Last Thursday of October

Hard to believe that November is a week away. As I type that sentence, the rain begins.  We've sure had a nice run of pretty days considering it's October. I went out in the back and took a couple pictures of my trees as they slowly lose their leaves.

I sure do enjoy driving around and seeing the colorful trees in autumn. Especially those red ones.

I went up to the library yesterday to pick up some audio books to listen to while sewing. I continue to mess around in the sewing room using up odds and ends of material. I have this one quilt book that I especially love because the directions are easy. I decided I'd make up a few of the squares demonstrated but as I got closer to finishing one, I realized I didn't quite have enough material of the same design --so I improvised. It'll do for a practice piece. I may make up some other designs with various materials too and sew them altogether for a blanket.

While at the library I took a couple shots of the puffy/quilted/decorated letters they had hanging from the ceiling. Cute idea and I might try it out later on.

My laptop (which I love but am still learning how to use) updated during the night and made my desktop picture disappear. I thought that was as good a time as any to learn how to add another. I picked this one that I saw on Facebook of Mike McAndrew's collection. He is one fantastic photographer. I love his stuff and most of it is Port Townsend scenes, my very favorite of all.

Somebody sent me a link to this rock painting project they saw online and I saved it so I can give it a whirl later on. Maybe next week. It looks easy enough but looks can be conceiving and I'm not all that good at drawing most of the time.  We'll see how it goes. I do have a large collection of rocks in the garage to choose from and I'd really like to make some santa claus gifts.

Tomorrow will be my second physical therapy appt. I have more through November and maybe into December. I'm noticing a huge difference in this therapy outfit over the other one I used for my knee and shoulder. Much better in so many ways and I can kind of see now why I was so anti p/t. My opinions have changed on that subject.
She said I have impingement syndrome involving the rotator cuff. She gave me a couple exercises and taped my shoulder and arm.  My pain still comes and goes but at least now I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  My "other" arm is acting up now.  Not from tendinitis but from the flu shot I got recently. Darn thing is red and swollen and SORE!  Nuts!

Woke up feeling like a cold might be trying to pull me down. I'm fighting it, though.. I do hate having a cold or the flu. Hell! Who doesn't?  I'm drinking a small glass of water each morning with apple cider vinegar in it, taking garlic pills, Vit C, and trying to remember to down lots of water.

Yesterday I was experimenting with my garage door opener as it wasn't opening for me until I got all the way into my driveway. Used to be it would start to open when I was a block away.  I had replaced the batteries and then rechecked to make sure I had them installed correctly and I cleaned off the sensors inside the garage door to make sure dirt and cobwebs weren't the issue.  It was puzzling to me why this was happening so I called in my handy dandy neighbor, Mark, who always has something going on in his garage and yard to see if he could figure it out. And he did! Absolutely amazed me.
I learned something I was unaware of. The keypad attached to the house near the garage door (on the outside) had never had its 9-volt battery changed in the ten years I've been here. Still, it opened the garage door for me when I stood there pushing the combination numbers. Just never occurred to me that it even had a battery!  Mark said the keypad could affect the portable garage door opener I carry in my car. He replaced that battery (and it wasn't even corroded) and then he walked down the street with my little car buzzer and WA-LAA!  The door opened.  Never would I have figured that out.

I'm thinking of taking this small cornish game hen I took out of the freezer and tossing it in the crockpot.  Also am thawing out some grated zucchini I have in baggies so I can fry up zucchini patties for supper.  In case you wondered.

Interesting things I learned this week:

Uses for dryer sheets:

Wipe off tv & computer screen to prevent static cling & repel dust

Put on the back of a box fan to freshen up a smelly room

Pick up pet hair

End car odors

Clean pots & pans by placing dryer sheet in with water

freshen drawers

Wipe soap scum from shower door

Repel dust from electrical appliances

Do away with doggy odor

Counteract laundry hamper or wastebasket odors

Tame locker-room and sneaker smells

Prevent musty odors in suitcases

Buff chrome to a brilliant shine

Use as a safe mosquito repellent

Use an inconspicuous air freshener

Do away with static cling

Keep dust off blinds

Renew grubby stuffed toys

Remove Rings from Toilets

Substitute a dryer sheet for a tack cloth

Consolidate sheets and make them smell pretty

Abolish tangled sewing thread

I also learned that the most popular item sold at Costco is their toilet paper. Which I now buy myself.
There was a story about earthquakes and tsunami warnings that scientists are worrying over and that was enough to make you decide to never bother with diets again -- what's the use?!

I saw an interview that Alec Baldwin did with Robert Deniro and it tickled me to hear what Deniro had to say about Trump.  Now I read that he's received a bomb in the mail along with others. People are so stupid -- and they seem to be getting worse and worse every day.