Why are hospitals like a maze?

That was easy, and I got home about 12 minutes later than I anticipated! Thankfully, the hospital where the MRI was done was only 15 minutes away, and I arrived in plenty of time to find parking. Not that the parking lot was full, but I had no idea where it was (in the back), and then I had to walk around to the front to enter through Emerg since the hospital is locked up at 5 a.m. Then, the big question was how to find the Diagnostic Imaging Department. 

Thankfully, that was a non-issue as it was clearly marked on the big dots on the floor. I didn't even have to ask anyone, which is good because I didn't see a soul, except for a few patients waiting in Emerg. 

A path of dots to direct the way

Even within the DI department, markers were on the floor to indicate where you needed to go for each test.  

More dots on the floor

But it kind of begs the question—why are hospitals like mazes? Can they not have a central hallway, and you walk down one hall to find everything? It's like they started with one building, then added many more, and each one has twists and turns. However, this dot system is brilliant! 

AHA -- Now I get why there is a longer wait for MRIs. If you've ever had one, you know. I got on the bed, and the guy was arranging my feet (he said he was tying my legs down!), and then they put this weighted thing on my stomach. And you get a call button and earplugs. Imagine my shock when he said the test takes 20 - 25 minutes!!!! I didn't remember it being that long the last time I had one, but it's been almost 10 years. WOW! So, if they can only process two patients an hour, that takes a lot of time, and you can see why they don't want anyone to miss their appointment. 

So, off with anything metal, and while changing, I learned something else. Did you know this was a thing? 

Magnetic lashes

It appears I lead a very sheltered life! Well, no worry about removing my magnetic lashes! I'm not claustrophobic and didn't find it a super tight space, although I mostly kept my eyes closed. Although the noise is crazy -- beeps that sound URGENT like an alarm. That alone could set someone off! Towards the end, but I didn't know that at the time, this beeping started again. I decided to count the number of beeps, but I got bored around the 60 mark, and it continued. About that same time, I could feel my throat get dry, and you were not supposed to move. Yikes! 

I didn't want to use the call button. That would be wimpy, so I did what I do whenever I need to get away. I just zoned out. You just relax and drown out any of the noise and discomfort. I've done that with severe asthma attacks, childbirth, and whoever else I've needed it. Our minds are MORE powerful than our bodies, and if we let our minds take over (in a positive way), they can defeat much of the pain and discomfort. And I'm darn good at it now. I think part of it has to do with being patient. 

Anyway, after many beeps, the machine finally shut off, the table moved out, and I was done! There was no waiting, and all was good. I was back in the car and out of the parking lot before 6 a.m. Now, that's how I like medical appointments to go, and if it means going for an MRI in the early morning or even in the middle of the night, I'm in!

The screening said left hip, but I sure hope they got some of the back area so they can see if there is anything wrong. I had to stop in to see my doctor yesterday to get that prescription renewed, and I reminded her I was going today. She said she thought it might be bursitis. NO—I know it is NOT bursitis. That is a very focused pain, and what I have is NOT focused. Hopefully, I'm going to get the information I need. 

Speaking of the prescription, I walked to the doctor's office and got her to give me a year's worth of that bone density medication with one renewal. Yeah! But then she whipped that prescription off to the drug store before I could say boo. I would have the receptionist change the pharmacy, but she was gone for the day. I caught the doctor before she grabbed the next patient, and she said I could get the pharmacies to talk to each other. I hope so. 

This pharmacy that I'm not a fan of takes forever to fill a prescription, but I thought, just in case, I should stop by since it was on my way home. I talked to the pharmacist, who looked up the information. Oh yes -- she says, that one just popped up on my screen. Did that mean, she was about to fill it? I didn't even bother to ask. I told her I'd get the other pharmacy to call them and transfer it. I'm going to do that in person. I don't trust people on the phone! Am I old or what? 

So, all is good in the medical field, and now I have to wait about two weeks for the results. Let's see how bad the damage is and what, if anything, can be done about it. I'm not holding my breath - I think we just have to realize that there is some form of disk degeneration, and not a lot can be done. The discomfort can be eased but not eliminated. Hopefully, my pessimism will pay off, and they might say we have a cure for that! What I'm experiencing now is NOT nearly as bad as it was at Christmas time. I could NOT live with that pain. Although my situation is not right, I could live with this discomfort. 

I had not been down this way in a while, and I see there is some new building going up. This is where a restaurant once resided, but it burned down several years ago. It's nice to see something going up—and not a condo! 

A new restaurant? 

So, there's more good news at the house. The tray tables for the new chairs arrived. Now it's just like at the movies! We have two—his and hers! 

The new chair tables

I got some more sewing done, so that was good, and I got all the sashing strips cut from the fabric. All is good, and I'm not going to share with you what happened to that quilt until after I share it with the group at the beginning of May. 

My sashing strips for Chatsworth

I also need to work on this quilt, which is different from the one I'm working on for Many Blocks. That one is also by Lori Holt, but it's Farm Girl Vintage. This one is Vintage Christmas. 

Vintage Christmas

I'm trying to keep my calendar relatively free and book only one thing each day at the most. So today's appointment/event is already over, so I can move on. There is NOTHING else on the calendar for the day, but that doesn't mean I have nothing to do! There are loads! 

I finished that audiobook yesterday—The Inmate by Freida McFadden. Remember I talked about a twist? Yep, I did not see that one coming! Her books are so creepy from the perspective that someone can have some very evil thoughts! 

We have some crazy weather here, but I've been so lucky. Last week, when I had two back-to-back guild lectures, the first was in person, and the weather was beautiful. The next day, the weather was crap, and the lecture was on Zoom! 

This morning, as I was driving home from the hospital, they said the driving was terrible, and the entire east side of the city was icey. Thankfully, I live on the west side, and it is as dry as a bone! 

And that's it for today! I have an entire day to myself—it's positively dreamy! I hope I don't freeze with no deadline to deal with. Oh, I have deadlines, just no appointments. I need to work better with that!

Have a super day!!! 

Ciao!!!

The Pony Express in action!

I love our Pony Express! We've shuffled many things around on it, and there's quite a stack at my front door. Granted, some of that is not technically for the Pony Express, but it's waiting for me to make some donation drop-offs. 

And I have to say that having friends who live in other places is a great thing! I was alerted to another amazing user bookstore in Brockville called Book Trader. They have a Facebook page, and I contacted them. Within minutes, I had a reply. I sent my list to them, and within minutes, I got pictures back of six more of the missing books. 

More missing books

That is fantastic service. The books were set aside for my friend, who lives near the store, to pick up. She happened to be out and about yesterday and the books are now in her possession. 

The books in North Bay have now been picked up and are waiting to be delivered to me. 

Books from Allison the Bookman in North Bay

I haven't received an answer from the other two bookstores I contacted, so I guess I know who I'll be doing business with in the future! 

I have another list of books I want, or should I say they are books that DH wants, and I did NOT have them when I started searching. OK - I had the list, but I didn't consult it! I'll wait a while before I start looking for his. Yes, I know it would have been more efficient if I had both done simultaneously. So now - from that list of 23 missing books, I'm down to 6. I will keep looking for those six, but I can continue reading in four more series, which is good. And I must STOP getting books from the library! 

Thanks to everyone who participated in the great missing book caper - Karen, Helen Anne, Carol, and Mary! You guys are the best! Although I think one of them, who shall remain nameless, thought I had scooped some quilt books and she would browse them. Nope - I dare not buy any more quilt books. Only novels that I'll read and then trade in or donate! 

Some authors are very hard to find in specific locations, and it appears that MC Beaton is hard to find anywhere! None of her books were located at those stores. 

Our medical system works in mysterious ways. And this all relates to that silly bone density pill. However, with all the weight training at the gym, I may not need a bone density pill. I got a chuckle yesterday when I was using the weight machines, and I returned to find two guys using one of my machines, which is no big deal. But I had to joke about the piddly 5 lbs (in addition to the machine's weight) on one of the shoulder exercises. This guy was lifting 70. He told me to try 70 next time as it's easier! Right! All in friendly jest, of course! 

Anyway, this bone density pill is to be taken once a week, and I have struggled with that, especially since the first one had to be taken 30 minutes before eating. That got changed to a pill that I have to take with food, and even then, it's just not in my routine. I have now put the container with the vitamins I take once daily, and hopefully, that will work better. 

Don't yet at me; don't offer me suggestions - I am just NOT a pill taker. Thankfully, I've never had to take medication in my life (OK - I did have asthma at one point, but that's different), so the pill-taking thing just doesn't work for me. Hopefully, putting it with the vitamins will help. And my vitamins are chewy ones, in case you think I'm a hypocrite! OK - I am, but that's beside the point!

Anyway, I had issues with the pharmacy with the initial prescription—they had me on autofill, and since I wasn't taking them, it was getting messed up, so they stopped that process. Then I got the new prescription, and that is NOT on autofill. It's long overdue to be renewed (yes—don't yell at me), and now I have to physically visit the doctor to get it filled. 

Again, I am grateful that I have a doctor, but seriously? What is she going to do? She won't run a new bone density test; she will just fill out the renewal prescription and fax it to the pharmacy. What a total waste of time for her and me. I know it's all about billing, but you know the system is wrong when the only legitimate way a doctor can get paid is to have a patient come in. A simple phone call to the pharmacy or a consultation on the phone would be sufficient. Alas -- it's a mess, and now you wonder why I want to get this thing renewed. It's way more hassle! And I could just lift more weights, and I should be good! 

I hate complications and follow-ups, and that's what medication is all about! I will hold off taking any medication for as long as I can. Actually, I should take a look at that bone density test and see what exactly it says! 

I was lazy as a slug yesterday, doing nothing more than reading and sleeping! I think I'm trying to catch up with all the stuff that went on in February and March. I had no Zooms yesterday, and without a deadline or an appointment, I can be as lazy as ever! However, I did work on three presentations for today. Two are ready, and the third is almost complete. 

I managed to sew a block from those 2" squares and 2 by 5" rectangles. It's a scrap quilt with browns, although the browns range from many variations and values. 

A block for my new scrap quilt

I aim to make light and dark blocks as best I can. 

A dark and a light block

Oh my --- I don't know what's got into Murphy these days, but she is very agitated! I know she wasn't a fan of the wind the other day, but this morning? I suspect it's rabbits or something. I've already taken her outside (on a leash) for a pee, but that didn't seem to be the problem. 

Yesterday, this was her while I was reading in the living room. You can see that this is one of her favorite hideaways by the dirt on the wall. She has to squeeze in there, but she does it. Yet, she can't enter the back door when it's partially open? Sigh.

MOM - I'm scared! 

After the restaurant last night, I decided to grab my book and sit in the new chairs. They feel different, to be sure, but with the motorized leg rest, it's easy to find a spot. And if that isn't enough, they have a motorized headrest as well. I was very comfy with my quilt. DH—not so much. Good grief! He will have to like them, or he can share a spot with Lexi on the old couch. 

Lexi is comfy on her old couch

I felt bad for Murphy, so I dragged the other side of the couch beside my chair, and she was quite happy to lie there. 

MOM - I love it here! 

The chairs have cup holders and big storage in the arm, so hopefully, nothing goes missing! 

Let's hope I can get more motivated to work after my three zooms today. There are two more tomorrow, and I need to do some work for those, not just put together a presentation! Maybe that will help me get back on track. 

Well, it's time to get the day started! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!

Out with the old, in with the new

Thanks to everyone, I have half of the books on my list. Well, I found 11 of 23 books at two used bookstores. The best part is that the two stores recommended had fantastic service. Allison the Bookman in North Bay, received my order, gave me a price, and I paid via transfer. The books are being picked up later today. Fast service. 

I had the same speedy service at Bearly Used Book Store in Parry Sound, and three more books were checked off my list. They got picked up yesterday. All of them will be on The Pony Express shortly. That leaves twelve books on my current search list. I emailed a couple of other stores, but there has been no answer so far. Let's see what happens. I love supporting these small, independent bookstores - that's how the owners make a living and how these OLD books are still available. 

I managed to get more paperwork done, but I had other things to focus on yesterday, and one of them was prepping for the Zoom class in the evening. There is so much to learn, but it's all coming together. 

And what about the weather? The day before yesterday, when I walked to the grocery store, there was an incredible wind, two inches of snow on the ground, and ice pellets blowing in my face. It was a nasty day. 

Yesterday, I walked to the grocery store with bare arms in a short-sleeved T-shirt. By the afternoon, there was no snow! 

A beautiful warm day

The weather has just gone crazy! 

The snow didn't last long yesterday, as the temperature soared to 18 degrees! I got a chuckle as I walked down the street. This was how the snow melted off this van. It literally rolled up into a burrito along the windshield. 

The snow rolled off the roof of the van

With all the precipitation, there are many stories of flooding. How much results from building houses where houses shouldn't be built? I look at the little stream in the forest. This water is channeled into the city drain, but how many others aren't? And there is a lot of water in that supposedly dry stream. 

The stream in the forest

And parts of that creek were flowing pretty fast. At this point, it disappears into a culvert under the path. 

The stream in the forest

Our pond is at a crazy level. If it gets this full, it just leaks out one side, thankfully one away from the house. Yesterday, I decided I needed to remove some of the leaves. I then discovered the liner was bulging, meaning there was water underneath. Let's just hope that is because of the high water levels and not because of a leak in the liner. That would be a costly job to replace. 

Mom - that's a lot of leaves! 

So, instead of working yesterday, I had to do this. 

The canine vacuum

It was time to move that sectional, and of course, Murphy was in there as quick as she could because there were bits of dog food under the sofa. Seriously? How does that happen? And, of course, there were years of dirt, grime, and dog hair. 

But first, I needed to figure out how to get those sections unattached. That was a job that required getting down on the floor and understanding the little mechanisms that attached them. Once I figured it out, it was easy to pull them apart. With all the exercises I've been doing, it was a piece of cake to get down and just as easy to get up! That alone was worth the price of doing stand-up/sit-down! I practically leaped up from the floor with joy! It wasn't quite that easy, but it wasn't a big deal. 

Mom -- there are new things to sniff

Do you notice that a certain someone is in EVERY picture? I swear she is so snoopy, and that's another way that these two girls are so different. When Lexi saw her bed being moved around, she went into her kennel in the living room and stayed there the entire day until I made her go outside. Murphy just had to inspect EVERY detail. 

She even got to test out the sections to see if she would like to sleep there. That couch is so dirty from Lexi and DH. It's filthy, and I rarely use that sofa for that reason. We've also had it for many years.  

Mom - look, I blend in! 

Then, I had the joy of cleaning the floor. Yes, I am capable of doing housework when it's necessary. So, I vacuumed and washed the floor. Other than the bits of dog food, there wasn't much else under there—a lighter? And this—one rusty pin that will go into the dead pin box. 

The only treasure under the couch

And now look at how clean that floor is. It desperately needs to be redone. There is one area where DH sits all the time, and the varnish is completely worn away. I should probably buy a mat, or I should have purchased one long ago because that would have protected the floor. 

The floor is nice and clean

And did the sofa go back? Nope! It is still sitting in the family room, but this came instead. What?

Theatre seating

Yes, I decided that we needed theatre seating instead of a sofa! That was a whim purchase, but that sofa looked messy, and DH spent so much time slouching on it. And I never liked the fact that it was very grubby and unappealing to sit on. The only place I would sit is in the lounge area in the far corner, which wasn't easy to get into and off of. The couch was oversized and hard to move around on, and I didn't like it. So I bought theatre seating. His and hers! And don't sit in my seat! 

Those things fully recline, have lights on the bottom along with lighted cup holders, and plenty of storage in those oversized armrests, so no more crap lying on the sofa. It's all part of downsizing. Those chairs should last a while and are half the size of that large sectional! 

However, there is one problem. What to do about Lexi? So I shoved her couch section beside the chairs so she could still lie next to her Dad! You can just see the edge in the photo above. She would NOT come near it during the day, but when I got up this morning, she was back on HER couch. It looks weird, but I think I'm going to leave it. Otherwise, that space seems pretty empty as there is no other furniture except for the chairs!

I wonder if Murphy wants the other long part tucked in that empty corner? Will she sleep on it? She might if we are in that room watching TV. I don't even watch TV, but if I want to spend time in that room, at least there is a nice, clean spot to sit! I might just read there. If anyone wants to nap, there are beds upstairs, or you can sleep in your fully reclined chair. We only have a loveseat in the living room! I nap in bed - it's way more comfortable, and I set an alarm! It works for me!

So, movie night is planned for Saturday, and then we can test the chairs. I thought we were supposed to get trays with the chairs, but I didn't see any, so I will call and see if we can order them. Then, I could get rid of the ugly TV tray in the room. It's all about cleaning up and making things look more inviting instead of crap!


I just checked online, and yes, there are supposed to be tray tables included, as well as USB chargers in the controls. Yep, the USB charger is there! It's just missing those tray tables!

On that happy note, I'm off to the gym to see Brooke. I finished more paperwork, but I didn't get nearly as much done as I would have liked, although I made phone calls. Then I have FIVE sessions to prep for this weekend! Did I get any sewing done? No! I forgot to take a picture of what I made with those squares and rectangles, but I still need to think of the value, so I may change what I did. I'll share that tomorrow. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Neat and tidy is the name of the game

What are they doing to my forest? OK, so it's a woodlot, not an endless forest, but I call it my forest—it sounds more impressive! There are a number of entrances to the forest from the sidewalks surrounding it. Since we have lived here, all but one of the entrances has had a paved path for a brief distance into the forest. In all cases, the pavement has prevented erosion on the trails (small hills), which has been good. 

You've heard me mention the erosion. That has only been in the last five years? And I swear it's starting to really erode the more they work on it. You know how it is —someone at the park's office had some new theory! Oh, and those ruts are a safety thing, so they must be fixed. OK, I won't go there. 

The entrances have been blocked off since the big storm last week, and the ruts are very deep, but that hasn't stopped people from walking through the forest. Many people use the paths to get to the other side as a shortcut, and it's cooler than walking in the sun. 

Two days ago, I could hear them working and expected to see the ruts fixed. Nope—they removed all the pavement!! OK, so they better have a good plan because, in 23 years, none of that pavement needed repair. 

MOM -- where's the pavement?

I guess they will now pave the entire path, which would spoil some of the forest feel, but it's better than constantly spending money to fix something they broke! 

That forest is such a beautiful area, and those of us who live next to it or any other woodland are extremely fortunate! 

A phenomenal mental health resource in the city

By the way, I checked on the skunk yesterday morning. An animal (coyote?) dragged it off, and it was gone. The circle of life!! 

That Murphy -- just not happy until I play ball with her. 

MOM - play ball with me!!!

And while she wants to play, what is Lexi doing? 

Mom -- A little privacy, please! 

Now is she waiting for food? A lame attempt at pole dancing? Or just lazy? 

I must be about to have a baby! You know what they say about nesting. Yesterday, I was a busy beaver who couldn't stop cleaning and tidying. 

I have this rack in the area for my quilts to be quilted. Two large tubs and a box under there are filled with community project quilt tops and backing that I prepared many years ago. I removed one of the quilts from it and quilted it last week. The backing was fleece, so that left a big hole. 

Tubs of community project quilts

I thought I could empty the box into the tub. The box was unpacked. 

The quilts from the box

Since I'm in there, I might as well clean the floor. So I got out the dust cloth and the Swifter and cleaned all the lint and dust. Gosh—it accumulates!!! 

Cleaning the floor under the rack

Those two tubs are filled with community project quilts and are back in place. I'll work on those when I schedule the next batch. I'm going to attempt to do them in batches of ten. I'm sure there are way more than ten quilts in those buckets. There are probably 30 in total. I've no idea—I didn't bother to count. This has nothing to do with the other tops that Diane sewed. 

Two tubs of community project quilts

And while I mention Diane, I should also mention that, sadly, she will not be sewing any more tops for me. She passed last week and I am eternally grateful for all the sewing she did for community projects. I want to say that she made over 300 quilt tops during the pandemic. I miss my treks through the forest, hauling bags of fabric that Diane made into quilt tops, and I hauled the finished tops back. Many trips were made through the forest on those adventures! RIP Diane - I miss you!!!!

I filled the box with all the supplies to make the covers for the pet mats, so now the area looks much neater than it did before. Something has gone off in my brain about things needing to be neat and tidy, things to be contained in boxes, and when the boxes are empty, they will disappear. 

Neat and tidy!

Yes, there are still a couple of problem areas in the house—the office and Mount Projects—but I'm working on them. Once they are clear, I'm guessing those areas will be dealt with with the same neat and tidy behavior as the rest of the place. 

So, this is the status of the current "to be quilted" pile—the ones that are next on the list. There are FOUR quilts there, and all of them are mine. I covered them with the double wedding ring, making the area neat and tidy, as I'm shutting down the long arm for at least a month. It's full of stuff, but neat and tidy!

Only four quilts of mine in the immediate "to be quilted" pile

I did the last customer quilt until I'm back and it's gorgeous! It's trimmed, and I'll contact the customer today. 

Customer quilt - DONE

Let's see. I got the binding on another quilt, leaving a small one of my own, which I should have no problem getting done today. The last of the ten community project quilts is on the long arm. I had to make the backing and piece the batting, but it's ready to go later today. 

I have a lot of paperwork to do today. I have to get everything scheduled for the fall, and I hope I can get it done today. Then, we have a couple of days to go back and forth confirming dates, topics, etc. 

I pulled out all my hiking gear, and I have to sort through that and decide what is necessary to take with me and what stays behind. I may or may not have mentioned it, but YES - I'm going back to hopefully finish hiking (walking) The Camino in Spain. I wonder what part of my body will fail me this year? Wait -- I can't look at it like that. I will do what I can. There's a reason why the past has happened - I'm just not sure what! 

When I walked home from the clinic the other day, the sky was stormy. I got lucky and experienced only a few raindrops but did not get wet. 

Stormy skies

I spotted this at the mall. It's a neat piece of art painted by local students? The colors are pastel, and it's beautiful. That would make a nice quilt!!!

Art at the mall

And it was time to open that box and put it together. 

What's in the box?

Lots of pieces. Surprisingly, a screwdriver, NOT an Allen key, was used for assembly. 

Lots of bits

Murphy was the supervisor and did an amazing job. 

Mom -- tighten those screws a bit more!

And there it is --- a split-top computer desk. 

My new computer desk

It's quite a bit smaller than the table I was using, but that was the point of getting this. It's also on wheels, so that's good. I can take it wherever I want in the room. My iPad will fit into the slot on the top, so I can use that on the upper level. If I get a second monitor, I can put that up there. Or I can move the laptop to the top and use it as a stand-up desk. Or make the two shelves the same height for more workspace. 

The new computer desk

I haven't used it in any class yet, but I think it will suit my needs. 

The one thing driving me crazy is that I have a Swifter and a vacuum in Studio B. I use them ALL THE TIME, but I can't seem to get all the bits. I suspect Murphy is bringing new bits in as soon as I get rid of the old. But it just goes to show how much lint and dust accumulate in a sewing space. It's insane!!! 

Yes -- there is a Virtual Retreat this weekend. I can hardly wait - I have stuff lined up to sew, and I can see how I like my new table for Zoom. 

Saturday, July 27 - Starts at 6 PM

 Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89816483795?pwd=Mjc3M3pvVmZPdjdsQzlHS3Zhck52dz09

Meeting ID: 898 1648 3795
Passcode: 248667

Sunday, July 28 - Starts at NOON

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82983517671?pwd=ODdsa1FJenQwdFNaQWFTNGd4bEhPZz09

Meeting ID: 829 8351 7671
Passcode: 117636

I will say one thing about all this cleaning; I know I've said it before. My brain feels so much better! I feel very relaxed and for the most part, I know where everything is. I have a lot more time since I'm not wasting it trying to find things. I have a better idea of what I have, and I'm NOT tempted to over-purchase. I'm in a better space also about what new projects I work on and to finish what I'm working on. I'm a LONG way from getting it all together, but boy --- where I am today from where I was ten years ago? I'll take today any time! I LOVE being this way!! But it was hard work - tough work, but so worth it. 

There are only two (okay—there might be a third) new projects in everything I'm scheduling for the fall. Everything else is going to be about finishing, learning, or perfecting your skills and techniques. I'm trying very hard to practice what I preach, but it's nice to start one or two new projects as a reward for finishing the UFOs. 

On that happy note, I'm out of here. I see and can hear someone who NEEDS their walk!

Have a great day!!!

Ciao!!!