Daily Notes- October 31st. And the COVID cases here in Maine keep increasing.

Happy Halloween.  Muffy got dressed for the Holiday a few days ago and wanted to be in that day's post but I told her she had to wait.  She has a very adorable "velvet" cat costume and her very own little cat.  I don't think she'll be trick or treating tonight.  Usually it's only the Twins who come by to show off this year's costume.  They might be getting a dollar bill in an orange envelope or a chocolate chip LARABAR.  But not sure the cashew/date bars are child friendly. If I had orange paper I might try an origami pumpkin.   I should have asked my son to make me two. I might look for some Beanie Babies in the Attic.

I looked at the candy section and- for two small boys?  I did not want to buy a bag of ick candy. And then eat the rest of it myself.  Last year I gave them the entire bag- momma was not pleased.

I sewed the very busy French-ish fabrics into four squares and have a few circles to hand appliqué today. Or tomorrow.  Did a load of wash.  Just finished.  And now bracing myself to drag out the central vac hose and vacuum the house.  The hose.......stiff and gets kinked up and well, it's a real workout. I'm thinking of standing in front of the Swiffer display at Monday grocery shopping and choosing dusting pads.  I have many floor cleaning pads and squirt solutions.  But never delved into the dusting components.  The house is dusty.

I have not liked any of the books in my pile so far.  Geez.  I really hate when that happens.  And no library visit until Tuesday.  Three days.  Most of the books came off the Staff Picks shelves and usually they do not steer me wrong.  I still have five in the pile.  One of them has to be good- right?

The closer we get to Tuesday.......the tension is getting overwhelming. And it won't be over on Wednesday. It feels like it will never end.  It just feels so impossibly...not American.  I might need a pan of Brownies.

Daily Notes- October 30th

Late again, but I was awake at regular time.  Just had some interesting things to do with my breakfast and coffee (two) but decaf so I am not all wound up.   Selecting fabric- which was meant to be a lap quilt but got entirely too busy.  So now the squares- half with circles and half without, will be hand sewn into square potholders as holiday gifts.   And if I run out of people wanting them- they will go into the potholder drawer.  Next to the stove.  The other thing was writing info into my notebook for cloth dyeing. Mordants etc and which parts of things give color.  Very interesting.  I have many of the listed plants in my garden or yard.  I was not aware of how to use and which parts yield color.  I will be looking for downed birch trees (easy enough in the woods).  Daughter has supplied me with many rusted items for my iron water mordant container.  And I purchased dyers alum last Christmas at the Artist's Supply.

I do need to ask my old walking buddy to save the skin from her daily avocado- not just the pits.

Thursday's Football Pizza was different (I did not have shredded cheese in the drawer so used fresh mozzarella and things got "loose")  but it was quite good.  The crust- after 4 or 5 days in the fridge, baked up thin but very nice.  The football was not so nice.  I guess the way to win- for the Falcons- is to send good players to the protocol tent.  I have never liked watching the Falcons play. Some teams are just mean spirited. The Patriots seem to have lost a few more players to injury......not looking good for the season.

My book, Good on Paper, was one I had tried to read once before but too much Latin etc. And Isabel's Bed I had also already read once before.  Okay, but I think I have moved on. I have a Canham Scottish romance here to try out.  I have stayed away from the Scottish ones but that was the only Canham on the library shelf (I never have looked for Canham at the library as they never have any but now they have one)- so I took it "as a sign" that I might want to read it at least once.  I could be three for three in the "I don't want to read this" pile.

Husband went out this morning to get his hearing aids "tuned up".  He's back and working on a word search puzzle to send in- they give prizes (a local paper) and he always hopes he will win.  When we used to get the local Times Record we always worked on the Turkey Search puzzle. (November)  Had the double page spread out on the dining room table.  Would walk past and then stand and search for awhile.  Most years we never found all the words.  I wonder if they still do the puzzle?

Cold, Dark, Wet is the weather for today.  Two inches of snow was also forecast but haven't seen any. More church contacts are now sick here in Maine and Donald Trump Junior was here and no one wore a mask at his "rally" so we are waiting to see the contact tracing on that fiasco.

I watched Christmas Movies on Lifetime Channel yesterday.  They seem to be more enjoyable than Hallmark ones but often they ARE Hallmark ones. I like the one about the grandmother who sends her granddaughter shoes.  And magical things happen when she wears them. I hope I get to see that one again. The one I watched last night was the single career woman who is now the caregiver to her dead sister's child.  She hires a guy to be the nanny.  It had Gingerbread House Baking and Nutcracker Ballet. And a Meet Cute.  I always check for Hallmark Bingo Items. Oh, and Mistaken Identity.  If I get to see the Shoes one- I will make a Bingo List.  There's a Meet Cute in that one.  For sure.

Daily Notes- October 29th-

So what do we make of the five years ago thoughts and feelings of Lindsey Graham?????? 

Tardy today.  Have my second breakfast on the left of the keyboard.  I slept until 12:30.  Had breakfast, read the paper, looked for my car keys, went to the library and am now back home having a second breakfast.  One would think I had too much to drink last night.  Would be wrong.  I just was tired I guess.  And now I am hungry. 

The Honey Don't List was a good book.  I have requested other books by this author (really two women) Lauren Christina.  They use their first names as the "author".  My library only bought the new book and none of the others.  Slim pickings in the library.  The Early Birds get the books.

I watched NOVA on climate change last evening and got so depressed I watched two Hallmark Movies back to back. I don't even remember the plots.  One was set in Rome with the Hallmark actress that looks like a chipmunk in 4 inch heels.  She's very popular with the casting people at Hallmark.  Not with me.

So...here it is Thursday.  People here in Maine still getting sick but we aren't having our hospitals loaded with very sick people. Yet. Most of it contact traced back to the second church event while the wedding event is still a gift that keeps on giving.

I think I will settle into the couch with my new"old" magazines- Gun And Garden and enjoy a do nothing day.  There is a crappy football game on Fox tonight but qualifies  enough to get me to bake a Football Pizza for supper.  I hope you are having a more productive day.  

Daily Notes- October 28th- COVID cases still in the 40 plus range each morning.

It's SNOWING!!!!  Not cold enough on the ground for it to stick- but I am watching it snow.  We still have leaves all over the lawn.  This has happened before here in Maine.  Snow covered Fall Leaves. Today's snow is rather weak.  It won't do much of anything.

My pile of books.  The Honey Don't List.  That's my Life right now.

The Split Pea Soup- followed the recipe to the letter- came out "watery" which is not a modifier one would choose with split pea soup.  I filled the quart jars and let them cool- the water came to the top so I spooned it out.  The soup tastes good- but thin.  I hope the removal of two cups of water solves some of the problem.

I watched Storage Wars and Hallmark Movies yesterday.  A total waste of a day.  I did dress Muffy in her Halloween costume for her Halloween photo on the blog.  I was surprised to find she only had one Halloween costume.  I am guessing that is all she actually would need.  But I thought I had bought her a pumpkin costume.  I had not.

I managed to do a load of wash this morning.  It's in the dryer now.  I was going to do a second load but there is just not enough.  So I'll wait a day or two.  The load I did was mostly the clothing husband wears to do outdoor chores.  Husband was out early today to get his HD Flu shot and he registered his trailer so he can safely travel to the Town Dump without getting a ticket.

My neighbor at the far end of the road- house #2- emailed me that she has another armload of magazines for me.  Wow.  I love it when she brings them.  Gun and Garden and Maine Design.  I tear out images for paper collage.  I have a good selection right now.  But always wanting more.  The Maine Design magazines used to have wonderful full color pictures of art.  I used tons of them in my many journal pages over the years.  I would paste the art work in the journals and then fill in with words on the empty spaces. The last journal is not finished- It was started during the house construction way back when.  Full of pictures but no writing as it was chaotic around her for so so long.  Now I write in the lined notebooks I started using for the Morning Pages.  Now those notebooks get filled  with writing when I do laundry.  I did two pages while the one load of wash was going.  The washing machine behaves well- if I am in attendance.  I find the writing sitting there in the bathroom watching the washing machine do it's work- are more honest and true than the Morning Pages ever were.  Perhaps because they do not happen every day. I think they will be interesting to read someday.

We are finally out of ice cream.  That is one less thing for me to think about.  

Daily Notes- October 27th- 52 new cases of COVID in our Yellow State.

Christmas Cactus blooming in late October.  Welcome color on these chilly mornings.  Furnace running already.  Sweaters on.  Corduroy pants.  Smart Wool socks.  Lap throws in use. Dark by 4 pm coming soon.

Regarding the Christmas Cactus.  When I worked I mentioned in Fall classes to STOP watering the Christmas Cactus for the month of October and then begin watering to get flowers for Christmas.  It's the "feast or famine" principle of Mother Nature.  If plants think they might be dying- no water- they send up flowers (which contain seeds) to perpetuate the line so to speak.  I failed to water and then watered.  They got the message but too early.   And ..to clarify- if you water regularly- they might never flower. You have to scare them.  The red ones- are over 30 years old.  A Welcome Home gift from the Realtor.  We moved in on December 6th 1991.  Divided rarely- repotted even less often.  They like it that way. I do too.

Momma Rules for Christmas Shopping during COVID.  Make it. Bake it. Daughter is making the rounds of Goodwill for used clothing gifts and used books.  Nothing more is needed.  Well, a tree.  But that can wait till around Thanksgiving.  I just need to call in my order.  Hopefully, someone there remembers my name and I actually get a tree.

Paula out in Colorado is living thru the Fire and snow nightmare.  Los Angeles.  I can't imagine it. 

It's like the end of the world.  Disease, Fire, Hate. 

Today I am making Split Pea Soup for daughter.  I have two recipes.  One from Barefoot Contessa.  They are pretty much the same- split pea soup is pretty basic.  But Ina, holds back a quarter of the dry peas for an hour and then adds them.  Perhaps, less of a mushy texture?  We'll see.  It's more of a chopping recipe. Carrot, onion, celery and potatoes.  I enjoy chopping.  Especially if there is no "hurry up" involved. And I am happy to have that lovely baked ham end cut to add to the pot (and later cut into small pieces).

Storage Wars is on all day today.  And I have a new book to read.  I don't know which book I will choose. And Law and Order is on.  Yesterday there was zero for me to watch.  Zero.  I did watch a recorded NOVA episode on the alphabet.  How we went from pictures/marks to writing.  Every language's alphabet has the same source.  That was fascinating.  The origin of all the languages- the same source. And perhaps, with all our differences- all people from the same source as well.  It's something to consider.

Daily Notes- October 26th- Cold, Wet, Dark

How my husband rolls with coloring.  Boxes and jars full sets of colored pens and pencils.  He has to have a large table to spread them all out.  He's coloring a calendar I bought years ago.  Consults with me regarding color choices.  To the far left is a color wheel I gave him.  I think it might be the second or third one.  They get "lost".  This one is upright as I mentioned-- it's the last one.

An old friend from Germany days called from California where they live these days.  Her husband (also a friend) is in the hospital with a heart transplant after years of being on the list.  He had been walking around- alive- with 15 pounds of batteries that kept his old original heart beating while they waited. Now they wait to see if his body rejects the new heart.  They are so brave to be doing this- now.  She is not allowed to see him- be with him.  Any hospital stay is dangerous.

She relayed some voting news- I hope she got it wrong.  In one Texas county of very poor people- only ONE absentee in person voting site.  Must drive.  It's a drive thru.  These people do not own cars.  They are not allowed to walk up.  A way to keep them from voting.  My friend wants to drive there from California and offer rides all day everyday to poor people so they can vote.  It brings tears to my eyes. She was born and lived in Germany most of her life and is now an American citizen.  And if her husband wasn't in the hospital with his new heart- she would be on the road to Texas.

My husband is going into Town to pick up a new handle for the lawnmower.  The original cracked. He says I cracked it doing circles and curves in the lawn- what he calls "crazy stuff".   I examined the handle- it was rusted around the crack site.  I'll take the blame and continue to cut the grass next summer in swirls, circles and whatever.  Because......I always have done it that way.  When he worked and was never home. I also shoveled snow on the driveway in patterns.  But he has a new snowblower for this Winter.  I actually should learn how to use it.  Plan ahead for "any eventualities".  

Did any of you see the weather news this morning.  It is snowing in Colorado and there is a wild fire burning also.  The pictures looked like Hell On Earth. Dark skies, blood red flames and snow. Horrible.

I did the weekly grocery shopping.  So many cars in the parking lot but not so many in the store itself- perhaps they all checked out while I was standing in the deli line to have ham, turkey and cheese sliced very thin for husband's lunches.  I also got a a cut off from a baked ham to use to make daughter's request for lentil soup.  Or split pea.  I got dry lentils and split peas because- I don't remember which it is.

I am going to take a nap.

Daily Notes- October 25th

The desk to my left.  I was watching Alton Brown's Quarantine You Tube show yesterday.  While it's mildly fun - they were drinking far too many dirty martinis on the second episode. So when my attention flagged, I sorted my very cheap set of tiny pens into a yogurt jar and colored images I had drawn in pencil in my notebook.  I am forever making lists, drawing sketches, copying interesting quilts I see on the internet, writing recipes.  The pens have a very limited supply of ink.  They are 3.5 inches in length. As they give out- I toss them and just "make do" with the pens/colors that remain.  I am using a Sharpie for the black.  No tiny black pen.  Lots of purple ones- ick.

The pens originally were my husband's pens.  He wasn't using them so they became my pens.  I kind of like the ease of use of them- from the Dollar Store.  So there is no expectation of excellence.

Today's Sunday Food section of the paper had two interesting items.  Make Your Own Bagels and Make Your Own Flour Tortillas.   Both recipes are lengthy in Time but not in Effort.  But what really got me mad was reference to a PBS show on Mexican cooking.  Not here in Maine. Oh, no..... not in Maine.

A very very large Trump sign has recently been affixed to a homemade billboard on my road.  I get to drive past it on my way home from every trip into Town. It was there in 2016 but was hand painted. It's the only Trump sign in the entire neighborhood.

 I took great happiness in ripping my name and address off a large stack of political mail on heavy shiny paper before dumping the large pile into the recycling can.  All- un read.  I  imagine the recycling boxes up and down the street will contain much of the same on Monday evening. Wish they had spent the money feeding people or paying their rent.

Football today.  I didn't plan ahead to make pizza dough but I can do that as soon as I hit publish. I made pasta sauce for husband last evening while he took a shower.  He cleared the driveway in anticipation of snow.  Got all the tomato boxes emptied and stacked away. Moved soils into the garden for the Winter. He had already gotten the hoses drained and into the crawlspace under the house.

Shingles shot arm didn't really get to aching until second day. It's plenty sore now.

That book- well it pulled itself together in the final pages.  It was okay by the end.  Nicely finished. Musical Chairs.  If anyone wants to give it a go.  I haven't chosen a new book to read as yet. I may wait till tomorrow to chose.  Football and Law and Order.  I'm good for the day.  Hope you are as well, dear ones.

Daily Notes- October 24th. Are we in the fifth circle of Hell yet?

I stepped out on the front porch to take this picture.  The red shrub right of center is Purple Smoke Bush. The leaves on the large Smoke Bush print so nice on steamed cloth.  On this small leaf variety- no.  My yard is very colorful.  I had to open and close the door quickly as the very clean white w/ grey stripe stray cat was on the porch.  I am always afraid he will run inside the open door. He's been neutered. He seems very lonely.  Very astute hunter.  Always something in his mouth that he captured.

The Sun is nowhere to be seen today.  I have all the house lights on. Need to take off the shirt and pull on a sweater.  I do have on wool socks.

I got my 2nd dose Shingles shot yesterday at 5 pm on the dot.  The muscles in my arm are sore.  But that's all. I slept very well.   The Pharmacist gave me the shot (over $200 without insurance) and said that the soreness is caused by the material added to the vaccine- which makes it's intake into the system more complete.  Never know what sort of information one can get even getting a shot.  I had Shingles once.  That was enough for me.  

Breakfast of Champions today- Bagel followed by a gluten free coconut cookie.

I was happily surprised to get an envelope of fabric pieces in the mail.  So lovely.  Thank you Liz.  I have an envelope in the mailbox out by the street coming back to you.  And I need to buy washi tape.  That was such a nice touch.  My return envelope is held closed with Scotch tape.

I am reading book three.  Musical family.  Woman living in a falling down Summer house that she doesn't take care of. ... she hardly takes care of anyone including herself.  I am close to the end.  They are all going to do "mindful eating and meditation" and I guess it will all end happily ever after (when they stop drinking and smoking weed) and they fit into their wedding clothes. New York people in Connecticut.  Farmy Connecticut. Who knew???  This book-- number three- could have used a more aggressive editing. There are side characters more interesting than the ones highlighted. 

Would I read this one again? No. Recommend it to you- No.  I am wondering if book three is the first book this author wrote?  That happens.  Publisher figures it will get purchased and then we'll say what????

Daily Notes- October 23rd- 49 COVID cases from the Maine church

Two figs.  The rest are still green.  Husband loves Fig Jam but doesn't like fresh figs.  Two figs do not make a jar of jam.

My homemade pizza (with regular not bread flour) was pretty decent.  It had risen in the oven- off and cold- and then sat in the fridge for a couple days.  Yesterday was Thursday Night Football and we had Football Pizza.  No debate watching.  We already voted.  Husband wanted to watch- I said NO. And the Giants lost.  Fantastic.  There are teams I just don't like.  (Falcons)

Liz mentioned ripping cloth into strips.  I like ripping cloth.  Much more than using the rotary cutter.

Finished reading Limelight the second book written by Amy Poeppel.   Woman becomes the Personal Assistant for a rich young rock star "accidentally" after moving her family to New York City from Dallas. I never actually thought I would like it.  Sort of "grew" on me.  I now have her third book to read titled Musical Chairs.  The first book was Small Admissions.  I like reading my way thru an author's books. At times the first one is the only good one.  Sometimes you can see that book two was actually written before book one.  Sometimes you can see that two books used to be one book. It's all very interesting.  To me.

Today the Sun is not shining.  The gifted yogurt- Siggi Non Fat Plain (all these descriptive words are tasteless) was made quite delicious with additions of one pack of Splenda and a large splash of heavy cream. I added fresh raspberries and Bran Buds.  Very very nice. Today I will sub honey for the Splenda  but keep the heavy cream and see how I like it that way. I might go back to the Splenda and add a small bit of vanilla to the heavy cream.  Tinker. And eventually get it to taste like Noosa. Which I love. But is not what Whole foods sent to my neighbor.  And when I have eaten all the raspberries I'll supreme the red grapefruit. I love it with yogurt and Bran Buds.

I am going to the "Pharmacy at the Grocery Store" to get my 2nd Shingles shot today.  The first one made my arm hurt for about a week.  And I nearly fainted.  Blood pressure dropped fast. Lets hope I do better having the shot at 5pm???   I am just getting past having my Flu shot. That also hurt.  After not during. I'll be sure to use my rescue inhaler before.  It might help. Keep oxygen going to my brain. That sort of thing.

The new Pentecostal Church is a superspreader event. Each day more cases. Waldo County. 

Daily Notes- October 22nd- Sunshine 49 new COVID cases (another church gathering)

A visit to the library and a gift from the reference librarian.  An Atlas of Maps.  Not all at once but, I think if his Nana is okay with it, the very large book could be sent via post office at some point in Time. There is plenty of Time.

I lived in the surrounding areas of Atlanta for six almost seven lovely years.  The city where both my children were born is not on this map- perhaps it doesn't exist any more?  Had a very large and modern hospital.  Austell. Could be under a runway.

I am having some trouble breathing today.  Used the rescue inhaler.  Wearing the mask out in public is hard for me.  Not enough oxygen.  But...the upside, I can't spent too much time in public places. Safer that way.   

I was thinking about why I stopped making pieced quilts.  I don't like the cutting of pieces one has to do with a pattern.  I don't mind the fussy machine stitching- that was okay with me- and now- in my "old age" I can hand sew.  Needle turn appliqué. No deadlines.  But pressing the cloth, cutting out the pattern pieces with the rotary cutter and a see thru ruler .....  And the "rules"........ this goes here and not there.  Etc.  

I liked the "look" of Freddy Moran's house quilt.  I have all the fabric necessary to make one almost identical to the one in the book.  Yes, almost identical.  But Freddy made a few errors (she admits) in fabric placement.  I wouldn't.  But what would I do with yet another quilt????  Husband and daughter say I should just make a very small one- just four houses (or nine houses- I like the number nine).  I'm not even sure about that.  But it would give me work to do going into November, December and January.  I just need to find a chair for the sewing machine.  Husband has the one I have been using for years and years.  He's that kind of guy.  What someone else has is what he wants.

I'm the sort that looks at what someone else has and figures out how to make something better.

Let's make one house.  See how it feels.  I might just hate the whole process at 74.  And loved it at 47. 

I found the recipe card for cranberry orange loaf (my recipe box is packed with a zillion cards in no obvious order anymore) and will be making it today.  I have had the fresh cranberries in the fridge for a few weeks now.  Time to bake something.  I also am going to thaw out a few of the foil wrapped frozen bananas and make a loaf of banana bread with chocolate chips for husband (if THAT card can be found) and I think that recipe would use some of that yogurt my neighbor gave me.  He doesn't like cranberry loaf.  I always have a few frozen bananas in the freezer- in case I want to make a smoothie.  I haven't wanted one- so they get made into banana bread.  Eventually.  My goal is to make more room in the freezer for chicken thighs (soup) and ice cream (me).  I need more goals like this.

Daily Notes- October 21- Furnace On.

I had a long wait- holding still.  Waiting for one of the birds to gather his or her seeds where I could get a picture.  This little feeder that sticks to the back window is very popular with small birds.  They grab some seeds and then go over to the deck to work on cracking the seeds open.  No where for squirrels to hold on when they try and "make a leap for it".

I have the furnace on to get temps here in the house up to 64.  And the house lights are on.  It's dark in here even at 1 pm in the afternoon.   

I'm a bit late posting.  Husband went out for foot doctor appointment and never came home.  I made some calls to his cell phone but he had it set not to ring.  Or, that is his story and he won't admit to setting it so I could not call him. He did seem confused.  Who knows.  He has the phone connected to his hearing aids. He was wearing them.  But he is home now.  And not lost.

The book I am reading- Small Admissions by Amy Poeppel is very confusing.  There are at least four (but so many extra women floating in and out)- two are sisters but all four went to school together but now are living in New York City.  But many times in the writing it is not clear who is speaking.  A paragraph will begin "I was trying to help........" but no identifier as to who is speaking.  And now we have more characters- parents of children applying for admission to a private school where Kate has gotten a job. 

Kate is the main character.  She left everything to fly to Paris for a man.  He told he he wasn't interested when her plane landed- had changed his mind about her.  There she was ..... having left her job, sublet her apartment, standing in Paris at the airport, alone.  The guy walked off- left her there alone.  Her brother in law bought Kate a return ticket while she sobbed on the phone with her sister.

Kate.  Is a mess.  A very well educated mess.  There are many "men" we meet-- in the pages-- ever so slightly- hard to know who is who.  One of the four women is now having drinks in a bar with the Paris guy.  He's in New York.  The author doesn't give us the name of the woman- she is writing in first person. "I am meeting Robert in a bar for drinks".  That sort of first person. Who are you????  Is it even worth finding out?  Perhaps there are clues to identify I am missing?????

I have sufficient sprinkle supplies to make Confetti Cookies for husband if I want to do that.  I made pizza dough yesterday morning and forgot about it until bedtime when I saw a pizza commercial on tv.  Bowl of dough is now in fridge.  Pizza dough is super forgiving.  I can bake it today or tomorrow.  Whatever.  Well. I am going to return to my book and find out who is at the bar with Robert.  I don't think it is Kate.

Daily Notes- October 20- A Dark and Rainy Day with bursts of Orange Leaves

Freddie Moran's closet.  I was very much impressed by it and tried my best to have one JUST like hers. A Reader mentioned learning of Freddie in my old blog posts from years ago.  I searched the bookshelves but only have one Freddie book.  Freddie's House.  But my "style" back then was Very Freddie.

In fact. I drew a few sketches after finding the book.  I have "plans".  Because I have all the fabric!!!!!

Why do I want dark colors?  Well, actually, I should have said blues.  I would like a jacket covered in blue.  All the shades of blue which I do not own. (The blue shelf has no linen- only commercial prints)

Or, if blue is impossible then woodsy, mossy greens.  Or all the impossibly glorious shades of grey with a sliver of gold.  Those are my colors.  I love red but my only red item is Gregor's sweater.  Not even mine. And a sliver of red is most often just the right amount.

It's rainy.  Wet.  Daughter is at Goodwill.  Found me a "bouncy" old table runner.  I am giving her a touch course in recognizing linen.  Cotton doesn't feel "bouncy".

Storage Wars all day on television.  Yippee.

I have turned a corner.  Books I am re-reading- books that I had a very hard time reading before.  This Time around, I am not having mean thoughts.  Not angry.  I read a certain part- like last night- and I am thinking why did I find this part was awful and mean the last time around?  Nothing here is awful or mean.  So there were things in MY LIFE that were awful and mean.  And they aren't anymore.  And that has the feeling of "acceptance" and "release" and those are good terms.  Feelings.  I am healing or getting better. Whatever it may be- it feels good.

Perhaps with these "new"good feelings- the cloth will follow?  Cloth that will make me smile and laugh out loud? Used to be that way in the sewing room.  So much FUN!!!  Not that way for years and years. But the Magic Attic and the Cloth Closet have waited.  It might be time to have fun again. 

I'll begin with a simple rectangle with black and white background and all the colors in a vase full of flowers. Doable.  

Daily Notes- October 19th

I got this off a website.  A jacket covered in scraps of cloth and Boro stitching.  All solid colors no prints. I don't have many very old "tender" fabrics in dark colors.   Perhaps I will need to find some and dip them into indigo or iron water baths.  Goodwill isn't a good place to find charcoal or dark green or indigo blue.

I would wear this jacket.  From now until the end of my time on Earth. Mending it as it decayed and fell apart.  I like owning things/ knowing them for a long long time.  Today and yesterday the old dark charcoal grey sweater with tiny buttons and a soft collar.  Cold enough for a sweater.  I think I have been wearing this sweater and the soft light grey one- since the 1990's.  The only new sweater is the red one- that I asked for when Gregor passed.  Her sweater.  Mended last year for the first time. Worn often.

I had a green sweater I wore on all car trips.  A mossy dark green V-neck pullover.  Warm but light.  The shoulder seat belt wore the surface of the sweater.  It became "see thru" transparent.  I found a green long sleeved tee to wear under it. Continued to wear  the sweater.  I don't know what happened to it.  Why it's gone.  But I miss it. There was a black one- I bought the two at the same time.  Not as well worn but showing its age.  I wish I had gotten two green ones.

I've cried every evening this week.  As I look out the front door at the street before heading off to bed.  Reminded of getting Riley into his harness and myself into my coat and hat and reflective vest.  For the "last call walk" between 11pm and midnight.  The deer coming out of the mist like ghosts.  Just curious or in solidarity for another animal "passing over soon".  So....tears.  I'm not sad.  Just reminded of that deep loving bond.  Missing him.

I think it's okay to cry a little each day.  It's not like I am depressed.  I cry because I remember all the happy sweet days and years.  The bells ringing at the back door when he wanted to go outside.  The way he settled down to sleep as soon as he heard the Law and Order sounds. The way he peeked  around the cupboard in the kitchen- hoping to get a treat.  

anyway......I think it's time to make a fresh cup of coffee and chose today's book to read.  I'm going to wait until tomorrow to do that one load of wash.  There's left over Chinese food.  Canned soup.  And I stocked husband up with Little Debbie treats.  It's all good.

Daily Notes- October 18th

The notation on the brown paper bag from our Chinese Takeout.  So many identifier words. So specific. what sort of beer would it have been made to carry?  Six pack?  Cans or bottles?

Football Sunday is so far not quite what we wanted to see here in New England.  I know they didn't practice for the two weeks in Quarantine......but, don't they retain body memory???  But no touchdowns only 54 foot kicking things- the word escapes me.  Tampa Bay later this afternoon.

No one complained about my politics yesterday.  I just thought I really didn't want my Daily Notes to run that way. It may have been a different story if someone had complained.  I don't know.  I am opinionated.

I watched Hallmark last evening.  I thought at first I was watching the Black Hallmark Network but a few white folk showed up.  I don't mind.  It was also the Hallmark Short Men/Tall women Network yesterday. Very Autumnal in colors- lots of gold and orange.  My Reading /Sewing Eyes were tired yesterday. So, Hallmark is my Fall back position.  Ha!  A pun.

Husband is testing out a new grocery store pickle with his lunch.  So far he is okay with it.  He might say "good, but don't buy it again" which happens when I buy new or sub in something when the regular isn't available. I am trying a new yogurt and so far- I don't like it.  Has a "paste like" texture.  Fat free food.  Just not that great.

Enjoying my book "Little Beach Street Bakery".  I had it on a list of books I got off Amazon one evening. Mostly trade paperbacks.  So I was happy to see it in my library stacks.  I was surprised to find it'a British book.  One hundred pages to go.  Our heroine is going to give beekeeping a try since the beekeeper ran away from home due to a Hallmark type- misunderstanding.  Sigh.   

Patriots.  They can't seem to hear me yelling at them.

Daily Notes- Saturday, October 17th

The photo  from yesterday.  Eventually, about a dozen showed up.  Around 8pm.  I had peeled, seeded and cubed a very small butternut squash and then baked until soft and slightly browned on the edges.  While that was finishing up, I boiled some macaroni and melted butter and tossed the squash with the pasta and added Parmesan cheese.  A nice riff on Mac and Cheese.  I have more for today's lunch.  A cold and wet day here in Maine.   You can also see my favorite knife.

A short 4.5 inch rectangular blade.  Almost the entire knife is shown here- Wusthof / Germany.  I have a rather large collection of this brand of knife.  Started in the 1980's in Germany and then a continued accumulation over the years in Chicago and here in Maine as Christmas gifts..  It has been mentioned that I should buy new quarter sheet pans.  But the ones I see on restaurant/cooking shows- they look worse than mine.  So...they stay.  I have parchment paper if I want things to "not stick",

I deleted political stuff from yesterday's post.  I had kept things to myself. Should continue that way.

Husband's tooth is not bothering him but he is bothering the place where the tooth was with his tongue. I told him to stop.  His toe now has only Neosporin and a regular bandaid.  And he has agreed to try using the small ball between his knees while doing his back exercises.  He did yesterday and said it felt so much better- durning and after the exercises.  So...today again.  He will use the ball.

We also spoke of doctor's visits etc being a form of "going" for him.  Going somewhere.  Not because he needs the medical attention.  He just wants attention.  Something to "do".  We talked for awhile of him finding something other than medical appointments to fill his day.  And not having the daily walk with the dog.  That was a big hole left in both our days. Nothing was decided.  There is really nothing right now and into the Dark Days of Winter when daylight is gone by 4 pm here in Maine.

I asked and husband had the same answer as I had.  The trees being gone has changed nothing.  It's still like a Grimes Fairytale out there.  Dark. Dark. Dark.  We still live in the woods and the trees suck up all the light.  And now.....with Winter..........

Dee, if you are reading this...I have 56 Hallmark bingo plot points so far.  

Daily Notes- October 16th

Not the picture I wanted here but the only one I had.  I sent the photo I took this morning from iPhone to computer via email and six times it failed to send.  Too big.  I think that is the problem.  So.  You get generic Fall leaves.

Neighbor across the street sent email.  Whole Foods sent SEVEN 24 ounce containers of yogurt.  A great mistake.  I said I would take THREE. Plain Icelandic.  I like it. Yogurt is a good thing for me to eat.

I am reminded of others ordering 3 bananas and getting three large bunches of bananas instead.  But one hundred sixty eight ounces of yogurt.  How the written word can be mistaken is difficult to explain while packing seven large containers of yogurt in a paper shopping bag? huh?

Husband's tooth removal was more than he expected or wanted.  Two Hours.  I am thinking the tooth was broken and the removal broke it even more.  He was a very very sad camper when he arrived home.  And then I had to rush out for his dental prescription.   He settled into the couch for a long nap and when he woke up I offered soup.  He decided he wanted pasta.  Plain with butter and cheese.  He ate two bowls and then ate two small bowls of the soup.  Had his pills.  Read his book.  And is fine. Slept well.  Good breakfast.  I was worried it would be "SOMETHING" and it wasn't.

New things at the library.  The welcome- Mask Check and Hand Sanitizer- station is now further inside- it gets chilly with the door opening.  Next week THREE days to find books each week.  I came home with three for husband and four for me.  I read Love Lettering (twice) and recommend it to any of you who like the new contemporary romances.  I started reading them last year at some point and-well, I love them. Usually (always) in softcover trade paper.  Artist and a Quant.  I have another here next to me The Little Beach Street Bakery.  Going to start in on it as soon as I make a fresh cup of coffee. I think I might have already read it but....that never bothers me too much.

Daily Notes- October 15th- with added paragraph

Pre-breakfast I did my "nurse" work and changed the bandage on husband's toe surgery.  And then gave him a pep talk as he went off to have a tooth removed.  He's losing parts of himself.  Literally.

No frozen ball of pizza dough in the freezer.  Bah Humbug. But with tooth removal- we wouldn't be having pizza any time soon so it's okay. There aren't many things of interest in the freezer- mostly bags of Trader Joe's potstickers.  Husband likes them. I used to make homemade ones. A lot of work but they were delicious. If I do say so myself.  Chicken filling.

My square buttons.  I just like the look of them. So I have never used any of them on any cloth work or clothing.  Reminds me of the tiles for that game-- Dominos???

I have no plan for the day.  I should begin my daily "practice" of a 30 minute walk.  My doctor asked me to go back to it.  With Riley it was easy to do- we went out several times a day (longer than 30 minutes).  Riley liked to look and smell. But it is hard to do alone.  My eyes get so wet I can't see. It's almost a year.  Still feels like it was yesterday.

I got a bag of fresh cranberries and was thinking to make the orange cranberry loaf I like.  Use some of  husband's orange juice and some zest off a few clementines.  I might. I might not.  It's that kind of feeling today.  It doesn't happen often but....well, it happens.  Sigh.

I was thinking of asking for prompts- to do my own daily collage again.  But with some one else making the prompts.  That was the interesting part. Never knowing what was next- never knowing if i had the images for that next prompt.  Finding a way to make it work.  Not the collage itself- but the thinking of how to define the prompt in images.  Would someone out there - or more than one- be interested in writing prompts for me?  Perhaps waiting until January?  I guess it doesn't matter. When.  Let me know.

Later:

I read Marti's comment on Spirit Cloth- her bag of scraps getting blown away by the wind.  And I think about the cloth in the Magic Attic- collected some 10 to 20 years ago.  Not the cloth of me- now but the cloth of me- in the past.  What would it be like to have that blow out into the World and find a new place a new sew-er.  And for me to go out int he yard and find other cloth blowing into the yard, stuck in the tree branches????  What would that be like?  How would it change the way I see my "making" of cloth????

Daily Notes- October 14th

Not my breakfast but I wish it had been.  I had oatmeal and instant coffee.  I have never been a breakfast cooker.  I loved having breakfast with my German friend Monika and her family.  Tablecloth, fancy dishes.  It was just Brotchen and butter and jam or Nutella, coffee and juice.  But it felt so "festive".  And we sat over breakfast and conversation until- sometimes- it was lunch time and then we decided where to go to eat lunch.

I watched Storage Wars until bedtime.  My flu shot shoulder hurt.  And I didn't feel like doing anything- not even read another book. I went to bed early and husband stayed up.  Which is odd.

It rained yesterday.  And was cold.  Today it's sunshine and still cold.   I only mention this because the living room window is very large and I am looking at the sunshine.  It even sort of hurts one's eyes.

I wanted to have pizza this week but the prepared dough we use (and love) has been recalled.  A demented person had added razor blades and small chips of razor blades to the brand of pizza dough I buy and enjoy.  So... no dough unless I make my own- which is fine but not as perfectly textured as the grocery dough from Portland Pie.  It's just one more thing on the pile of things............small pleasures. Missing. But before I drop into grilled cheese for supper- I plan to dig around in the freezer.  Might be a ball of dough in there.  Very hopeful.  There is a lot of mysterious stuff in the freezer. But pizza dough I should be able to recognize.

Democratic Voters in Maine have decided to vote early and in person.  Not trusting mail in ballots. We are very interested in getting rid of our Senator.  Susan Collins. Very.  Sorry Mitch! 

Well. I have a birthday card to send and a map to find.  My goals for the day.  Be safe- be happy!!!

Daily Notes- October 13th

Annual doctor's visit.  I need to go back later this week for my lipid blood test.  But I got a HD Flu shot. I was very lucky as they are in very short supply these days- the HD ones.  For people like me with Asthma. It was a regular office visit.  In person.  I took an allergy pill before I left the house so I wasn't having to blow my nose or sneeze or cough.  That would have made the very few patients I saw- very nervous.

It was a strange experience.  I had to take off my mask and put on one of their masks.

I asked if I could stop taking my lipid pills so I could eat red grapefruit this Winter.  No.  I asked a second and third time.  Now ......I can eat red grapefruit 3X's a week but still take my pills.  I guess that means the pills will work the other days?  Whatever-  I am going to eat grapefruit this Winter.  Yippee.  And still take my pills.  Along with my 4 servings a day each of leafy greens (kale, swiss chard, broccoli, spinach) and dairy (cheese, milk and yogurt). I also need 1000 to 2000 units of Vitamin D each day.  And she would like me to walk for 30 minutes each day.  I only like broccoli and kale.

I called and asked about the fasting lipid test. Twice.  No one I spoke to spoke to my doctor.  She would have signed me up.  I could have gotten it done.  I have to have another annual mammogram.  I am not happy about that.  My shot arm is sore.  I am going to sit on the couch and watch Storage Wars and possible take a nap.  Or just close my eyes.  Till tomorrow.  Love you- stay safe.

Daily Notes- October 12th- Columbus Day here in Maine

All the banks and public buildings are closed for the "holiday".  Why is it a "bank" holiday??? 

We were going to vote- will do it tomorrow.  Early voting here in Maine.  Very chilly today- in the high 40's.  Damp.  No sunshine right now.  House lights on.  Red sweater on.  Second re-heating of my coffee. Husband mixing seeds for the birdfeeders. Birds are really EATING!!!

Picture is of my very very cheap set of pens being used to color "color by number" pictures in a book.  I started out trying to match pens to numbers but gave up.  I didn't like the colors.  So, now, its what ever color I like or whatever pen still has ink in it. You can see- by comparison to the regular sized pen- the little color sticks are very small.  Run out of ink just when they shouldn't.  But I like coloring.  Mindlessly filling in spaces.  I think the set is from the Dollar Store.  In England they are called Pound Shops.

Football was a waste of time but did see the gory live shot of the quarterback's ankle breaking and the bone- the long shin bone sticking out.  They never replayed it.  What sort of horrible emotional pain to know you will never again be able to do what you loved doing?  His face.  The tears.  The knowing. Straight to an ambulance and into surgery.  Later pictures showed him in the hospital smiling.  Drugs. I sent positive thoughts his way.

Patriots were supposed to play Tuesday but now cancelled until the week after.   

My doctor's office called.  Only Zoom is covered by insurance.  We have very iffy "live" internet.  So- my choice is no doctor visit or to actually go into the office tomorrow. In person.  Will be going to office.  See how that goes.  With my cold.  Should be fun.  

More fun than the robo calls from "Mark" and Senior Benefits (via India).  Or the call from a woman saying my name (from recorded letters) and saying "if this is your name press "5".  I did not.  Then "if this is not your name- press "3""  I did not.  Land lines are so annoying but I need one if cell service goes out.

I need a cookie.

Daily Notes- Sunday October 11th

The side of the fridge.  I actually have a fridge that will accept magnets.  But only on the sides.  Not the front.  Notice the most prominent post it.  The guys who do stuff for me.  Bob- Trees.  Need to add him to the post it.  I must have sent my email about the rotting board on the back of the house to an old email address.  I will send same message via the email in husband's iPhone today.  Then I can add another name to the post it.  James.  (who sends me Ken and Keith to do the work).  I also have a card with all the paint used on the walls and trim inside and outside.  The guys love me.

The Men in my Life.  Do I have phone numbers for all of them- maybe but I remember their names..

Sunday.  Shower first thing.  Then two loads of wash.  One is drying and the second is waiting to go into the dryer.  I don't have any extra umpfh in the SPIN to get all the water out.  So drying takes more time than it used to in my Vintage Appliances.  But that's okay.  It's all okay.  They wash and eventually they dry.

Football today and not many games that I care about.  There are many teams I really can't stand to watch. So I am at loose ends.  I had toast with jam and butter and cold Peach Cobbler for breakfast.  Sugary. Way too much sugar.  So, I am trying to convince myself to make and eat tuna with onion/celery/mayo for lunch.  Or make soup.  58 degrees today with sunshine.  The rain forecast for today disappeared. We could have used some rain.

My Stardust book was set in the 1950's and the polio epidemic- talk about COVID panic!!!-- when faced with the iron lung machines.  And religion.  I'm okay with some but not too much.  This was pretty close to too much. For me. 

Next up is Girls of Summer- Nantucket and heavy on brand names and money.  Only because it is due  pretty soon. Will be sort of book whiplash.  1950's to 2020.

Daily Notes- October 10th- How many weeks has it been?- I stopped counting

On my kitchen island.  They are shiny, plump and spicy.  From South Africa.  I dug around in the dish closet to find this green bowl.  I bought the flat dish/bowls because this green is the one I like best of all.

I have another pot of chicken soup on the stove simmering.  This one for my daughter. With a hand of ginger, three plump turmeric roots from Fiji, garlic, lots of celery with leaves, carrots, a fat onion and some peppercorns.  It smells exotic.

The tree work is complete.  The lawn has been raked and leaves blown off into the woods.  Like they were never here. I think that is the sign of good tree work- looks like nothing is missing. Yes, there are stumps- we didn't have they ground down this time- But they were trimmed off to be flat to the surface of the woods.  Once the leaves cover them- they will disappear.

One very very large stump is cut flat.  I mentioned to husband that it would be fun to build a small house on top.  2 feet square at the base.  Two or three stories tall.  A Fairy House.  Screwed down to the stump so the squirrels can't carry it away as they have with the bird houses.  I'll draw something.  Husband is confused as to what I am talking about.

Yesterday's book was Objects of My Affection.  Smolinski.  An elderly artist has taken up hoarding.  Her son wants the house cleaned out.  But it's not that simple is it??? No. It isn't.  I was visiting Good Reads regarding something else entirely and found a list of books by various authors and ordered them from my library.  They are coming in from all over the State of Maine.  My book pile is very tall. Each new book, each new author opens up another new list of titles.   Today my book is either girls of summer by Thayer or Stardust by Carla Stewart.   I'm leaning hard toward Stardust.  A dead cheating husband just buried and then the lights go on at the long closed Stardust Motel and a long line of people start showing up.  The other book is Nantucket and all that "rich people stuff".  

Stardust, a cold capsule, and maybe PBS for some cooking shows ( thought it might be too late).  That's my Saturday. I may even close my eyes and take a short nap- very likely.  Soup will be done at 4:30.

Daily Notes- October 9th

Book list of ones I checked out on today's open library visit.  It's so nice to be able to go inside the library and look at books.  Choose new authors.  Choose old favorites.  Fridays will be gone after next week. then I will be able to go to the library on Tuesday. Thursday and Saturday. Curbside is still available.

The tree guys were all here- every employee it seemed like.  To hold the ropes as they cut down the big trees close to the street and power lines.  THUNK.  The impact of the tall tree trunks as they collided with Earth. Such a deep vibration. The impact if they fell on the power lines would have been amazingly scary.

I think they will be finished today.  All the branches have been chipped and the tree chucks will go to wherever they go to be dried and turned into firewood.

I pinched a blood vessel in my finger.  Left index.  At first it stings.  

Nothing much to write.  The Michigan Governor thing............man how much can we take? Some talking head on the news said that in every instance of a government overthrown by an authoritarian regime.....it was over before the population had a clue.  Could that be us?  

My friend was in Town and the Town office was open so she went in and voted.  She also said a very large box was in the parking lot so people could drive by and drop off ballots without coming inside or going to the post office to mail them.  We have ranked choice voting.  It was a hard sell but...we have it. The Will of the People.  And now the 25th Amendment.  About time.

Daily Notes- October 8th

I'm still waiting for the good laugh.

Tree guys are here.  Pacing themselves.  Work, sit, smoke, work etc.  The dump truck has settled into a deep spot in the side yard- with a load of tree segments.  More to be loaded.  Not sure the truck will exit the deep spot.  We'll see.  They know we are watching them.  They have doubts. We made eye contact.

My annual doctor Wellness Exam is next week and we'll be doing it by phone.  My Pulmonary visit was also by phone.  I don't know what to expect but it will be interesting.  Conversations with my doctor always are interesting.  We have such iffy internet that Zoom isn't possible.

I have a cold.  Stuffy, runny nose.  A cough occasionally due to the dry air in the house.  Hot beverages. Cold capsules.  It's all good.  I am doing "an amazing job"-  "the most amazing job of having a cold that has ever been known to mankind".  

I am thinking about making something for dinner.  You know....something like cooking.  I have had these impulses a few times in the last few weeks but as of right now-- I haven't cooked anything.  We did have pizza but that isn't cooking.  That's baking.  I have also baked the cobbler.  I haven't even boiled or fried anything unless grilled cheese counts?  And I am thinking it would count.  The canned soup got warmed up in a saucepan.  Was that boiling?   So, I boiled and fried.  Making progress.

I did buy all the necessary parts of the Pantry Soup I was eating in March and April.  Getting ready to make an October Pantry Soup.  Cabbage, potatoes, carrots, beans and canned tomato.  Canned tomato is rather hard to find here in Maine these days.  A shortage.  I need to buy celery to make G's chicken soup.  There is some iffy celery I could use.  It is soup and he doesn't actually eat the celery.  It could be okay. Boiling would take care of the iffy-ness.   It will be amazing.  Because I say it is.

My hair looked great this morning. 

Daily Notes- October 7th

I have a nest of thread here by my chair.  Was thinking about why.  Why I cut thread into equal lengths and then made a nest of tangled strands???  Different weights as well.  Mostly the thicker threads.  

I am having trouble with the computer- it wants to load iTunes on both the phone and here on the desktop. so this might be a very very short post.  My husband used my computer yesterday or the day before.  

I have begged him not to.  He still does it and now- well, he isn't home, will have forgotten what he did and then will try endlessly to find the password he used-- and won't be able to and then will make a new one- which he will forget or more likely write down incorrectly.   Like the nest of tangled thread. It must be like that in his head.  

I don't have any backup help.  There is no one to help me.  I often wonder if I actually need iTunes.  I don't do music. But perhaps it runs other stuff?  

Husband has gone to have some sort of office surgery on one of his toes.  The tree guy sent his best climber and he says they will be finished with the job today.  The new guy is working quickly up around the power lines. Very efficient.  I must have had the second best climber last week.

I pulled one cloth out of the jar I have on the porch.  Green acorns, iron water.  I got a steel gray on a beige mistake cloth.  It's different.  Could have left it a day longer to see what happened. I had another cloth and tied circles with about 10 pieces of string and stuck that cloth in the jar for a few days.  I am letting the first cloth dry out on the back deck with Sun.  Then will wash and rinse.  Smells very metallic.  My fingers smell very metallic. 

I am looking at the Smoke Bush out front.  Some of the branches have very dark red leaves.  I had good luck with smoke bush leaves a few years ago- not my own- but ones from a larger older tree on a property where my daughter does landscaping. 

She brought me a stack of leaves and I tucked them into a sandwich bag and sealed it.  Later- much... later I peeled off several and got a very nice black print when I steamed the cloth with some other things tied around a tin soup can.  My own don't print black- at times don't print at all.  But then I didn't keep my own in a plastic lunch bag for months.  So I am thinking of pruning a branch or two off the bush and layering the single leaves in a plastic lunch bag.  It's something to do.  Well, things went well.  I will hit publish.

Daily Notes- October 6th

My can of soup with the most important ingredient on the label  Bacon.  The reason I purchased the soup. A "Vegetable Classic" with bacon flavor.  But no artificial flavors.  So interesting.

The Chipper arrived.  They can't drive it straight back- because of the septic tank and leach field.  So the guy decided to back up down the grassy knoll next to husband's workshop (quite a drop off).  At this point Tree Company Owner arrived, got out of his vehicle and started running and shouting.  You just can't make this stuff up. They are chipping.  And then they stop. And then they start again. They really need an organizing type out there.  Husband says I have to stay in the house.  

Overcast.  Dark.  Not sure if it will rain.  They need to get some stuff done before things get wet. The chipper is very very powerful.  Fargo.

I peeled 80% of the peaches for the cobbler.  They are very delicious peaches.  From my gardening buddy. I saved about 6 to eat with yogurt.  We had cobbler after the Patriots game.  They had a really good chance at the beginning.  Sigh.  

I tried watching the news but........it was...I wanted someone to come save us.  Just swoop in and say "cut the crap" and get on with the business of taking care of business.

No one's coming.  We have to, each of us, save ourselves.

Early voting started yesterday here in Maine.  Husband and I decided to skip the mail in ballots and just mask up and go to the Town Office and vote in person. Make sure. Our vote was counted. Save ourselves.

Daily Notes- October 5th

I was walking out over the back lawn to toss a few more rotting tomatoes into the compost bins - when I saw these roses- bent over and face down in the grass.  Their stems are weak- even in water and a  vase- they are facing downward dog.  I had to lift their heads to get this picture.  Lovely fragrance.

The Tree people are back.  No chipper so the piles of debris and branches cover the entire back lawn. I lodged a complaint.  The one man who would speak on the subject--said not today.

I took an allergy tab after breakfast.  I think I might be having my Fall pollen allergies a bit late- usually by my birthday in mid September; I have a running nose and very very itchy eyes.  My eyes feel dry but the nose is beginning to leak more each day.  I am not outdoors much.  Not inhaling pollen.

At the grocery- I must have looked odd and confused.  Odd or Old.  I did have on a sweater no one else had on a sweater.  I don't now- I changed to a cooler clothing when I got home.  Anyway-- in the grocery- I was offered help in finding things, on where to store my cart after I emptied it (a man, of course), and the clerk who checked out my groceries was very careful....  when I got in the car- first thing I did was check my hair.  I imagined it was all bed hair and wacky.  No.  And none of my clothing was inside out.  These are things I saw while working at the greenhouse.  When old people came in to shop.  And I had on shoes not bed slippers.

Which was really comforting to check all those boxes in the NO column.

I bought a can of split pea soup.  Giving it a try.  Making my own pot of soup- there is just too much soup and I feel obligated to eat it.  Who wants to feel obligated to eat soup???  I could do the math and make a smaller pot of soup.  I could.  Will I?  No.  Unless the canned soup is really terrible.

 I looked long and hard at the special milk I buy for myself- decided I had enough- got home- I needed milk.  Well, it can wait until Friday's visit to the library.  I am done being out and about.  I got two big cartons of oatmeal.  That's my cereal right now.  Warm cereal.  The cold bowl of shredded wheat wasn't comforting in October. "Around the Time it Begins to Snow" (which in Maine could be soon)- I switch again to Cream of Wheat with butter, sugar and cinnamon.  But you know all this.  You know me.

Daily Notes- October 4th- 27 new COVID cases reported since yesterday

My wardrobe selection this morning after my shower.  Long pants, no socks.  I nixed the thermal tee also but might be second guessing in an hour or two. It felt "too heavy".  Re-thinking socks. I have already added my shawl.  51 outside.  Which here in Maine- means inside as well.

In important news- I had a low grade fever yesterday- 98.6  and I felt tired.  So I took two Tylenol ate some (a lot) candy, had a cup of sugary tea and sort of watched/napped thru an evening of TiVo tv.  By bedtime, I was fine. Reading was too strenuous.  The temp was a surprise.  Not in a good way.

Today- I will be peeling and slicing the October Surprise Peaches from my gardening buddy and mixing up cobbler stuff and baking.  I will also look and see if there are any last chance cherry tomatoes out on the box plants.  If yes, I will roast them and eat with leftover stir fry Chinese take out green beans and some freshly steamed Thai rice. A nice cozy supper.  G has hot and sour soup- fried rice leftovers. I ate all the fortune cookies.

The Sunday paper had info that I could order Tennessee ribs and pulled pork by mail.  Already cooked and ready to heat and serve.  I am really about 99% ready to just do that. Serves 6 so "leftovers"  You can also send people Lobster Roll kits.  I live in Maine and haven't had a Lobster Roll in like 2 years.  And I LOVE them.  What is wrong with me?

I have about (I hope) only two loads of laundry to wash today.  That takes up some of the afternoon. We won't have football as Cam Newton has tested positive for COVID and our Sunday game has been postponed until mid week while we try and slap together a "quarterback". Laughing but it's very sad.

Well, that's about it.  I have a second cup of coffee here and a few emails to answer.  I already have the house lamps on.  It's a dark and dreary Sunday.  And not even 1pm........

Daily Notes- October 3rd- 37 new COVID cases in Maine

Asters.  From my daughter's front yard garden.  About 4.5 feet tall plants.  And as wide.  Not only a landscape worker but a real gardener.  I think I would like a plant like this in the fenced garden.

No tree cutting today.  No men.  They lifted and carried the heavy tree trunk segments up the hill and over the lawn and threw them into the truck.  Over and over again.  The word from the boss man must have been- no debris over the weekend.  I went out to see how heavy the segments were.  Couldn't even roll one if my life depended on it.  Dead weight.  And lift it to settle on my shoulder??? Ha!!

It's cold in the house today.  I might need a sweater.  Some socks.  And definitely need to turn on the house lights.  Dark in here.

The news yesterday wasn't actually surprising.  His luck ran out.  I don't care.  About his health or well being.  And, he doesn't care about me or mine.

I sorted the pile of cloth by my side of the table and found the paper pattern for Muffy's new pants.  I might work on sewing the pants today.  Use my Birthday Elastic for the waistband.  I've neglected Muffy and her little tabletop LifeStyle.  One of the things daughter was looking for in the Attic was the rest of the white wicker doll furniture.  More chairs and a little table. But she didn't find them. I have also left the little cigar box bed project unfinished.  It sits next to the toaster.  Waiting.  I did find four large wooden balls for the bed feet.  That was the extent of the forward movement on that project.

I have been watching Law and Order and while watching I have been using my colored pencils to color pictures in that big coloring book.  I am not really happy with any of the results.  I am thinking- if I color more pages- of NOT doing the dark colors until the very end.  They are the parts that seem WRONG. I have two reading books started but have not wanted to read.  I am tired of reading.  But more likely- the two books don't hold my interest.  I am finding- as it gets chilly here in Maine- that I am very very motivated to look for things to snack on.  Not a meal.  A handful of crackers.  Some cheese. A big spoon of peanut butter. That sort of thing. Not all together- but over a period of an hour or two. And several cups of coffee. Decaf.  The getting up to find a snack keeps me busy.

Husband has been on a "cleaning up" binge.  The Magic Attic is a total disaster- husband moved "a few things" to get at a table he wanted and dumped my things (which were on and under the table) in tilting piles all over the floor.  When daughter and I were up there- was hard to find space to set our feet.  As it is- I am more than likely going to have a serous trip and fall accident up there.  So...I have promised not to go up there. No Magic for the foreseeable Future. It's not safe. Husband. Sigh.

Daily Notes- October 2nd

How on Earth can people do these things?  Yoga.  Just getting up off the couch exhausts me these days- and I am not trying to be funny.

We were up early.  The Tree Guys arrived before 8am.  With their chain saw.  It's damp and therefore buggy out there.  Mosquitos looking for blood.  The Tree Climber is not with them today.  So they are carrying already cut segments of heavy tree to the truck.  The Branch Chipper isn't here either so the piles of branches are just about everywhere.  

Neither husband or I thought about getting one of our cars out of the garage.  In case we need to drive somewhere.  I will have to ask the guys to move the tree segment truck before they leave for lunch.

What I am noticing- again.  Because this was so true when we had interior construction crews here doing floors, walls, doors and the two bathrooms.  Men love to talk.  They are always talking.  They will even talk to a woman if no men are available.  I have to actually work to get my husband to say more than three words in a row.  So, these men are fascinating.  They will stop whatever they are doing and talk to me. Husband says that's because they are being paid by the hour.  But actually-- I am paying for the JOB- and if it's done faster, the owner makes more profit.  So, a no talking rule would be more profitable.

Anyway.....at some point I am going out to ask them to move the truck so I can get my car out of the garage and park it on the street.  Library Visitation Hours are today.  Inside the building.  And I have squash to drop off at my friend's house.  Another friend dropped off a shopping bag of peaches.  her tree is later than my two and the Big Wind a few nights ago- all the peaches dropped off the tree.  So baking peach cobbler later today.

Trump has COVID.  Got it from his little girlfriend Hope Hicks.  And Mrs. Trump also tested positive. Husband is reading the news to me as I type.  All those Campaign Rallies paid off.

Well, the Furnace guy is on his way- and the truck with tree logs is gone so I got my car our of the driveway.  Now, in the best of worlds- the tree truck will come back before the furnace truck arrives.

Daily Notes- October 1st- 59 new Covid cases in Maine this morning

Violets are blooming on the shelf.  Grown from the gift of a small leaf from a customer.  I repotted her collection of violets every year.  And took a few leaves home to start.  These are double pinks and remind me of that lovely customer.  Friend.  I hope a new employee is doing a good job of repotting and dividing her plants.

Today the Tree Guys are here.  Two trees down.  13 to go.  They are starting in the back- away from the power lines.  The schools here decided they didn't actually "want" the tree stumps for the schools here- 6 feet apart---for outdoor learning and lunch time.  "We're all set" is the new "no".

And in comments on yesterday's post- an invitation to come back to our European home away from home.  After COVID- we will give it a lot of thought.  I think we both would enjoy it very much.

Daughter visited and wanted to go into the Attic part where her things are stored.  A door into the eaves. Her college books.  Her first apartment odds and ends.  She found a college soccer tee and an old Army bag her grandfather gave her- it will become her purse I think.  While she was looking with a flashlight--I was sitting and we were talking.  And I discovered a linen -gosh I am at a loss for the word- it's a covering for a boxspring.  A bed skirt?  Anyway the skirt part is white linen.  So I found scissors and cut away the box spring covering part and kept the linen part.  Took it down to use in Fall dye experiments.

I was also thinking about Dee's house quilts with the lovely skies in patterned blues.  So I went into the closet and looked for blues.  Ignoring the patterns.  Just looking for blues the color of sky.  Two.  And they are now down in the Little Closet now.  Ready when I am.

I used to make House Quilts.  For friends moving to new places or buying new homes.  While I sewed the little quilts I thought happy thoughts of a good safe home for my friends.  I want to do that again.  But not for anyone in particular- but just to be thinking happy thoughts of safe homes.  Fate has a funny way of taking care of projects like this- someone will ask....... I will be ready.