With my book quilt on temporary hold ~

this morning I went back to constructing string blocks.

However, a back view yet again proves  

 that they are not quite as idiot-proof as once thought...

It's really windy today.  In fact I had to alert Tom that the manual for his smoker was blowing around on the back porch so 'maybe' he'd better rescue it before it went for a swim in the pool!  

Here he was yesterday, on the phone with the friend who recommended this type of smoker.  Instead of using wood (like Tom's original one), this one plugs in and automatically dispenses pellets - but Tom was experiencing some confusion with respect to the controls and directions.

He had planned to smoke a brisket today, but has decided to put that off for another day, partly because it is so windy, and partly because Alex (we think) is boarding in Flag today and we want him to join us for the feast.

Sun Radiology called yesterday; my MRI is scheduled for Wednesday.  It's nice that one of their locations is so close. At 59th & Bell it's "practically" walkable!  

Not that I'm walking these days, which of course is the whole reason for the test!

This morning I finished up the last of the back book covers!

I've already dug through several of my scrap fabric containers and chosen candidates for the spines. After I iron them I'll lay them out with the covers and do a second "coordination" check.

I won't be able to move forward with my book quilt until Melodie embroiders the titles, but now that I have additional Dinky Dots fabric I'll just go back to making blocks for that project.  In preparation I pulled a different (but also huge) box of scraps out of the closet because I'm trying to avoid duplicating fabrics.   

Now that noon is approaching it's a good time to grab a book and do some reading outside.  Yesterday I finished one, though I'm still in the middle of the book I'm "reading" at bedtime, via Audible.

 That means I get to start a new adventure today. What to choose?!

I'm currently caught up on library books, though several that I've been waiting for a long time are floating closer and closer to the top of the Hold list.

 

The Day the World Came to Town : 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland

(#5)

The Four Winds

#19 

The Liar's Dictionary : a novel
 (#10) 

 Dr. Elebrashi agreed that 8 weeks out I should be a lot further along with my healing.  An MRI is next "just to rule out structural damage", and I expect a call in the next day or so from the radiology folks to schedule one.  

Of course I won't know anything definitive until the doc receives the results of said MRI, but since I have been making some very incremental progress over the past few days he does not expect it to show anything that needs to be addressed surgically.  

Naturally I'd rather not need surgery!

 If that does turn out to be the good news after the MRI, I asked him to speculate with a rough guesstimate on the duration of the next phase of my recovery.  

That wasn't quite as good news... 

possibly another 2-3 months (!) of slow healing.

Tom was not happy with that news!

So I "reminded" him... 

On the drive home we stopped at TOSQ so Tom could pop in and pick up my black fabric.  It was about as simple as an errand could be; he was inside less than a minute!

So that's taken care of.  It also reminds me I should get off the computer and do some sewing!

Before I go, here's a shot of the newest porch occupant 

in all of its pristine splendor.  

 I usually remember to turn off my phone when I retire for the night, but spaced it out last night - and paid for it with a 2 am text from Alex: Some of us are hitting the hot tub so don't be alarmed if you hear people.  At that hour it seemed like a good idea to take something (which I did, after a quick run to the bathroom) and thus fell back to sleep.

When I arose (around 6-ish this morning), Mr. & Mrs. Mallard were serenely paddling around in the pool- at least until Brownie noticed them. Of course once they were on his radar he felt it his duty to head out there to bark at them. 

Without the flash (which would just bounce off the window and create an even crappier photo) the shutter stays open longer, and obviously my hand just wasn't that steady...

but you get the idea.

Tom was not a happy camper 

when he appeared in the kitchen for coffee. 

First Alex & friends had awakened him in the middle of the night with their hot tub partying (which I never heard...) and then Brownie's barking at the mallards woke him earlier than necessary for his chauffeuring 'appointment'.  

So now all three of us are in the dog house this morning!

I am really looking forward to seeing podiatrist again today

 

to find out what's next on my (WAY too!) slow recovery agenda.

Seems like there are two basic options, either sticking with the "wait and see" approach to allow my old body yet more time to s-l-o-w-l-y heal, OR schedule an MRI (or other test) to make sure 'we' haven't missed something that needs to be addressed.  Guess which one I'm going to advocate for?

At this point we really need to rule out any problem that (once fixed?!) would help me along.

Not to be pushy, but I do so miss having the ability to walk!!!

Marilyn called today, so I got some long-awaited details regarding their Week From Hell and its aftermath.  

Though "everything is a mess", at least their pipes and roof seemed to have survived intact.

Her other good news is that they did not receive one of those massive electric bills.  She does, however, expect to see their monthly rates rise since the entire county infrastructure needs to be fixed/updated, and naturally "someone" has to pay for it.

She hasn't been able to get her first dose of the vaccine yet, which is worrisome. As a working doctor Don got his, but since he's at hospitals and nursing homes, where the virus is rampant, who knows what germs he could be bringing home with him.

When Marilyn called, she did ask if she woke me up - 

I told her I'd be thrilled if she woke me up at 9:00!  

She'd thought it was 8:00 here (when I'd still be thrilled...)  Out-of-state people do tend to get confused because half the year we're "this many" hours off from them, while the other half of the year it's a difference of "that many" hours.  

That was when I noticed that the kitchen clock was running about half an hour slow.  After our call I got up and reset it, but when I hung it back up on the wall I noticed that the second hand was running backwards!    

Who knew it could even do that?!

 I'd already decided the time was off because it needed a fresh battery, so at that point I made the schlep to the drawer where I keep the batteries and fixed it.

Today I made a number of paper piecing mistakes - and I'd been on such a good roll yesterday!  

Not only did I end up doing a LOT of ripping...

because of continuing difficulty lining up the sections....

but then I got distracted.  

Clearly I'd started paying a little too much attention to the movie on TV, but at least this was as far as I got before I realized the error of my ways.

Tom's new smoker was delivered today, and Alex helped him put it together.  Maybe we'll have something really exciting for dinner tomorrow!