch (where I sit).   This means no getting up and shopping in the sewing room bins.  That ends up being all I do and no sewing gets done.

I can sort, stack, fold and hand smooth cloth for hours and hours.

The circular areas are eco printed lids from tin cans.  These are all smaller than a sheet of typing paper.  Perhaps as wide.  And they all want to be square.  And that's because that is the format imprinted into my cellular DNA.  Square.  I try but rectangles do not work for me.

When I woke up this morning- it was snowing.  Little hard specks of snow.  There was strong wind last night and one of the trees between our house and the next has had some damage.  We will need to negotiate with the neighbors to get that tree removed.  Insurance might cover some of it- rather than buy us a new roof.  Or a new bedroom.  Unhealthy trees and drought.  Not a good combo.

Internet is not working- lapse in typing and seeing it appear.  I have lots of vegetables to prep for our supper tonight.  So I will get started with that.  Let the internet straighten itself out.

In a short afternoon- the wing chair and ottoman have found a new home and the loveseat has also been claimed by someone else and they will even pick it up.  There is much Joy in these two events. My living room will be quite bare.

I was packing my Grandmother's china yesterday- the stamp on the back was registered in 1912.  Hand painted in Japan.  CHIKARAM*CHI   Pattern code CHK CHK4.   Replacements had images and descriptions of the china and it's exactly what I have in the cupboard.  Brought back memories of many holiday meals at my Grandmother's table.  I would be doing my son a favor if I found it a new home.

Happy Thanksgiving to All.  Save room for PIE!!!

Daily Notes- November 27

                                      

I call this tin rabbit "It Wasn't Me".   He's on the table where I put things I am not ready to give to Goodwill but not really ready to pack into a box either.  Packed in a box means keeping it.  And thinking about my son unpacking the box after I am gone and saying "what the hell?".  Perhaps he'll just get rid of the boxes and not open them???  It Wasn't Me.

I had a "waking dream" this morning.  Not fast asleep but not yet opening my eyes and being awake.  G was being examined by a doctor who was being rude and unkind- I was about to stand and protect  but before I could ---a stylized version of Riley flew through the wall and toward the doctor.  Above the floor.  Long legs, lovely body, large head.  Beautiful. Almost like a ancient cave painting come to life.  Protecting.

I told G what I had seen.  Because I had felt that I would see Riley again (in his new form) and was anticipating the event.  And now I had.  Flying in to protect G.  

Now the two of us have all three of our protectors.  The Dog.  The Warrior Woman.  The Monk.

And I think It Wasn't Me will go into the bookcase after it gets painted in January.  Staying.... not going or being packed away.

Daily Notes- November 26

                                      

Newest Work.  Sewn while watching Law and Order.  Darker than my usual stuff.  Sad.  The cloth at the bottom came out of the jar of black walnut water.  Just sitting in the sun on the porch.  String wrapped around cloth wrapped around a rusty tomato paste can.  Cloth and Walnut from Dee. The string did a nice job.

I prepped the remaining strips that came with the walnuts.  I gathered and made tucks with thread to see how that might go.  I haven't felt much like heating up the walnut husks as yet.  They wait.

Just finished paying bills.  Sorting things for the taxes.  Which are getting complicated just as they seemed to be getting easier.

The dog beds and the remainder of the dog's treats etc are ready to be taken to the animal shelter.  Then the beds won't be by the window and Riley will be truly gone.  We did one last walk in the woods yesterday (G and I)- I had hoped to feel Riley's presence there but...I think he is off on a very exciting new adventure.  No looking back.

Daughter might have a new situation for the wing chair and ottoman.  A Christmas Storefront Window display.  I took and sent pictures.  Now we just need to relocate the loveseat at daughter's house and the living room here will be nice and empty for the Painter.  I am taking down the pictures next week.  Emptying the bookcase cupboards starting tomorrow.  Lots of wrapping of dishes etc. And the liquor is in one of the cabinets.

I had a margarita yesterday with dinner out.  Is it horrible of us to feel so good about being able to go out together and not worry about the dog?   The drink helped and I enjoyed it.

Daily Notes- November 25

                                            

The packing I have done so far.  The wrapping table has many things on it that didn't get boxed up yet. I am still thinking about those things.  And we'll be taking the other three boxes to Goodwill.  They are very full.  Things once loved but no more.

I found two of the sweetest notes from the twins in the newspaper box this morning. One had draw a picture of Riley and said they would miss seeing him-very much.  I will keep those two notes forever.

Football last night- not the best game but we won.  And that rain- yes, that is what we were having. The homemade Football Game Pizza was very good.  And then we had ice cream.  Just totally going to Hell in a dietary hand basket.

Today I got the rest of my Holiday Meal shopping done.  They still had plenty of everything. But only the very small cartons of oatmeal.  The large carton space was very very empty.  The woman in line ahead of me had scallops- she said they were on sale.  I love bacon wrapped scallops.
But I was in line and that ship had sailed.  Without me.

My coffee date was going along just fine and then a whole group of women from the private college came in and started moving in chairs etc.  My coffee date friend was ready to abandon ship as soon as they arrived. So we finished our coffee date by walking around Town as she dropped off event flyers to certain places in Town.  She's retired but keeps very very busy.  I am retired and am the opposite of very busy.

Well, I promised G would would take a walk in the woods and he is ready to go.

Daily Notes- November 24

                                       

We left just as the Sun reached that space in the sky where it shines directly into your eyes as you drive South.  And we arrive in South Portland and Trader Joes just as everyone else living in Maine arrived, also.  It helped so very very much that all employees were busy stocking shelves blocking half of every aisle.

I had my list-  Caramels. Period.  I had my daughter's very specific list.  She had looked into her pantry and wanted 3 each of three items and as much as I could get of the fourth item- Sipping Chocolate.  Which I am guessing is rather hard to find.  I didn't bother to read the container- I still have no idea what the stuff is- but I got lots of it.

Two women were  standing by the potato table wondering which potato was the right one for Thanksgiving.  I listened for a bit and then volunteered my opinion that the gold or yellow potatoes were very very nice for mashed potatoes and always look so "buttery".  They each selected a bag and we parted.

I got what I really wanted- Brussels Sprouts still on the "branch"- I think of it as the stalk.  I grew one of these in my last season in Chicago.  Packed it into the car to take to Maine with us.  We were on the road for Thanksgiving and had the big meal in a roadside dinner.

We closed on our new house on December 2nd (28 years ago) and I promptly came down with a severe illness- very high fever.  I vaguely remember Carolers at the front door.  But that could have been the high fever.   I don't remember that Christmas at all.  The kids were home from college.  So they mostly slept all day.  I do remember going to pick up Italian subs and the other people picking up food were dressed in their pajamas.  And that remains the same to this day for that particular shop (which we never bought food from again).

This Holiday will be strange in it's own way.  Packing up the Living Room for January painting. Walls, ceilings, trim and cupboards.  It will be time-consuming.  If I remember correctly the Painter (a very lovely guy and wonderful painter) begins around 10 am and is cleaning up around 2:30.  That's the schedule the Carpenters have also.  Which reminds me..........I need baseboards. I was usually washing  all the floors after they left and doing some laundry and then we'd go get ice cream.

Daily Notes- November 23

                                     

Some changes.  There was too much of the coral.  That little yellow bit was too heavy and needed to rotate to the bottom right (it might have a short life span on this cloth).  DebL's delightful speckled cloth needed to frame the edges and I was so happy there were splotches of yellow.  The edges are untrimmed because I have no idea where this goes.  But it came this far.  In the past hour or so.

Deb's scraps have such interesting edges and shapes.  I think they would be easiest to use if appliquéd down on a surface. They resist being made into a straight edge.  I persevered on one edge.

There was no Law and Order so I had to watch Lifetime's Christmas Movies (actually look like old Hallmark Movies). Watched one about a woman who's Dutch grandmother sends her Christmas Shoes filled with candy on December 5th.  St Nicholas Day.  The shoes come with a promise of some magic if she wears the shoes.  She has never worn them--until they made this movie.

it must be the way things are now- bare legs and bare feet sliding into high heeled shoes.

Dee asked and I admit- I make cloth that has no story.  It is just what I think looks nice next to something else that I thought looked nice next to some other cloth scrap. If it doesn't work- I don't have any problems taking the whole thing apart.  I have asked myself why the cloth has no story.  I like stories.  It is a perplexing mystery.  Do you think Rothko was telling a story with his paintings? Or was he just showing you what colors could do and be? How it could affect you.

And NO NO NO, I do not compare myself to Rothko. But I do enjoy colors more than subject.

Daily Notes- November 22

                                      

Sewn together as I listened to the testimony of Fiona Hill on PBS.  Not sure the entire strip of coral at the bottom was a good choice but easy enough to remove.  I reverse appliquéd it.  You can't see it in the picture but it slopes upward in a curve which I couldn't do with a quarter inch turned seam.  The pale gray blue under is a folded square of the earliest of the grape juice trials.  I am also enjoying the ragged edge to the right.  Gives me things to consider as this goes forward (after going backward).

I am finding the small square (ish) format to be workable right now.  Not too much to think about.  Just holding scraps up against what is sewn and then cutting and sewing.  Nothing about the Future in anything.  Just the Time I am sewing.

A message left on the phone while I was out walking.  Ashes are ready for pick-up.  I have unused meds to drop off as well.  I won't mention this to G.  Just pick up the box.  I have the covers for the other two dog beds in the dryer and then G can drop the beds off at the shelter.

I cooked yesterday- I also burned it but that didn't seem to bother G.  He ate the food anyway.  He was out most of the day with the leaf blower on his back getting the rest of the leaves and acorns off the lawn- front and back.  I went out for a short Time and finished emptying the shredded blue tarp of leaf mulch.  Been there two years.  I had been scooping up a few armfuls at a Time to cover the compost I added to the bins during those two years.  But at the rate I was going the blue trap would be a permanent feature.  So, I just got it done.

It's difficult to get anything done.  Just the thought of starting something is hard to formulate.  But we think we'll drive to Trader Joe's- and G has agreed to drive on US 1 and not the interstate.  I need more dark chocolate caramels.

Daily Notes- November 21

                                         

Still Life.

G made a few phone calls and found a high risk flu shot for me at Urgent Care.  They were very nice and the shot itself was painless and I'll be sure to go next year to get my flu shot.  I need to keep my distance from anyone coughing, having a fever or blowing their nose for about 6 weeks.  Until all the good bugs have colonized in my body.

I felt kind of weird before going to bed.  Like I was getting sick.  But feel fine this morning.

I did a few more loads of laundry while writing pages in my notebook.  The cover for this dog bed is in the dryer.  Then I will do another cover and then another until I have them all clean and ready to drop off at the local animal shelter.

I wrote a letter to the parents of the 6 year old twins.  I was going to write to them myself- but then common sense prevailed.  Parents should be the ones to discuss life and death with their children- not an old woman down the street.  I put the letter in their mailbox as I walked down the street and back this morning.  Easy yesterday but very difficult today.  It comes and goes in waves.  And this morning not a tissue or hankie in any of my many pockets.  I restocked as soon as I got home.

I watch as much of the impeachment inquiry as I can stomach.  Then I transition to Law and Order if it's available and third choice is Hallmark Christmas movies.  I am not able to read as yet.  My eyes are very tired.  Used up by the crying.  We go to bed early and get up later than usual. A symptom of mourning.

I was going to say each day is easier-- but that isn't the truth.  It seems each day is harder.  Now which pocket has the hankie?????

Daily Notes- November 20

                                       

I think I can do this.  Without crying.  So here goes.  This little work was made mostly on Sunday while watching football.  And waiting for the Vet office to open on Monday morning.  So the cloth holds some sadness. Well, all kinds of sadness.

Most of the cloth is repurposed linen clothing.  Except for the side rectangles from the wonderful Deb Lacativa.  I had just enough, cutting one piece into the two side pieces.  As you can see, I had to do some fussy reverse appliqué at the top but that was a good thing.  I had to really concentrate.  And Law and Order gifted me three in a row episodes that I had never seen before.  Never seen before.  Wow.

And I emptied the big old cupboard in the living room all afternoon.  Old Christmas things.  So many Santas.  All were taken to Goodwill as soon as I had them packed up.  I hope they make some buyers very happy. The thought of packing them up and storing in the Attic-- well, once up there, I would never bring them down again. So better that they go to live in a new house.  I kept a few things that had meaning to me.  Those will be wrapped and packed into the boxes I have been collecting just for this packing.

In the very bottom of the cupboard the four boxes of Swedish crystal champagne flutes.  They have been "lost" for nearly 15 years now.  Why were they in the bottom of that cupboard?  Anyway.  One box will get opened, gently washed and dried and used on Thanksgiving Day.

I just have to get on a ladder and remove the dried flowers from the top of the cupboard and then G and I can take it apart.  Old European furniture was made to be disassembled so it could fit up tight staircases when moved.  We'll take it up to the attic and bring it back down when the Painter is done painting the walls and ceiling.  February or March.

Yesterday G and I went out together for the first time since April (minus the 4 evenings of music theater this summer when daughter dog sat) and dropped things off at Goodwill and then went to have a late lunch at our favorite in town restaurant.  First meal out since April when Riley started having panic attacks and refused to get in the car anymore.  It felt strange at first and then it was good.  Neither of us cried. If DQ had still been open we would have gotten ice cream. We never had any this summer.

And I almost got thru this post..but my face is all wet..  So that's all for today.  Thank you for your emails- They really got me to sobbing but in the VERY BEST of WAYS!!!!

Daily Notes- November 18th

                                          

I saved this picture for today.  Weeks and even months ago.  I knew today would come and he would go.   It was an easy death.  For him.  G and I and our daughter were with him.  The people at the Vet's office were kind and gentle and gave us Time.   I am washing dog towels and crying.

Riley was the kindest, most gentle, sweet dog in the whole Universe.  Parting is such sweet sorrow.
We have so many memories of him.

Daily Notes- November 17

                                            

Yesterday.  Sewing with machine (which actually had the bobbin case inserted at some point and I forgot it happened- head slap) but I did have some fascinating moments and language with the needle insertion which is why I walked away and never returned after getting the bobbin case in. Daily or weekly usage of the machine is the only way to roll.  Not once every 6 months. My Bernina is a tricky little thing.

So the under part is the square I managed to make yesterday.  Some cloth right side up and some not.  some by hand and some by machine. On top are clothespins with #5 embroidery thread wound on them.  The thread from Christmas Making last year. Red, black, green, white and gold. All you need when making little felt things for the tree.  Last year it was little black felt Scottie Dogs and Trees with assorted button ornaments.

I watched Hallmark Movies on Lifetime channel again.  Different but same actors.  Canadian film sets.  Same subdivision of houses.  At times- the same house as movies on the 2 Hallmark Channels.
So- technically, Hallmark now has three channels and sometimes 4.  Two Lifetime channels.

Still very cold here in Maine.  Not sub-zero yet but even my wool sweater isn't keeping me toasty warm.

Riley stopped eating and drinking water yesterday.  Nothing today.  I have forced his pills- the big antibiotic chewable and the tranquilizers by prying open his jaws (last night and this morning).  I tried to get a hemp chewy in but he locked his teeth together and the hemp things are crumbly.  He is having some difficulty breathing.  His larynx is not as soft and flexible anymore.  It's something that happens to Labs.  Can't be fixed.  Tranquilizers to ease the panic.  He sleeps but then wakes and coughs and tries to open his throat.  Looks around then back down for another nap- the muscles ease up while he is sleeping.  He and G had a rough night.  But our Vets don't work on the weekend- so we wait for Monday.  On an empty stomach I think the tranquilizer is more effective.  At least that is what we hope.

So-- football today.  Two games are of interest to us.  I have pizza dough so we'll have pizza today. I tried to make taco casserole yesterday but there was something about the ground beef that put me off and I threw it away -- before wasting cheese and chips.  No supper.

Today we'll have pizza with our football games.  I just heard Riley gagging.  Got to go.

Daily Notes- November 16

                                         

An Attic visit looking for striped fabric that would play well with the dotted fabric (in many color ways).  This was the only stripe that had orange in it.  Perhaps I should let go of the matchy matchy vibe and just go with a solid yellow?  No.  That's not me.   I am the quilter accused by my Quilt chapter as using really LOUD fabrics and I should learn to tone it down.  Well, they complained about everything I did-- which served it's purpose- it liven up meetings.  And I continued to learn things.  I asked and they showed me how to miter seams, make binding strips- I taught them hand appliqué which was very Civil War.   It worked.  And I always brought something extravagant (food) to All Day Quilt Saturday's and Pot Luck.  I liked them. Even the crabby ones were delightful. I miss them but meetings are held in a place where my driving skills are inadequate- evenings in the dark.

Riley was excellent yesterday and today he has decided to spit out his pills and not eat the canned food.  I am not proud of myself but I yelled at him and swore a bit.  Then I swept the floor really vigorously.  He was very good on this morning's walk.  After that he became obstinate.

I really don't have the energy or strength to do this without breaking down into tears.  So, I swept the floor and Riley is making a good effort not to make eye contact.  I am reminded that this is exactly what I went thru with my son.  The head butting that never got anywhere with him.  He would starve to death rather than give in.  And he was only two or three years old.  He marched to his very own drummer even then- and still does now.

G is no help- he says- just ignore him (the dog).   But then G has always just ignored me when he didn't want to listen.

So......... I am either going to pack a bag and run away from home (no where to go) or read a book or just hide in my sewing room for the entire day.  In any event- I will NOT be dealing with the dog.

Daily Notes- November 15

                                        

The pile on the left side of the sewing machine table.  Mostly linen clothing from Goodwill that I cut apart and and some of it went in with the grape juice and some steamed with brown onion skins.  Some came in the mail from a dear friend who makes glorious cloth.  And thread.  DebL.

I am going on a Field Trip today with my daughter.  Lots of places.  One being the Goodwill. So I started filling a bag with things I will never wear in a million years.  Quite a few of those items are linen so the pile of soon to be quilting cloth grew higher than the Goodwill pile.  But I did fill a nice trash bag.  I am going up into the attic to fill another bag with things on hangers up there.  Sizes that are long past and not coming back.

I got rid of all the shoes that hurt my feet when I wear them.
I got rid of anything that is itchy or scratchy or that rubs me the wrong way.
I mostly got rid of things that were the wrong size (and not needed to repair things that are the right size as I like to own extra zippers and cloth to make serious rip repairs)

I own three pairs of corduroy pants and one donor pair in the same color (wrong size) and that wrong pair provides me with what I need to keep the other three going, though the seat on my most favorite pair is wearing thin (thinner) and I am very very sad about that.

But I wanted to write to you before going.  As we might be gone a long time and I will most likely be exhausted.  Daughter just called with a heads up-- I've got 30 to 45 minutes to go up to the Attic.  If I find anything newsworthy at Goodwill-- I'll come and post again.  Field Trip !!!!!!!  Yeah!

Daily Notes- November 14

A Two-For today.  G was the Lucky One yesterday and got to get in the car and drive away from Dog Care.  While out he was out, he picked up Drawing Projects a book by Mick Maslen that I saw on Grace's blog a few weeks ago and asked for on interlibrary loan from MECA in Portland.   Maine College of Art.

I went to college in 1964 and took art classes and learned exactly ZERO.  The thought process for almost all my professors was that you were either an Artist (by birth) or you weren't.  They showed you how they did something (or they didn't) and then let you loose with your expensive art supplies.  Drawing was "show up and draw" what the assistant put out for us.  Or draw the same object five times (not a bad idea). No walking around with comments or suggestions either.   Figure drawing was a bit more- "draw the figure like (fill in the blank famous artist) would".  Involved a visit to the Art Library.  Some artists were new and not even in library books yet.  Silk screen class never mentioned Warhol's silk screen work.  Which was current events.  Mostly the professors were stoned and looking for an easy lay as we used to say.  Best way to a good grade.  I was not ready for that but the opportunity was there- both in English class and Printmaking.

This book.  This BOOK has opened my eyes to so much I missed out on (maybe the professors?).  Two renditions of my flower.  One stroke- pencil up and pencil down- no sliding across the paper.  Expressive.  Long loopy lines sliding on the page for this sketch.  The flower lends itself to interpretation.  I can't wait to do more of the exercises.

I also learned how to make buttercream.  Thank you Annie.

Riley is eating us out of house and home right now.  Three cans a day.

Daily Notes- November 13

                                          

This is a small piece- maybe 8 inches square- hand sewn .  I was giving that stripe a bit of an audition with the pink circles fabric before thinking about adding another border to the larger piece I showed a few days ago.  I was using a fragment of the pink circles fabric which is why the pieces are odd shapes.  I may do things this way from now on.  It wasn't easy.  Riley and I were watching Law and Order.  Well, he watched for awhile and then fell asleep.  All four feet up under his nose.

Big- HUGE- news on the Riley front for all you Readers who are fans of the dog.  He ate a can of dog food.  Actually he ate it as I was spooning it into his bowl.  Tried eating it out of the can itself. It was gone in seconds.  We were very quiet and waited for him to throw up.  He's great at throwing up.  But it all stayed inside him.

He's refused the FreshPet (chicken) and the prescription food from the Vet (also chicken).  This was beef with whitefish.  Really stinky.  He loved it.  Roadkill.  G is going to an appointment for his back pain and then will stop and buy a few more cans.  He has to be starving.  He ate the other can of food G bought- also beef--- for breakfast this morning.  Bowl is so clean it doesn't need washing.

In other news G ate two pieces of the Apple Cake.  He said he wanted to eat a third piece.  Instead of the larger pan asked for in the directions- I used a nine inch square pan.  So the cake is taller.  And I used all the thin sliced apples instead of just the 2 cups in the recipe. So...closer to 2.5.  I think of recipe cards as just suggestions.  Not rules.  And what was I going to do with those extra apple slices?

This morning's walk with Riley was sunny and -take your pick-- either zero degrees or 11.  I got my Irish wool sweater (a Goodwill find for $8) out and a turtleneck and I am warm-enough.  My right index finger was stiff and swollen this morning and very painful. I rubbed Arnica gel into it and waited. It's now feeling fine.  That would be the worst finger for me to not be able to use. Perhaps too much hand sewing?  Damn.

Daily Notes- November 12

                                        

House lights on at 8am.  Boots with those Ice Tracker things to keep me from flipping onto my butt on the sidewalk.  It's cold. It's dark.  It's covered in ice.  Maine.  The Way Life Should Be. Ha!!

Riley and I walked.  He pooped.  The Morning Report.  He also peed.  The guy who was dressed like an Elf yesterday- out scraping ice off his car.  Not dressed like an Elf.   Neighbor across the street has been working on clearing space in her garage for her car.   She must be feeling overwhelmed. (since I wrote this a truck has arrived at her house with a ladder)-  well, if nothing else this gives me a purpose for the morning.  Looking out the window.

I mostly sat and did nothing yesterday after being out earlier.  Sigh.  Nothing appealed to me.  Not the internet. Not the tv.  Not the cloth.  Certainly not the bobbin case situation.  I did spend time in the Attic looking for a stripe cloth.  I shoved the big maple dresser in the dining room further to the right. To uncover the entire new radiator.  G was wearing gloves in the house- and a scarf.  Feeling cold.

Picture at the top is the most important thing I own right now- those old boots and the orange ice tracker things.  I had thought they were pink.  Perhaps I do own a pink set of these?  And you can see how dark it is in the house.  They were on the dining room table when I took the picture. South side of the house.

I decided to have a chocolate Tootsie Pop.  After breakfast treat.  From Halloween.

G and I agreed that we should have put up the big porch wreaths while it was still above freezing.  We didn't.  And I do want to buy additional strings of lights for the wreaths so they are visible from Space. In five minutes (it seems) it'll be Christmas.

Daughter returns to the Candy Factory next week and promises not to wipe her nose on her shirt sleeve or Farmer Blow her nose.  All things that are okay when doing landscape work but not good to do while working in the Candy Factory.    I don't think I ever got into the habit of the sleeve nose wipe while working at the greenhouse.  If you don't know what a Farmer Nose Blow is......  you can Google it?

Daily Notes- November 11

                                                

I found two more- The one on the left is more tan than the orange it shows up as here.  The one on the right- at first I was so excited because it looked silvery grey but it's actually a grey green.  Which is good.  A quiet color.

My coffee date went well after we found a place that wasn't crowded.  So many people out and about on Veteran's Day.  We found a table away in a corner.  My back to everyone and my companion getting to people watch.  I showed her all the cloth I have been working on.  She is always taken aback by the hand stitching.  Something she thinks is tedious.  I enjoy it and she does not. But otherwise she enjoys seeing my work in person and sometimes she asks to hold it.  Cloth has a very nice feel in your hands and I like tracing the line of stitches in the seams.  I sewed all with black thread.  To make sure it was visible.  For some reason, I enjoy sewing right now instead of reading.

I went up three times to the Attic to find a fabric to go next on the hot pink and gold.  Nothing.  In all that Attic- Nothing.

I always see it as a gift.  To change course.  Someday the cloth I was looking for will show up-- but not now.  Now I have to walk a new path. But I did find these two and more of all the others.  How many Times did I buy these dots?  That tan on the left will go around as soon as I figure out the "breathing" border fabric.

On the wall behind my companion's head- two delightful watercolors of our Town.  One- the corner where the Art Store is located and one of the busy Maine street with cars.  I would enjoy owning both.  I will have to go back when the coffee shop is less crowded and ask about them.

G is having the last of his Chicken Soup.  He had to make more noodles.  I need to think of something to cook next.  I could make a sheet tray of meatballs.  I have ground beef in the freezer- let it thaw in the fridge overnight.  Sounds like a plan.  When I was on my diet I would eat a bowl of just the meatballs as I couldn't have the pasta.  I started to look forward to bowls of meatballs.  Marinara sauce on them of course.  I would not eat a bare meatball.

Well, I sat here long enough and Riley is asleep.  He had two large Milk Bone biscuits for lunch so his tummy is full and we had a walk just before I sat down here.  He looks so tender when he sleeps- not a care in the World.

Oh something funny- a neighbor two doors down was out at his mailbox at 8 am for our first walk of the day.  Green pants fastened at the ankle with something.  Gold sweatshirt with a belt.  Red hat.  I looked and thought- oh no Joanne- too many Hallmark Movies!!!  An ELF!!!!

Daily Notes- November 10

                                                 

I added borders.  One set (the stripe) on Friday and the second border last night (a bit less neatly).  Well, evening.  I tore the strips hoping they were "close" to even but welcomed the uneven-ness.  I ran out on the bottom edge and had to improvise.  Hasn't been pressed.  Yet.  I do love that part most of all.  The hot iron, spray starch and a good long press.  The Virgo, present and accounted for.

Anon: water in puddles.  Dogs drink out of puddles.  Riley has forever been given meds to counteract the propensity of dogs to drink out of puddles large and small (he used to swim in one or two of those large puddles back in the days when it rained here).  It is well known that the larger water filled areas behind my house (swampy) contain deer pee.

 On evening walks with Riley we watch deer cross the road ahead of us, peeing and pooping as they walk.  I think Readers of this blog who live in other states have deer in their yards as well. Their dogs are likely vaccinated as is Riley.

The newspaper had a few laughs in it.  My oatmeal was a bit more soupy than I like.  My banana was very nice.  My coffee- trying to get used to the new spoons- so sometimes too weak and others days too strong.  Not finding the "just right" spot.  G brought one of my favorite sweaters down from the Attic- some animals had eaten holes in it over the Summer.  Mice or chipmunks.  Made me very sad. And now I know ALL clothing needs to be in heavy plastic storage containers. I will try to do some Boro type mending on the sweater but I think it might be a total loss. Its' been a long, long time since Goodwill had any good natural fiber sweaters in my size.  I had thought about buying the small sweaters and forming a patchwork sweater out of the larger pieces.  But the colors never were compatible.  Or the fiber content.  Daughter gave me a natural fiber large scarf- I could cut and sew it into something I can wear.  That's something I can consider.  Just rectangles sewn together.

G needs to pound in the tall sticks along the edges of the drive and walks-so he knows where to snowblow when it starts snowing.  The soil seems frozen so he may have waited too long.

I have a re-scheduled coffee date tomorrow morning the only day this week when the wintery mix isn't forecast.  I am waiting to see if the pharmacy gets in any high risk flu shots--I haven't had mine yet and it's getting scary.   I was healthy enough not to have my October appointment with the lung doctor- so no shot there this year.  G had his. And the booster dose of the Shingles vaccine is due or past due. I had the first and the second is supposed to be given in exactly 90 days.

Well, I am going to go iron this cloth and then-  don't know.  I walked Riley at 8:30am and now he thinks he needs to go out again.  Three hours- might just be boredom.  He ate yesterday evening (I added peanut butter) but is refusing the same meal this morning.  I think he is just getting bored.   Or its a nervous barking tick he has developed.  It's always something new.

Daily Notes- November 9

                                                    

Riley in the morning.  He's had his walk (8am) and his morning pills plus a hemp oil treat.  I had hoped it would make him want to eat (ha!).  So far, no.  G is reading the paper and eating breakfast to the left of the dog.  My chair is directly behind him.  He likes when all three of us are close together- always has.

All the puddles of rainwater were frozen solid this morning.  Riley was disappointed in not being able to get a drink.  He likes outdoor water much more that indoor water.

I didn't do anything with cloth yesterday.  Finished my book.  Made chicken soup for G and the turmeric broth for myself.  G was very pleased with his soup- mine was tasteless. All those vegetables and no taste at all. Very disappointing.  Next time I might brown the vegetables in some oil and then add the water?  Or not make it again.  Vegan broth is really a waste of time.

I did manage to remove all the outer material from the black walnuts (about 35).  They had blackened and softened and everything came off easier than when they are green.  I wore gloves but my right thumb- used to push on the husk- is rather brown.  Stained.  Due to a hole in the glove.  I have my non-reactive enamel kettle ready to add the walnut husks and water and simmer- I have to add water to cover the "fruit" and simmer on medium low for nearly a day.  Then let sit and cool overnight. Then I will strain thru cheesecloth to make the ink (with added alcohol).  The solids can be used to dye cloth (with added water). I won't be making the quart or so of ink the author of these instructions made.  I just need a small jar.  So there will be plenty of solids and liquid to color cloth. and daughter has given me her little crock pot.  I can use it to do any slow cooker dyeing of cloth.  I read about this method on Graceandmending.  A blog that I don't think is active anymore.

Today I have Washing Machine Pages to write as I have a small load of people clothing and another of dog blankets.  I try to change out Riley's bedding more frequently as he spends much of the day on one or the other of his beds.

I went up into the Magic Attic- the cloth closet-- and found (in the different color way stacks)-  that I had five different colors of the circles (dots) fabric from the last post.  I have a blue, green, orange  and even a black/brown along with the pink you saw a few days ago.  It was fun to find each in the stacks of cloth.  The black/brown was a real treat to find. When I was addicted to buying fabric like some women buy shoes-- If I liked a certain fabric and it came in other colors- I bought them as well.  In this case-- it was a very good thing.

So, today is G's day to go off in the car and I will stay home.  I now understand the need for respite when caring for a loved one (human or animal).  The caregiver just needs a chance to drive or walk away from it and come back refreshed.  I have been making trips to the grocery more often and to the library.  I was supposed to have a coffee date this week- but Riley had that emergency appointment (fever) and I had to cancel.  I am going to email and see if we can reschedule.

Daily Notes- November 8

                                    

Well. this is as far as I have gone with the piece.  I took it all apart and removed all the fabric that was not pink. Sewed it back into a rectangle.  Now I am considering the onion over dyed yellow linen.  It has a silky finish to it now-that linen.  And I wonder if I want to use it here or save it for something in the Future?  This is Me.  I save what I think is wonder filled and use what is not.  If this was something I touched everyday- then yes. But if it's something that is folded into a drawer- then no.  So Purpose.  A thing needs Purpose.

I have made a few fundamental changes in my "SAVING" of things.  My antique print handkerchieves are now found in every one of my pockets.  It's a real Joy to reach into a pocket and find something lovely to blow my nose into.  That was a huge concession on my part.  But I tried it with one.  And after many months of being in my pocket- it was none the worse.  Oh, it had been laundered in that Time.  It was that part that worried me- the stress of laundry on the old fabric. No one makes and sells thin, soft printed hankies any more.  Plastic wrapped packs of folded Kleenex is the way to go now.  Printed with little designs.

Yesterday I decided to keep giving Riley the Amoxicillin.  It seems to be doing something and the two days not giving- something was lost in his well being.  And I trust the advice of one Vet over another.  This new Vet- I don't like him and he seems uninterested in anything besides his ultrasound machine.  My trusted Vet is away all of November.  Riley has developed a nervous type yip. It just comes out of him.  He is even surprised by it. We go day by day but other than the yipping- he is peeing and pooping and sleeping.  And walking in front of me now, not behind as he does when he is feeling weak.  Some pulling.  But he has always wanted to be out front. So--all that is good.

I am nearly finished with my book.  I am still not certain of the outcome.

I have made necessary changes to my diet to limit my exposure to Fats & Cholesterol.  I usually eat mostly plants, beans and grains.  But now I have fat free milk and coffee creamer.  I can't find a good tasting low fat yogurt so I still eat Noosa.  But not as many.  And I have oatmeal for breakfast now that's it's getting cold.  The puddles on the street where I walk Riley are now frozen. Snow later today.

I am now having to wear a reflective vest on the walks after 4pm.  One of my neighbors nearly ran us down last night (6 pm).  Car just kept coming directly at us and we were not even on the road.  Lives next door.  So at 10 pm I wore the vest.  We need to put one on Riley as well.  Vest, Halter, Leash.  He is annoyed with each new item.  I am Coat, Hat, Vest, Shoes, Gloves, Poop Bags, Hankie. I will need add Boots soon.

That's it for today.  Finish my book, walk the dog 3 more times today.  Make G a pot of chicken soup.
I have a little carton of instant red miso soup to try out.  I like red miso.  And there are brown rice ramen noodles in the carton as well.  I made broth once (failed to write it down on a recipe card) and it was a very slow simmered bone broth of chicken and ginger and turmeric.  I ate it will rice noodles. Very soothing.  But I would have liked it better minus the chicken.  Anyone know of a healing broth with ginger and turmeric root that does not need animal protein?

Daily Notes- November 7

                                       

What I'm reading.  Frannie is born a slave on a plantation in Jamaica in the 1800's.  After the plantation and all it's crops burned to the ground, Frannie and her Master sailed to England where she is given as a gift to a man from whom her master wants a favor.  Frannie was taught to read as a child.  Her favorite book -Moll Flanders.  Frannie is accused of a double murder.  Her story - her life is written as a journal of sorts while she awaits trial.  "lush, gritty, wry, gothic, and compulsive". Another first book by an author who certainly knows how to write.  I love reading "first" books.

Reading "Where the Crawdad's Sing" and then "Confessions of Frannie Langton" would be an excellent use of the Winter of 2019.

I am never sure what I have already written here.  As, during the day, when things happen I am writing (in my head) what I would say about the incident on the blog and I write emails to people who comment.   There was nothing to see on Riley's ultra sound.  No cancer.  But his liver is oddly shadowed, enlarged with tiny specks of white.  The Vet has no idea: we could be looking at the Cosmos.  He can stick a long needle in to do a biopsy.  But didn't seem that eager to do that.  Riley is a large dog he says.... and large dogs have a lifespan that Riley has met and might, possibly, have exceeded.  Vet sees no reason for the tranquilizers or the twice daily amoxicillin which has had no effect.  He still got a fever (infection) while taking it.  So........ as to the low sodium turkey that is Riley's main food source- the Vet shrugged.  Said it really didn't matter.  A healthy diet is the least of our concerns I guess.

That was what the end of life doctor said about my dad.  A healthy diet was the least of our concerns.
Let him eat ice-cream and potato chips.  And even a hot dog which delighted my dad so much.

I wrote, here on this blog, about the Dark Times.  In Germany, a very depressed country, this is how they describe Winter.  It's Dark.  At 4 pm.  That's what I was saying.  It's dark.  I'm not depressed about it.  It's just the signal that Winter is here.  My daughter read those words and now she wants me to get a "seasonal mood light" to look at each day to reset my mental and emotional health.  OMG.

I am NOT depressed.  I am overwhelmed by the care giving of the dog.  The emotional caregiving.
Yes, I am sad.  I love the dog.  I would be sad. It's natural.

I stopped in at the grocery to buy a few things and......as happens (Fate).... I was stopped by several people I knew.  One to tell me the hibiscus plant I brought back from leafless near death is doing beautifully- years later. As I was leaving her, I said "I helped because I knew how much it meant to you that the plant lived". You see, I didn't just work.  I tried to help.  I made an effort to go beyond what was expected. It wasn't just a plant.  It was a husband who had died too soon.  It brought joy to me to see her so happy--now.

And they had FINALLY stocked the freezer with my favorite Ben and Jerry's flavor.

Daily Notes- November 6

                                                 

This is very large- double bed sized wide but not as long.  I had seen a small image of this man in a travel magazine.  I think it was a carving on a wall or some other thing. Not Egyptian.  But I liked it.  I drew it without a light projector and then cut it out of whole cloth and appliquéd it to the green background. Perhaps if it had been more of a bronze color?  It just doesn't present strongly.  I have considered cutting it up into segments.  The arm with the three men.  The monkey by himself.  But the major problem of color and contrast would still exit.  Any ideas?  I am not against removing the figure from the background or appliquéing other fabric over the dark green.  It's fully quilted with binding.  Make an interesting lap robe.

The arm under the monkey goes further to the left and holds a ring.  The original image had no feet.

I loved the idea of the monkey. And the three men standing on the arm.  Wish I had done a better job with fabric choices.

Riley walked last night as far as the Twins house and had some water out of their deep puddle.  We went out at 10 pm and it was very dark and quiet.  Riley sniffed the air and located the places the deer had walked.  He peed.  He was steady on his feet and the leash was slack the entire time.  Three days ago he was dragging me around.  Pulling with great strength.  He still has no appetite but did take his evening pills and the morning ones plus the chewable Baytril.  We go for an ultrasound at 3pm.

I took apart that patchwork from yesterday's post.  Took about 20 minutes.  For some reason I was sewing with that clear nylon thread.  I used to use that when quilting.  Matched everything and didn't show.  Bobbin was white cotton.  Didn't want to change the thread I guess.  Connie likes the purple.  Going to send it off to her.  There's more in the Attic.  I never did like purple.

I have three library books to read.  Hard to concentrate on little words on a page.  I keep looking at Riley to make sure he's breathing.  That's a rough way to be living right now.  Can't concentrate on much else. But....truly, it would be the gentlest way for him to go. To just take a nap here at home watching me type and wake up in Heaven. He's awake and giving me that "what's the matter with you?" look.  I told him I was just being ..... me.  And he went back to his nap.

Daily Notes- November 5th

                                               

I was up in the Magic Attic looking for a scrap of a print fabric and came across this.  It's may be 15 by 24 inches.  I love the gray print border.  This is all I have.  I have it in a blue color way but like the gray with these reds.  I would have liked making it larger. And I do not like the purple.  But now I think I might take the border off. Take apart the patchwork center.  It's no longer relevant to me.  I would do it differently in 2019.

I would do many things differently if given the chance for a "do-over".

That could be my Life Statement.  I feel like I am caught in a life I never actually wanted.

I was interested in all the ways people cook their old fashioned oats.  I haven't perfected the oats to water ratio yet to get the dense but not gummy oats texture that I enjoyed when Riley was still a puppy and me sitting in the desk chair (with wheels) was enough to get him to sleep.  The wheels made noise which he could hear and he would wake up.  I ate my oatmeal in the chair, read books in the chair and posted early blog entries from the chair.  Anything to keep an active puppy sleeping. Now I could set off a bomb and not wake Riley up if he wanted to sleep.

We went to the Vet today- unexpectedly at 8:30 am.  Riley has another fever.  Needed fluids and more antibiotics.  I am thinking he should never have stopped taking them.  I should have expressed my thoughts to the Vet office.  Tomorrow an ultrasound to see what his liver is doing.  He is refusing food.  But with the two massive injections of antibiotics-- he will feel better by tomorrow and might eat then.  He was doing so well- like his jolly old self.  Now........he's very weak.  They think it might be Lyme.  No vaccine for that.

On the bright side- my credit card is collecting lots of points.

Two episodes of Antiques Roadshow last night.  I enjoyed both.  I was sewing little bits of cloth to other little bits of cloth and have managed to make about 6 typing paper sized items so far.  None of them go with any of the others.  They are just hand sewn groups of components.  They aren't going to turn into wishing stars or cats or anything (like Jude's on Spirit Cloth).  I guess they are all backgrounds for something that might happen on their surfaces- someday. Or in 2029 I might decide to unsew them all and make something else?  Like the one up top.  The parts are more interesting than the whole.

Daily Notes- November 4

                                      

Tis the Season for Pies.  And the best part of pie is the crust.  This one looks very nice and buttery. I make my edges the same way with thumb and two fingers.

My problems with the Daily Notes boils down to not being able to access my picture file.  I just get text which makes no sense to me.  Something has been lost in translation.  So .......Now I just place a picture on the desktop and then move it to the post.  Then center it.  Having no picture just takes the fun out of it for me.  That's why I was so bummed out over the problem I was having.

Riley has been wanting early morning walks (7 am) and close to midnight walks and several in between during the day.  So I am getting my steps in.  This morning we heard two gun shots- Hunting Season- so I will need to be wearing orange and Riley will need an orange vest so we don't get shot. My Neighborhood is verboten for hunting but the hunters come anyway as the woods and Commons are full of deer.  We had two females and their 3 babies in the backyard on Saturday.  Eating acorns.
The entire month of November.  Gunshot.  I hate it.  More so because the hunters are often drunk.

I have been foraging in the cloth closet and need to go into the Attic.  There is something niggling in the back of my mind- a cloth I think the piece I am sewing needs.  I have a small scrap of it but need to visualize how it might look as a larger piece.  For the search.

Daughter came by before 8am to drop off some tender perennials to over winter in the Attic bathroom as it's unheated but doesn't freeze.  She is finding things as they do end of season cleanup.  These perennials were going into the compost bag so she saved them out.  They are working ocean front today and it will be cold and windy even with the sun shining. They are still doing Fall Cleanup. Riley and I got a bit frosty on the morning walk.  I need to add a hat to my outfit.

G is going off to do a flower delivery for the greenhouse.  Hope he doesn't get lost.  I am going up to the attic.  To look for something with blue and white and some pink.  Riley is going back to looking out the back window in hopes of more deer coming to visit. The grass was frosted white this morning.   The Dark Days Are Here.  Dark by 4 pm.  And I think I need a second sweater this morning.

Daily Notes- November 3rd

                                      

I love the shape, color and seeds of the Pomegranate.  One year, I drew 5 or six variations of this fruit and each was a different medium.  Pencil, pen, brush, crayon etc.  I think I will make one of cloth this time and then eat the seeds.  And then dye cloth with the skin and some iron for a deep black- or so it's written in my book of dye secrets.

I went out to the grocery to get my prescription (inhaler) and found I was in the "donut hole" and instead of $40 it was $119.  Next time that will triple.  It's okay, as I can afford it, but I always think of those who can't.  Thoughts like that make my heart heavy.

Riley is feeling very much like himself and instead of a slow walk by my side- I am being dragged about from one side of the street to the other.  He found one leg of a robin sized bird in the grass and pine straw.  He feels a compulsion to revisit it.  His wild genes.  Not mine.  One visit to the bird leg was enough for me.

The Twins were out and we saw them twice so far today.  Raking leaves with their father.  Riley likes seeing them (from a distance) but they still make him uncomfortable as they move very fast when up close.  He's never had much experience with small children.

I spent time this morning with the orchids.  They have the fuzzy white insect on their leaves so I had to wash everything, spray and then water and fertilize them.  It's my fault- with all that is going on with the dog- I neglected them.  That neglect also hastened the flowers on the Christmas Cactus. Usually I get it right and stop watering in late October for Christmas flowers.   Not this year.  I didn't water at all in late September into October.

I am tired.  It happens when the Time Changes.  When Winter begins.  We change the clocks tonight. but it won't be long before it's deep dark at 4 pm.  The Dark Days.  Endless dark.  And then the cold here and the snow and ice.

I bought a small container of old fashioned oats.  I am going to try them for breakfast.  I ate them for years and years and then just stopped enjoying them.  But they are good for lowering cholesterol so I will give them another chance.  In the microwave.  I just need to get the proportion of oats to water just right.  I know I could do overnight oats- very popular right now- but I don't like fruit or yogurt with my oats.  Just oats and a small amount of milk.

Daily Notes- November 2nd

                                                  

What I hand stitched last night while watching some "educational" thing on Stonehenge.  Now they have DNA evidence the stones were set up by aliens from another solar system (really?).  And they powered up the stones and went back "home".   The tone of all the stone theories seemed to have influenced my cloth choices.  Stones, Sun, Darkness.  I plant based dyed the yellow linen with dark brown onion skins.  Love the color. And the rusty tones left by direct contact with the onion skins.

The Hallmark movies were of no interest and there was nothing else to watch.

This early morning's walk with Riley was cold (as was last call last night).  I may have to wear something warmer under my orange raincoat.  I have been wearing just a very light quilted vest under.  Yesterday a neighbor from across the big road was walking with her two big fluffy white retrievers.  Girls.  And they pulled her right across the street to "meet" Riley.  She had another white puppy when Riley was a puppy.  Sashia developed a tumor on her heart and died before reaching 4 years.  So this neighbor was surprised we still had Riley.  I said he was 12.5 now.  On the walk back down the street he had to intensively sniff every spot the girls had visited.  Men.

A found a bag of avocado pits in with the morning newspaper.  My Library/walking buddy must have stopped by.  When avocados are a "very good" price she eats one a day- saves the pits for me.  I tucked hers into the freezer with the ones I save.

I now have two more loads of laundry to monitor today (writing two to three pages of Washing Machine Pages).  And I never did get to dragging out the vacuum and doing the floors. G often volunteers but his sciatica is still bothering him and even taking the dog out with the invisible fence collar is more than he can do.

Well, it's Saturday.  Last Saturday.....well, I am reminded of how weak Riley was last Saturday- refusing to eat or take his medicines.  He's come a long way in just a week.  Back to pulling on the leash and dragging me into the brush with him.  And I am a very heavy weight to be dragged.  He's eating about a pound of low sodium turkey over 7 days- wrapped around the various pill pockets of meds 4 times a day.  And he's enjoying Milk Bones.  They have nutrients.  Low fat and low calories.  The Vet office suggested canned chicken with the juices in his dry food.  I can't see him even sniffing that.  The Milk Bones add bulk to the digestive tract if you know what I mean.

Well, the Washing Machine Pages won't write themselves.  Later.

Daily Notes- November 1

                                                

Good Morning.  This is the Halloween Quilt I made many years ago for the town library.  It hung on the wall behind the circulation desk for the month of October for many happy years (I loved that job) and has been in the closet up in the Magic Attic for years and years now.  I had a bit of a problem inserting the picture here.  My computer is experiencing some difficulties.  So...there is a good chance my Daily Notes will stop quite abruptly.  There is no one to fix any problems now.  I will try a reboot.

I keep getting strange and never seen before messages.  As much as my son and husband believe they have severed ties between this computer (the main one) and my husband's new iPad- I fear they are still entangled in some ways.  It is with great sadness that I type this- knowing it may go nowhere.

My Life- as I knew it--seems to be slowly falling apart.  Not that I don't still have friends and good days.  It's that I find myself thinking I am in Solitary Confinement.

The Twins and their parents enjoyed seeing the Halloween Quilt. And the boys were very good conversationalists with me, G and with Riley who seems to have made an instant attachment to them.  They must smell wonderful to the Dog.  They were our only Tricker Treaters.  The rain and wind took a break so no one got wet.  The lawn was littered with fallen branches this morning.  So some heavy wind came thru overnight.

Hallmark delivered a new and sweet Christmas Movie last night that I enjoyed- a down in the dumps  Vermont Town experiences a revival when a down on her luck Venture Capitalist comes to stay for a month in the Town's charming bookstore.  She spends zero money but manages to change the Town anyway.  I like fantasy.

Well, the holiday is over and I need to do laundry and write my Washing Machine Pages while I keep watch that no water overflows onto the new floors for the third time.  I also have bills to pay.  I also should vacuum the floors of the entire house- dog hair is drifting into all the corners.  So- a busy day of sorts.  I still need to tackle the bobbin case.  And the sewing room floor is littered with scraps of cloth and cotton and linen clothing.  My new yardages.  Pretty soft colors of well worn clothing to add to my "components".  Dee the second of your "packing" material scraps is in the salsa jar with a tin can.  The sun is shining on it right now.  When it's dry and warm I will unwrap to see what I have.

If I can't post- I will write to each of you a email.  If I don't have an email address for you- send to jsuley@comcast.net.