Good Day to Stay In

 This is just my kind of day.  It doesn't matter than I stay in most days anyway, but this weather was perfect for wearing my sweatshirt and pajama bottoms, drinking coffee and doing so many mindless things.

I enjoyed seeing the clouds roll in early this morning with coffee on the balcony, listening to 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand, one of my favorite authors, and working on my long-neglected mystery cross-stitch.

I just went back out to check on my plants since I didn't water this morning and love the way the plants look at twilight.  

There are several clematis buds on the vine, but it looks like the central plant is dying.  The leaves are turning brown, and that bloom is wilty, but the new growth and buds look healthy, so we'll have to see.

These petunias and geraniums are healthy without any babying at all.  I do deadhead every morning and clean them up, but they give me so much joy.  The petunias smell so good too.

Those are old herbs beneath that I snip off sometimes but mostly just ignore.  I did plant dill, parsley, and chives in the same pot, and they're looking good.

Layla and I enjoyed the beautiful bit of sunset we saw.

My friends and I were talking yesterday about how just about the only thrill we get some days is a package arriving from Amazon - or their groceries!  Living in an apartment, we really want very little "stuff" coming in, but I did order something a couple of weeks ago for myself.

On some blog I follow, I saw the recommendation for a tiered stand for the kitchen, and with my teeny kitchen, I thought a little double-decker storage would be nice.  It was more than I really wanted to pay, but I shopped around for similar things and decided I liked that one the best.  It was from World Market.  There's not one near here, so I ordered it.  I used to like to visit World Market in other towns I lived in, but I'm not going to drive very far for any store.  It took weeks for it to get here, and I had just about forgotten about it until it arrived today.

My excitement was short-lived though.  It had plenty of bubble wrap but was kind of rolling around in the box, and the box was banged up.  When I took it out, it was assembled and looked like this.

I tried replacing the screws that I found in the box, but that did nothing to straighten it. I'm not sure exactly what the problem was.  The screw holes were enlarged and gouged out-looking, so I think someone else had had the same problem.  I'm sure it's a metal problem.

I dreaded contacting WM and setting up returns and refunds or whatever, but I went ahead and immediately called, expecting a big runaround.  A sweet voice answered and ended up calling me Miss Becky and complimenting the Allyn in my name - "That's pretty."  She listened sympathetically without judgment to my problem and just went right on and ordered me another one.  I had figured I would just ask for a refund, but since I don't have to send it back, I'll try again. They don't require you to send back things under $100.  That's kind of nice but unusual. If the second one is deformed, then I'll have two.  I feel sure Ryan can whip them into shape with some of his manly tools.

So I went ahead and put it in the proper place, and if you don't look really hard at the forward tilt, you can tell what it "should" look like.  It think it's just about perfect in that spot and rounds up tea and coffee things well. 

I love groping my way into the kitchen every morning and hanging out here.  I'm hearing Mike in my mind grumbling about there being no spot on that thing for his Taster's Choice container with the spoon attached with a rubber band.

I've heard nothing from the Binderts today, and I guess that's good.  I know they're having a good time.  I did a good bit of texting with friends and had a nice phone call.  I love people who understand me and make me laugh.  We all need that.

What I didn't need was to see on the community page another OMG Look at THIS! post that quickly got laughed away by sensible people.  

Someone had seen a video or something about your mail-in votes having D or R on them so "they" can get rid of your vote.  I'm still not sure who "they" is.  Are they Democrats or Republicans, these people who grab the ballots and throw away the ones they don't want?  Do they think people are allowed to stand around and sift through ballots and get rid of the ones they don't like?  What people and how do they get chosen?  

With about two minutes wasted on a fact check, the truth is revealed that the D or R appears only on the primary election ballots where you have to pick a party and only get ballots with that party designated on the envelope.  The PRIMARY election.  In the general election, naturally there is not a CLUE on the ballot as to the way you voted.  Do these people believe everything and are just too lazy to check for the truth - or do they know it's not true and just hope to carry on their anger a while longer.  Sad.  

Disclaimer:  I didn't know these things either, because I never heard of anything like this - nor would I ever believe someone is stealing my ballot - but a little knowledge is a good thing.

I thought today was Saturday, so I have the whole weekend ahead of me, although those two days will be no different than the last five.  We are going to have a sunny and dry week ahead, so that will be good for the kids and grandparents to get outside.

Rants and Raves

 As promised, I did get a picture of Peanut the beagle from Lubbock.

Jo and Larry loved their Daisy for many years before they lost her last year, and I know this is one spoiled little girl.  We had a beagle many years ago, and we had grandbeagles too for a while, so I know how much fun they can be.

I woke up early this morning, not worrying for a change, just woke up.  I thought I would get a head start on some sewing and found someone in my (his) sewing chair.  I didn't want to disturb him because it's good to see him tolerating me coming that close to him.  He's doing better and better. 

Once I had my coffee ready, he was gone, so I made a couple of the little doll masks, which are very easy.  I found the pattern and instructions here, and once you watch her videos, you'll think you can create beautiful things.  

Since the video for the people mask looked so neat and like it fit well, I decided to make the girls one to match their dolls.  What a disaster.  There is a special way of turning each piece and sandwiching them just right so when you finish, there are two sides and a filter pocket, all in one step.

The first one I made was fine except the pocket was inside out and showed the seam.  I'm going to let that one go since I don't think anyone will care.

The next one I was more careful with, and this time, the pocket was completely encased between the front and the back, nowhere to be seen.  It's hard to take them apart when all the curves have been clipped, but I wanted to learn!

The third one worked, but as hard as I try, I'm just not good at topstitching on these tiny little things, but I do think they'll do

I had ordered some expanders to try to make my masks not pinch my ears, and I think these will be perfect without having to make anything.

They're not beautiful, but, again, they'll be under my hair or in my hair, and I don't think one person has ever looked at me and judged my mask hairdo.  Hopefully not!

Probably too big for the girls, but they do make cute little colorful ones in smaller sizes if needed.

So that should be plenty for all the girls and dolls for now.  I like the little pleats on the sides of this pattern.

Millie and Al arrived yesterday to spend some time on Steller.  I texted her and told her that if they were out walking, they should stop by.  I'm not going over unless someone asks for me and let them enjoy all the cuddles and giggles this week.  She said they were going to ask me to meet them for ice cream one day.  That sounds like a good plan.  I think tomorrow is going to be pretty messy, and I wonder if we're going to have any more warm weather, or if summer is just over.

I enjoyed talking to my neighbors today from my balcony.  Their son had just brought them over their groceries.  They are still a little embarrassed about being so sheltered, but I love that we're being appreciated and taken care of although maybe a little guilty.

I told them I looked out my window yesterday morning when I was sewing and saw them walking pretty fast down the sidewalk and started to yell at them that they had been spotted escaping.  They were actually so excited because another son was having a patio constructed, and they were invited over to watch the concrete being poured!   Times are different, and we can laugh at most things, but I'll sure be glad when it's over - or at least better.  We were saying we had not seen our children without masks since March, and for some reason, they keep backing up while we're talking to them!

The Democratic Convention is now over, and I have to say it's the first one I've ever really watched and listened to.  I guess it's the first time I've been scared for our country, and this is what hope we have.

I'm not a gung-ho supporter of Joe Biden, although I think he is serious about wanting to do a good job. I hope he has that chance.  He for sure will be better than what we have and I'm confident will listen to opinions and guidance from others.  He will not publicly praise a blatant racist and conspiracy theorist like that woman from Georgia, and I'm pretty confident he won't praise QAnon whose agenda seems to be to promote conspiracy theories and incite anger and violence.  

 I'm pretty excited about having a role model for the girls in Kamala Harris.  

I'm just ready for the childishness and the meanness to be put on the back burner and for someone, anyone to try to be a leader.  

I have a little more hope for social media after Facebook removed false and misleading messages and twitter messages from the person who is supposed to be working on running our country. 

I have hope for the Republicans who aren't afraid to stand up and support our country and stop tolerating unconstitutional practices.  

I'm hopeful, but if we choose a man who has already been impeached, it will show what our country is truly made up of.  Truly sad.

Too Much Time on My Hands?

 

It would seem so, but I've never complained about having too much time.

I decided to try one of these little masks, and they are very simple, but the smallness makes it a little harder than regular ones.  The good thing is the dolls don't care if it's too tight or too loose or if all the stitches are neat.  Cats care though.

The mistake I made was taking a box of fabric scraps over to let Graysen and Katherine choose some and match up some fabrics.  I should have known what would happen.  They loved nearly every one of them and were digging through them like little squirrels.  "I think Violet Anna would like this purple one with the crowns and the purple one with the flowers."  "Rusty wants this one."  (One with princess faces all over it!)

They want to sew so badly.  I think right now they're happy with a pincushion full of pins and some fabric pieces, but one day....  

They decided they wanted some matching ones for themselves, even though they will hardly keep on the ones they already have.  I'm still working on some expanders to keep the elastic from hurting their ears.  Mine too.

I'm sold on them.  I tried crochet, but I don't know that it's worth the time since they are under my hair.  I tried the green chenille one on the left yesterday, and it worked wonders.  I was hardly aware of wearing a mask, so I will definitely expand on that and try just elastic or ribbon.

I forgot to take the fox ribbon one for the girls to try, but I'm thinking it might be more trouble than not to get them to keep up with it.  I know I need larger buttons, but most of mine are small.  I probably don't need to buy any more buttons, but I still might!

Yesterday was Ryan's birthday, and he celebrated just like he likes.  No fanfare except, of course, from the girls.  I went over yesterday to deliver my gift:  A pan of freshly baked breaded chicken tenders for the man who has everything.  I guess he had to share, but at least he got a few.  I had heard he liked them, and Emily confirmed last night that they all did.  

The girls and I had a conversation about how old he was and how old Mom was and then Mimi.  They knew exactly how old I was and how old I'll be next month.  I guess I'm discussed more than I know.  I'm sure they have a hard time imaging such big numbers.  

They are reading Charlotte's Web now, and I mentioned that Charlotte was my mother's name, their great-grandmother.  To differentiate between all their other grandparents, sometimes Graysen would call her Old Grandma.  They only met once and Katherine never.  I said when they had children, I would be Old Mimi, and they were shocked.  "No!  You'll never be Old Mimi.  Even if you're 99 years old, you'll never be Old Mimi."   Sweet girls.  I'm not sure I want to find that out.  We decided that when I'm 99, they will be in their 30s.  It makes me sad to know I won't see their lives unfold, but it makes me treasure this time together that much more.  I refuse to be sad about that!

They were much too hyper for many pictures, but it was such a pleasant afternoon, cool in the shade and a little wind blowing the maple tree leaves.  What discussions we had!  All the birds coming to eat out of their feeders.  Cats. Sharks. Climbing trees.  London's broken arm and how she called her sling a purse (she's 2).  Grandma and Grandpa Bindert's upcoming visit tomorrow.  Various boo-boos that made me say, "Maybe when you go up and down your back steps, you could WALK."  I know that someone falls on those bricks at least once a day, and they still don't slow down.

I had taken over two books that I had requested from the library back in February, and they finally came.  

They loved I Had a Favorite Dress so much that we had to read it twice and discuss it a LOT.  What a great little book.  

Seeds and Trees was (to me) a little weird and abstract, all about good seeds (good words) and bad seeds (mean thoughts and words).  It was poetry, I guess and not really clear, but the girls totally got into it and said later that it was a GOOD book.  I think we got across the idea that mean words are like those horribly deformed trees shown in the book and that kind words are like lemon trees.  Or something like that.  I do believe that they think more deeply than I give them credit for.

We then read as much as I could take of another Geronimo Stilton book.  Reading with a mask on for what seems like hours gets a little much, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  I took them a little bag of Gummy Bears, and after every story, they would come pick out two gummies and thoroughly discuss the colors, the taste, the chewiness.  Not like bribery or anything!  Reading was their idea.  I love this age and these girls.  They make me laugh and love me unconditionally.

Today is Mike's birthday, and it's not something I like to dwell on.  I think of him every day, so this is no different, but it is special in that I did get a message from an old friend who was thinking about us and an actual phone call from a friend.  I was so excited when I saw Jo's name appear on my phone, and we had a wonderful long conversation.  She said she reads the blog and was so glad to find someone who has her same fears and thoughts about our country.  She and Larry were such good friends to Mike when he lived in Texas and came to visit us a couple of times, once in Montgomery and once here in Snoqualmie.  Makes my heart so happy to have gotten back in touch with them again.  Larry had left FB behind long before I did because of being a little disgusted with what it had become.  This is much better.  I have the promise of a picture of their new puppy Peanut, so what can be better than that!

It's okay that I've spent the entire morning on this blog and the phone and texting and emailing.  Just fine!  I will also spend the rest of the day doing exactly what I want to do, and that will probably include looking up some of Mike's old emails and Facebook conversations and remembering what fun that group craziness was.  He was truly the glue that held us all together, and we have to work extra hard now to keep it all the same. 

 Happy birthday, Baby.

Oh, Michelle!

 How lovely to hear a calm voice of reason from a person of warmth and integrity, something that has been so lacking for the last four years.  I was mesmerized, and even those from the other party have praise for her speech.  Even Fox allowed something positive.  Authenticity, focus, concern for democracy and our way of life.  So, so different from the messages of hate and discord we are used to.

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

I'm guilty of harboring my own kind of anger nowadays and hesitate to say anything, because this is a lighthearted journal of my last 15 years or so, but if this journal survives and our girls grow up to read it, I want my voice heard and not be cowed into not expressing the way I feel right now.  

I am not so much angry at the racist, self-centered, and inept person who is in charge of our country right now but at the millions of people who think it's okay.  Okay to be divisive.  Okay to have people fired because they don't think like him.  Okay to ruin people's long and unflawed careers because they refuse to do his dirty work. Okay to bribe foreign governments to go against the constitution.  Okay to childishly call people names and try to ruin their reputations.  Okay to just yesterday tweet Russian propaganda to hurt his political opponent.  Why is this okay?  

Why is it okay to try to muzzle freedom of speech and have only the media outlets that parrot what he says?   How can a person have thousands of instances of lying to his people, giving out all sorts of misinformation - and people don't care.  They just don't care if they're listening to lies, and that's a sad thing to me.  

I left Facebook, which I formerly enjoyed, because I was so offended by people posting blatant lies or saying that this man was chosen by God to lead our country.  It makes me shiver to hear that.  The people chose him - or at least some of the people, and this person has none of the attributes that the Bible teaches about Christianity.  None.  

I've never had a political party as such, was just never involved in politics at all.  I was of the passive mindset that no matter who won, even if my guy didn't win, one person would not destroy a country.  There would be checks and balances and clear-thinking individuals to keep it from happening.  But guess what?  There is not, in this case, anyone who has enough backbone and morals to stand up to a person who is overstepping his boundaries.

I just want my girls to know how their PopPop and I felt and agonized over what we saw coming 4 years ago, and it's much worse that anything we imagined.  I believe today is the day Mike went into the hospital, and he never knew anything else about what happened.  Mercifully.

When I heard that first child start singing the Star-Spangled Banner last night at the beginning of the coverage, I just got tears in my eyes.  That's the way we used to feel about the flag and our country, but that's sadly lacking nowadays when the parents and leaders are so filled with hate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t15hVyzCvwo

I doubt I'm going to rant and rave very much on here.  I have my family up here and a few prized friends, and we do plenty of it!  We get it out of our system without involving the children, but sadly they know they don't have a leader that has integrity or someone they can look up to.  They now have so much to go through with regard to their education and their family crises.  I wonder if it's too late to have a change for the better in our government.  

I'm glad that we have the privileges we do and don't have to suffer as much as some people do, but I can't just sit here in my comfort and not agonize over the parents and children who were separated in the migrant camps and for the families who have lost their jobs or their health, for those suffering right now with illness.  I don't think that's what our country has ever been all about - taking care of our comfort and not caring who else suffers. Just because it's not happening directly to us, it doesn't not happen, and people are in pain.

 But that's just me.  I may be the only one who imagines my family leaving me to find hope somewhere else and never seeing them again, or learning to survive in a country without the freedoms we're used to but it does keep me from sleeping many nights.  

Oh, well.

Happier times later.  Mah-Jong in just an hour and getting lovely and excited texts from the girls' school helper.  I'm not sure what to call Jadyn, but she will be with the girls all day, guiding them and providing excitement and order as they try this new way of learning.   She already has their prize buckets and what looks like welcome signs.  What a treasure!  I just wish I could do more and that all children had such a good situation. 

Yogurt and Quilts

 It was warm yesterday when I picked up the girls and walked to get yogurt but not hot.  Any outing is a good thing.  I think I took very few pictures, maybe none that are worth sharing.  

Snoqualmie is trying blocking off the main street this weekend and having people come downtown to eat, but since they're not providing a lot of tables and chairs (bring your own and picnic), I'm not sure how that's going to work out.  When we passed by, the pizza place and Infusion Grill's outdoor sections were full, and this was at 3:00.  There were kids riding their scooters up and down the street, and I was a little glad my girls didn't bring theirs.  I didn't need that stress on top of a hot day, ear-pinching mask, and melting yogurt.  I did order some plastic hooks for the masks, for clipping the ear elastic to since we're going to be wearing the things every day.

Once they had finished their yogurt, we went back to the garage to hang out and play with the Barbies.  That's still holding their interest, but only if I play.  They built a gym so they could do gymnastics and rock climbing, and when one's leg came off, they set up a physical therapy room.  

They can get pretty creative with those shelf expanders that I don't know what to do with.  

A nice treat was that we saw Anna, another second grader who lives in the apartments, pass by with Lunala the cat following her.  The girls got all excited by Lunala and trapped her and adored her and just aggravated her in general.  She's the best though and let them keep her in a cardboard box for a long time.  Anna asked her mom if she could come in and play, and she could.  Her mother Mary came down and we got to have a nice conversation about school and lots of things.  

I met Mary's mother last summer at the park when she was visiting from Egypt and babysitting.  At first, I didn't know if she spoke English and we just mainly communicated by one-word sentences.  Then as we walked along with the girls a lot, I found out she was very fluent and very interesting.  Unfortunately, she had to go back home and now can't get here easily because of the travel restrictions, so even thought Mary works at home, she has a hard time keeping Anna busy.  Anne said, "I get fussy when I'm bored.  I got really fussy today and even stomped."

When Emily came, she and Mary exchanged phone numbers, so we'll try to get the girls together to play more.  I know it's hard on Anna being the only child, and the girls seem to have a good time together.  

The school plan was released yesterday, and most of the comments on the Facebook community page are pretty negative.  Despair at 6 hours of learning and being on the computer.  Fear that their child is going to miss important things.  Frustration over the scheduling.  Kindergarten and 2nd grade are on different schedules, so that's not going to be good.  The person who is supposed to working with the kids might not get to handle that long a day.  I just don't know if I can get involved, how safe it's going to be through the fall and winter.  I'd love to, but I also don't want to take chances.  Sad that things have gotten this bad.

I do have a couple of pictures from Thursday when I went by and watched them at gymnastics.

Graysen didn't notice me much, but Katherine couldn't stop turning around and waving!  They seem pretty comfortable on the beam so far, doing their little routine of getting on gracefully and then standing up, walking backwards, pointing toes etc.  I love the small classes and extra attention.

Both girls have new haircuts and new gym outfits, so they were extra cute.

I went and picked up lunch afterwards, and we just went to their house to eat.  Peeking in the Happy Meal box never gets old.  

I thought it would be okay to go upstairs and play in the open area with masks and distancing, and they brought out their Lottie dolls.

They played school, and it was pretty serious.  I kept forgetting to raise my hand before I asked a question.  Mainly asking why they got desks and I didn't.

I noticed this over the bookcase outside their room.

Barbara, my best quilting friend from GA/AL sent me this Auburn pillow kit several years ago, and it's still looking good.  They love it.

From talking to her and hearing about the things she's doing, I'm gradually getting my sewing and quilting interest back up.

I decided to work on Emily's old quilt yesterday and tried out a couple of stitches just to tack down the seams where they were coming out.

It's hard to see from the pictures, but I tried two different stitches and sent her these pictures to chose from.

A feather/herringbone type stitch was her favorite.  It's hard to see, but if I can keep my eyes on the seam, it does a pretty good job of holding it together and doesn't look too bad.

This one was much quicker and probably would have been okay, but I think the other one is prettier.

I finished all the separated seams and gave it to her for checking, and then if she wants, I'll go over the whole quilt with that stitch and tack down all the seams.  It looks okay on the back.

It's just for her so she gets to keep her quilt a few more years maybe.  I have to get it back and work on that binding.  It's worn down on the edges, so I'll just be patching a little.

I might have to go back to the drawing board on that pretty purple backing  I found yesterday.  I looked at the directions, and each quilt takes 5-1/2 yards of backing.  Yikes.  That's 11 yards at $11 a yard?  I might have to find something less exciting and cheaper, some of the 108-inch backing fabric.  I think I can get by with a little less since I'm piecing the back, but I don't want to get stuck with too little.  

I'm up in the middle of the night because I went to bed so early, so I just cut the border strips and will get those on today.  

I also cut up a bunch of 2 to 5 inch strips for a scrappy inset on the back.

Like this....  Maybe.....

I don't want to waste any of this fabric.  Some of the colors didn't really work in the quilt, so I'll work on some masks for the girls from this extra.

Katherine especially wants something with her monogram on it, so I might try a little one on a mask.  It would have to be tiny.  Maybe just a K.  Or maybe another towel for them.  I'll have to come back here and remember what I was thinking about when I couldn't sleep.

I tried sitting on the balcony and playing Mah-Jong, but it soon got too chilly.  I'm not going to be saying that long, because we're in for about a week of really warm temperatures, even up to the low 90s on Sunday.  The sprinkler just came on outside, and I'm thinking about turning on my storm sounds on the noise machine and imagine it's a hot summer night with a thunderstorm and try to sleep again.  I do get a lot done during the night though.