Good workout at the gym this morning.  I'll have to miss Friday, when instead of working out I'll be playing at the quilt show in Lake Havasu City.  But I'll try to make up for that by pushing extra hard on Sunday.

Even though it's just down the street from her, Wanda had never been to The Pie Hole. So we lunched there today, and both enjoyed our meal.  However even though I mentioned the heat issue from Saturday (and the young woman said she'd leave them in longer) it was only warm.

Wanda was glad to get the bag of 15 zippers, and I was glad to get the tublet of twice-baked brownies she had for me - plus a batik bowl.  (One of these days I'll get around to wrapping one of my own.)  Show & Tell is always a delight over there.  First I got to see her finished entry for the Maverick challenge; the theme for this year is Calories Don't Count, so she whipped up a Kaffe Kake.  I'd helped with suggestions while it was under construction (and gave it its name!) but of course all finished it's even more spectacular.  And I love the quilting effect on her stained glass quilt... the top was beautiful, but now it's stunning! I hope to use some of my scraps to make a similar one, and now I know exactly how mine should be quilted!

When I got home Tom and Alex had moved the refrigerator out to the back porch, leaving dust ELEPHANTS behind.  The table is also out there now.  Of course we're about to experience a significant cool down next week, so dinner al fresco could be a little nippy. 

Marcie brought me a quilt magazine, and admired the placemats. They're still working out the logistics of getting the puppy from Sacramento to Phoenix, and it sounds like the best plan is for Marcie to fly there and meet at the airport.

I haven't gotten any quilting done today, but am getting ready to start

and "help" Tom watch the World Series.  

Placemats are now almost finished being quilted (I really didn't expect it to take this long!)  With the only thing on today's agenda being the gym, The Plan is to finish quilting them today!!!

Tomorrow the only thing on the agenda is a trip in the morning to the "quarry" downtown to select our granite slab. I hope to get the bindings made and attached in the afternoon so I can take the with me to Havasu on Thursday.  Tami does have to go into work a couple of hours in the afternoon on Friday, and I can do the hand blind-stitching then.

BUT 

Just as I was typing the above paragraphs, Wanda texted to see if I can come over there around 12:30, after her class.  She has some of her SCRUMPTIOUS chocolate cake for me (and I have a bagful of zippers for her) so of course I said yes. Looks like my afternoon just filled up a bit!

And of course I still haven't taken the hearsay quiz....

Now off to the gym!

Plan for today: mail off the registration form for VOS quilt retreat in February on my way to the chiropractor.  I had to wait because anything postmarked before today won't be counted - but anything postmarked after today may not make the 32-person limit. 

FYI the chiropractor was right about me reaching out/up with my right arm.  I just hadn't realized how much I did that, for virtually everything (getting a mug out of the cabinet, opening/closing blinds behind the couch, turning on disposal, reaching across the table for salt/pepper, grabbing hanger out of closet, etc.) so this past week I have really concentrated on using my other arm.  Today I'll find out if there's been any improvement since last Monday.

Tom and I may spend a little time later today packing up more kitchen stuff, but otherwise I'm basically free the rest of the day so I hope to charge ahead and get lots of quilting done on the placemats. 

Off course I should take the hearsay quiz at some point today...

I was awake at 3:00 am, so did some reading while I waited for my Lunesta to take effect.  It did, and I was relieved to have slept in, racking up a reasonable number of hours - but that's not always an option.

This morning I started in on Wednesday's lecture, though only getting through part of it before it was time to leave for Boot Camp.  But since I missed both of the problems discussed by that point I was feeling even less confident with regard to hearsay.

On the plus side I did make it until the end of today's workout session, though technically since I arrived 5 minutes late I didn't actually complete the entire thing.

After a brief rest at home (while I downed my protein powder drink) I finished class,

but am still feeling confused.

At some point I will take the self-quiz on hearsay,

but must admit I am not feeling very optimistic...

Patti and I both thought today's movie, about the Granite Mountain Hotshots, was excellent; see it if you can.  Of course since it's based on a 'local' story (I actually lived in Yarnell in the 70s) the ending was no surprise.  

Afterward we lunched at The Pie Hole; Patti had seen good reviews about it so we decided to give it a try.  My meat pie was tasty, though unfortunately not hot (even when I sent it back after my first bite so they could warm it up) and for dessert I enjoyed a slice of brown sugar peach pie.  I brought home a slice of their sweet potato pecan pie for Tom, two favorites of his.  He just had it for dessert tonight and pronounced it good, though he mistook the sweet potato for pumpkin.

Today I caught up on Monday's class, where we're starting on hearsay.  Andy did start off by announcing that we were really getting into the nitty gritty, and (for the first time) I found myself struggling a bit with one of the concepts.  At least I wasn't the only one, as evidenced (no pun intended) by questions asked during class.  By the end of the 2 hours I had identified where my problem originated, so maybe things will become a little clearer after I watch Wednesday's class tomorrow...

Rene & I enjoyed our lunch at Mimi's despite having to wait quite a while for a table.... meeting at 1:00 we'd thought the worst of the Friday lunch crunch would be over. Our waitress turned out to be clueless.  She got Rene's salad order wrong (even after a discussion of dressings), did not bring separate checks (specifically requested when we ordered), and while she did bring me the correct change back, she also left the original cash in the folder.  

Marcie popped over after I got home, ostensibly to check on my placemat progress ("there's a lot of quilting in each one!" but mostly to tell me about the new addition that will be joining them in the next week or so: a 4-month old Chihuahua!  

I got a great night's sleep (crashed VERY early!)

and now off to the movies with Patti.  

Yesterday was not one of my better days. 

Frustration with the printer was the proverbial last straw,

and did indeed put me over the edge.

So it seemed like a perfect day to get out a whammer to smash up the old computer (no one I asked wanted to deal with removing the hard drive) so I could finally toss it.  

I'm not usually 'violent', but have to admit that venting like that

did feel amazingly cathartic!

Alex saw my post on FB, so he came over to see what he could do.  It took about an hour, but eventually he was able to print up the recipe I used to make dinner last night.  In an effort to avoid issues next time (and with computers there's always a 'next time'!) I asked how he fixed the problem.

At which point Tom (rather condescendingly) tossed out a number of very basic suggestions (ALL of which I had already tried.... some more than once) but Alex assured me it wasn't anything I did - or didn't - do.

Throughout the day I worked at quilting the placemats, and while I at least made headway, it's definitely slow going and there's still plenty left to do. 

 

Today I plan to continue with them, but without a good night's sleep (last night I lay awake in bed until well after midnight, then still woke up before 5) I'm not sure how much I'll get done.

There's the gym this morning, and I'm having lunch with Rene in the afternoon.  Plus I still need to at least get started on all of this week's reading, and attend both lectures.

I ran a loop of errands yesterday, some more successful than others.  First stop was the Vitamin Shoppe, where I get my post-workout protein powder for my smoothies.  Looks like they have discontinued "mine" (which I just picked up less than 3 weeks ago) so I'll trying a new brand.

Next I popped into Sew Day at Foothills to drop off some things for Laura, though I still have Joy's bowls; she's on antibiotics and battling some crud that ruined the end of her vacation.  While I wandered around to "check" on what everyone was working on I scored a couple more excellent ideas for easy scrap quilts.  Marcie was finishing up cutting out pieces for her next quilt with her AccuCut (wonder if she made any "new best friends" yesterday? lol) and she suggested going to lunch.  

We lunched at Zupa's again.  I did want soup and salad, but with no microwave to increase the heat level it never makes it from the line to my mouth hot enough.  (I am my father's daughter!)  However, the woman taking my order suggested getting it to go (hence with a lid) and then when I asked the actual server to wait until the last possible second to scoop it (until my salad got passed down the line) he offered to put it in the warmer.  Bottom line? Not only was it was nice and hot when I got to my seat, but it stayed hot all the way to the bottom. 

I picked up Tom's book at the library (along with a couple other non-fiction titles from the NEW shelf that I thought he'd be interested in) so of course later in the afternoon one I've been waiting for came in.  The only thing on today's "schedule" (at least so far...) is to work on the placemats, so I'll be glad for a break at some point to make a run up there.  

I had a little time at home to piddle around and get a few miscellaneous things done, and then it was off for my pedicure with Luisa.  She's doing well after all her medical issues and surgeries last spring, and also is much more relaxed now that she doesn't have all the headaches of owning her own business.

One last stop at Sprouts for a premade meatloaf for dinner, and then home for good, when Alex joined us for dinner after his full day.  First he and Tom worked on the irrigation ditches (which I've been nagging Tom about every few months or so for over a year) when he worked up a huge blister on his hand.  Then, after "borrowing" all sorts of cleaning supplies from us, he spent the remainder of the afternoon cleaning the back house.

Last night I dreamed that I was at the chiropractor, and when I walked for him he pronounced everything in line and perfect.  

Yesterday I got my first placemat quilted.  While it took longer than expected (why am I always surprised when that happens?) and still needs a binding,  I am happy with the way it's turned out.

Last night Tom and watched The Big Short, and were once again reminded of the outrageous practices at the top levels of banking that culminated in the meltdown of the financial industry. People lost their jobs, their homes, their pensions and life savings - and yet the people and institutions that caused it got away with it! You'd think people would learn, but the current batch of people "leading" our country are definitely stumbling in the wrong directions - a fact sadly proved yet again by the latest vote in the Senate late last night.  

Tuesday night the Senate voted to give broad lawsuit immunity to credit card companies, auto lenders, credit reporting companies like Equifax, and many other financial firms. The resolution passed by the Senate overrides a rule created by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which prevents many financial firms from engaging in two abusive practices. The vote is a major victory for the banking industry.

Patti checked at Park Meadows yesterday, and the lanyard/key we found does not seem to belong to any of the staff there.  So this morning I called the District Office and left a message, which Michelle (in the Facilities Dept.) promptly returned.  She said that given the alphanumeric code (conveniently stamped on the back of the key) it definitely sounds like one of their classroom keys.  So during my various errands this afternoon I'll drop the lanyard off at Park Meadows, the interoffice mail will get it to Michelle (saving me a drive over to the DO), and she'll see that it's returned to its rightful owner... who no doubt has been considerably inconvenienced by the key's MIA status.

I had a lovely chat with Mom, who is "threatening" to come out for a visit this winter.  At this point she's still officially undecided, but after winter arrives (and drags on) out there, a visit to warm and sunny Arizona will no doubt sound more and more attractive! The second half of February works great with my schedule, and it doesn't hurt that the wonderful Fountain Hills craft show (which the two of us have always enjoyed) will be held then.

THE GREAT FAIR OF FINE ARTS & CRAFTS

FEBRUARY 23 – 25, 2018

Now in its 31st year, this three day juried art fair

features nearly 500 artists and artisans 

While I was on the phone with Mom I got a text from Lisa, who was stuck in traffic and wondered if this would be a good time to chat.  So after I got off the phone with Mom we did just that.  It sounds like things are reasonably normal over there (we had a lengthy discussion about Logan's aversion to homework) and I certainly got a chuckle out of her e-mail this morning:

Remember all those times Dad was making fried chicken and mashers and Alex and I would hang around in the kitchen whining and wanting chicken and making y’all nervous by getting near the hot oil and generally making it way more aggravating than it needed to be?

I’m sorry. Thanks for continuing to make it for us!

On an unrelated note, we had fried chicken and mashers for dinner tonight. Logan loved it. My kitchen is destroyed. Did you know kids make it really hard to keep your house clean? Thrilling discoveries left and right over here. 

My sleeping patterns lately seem to have me waking up during the night around 3, staying awake for about an hour (often doing some reading when it's obvious I'm not going to fall right back asleep), and then sleeping until a much more reasonable hour.  For a change that didn't happen today - maybe because I read rather late into the night last night and my schedule was off? - and I slept through the night. So after what feels like an uninterrupted night's sleep I got a good start to my morning, and now have the 8 backing/batting sets cut and pressed and ready to be quilted to the placemat tops.

Alex appeared again yesterday afternoon after working the off-road truck races in the East Valley over the weekend, and Kyle and the RV soon followed.  Another Rockstar RV is scheduled to join it out front sometime today, though both will be heading off tomorrow (without Alex.)  If folks in the neighborhood somehow managed not to notice one behemoth parked out front for a few days last week, two should be even harder to miss.  Of course after the second one arrives I plan to capture a shot of them apparently multiplying out front.

And speaking of multiplying, decades ago we had a collection of Disney videos (thank you for sharing, Aunt Marilyn!) One cartoon about guinea pigs multiplying at a railroad station (stuck there because of a dispute) was a favorite of ours.  It popped right up today when I did a search, so now anyone with ten minutes to spare can enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYXlF3sa9xs

Now that I'm paying attention, I'm stunned to realize just how often I reach out with my right arm/hand (starting with when I pluck a mug out of the cabinet first thing each morning.) I am making a concerted effort to use my left one instead, though of course ingrained habits are difficult to change.  But at least being aware of them is an important the first step!

Tom saw the cardiologist yesterday for the results of some recent tests, all of which indicate that his heart "is fine" despite that re-clogged artery for which "nothing can be done."  I thought Tom's overwhelming tiredness and serious lack of oomph would be explained by the results of this or that test.  In any event I've been "suggesting" (AKA nagging) on multiple occasions that he check with the doctor and see about getting a prescription of sorts for a home AED "just in case" that clogged artery one day causes a repeat of the "excitement" he had at the gym 5 years ago.  My thinking was that with some sort of Rx maybe Medicare would subsidize some of the hefty cost.  

But Tom reported back to me that the cardiologist says an AED isn't called for, which obviously I find surprising... though I guess it does "get me off the hook" for having to deal with one should an emergency arise here at home. Alex did sound somewhat incredulous the other night when I reminded Tom to ask the doctor about getting one, at which point Alex asked me if I thought that I would be able to do it. 

Pretty sure that doing something (after calling 911 and waiting for help to arrive) sounds like a much better plan than just standing around panicking!

This afternoon I arranged for the appliances to be delivered (and installed) on November 13.  Assuming the floor installation goes as planned, the tile should have had plenty of time to "set" by then.  After that it will just be a waiting game for the counter-tops. 

We got more kitchen cabinets emptied out this afternoon, and it's no surprise that Tom wants to get rid of a lot more stuff than I do.  While I am using my vetoes sparingly, the few things I have insisted we keep have resulted in considerable eye-rolling on his part.