My Trash Is Pink

9-15-20        Tuesday

And my clothing is covered with snippets of thread. It's 10:30 a.m. and time for a coffee break. I have been working on the pink quilt since 8:00 a.m.

On August 26, I began washing fabric for this quilt (and another). That was followed by lots of ironing. Then cutting squares, constructing blocks. Sewing. And sewing. 

I've always said that I "grow" my quilts. I guess that really means the design is fluid. Which is why I just spent a few minutes stitch ripping. In a burst of enthusiasm, I had attached a block too soon, gumming up what would follow. Now all is right and I'm in the home stretch of finishing the back.

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Red Dog Landscaping is here today, chopping and trimming bushes and trees. Unfortunately, now I can see how badly I need the back (north side) of the house washed. The daffodil yellow of the siding there is green. Sigh. Maybe I'll see what Lowe's has for a pressure washer. 

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Wednesday here.

Top of pink quilt. The sides are light pink (not white).

Bottom of pink quilt.

Here is a detail of the unicorns on the front.

And here is a detail of part of the back of the quilt. This is for when she's a bit older!

 So the quilt making has been a whirlwind marathon for me. I have never made a quilt so large and so quickly! It's a twin size with a 12 inch drop. Now I have to go make the blue quilt. However, I'm not going to cut as many squares as I did last time -- I have a lot leftover! I'm hoping Emily can use them. She's thinking of making a quilt for the second daughter of her friends.  But right now, I'm goofing off writing to you.

The weather today was fantastic. It was sunny and in the low 70s with a gusty breeze. Nancy and I went for a walk on the bike trail that I am convinced is at least a mile if not a bit longer. The photo below is from another day's walk when it was cloudy. 

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Today was (hopefully) my final time at the dentist for a while. I have the permanent crown cemented in. Boy, it's yucky -- they make you swish with hydrogen peroxide. And you can't spit it out, they suction it out. The dental assistant today was very clunky using the sucking thing and she scuffed up the inside of my mouth. I'm glad that's over with. And my pocketbook took a hefty dent. Luckily, I had paid half last time. I'm glad I hadn't paid the whole thing because the temporary crown fell out twice! I'm really glad I didn't swallow it.

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Did you know Aldis has corned beef in a can? It's o.k. I guess you could call it the corned beef equivalent of Spam. It's almost the texture of a pate. (Accent over the e.) It is, however, way too salty if you put spicy brown mustard on it. And it needs to be heated -- unless you're a fan of congealed fat on the edges.

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I'm sitting here listening to the frogs and crickets. The front door is open because it's 59 degrees outside. I may stay in bed a long time tomorrow because it's so comfy and warm when the morning is chilly. But, wow, those frogs sure sing a robust song!

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Thursday

Who knew? For some reason, I was awake at 6 a.m. and shortly later I hear the back up beep of a big truck. What? It was the recycling truck. I had lost a whole day, thinking it was only Wednesday. (Yes, I went back and changed the days on here.) So I threw on a sweater (since it's 59 F.) and put the trash and recycling to the curb. The recycling truck driver tooted at me. I thought it was a friendly hello (at 6:30 a.m.!), but I see that he's waving me over. I had missed recycling on my side of the street so he told me to bring the barrel across to the other side. I did and all was well. I wonder where that day went that I missed it ...

I have washed my hands many times and they still stink -- of perfumed dryer sheets. Somebody told me that mice hate that scent (as I do too) so I scattered them around my car in the garage. I'm hoping to avoid having the mice nest in the car's air filter. Hoo boy! Is the scent ever strong! No wonder I use unscented on my clothes.

I also got a flu shot. Two weeks ago, my doctor's office told me to call this week for an appointment. Today they said to call next week as they hadn't set up their flu clinic yet. The CVS pharmacy was doing a land office business giving flu shots. 

And I am now the proud owner of a sprayer and a jug of vinyl siding cleaner. Oh, yes, and a long broom for scrubbing the house should it need it in addition to the cleaner. Don't know if I'll get to it tomorrow or not because I'm going to Emily's.

Vespers, in the church parking lot, were very nice. I was surprised at how many people recognized me in a mask and it was lovely at how many cheery greetings we all got. One woman didn't know that I was back from California. I had left her two messages and figured she wasn't interested. Tonight she said she definitely would have called if she had thought I was back. Which brings up the question of why she didn't call and ask. The phone reaches to California ...

We all brought our own chairs and I was very thankful that I didn't land on my ass. The back of my lawn chair is seriously frayed.

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Friday

Nope, nope, nope. It's too chilly and cloudy today to try to wash the green off my house. 57 F. is too cold to get soaked with cold water. You know and I know, I will end up soaking wet. Which reminds me that I have to hunt up clothing that I don't mind if it gets bleached. Someone told me that those vinyl cleaning solutions are just bleach but I couldn't deal with putting straight bleach on the house.

I made some blueberry scones this morning. Truth be told, I forgot to put in the Swerve (artificial sugar). There it was sitting on the counter, unused. So I put some on top and let it melt in a bit. Tastes like a scone in muffin shape!

Keto Dutch Baby Pancakes

1 Tbs. butter or coconut oil

3 large eggs

3/4 C. unsweetened almond milk

1/4 protein whey isolate OR egg white powder

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 C. Swerve

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Melt the butter in a cast iron pan (I used a baking pan). Put the rest of the ingredients in a blender for about 1 minute until foamy.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes. After 15 minutes, poke holes in it so it won't fall when it cools.  Makes 2 servings.

Dutch Baby

It's spongy inside and yummy! Of course, it would be even better with maple syrup and I found a recipe for homemade 'maple syrup,' but I haven't attempted it yet.

Have a great weekend! Cheers!

September Breeze

Today (August 31) I woke up to a wonderfully cool (in the 60s) sunny day. There is a slight breeze and it reminded me of beginning Fall. 

Some of you guys will not know of this, but many women can relate to that one particular moment in childbirth  where you yell (or think), "I'm not ready for this! I'm done!" That moment comes after nine months of happy anticipation, after hours of labor, after a lot of pain. Of course, that is when the doctor or husband who is far enough away to not get slugged, says, "What are you gonna do -- leave?" 

And that was my second thought: I'm not ready for September! So I have decided to enjoy it, come what may. 

Normally, out little town fills to overflowing with college students in September. This year, not so much. There are quite a few students who have come back and some are renting houses off campus. They are here, we have seen them partying on porches (no masks) and in the supermarkets. (Masks are required in all public places, such as supermarkets and stores.) I have seen a bevy of Amherst College students outside, with masks on. I can only think The College has very strict guidelines. The University of Massachusetts has strict guidelines for those who chose to live on campus. For the off-campus students -- the University doesn't care. It has been this way for years: the University never took any responsibility for huge, out of control, parties and binge drinking. (The University pays no taxes, btw.)

Anyway, it's a lovely day!

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I have become driven making a quilt. It's one of two for a commission. I love making quilts for people who give me an idea of the personality of the recipient and then they let me run with my own design. I have never understood artists who disparage clients who want a certain color scheme to make the painting go with their living room or another room. Is the artist making the work for only their own amusement? 

You might know that I'm fascinated with process. I love, love, love watching glass blowers -- and painters and quilters, and, and, and ... Here's my process so far.

Buy fabric. Since I'm addicted to fabric, I have tried to close the buying floodgates. This is the first time in over two years that I have bought fabric. I'm working on it. It's way too easy to order online. Sigh. 

All of the fabric must be washed, dried and ironed. Why? For one thing, to get the "shop dirt" out, but really to shrink it and make it as color fast as possible. (I use special fabric sheets that collect excess dye in the wash.)

Then I cut 4.5 inch squares. A lot of them.

Next I put two squares together, one light and one dark, and draw a diagonal line. Then I stitch a 1/4 inch seam to the right and left of that line. The next step is to cut that diagonal line, producing two squares consisting of two half squares (triangles). All seams must be pressed. And if you add two more, and stitch them all together, you get a diamond in a square. Or not, depending on how you orient the colors.

Did I mention that all the corners (above) have to be snipped off? Then all seams need to be pressed.

Below it the "or not" alternative to a diamond in a square. I think quilters call this a spool of thread, but I think of it as a butterfly. As nice as the batik (below) is, the colors were fighting with the polka dots above. So the squares in the below color range will go on the back. (The two different color tones were jarring to me. I know that's weird, but I'm kind of a color savant -- according to Cathy, lol. She's a much better technical quilter than I, but she has known to ask my advice on color.)

That's probably more than you wanted to know, but I needed a break. I have used up one complete spool of thread and two bobbins. (I just wound 3 more bobbins. I hate running out!) Now I have to go check my mailbox for more fabric. Toodles.

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Last Wednesday was the dental appointment to get my brand new crown. (This tooth has not been right since last March.) I had to go 4 weeks with the temporary tooth because I had a cold right before my appointment and they didn't want me near them. 

Nope, the new crown didn't fit. The temp. tooth went back on. They made an appointment for me to come back in two weeks. On Friday, the temp. fell off. I go in tomorrow to get the temp. put back on. Sigh.

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Thanks to an extremely generous friend who gave me her "old" phone. She also has been guiding me in how to use it! Today I figured out how to upload photos to Google Photo which makes it super easy to put photos into these blogs. I am so happy to have a cell phone that works the way it should!

Outside of the Munson Memorial Library. I took this photo when I brought the Hot Spot (aka Puck) back. They loan hot spots so you can bring your own wifi with you! Neat, huh?

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Well, it's here: September 1st. I began my day speaking with an Xfinity Customer Service person. Last night, my living room TV went kaput in that it's getting zero cable signal. Todd has determined that my new box (for cable) is no longer working. I've got  technician coming between 12 and 2:00 p.m I also have a dentist appointment at 2 p.m. to replace my temp. tooth.  It's the little things that will get ya.

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Interesting new breakfast recipe from Maria Emmerich:

Breakfast Rosti

2 slices of bacon, diced

2 Tbs. coconut oil

1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup green onions (I used a red onion)

1 cup shredded cabbage

1 large egg, beaten

diced garlic to taste

salt, pepper 

Cook the bacon in 1 Tbs. coconut oil until crispy. (Use a large cast iron skillet if you have it.) Add garlic, onions, coconut oil and

mushrooms and saute until golden. In a bowl, add egg, salt, pepper to cabbage and coat the cabbage. Add cabbage to frypan and cook until crispy on the bottom. Turn over with spatula and finish cooking. Serves 2.

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No, there was no fabric in the mail yesterday. Phooey. I'm waiting on some cartoon characters. Oddly enough, you can't just leave a hole and insert it later. (No fabric in the mail today either.)

The cable guy came today. Boy, is my face red. I had piled fabric on a chair and it interrupted the cable box signal. Luckily, he cancelled the call because they would have had to charge me ...

Got my temporary tooth put back in. The dentists' office was so busy, we were waiting out in the parking lot. Two college aged boys were running back and forth checking in patients, checking to see if the lobby was empty yet, and taking temperatures. It was busy!

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The Mom of the little girl who will get the pink quilt said she liked the batik. So we have more batik. (The original batik plus the other fabric just didn't work because the second fabric was the wrong tone.)

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Woo hoo! I found the voice mail on my new phone! Now I have to turn back on all of the annoying sounds. The dentist's office left a voice mail and I never knew it. Those sounds were driving me crazy. Sigh.

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Did I mention I'm making two quilts? One for a girl, one for a boy. So while I'm waiting for more fabric for the girl ...

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I'm going back to sewing now. It's rainy and I am SO grateful that I have an Ott Light. It somehow gives a 'clean' light without the yellow that you get with energy saving and florescent bulbs. You can see true colors.

I hope you have a great week! Be kind to yourself and be well.