Finally, a little quilting again. Hubby and I have been flat on our backs in bed for 9 full days with bronchitis. The weather played along, cold, wet and windy and made staying in bed worth it. The bad part is that with bronchitis, you don’t have body aches, a stuffed head, or any other flu symptoms, but you just don’t have enough oxygen to do the smallest thing. Not to mention the constant coughing and feeling of drowning in your own phlegm.
I had 5
quilts waiting to be done and couldn’t do anything about it. Yesterday, we both felt better, and I decided
to give every sheet, blanket, throw, and any cover a decent wash to
try to get rid of the germs. I also
needed to cook a proper meal. I was able
to cook a huge pot of chicken soup.
This was done in increments when the oxygen allowed me, and we ate chicken
soup until I could no longer stomach it!
With my
energy levels up, I took everything to the washing machine, but one dog had to go to
the veterinarian. After loading the
third batch, we quickly took her, just to return to a flooded kitchen floor. Our 38-year-old top loader decided she had had enough. Turns out the bottom started
rusting, the water leaked and dripped onto electrical wires, which tripped the
electricity in the house.
With half
of the washing done, we had to shop for a new machine. Now, 38 years ago, with my old machine, life
was easy. You only selected small-medium or large load, hot or cold water and washing time. OH, dear, no more. Nowadays, everything is computerised; one can
even work the machine from one's cellular phone.
How and why? Who would load the
laundry? It weighs the fabric, you
select the type, and then the machine does its thing. Select water level, decide
on time to wash, decide how many times to rinse and spin and when I selected
bedding for 2 large fleece blankets, it took almost 2 hours. No can do!
Luckily, the salesman explained well, the machine did not come with an
instruction manual (one can EASILY download it, he explained to the
pensioners!!). Once the machine has
decided what and how long to do whatever, you are fortunately
still allowed to manually adjust it. In
future, doing bedding will definitely be set for a shorter time.
I received
the 5 quilts over 2 days, just as the bronchitis started, I warned the makers I am
not doing well, but before being forced to stay in bed, I got to finish one
runner. The maker said she used her
scraps and didn’t need custom quilting, so again I was grateful for a quick
finish. Less to feel guilty about.
I have not
even opened any of the other quilts, but so much has been neglected while sick that I have plenty of catching up to do.
