Health supplements!

Thanks to everyone for the well-wishes on my arrival home. I'm glad that you enjoyed my vacation along with me! I also love living vicariously through others' experiences because I certainly won't get everywhere myself. That's my favorite thing about social media. It's so easy to stay connected. I don't need or want to get disconnected -- while I don't mind being alone, I'm a social person at heart! 

Where would you like to go with me next year? I have a couple of places in mind, but nothing solid yet. 

And it was another day of back to work. I must confess that I went to bed later because of the virtual retreat, and I woke up later - still the same number of hours. I must get to bed earlier tonight. I like those couple of tranquil hours first thing in the morning! 

We had fun at the retreat, and there was loads to catch up on. And you know what they say -- what is said at the retreat stays at the retreat! If you'd like to be part of it, please stop by this afternoon or evening. The link is below. 

There was some serious sniffing going on in the morning. Even Murphy is caught up in it, which rarely happens. Perhaps she has realized that if she doesn't stop to smell the roses, she is getting cheated on walk time!! 

MOM -- something is moving!!

But it's funny how differently they sniff. Murphy is wholeheartedly into it and doesn't mind rustling around in the bushes. Lexi is more delicate about the whole thing. She is just more delicate all around. They are so different!!! And she's back to her usual self. No issues in the night. 

Mom - I smell something! 

Besides my new toenails that will eventually grow back, here are my souvenirs for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. OK -- the first two I bought. The one on the left is a badge that I'll sew on my backpack, and the other is a magnet for the fridge. 

Souvenirs from Mount Kilimanjaro

There was a gift shop (of course) in the building just inside the park gate area at the bottom of the path. I debated whether to buy here or wait until we got to the lunch spot, where there were other items to purchase. I had mentioned that one of the ladies encouraged me to buy here, and thankfully, I did, because they didn't have this type of item at the other shop. 

And then we all received a certificate, which was printed in the same building. We had to wait forever for that to be printed because the printer was broken. I'm sure the staff had to fix it themselves; no time for a repair person to get there. The certificates were "awarded" to us later that day, back at the hotel. 

My certificate

I'm not a big fan of certificates -- I did NOT get the one from the Camino, and that was by choice. I logged in, but refused to have it printed. What's the point? And what will I do with it? But these ones were given to us. I crossed out my age --- good lord, who needs to see that. But there it is --- my certificate for climbing the highest peak in Africa. I suppose that's worthy of a certificate, which I'll add to my certificate folder.

There is an art to buying magnets, which I'll discuss in more detail another day.

Then it was downstairs to get some work done. I got my quilt quilted, but not without some issues. This is the back, just to prove it was done. 

The back of my quilt

For most of you, this next part will be gobbly gook, but I'm writing it down because I need to try and figure it out. When you turn on the long arm, you have to identify a "safe" area. This is an area that indicates to the computer where it can calculate the stitches. It is usually larger (wider) than the quilt, and the height is the distance between the horizontal bars that support the quilt. Obviously, you don't want the machine banging into the bars at the top and bottom, so I usually bring it inside those bars by about half an inch at the top and bottom. 

Well, when I figured out my rows and sized them to the quilt, the computer takes over and sees what it can fit into that safe area. The first row worked without a problem. The following section, which consisted of two rows, did not fit within the safe area. According to the computer, it would, but it was so precise that I couldn't get it set correctly, and without it being set, it wouldn't stitch. I HATE when that happens. 

Do not ask me how I learn these things because I don't learn them; I just seem to know how to fix them. I closed down the computer so I could start over, and yes, my stitch file was saved. That is a critical lesson. I got back into the software, and this time, I did NOT leave that ½ inch at the top and bottom. And VOILA -- it worked. But why does the computer set the actual stitch area so close to the safe area? Give me an inch for wiggle room!! I wonder if we can change that - I must check into it. 

However, the problem was solved, and I got the quilt quilted. It took me all day, though, because I was interrupted by a two-hour phone call. It was someone I hadn't spoken to, but had been in touch with via text for over 30 years. We had a lot of catching up to do. It was all good!!! And it may have triggered my next hiking destination! 

Then I had to go for my walk, and I HAD to stop at the thrift store. I didn't have any money with me, but I need to go back today with some. I found a few things that I need — you'll see — and I have a 20% coupon, so I'm not waiting for Senior's Day!

Then at last, I was back in Studio B. While the long arm was working, I had the Designer Epic 3 fired up to do embroidery. I still had one hour left last night, so I just shut the machine off. It'll come right back to the exact spot when I turn it on this morning. I LOVE that feature. And while the EPIC 3 was embroidering, I was sewing a binding on. I almost finished it, but not quite. 

Working two machines at the same time

I wanted to share this with you about binding. Depending on how something is quilted or if the top is going to travel with me, I serge the edges of the quilt to prevent fraying in the case of the top only or to secure all three layers together so they are treated as one. In this case, I used a four-thread overlock. The seam allowance I use to sew the binding on is larger (about 3/8") so that it fills my 2½" wide binding strips and encloses the serged edge.

The width of that seam allowance is the biggest mistake I see when others put on a binding. That seam allowance is supposed to be WHATEVER is best for your quilt, filling the binding with quilt, and the width of the binding strip. This is a flexible seam allowance — make it work for your quilt!

My seam allowance is wide enough to hide the serged edge

So I have a question for you, and it's about supplements. For years, I didn't take any medication and never took a supplement. Now, this is what I take. There is ONE prescription pill there, and it's my weekly pill for bone density. The rest are supplements. 

My supplement stash

My question is, what supplements do you deem worthy of taking? You could buy one of each at the drugstore, but do you really need all that? I'm sure that most of you astute supplement takers will identify what each of those is! But I'll let you guess. 

Remember, there is a Virtual Retreat later today, and here's the link. 

Sunday, August 31 --- starts at 3 PM. 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81073536036?pwd=uxRqMnK1aSKrmrcSO78w8QQs5g44eA.1

Meeting ID: 810 7353 6036
Passcode: 596838

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!