What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

I'm going to have to change my blog from quilt-focused to decluttering-focused. 

I'm obsessed and can't open any drawer or door without looking at the contents and thinking I need to get rid of something. And if you do little bits at a time, it takes little time. 

So, while I prepped and wrote, I spent the morning doing something else. I've already been up very early and made some exciting changes in the office, which you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see as there's too much already for today. 

But let's ...

The temptation to self-loathing, like the temptation to drink or use drugs, is social.

When women of a certain age (mine) gather, as time passes and trust develops, the conversation often turns to plastic surgery. This is a bonding ritual: a display of intimacy and offering, because plastic surgery is hidden as much as possible from the general public. Apparently it is much more widespread than a casual observer would believe. Countless women you know have “had work done.” Over wine and good food, cocktails and snacks, in comfortable living rooms and hotel bar lounges at the end of a ...

 Our Sew Wot Tuesday rolled around again, and rather than have us all drive way out into the country to her rural home, Helen arranged for us to meet at the LQS Fox's Cottage again.  Only five of us could make it this time.  We gathered in the class room at the back of the shop, and Helen had brought morning tea for us and to share with the shop staff - no wonder they are always so happy to see us.  

There wasn't so much show and tell this time, although Helen stunned us with her glorious black ...

I just finished a 3-day juice cleanse and will be happy to NOT see juice for a while.

Why did I decide to do it? There were a couple of reasons. I have been working out 3 days a week since December and have not lost any weight; I have gained weight. I have heard muscle weighs more than fat, and I am building muscle, but I also think menopause has a lot to do with it.

I also wanted to reset my gut. I have stomach issues and always feel like I ...

How did you spend your Mother's Day? We made a quick trip north to spend the day with my mother. As I've reported before, she's been having a tough time lately; health-wise. She's still in a care facility (as of today) and fighting as hard as she can to get back home again. Augie did what he could; he volunteered his services as a therapy dog.It must've worked because, after passing OT and PT

How did you spend your Mother's Day? We made a quick trip north to spend the day with my mother. As I've reported before, she's been having a tough time lately; health-wise. She's still in a care facility (as of today) and fighting as hard as she can to get back home again. Augie did what he could; he volunteered his services as a therapy dog.It must've worked because, after passing OT and PT

 It's time for a little yellow sewing - according to the RSC rules, yellow is the colour of the month.  I'm stitching several Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects, so out came the bags.  First up were the pirate blocks.  These aren't going to be done in every colour of the rainbow.  Rather, I'm picking out several colours which are featured in  the pirate fabric, and so far have done green and red.  This month is yellow, and I have light and dark blue to go, when their turn arrives.  That was easy.  

Three pirate blocks

Also easy was ...

This month the RSC colour has changed to yellow, but I'm not quite finished with purple yet.  I decided if I didn't keep plodding away on this project, it would be put away, out of sight, and forgotten about.  I know I've mentioned my former neighbour Dorothy many times, and the fact that when she moved away to go into a rest home her daughter gave me a couple of boxes of quilting fabrics.  Tucked in the bottom of one of the boxes were a pile of nine patch blocks.  I  assembled these blocks using white sashing ...

 You know what it's like when you set off on holiday - you seem to have all the time in the world and then it's all over.  We were attending our caravan club rally in Napier, with plenty of plans, people to see, things to do, plus a little shopping.  It didn't all fall nicely into place though.  On my "must do list" was a visit to Skeinz, a local company which spins their own wool.  I had found a pretty 6ply cardigan pattern for myself and was after some yarn.   Of course there were several lovely colours ...

What does one wear to a $20,000-a-dose drug infusion? At least one person suggested a tiara and evening gown.

One Skyrizi intravenous infusion dose is 600mg, or 2.1164 .21164 ounces. At $20,000 per dose that’s $9,450 $943,333 per ounce.

CORRECTION: my math was off by a factor of 10. Via JO 753 in a comment below:

“There are 28.3 gramz per ounse. 600 milligramz iz .6 gramz, so an ounse iz 47 dosez. Thats 943,333$ an ounse.

No ...

My “biologic” drug infusion regimen, I mean.
I think my Crohn’s disease is going into remission.
I’ve done some food experiments and have been pooping like a boss.
I don’t trust that I’m fully back to normal yet – I’m still not going to experiment with chocolate or nightshades – but yeah, I think it’s working.

My third and final hospital-administered Skyrizi infusion is this Friday. To celebrate its ridiculous $20,000-a-dose price tag I’m bringing a tiara, a rhinestone-studded purse filled with fake money, and – finally – some hope ...

Depression is the mind attacking itself. It’s been called a “psychic autoimmune disease.”

This morning, part of me woke up asking, what can I fix?  What problem can I attack?
I know — ME!

My motives are good: what can I purify and improve? But the target is wrong.

My impulses — to fix, to cure, to control — may be overactive and delusional, just as my immune system is overactive and confused. My Crohn’s disease is treated with immunosuppressants, designed to calm down the immune system.

My mind, over time, has learned to calm down ...

Shortly after my Crohn’s diagnosis, I bought a masticating juicer:

A masticating juicer, sometimes referred to as a slow or cold press juicer is simply a style of juicer that crushes juice out of ingredients at a slow speed. In typical masticating models, juice is extracted from foods through a strong augur/screw, which pushes ingredients at high pressure against a fine screen/sieve. This not only forces juice out of ingredients, but it is a very efficient method to ensure that all juice produced is kept separate to ...

In general:

Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Connective Tissue Disorders Following COVID-19

High risk of autoimmune diseases after COVID-19

Patients with COVID-19 have 43% increased risk for new-onset autoimmune diseases

Autoimmunity is a hallmark of post-COVID syndrome

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (of which Crohn’s is one):

SARS-CoV-2 infection as a potential trigger factor for de novo occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease

Crohn’s Disease (my personal form of CRAP):

COVID-19 as a Trigger for De Novo Crohn’s Disease

Psoriasis (my other personal form of CRAP):

New Onset and Exacerbations of Psoriasis Following COVID-19 Vaccines: A Systematic Review

New-onset and flares of ...

“I admire your discipline,” said a friend, referring to my extremely strict, narrow Crohn’s diet. But there’s nothing to admire, because it’s not SELF discipline. It’s being subject to a brutal, sadistic “disciplinarian” that punishes the hell out of me if I make one false move. If you had this taskmaster you’d be “disciplined” too.

(Not a $150 Drawing, but looks like one.)

The post My Disciplinarian appeared first on Nina Paley.

OH!!!! The one metric system that I have wholeheartedly embraced is temperature! So, I had to do some research on yesterday's comments. What the heck is 64 degrees Fahrenheit? We keep our house at 19 Celcius at night (66.2 F) and 21 during the day (69.8). However, as I mentioned, the temperature these days doesn't rise above 20 (68) during the day! 

But I'm good with that. I don't want it to be too hot, and I sleep with two duvets and a quilt at night and add or remove layers as needed! 

Compared ...

Sometimes I miss food.

By food I mean Indian food, Thai food, Mexican food, salsa fresca, salads, pizza, pasta, and my homemade bread and soups: tomato, lentil-kale, vegetarian chili. Tortilla chips, potatoes with skins on, sesame seeds, nuts, herbs, and Numb Oil Tofu from Golden Harbour.

I miss eating with others. This genuinely lovely article by Brandon Showalter felt like a knife in my heart:

“Why have I been doing this, you ask? And how do I do it in light of such deep and profound differences among us? It’s actually not that complicated. As my past and present ...

NOOOOOO!!! I don't want to admit that maybe one of those little pill containers will be good for me. I know this is totally crazy, but I'm not good with taking pills since I haven't really needed to take any. However, I always remember that gummy, multi-vitamin every day! Before I resort to the weekly pill container, I will keep the Vitamin D beside the gummies. And I'll also keep the other pill bottle there, with a big label on it - Sunday! If that doesn't work, I may have to resort to the pill container ...

There are days when I feel it's Groundhog Day - the movie! Except I don't have to repeat it because I didn't get it right the first time -- it's just the routine that I'm in. And not every morning is the same since I'm off to spin class this morning, which has a different routine than if I weren't going to spin class. 

I accomplished stuff yesterday! The writing went well, and I'm onto the next project, so that's a bonus. It should be a fun day as I have some samples ...

When I was a child I wanted to be sick, because when I was sick I got to stay home from school. Sometimes I was effortlessly sick and got to stay in the oddly quiet house with its peculiar mid-day creaks and sounds and winter light through the windows and extremely lame daytime TV. But at least once I sat near the heat register before school, then asked my Mom to feel my forehead, and with grave worry she said I should stay home. SCORE! But I suffered ...