Yard Sale Success

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 25C. This morning it is cloudy and trying to rain. It is 14C. Today could be a mix of everything with a high of 25C. 

Lifestyle

I did not post yesterday as my day started at 7 am. It was out before that to open the garage door and help daughter-in-law unload the last of her stuff. I ran back in and ate a quick breakfast. Then out again to finish setting up for the yard sale. We had to set up tables outside and get everything we needed to sell on them. 

We were not finished setting up when the first people arrived at about 7:10 am. We rushed around and served people and put out items at the same time. It was busy for the first 40 minutes and then we had a lull. Then came the next wave and we noticed my neighbour setting up for his yard sale. It was busy until 1:30 pm. We took a minute to look at what was left. I can tell you we sold about 75% of what we had put out. I had 6 boxes and 2 tubs that we filled with leftover items that will go to a non-profit society for their yard sale at the end of May. Daughter-in-law kept a few items as did I. We counted our money and we made over $400.00. 

Two compliments we got:

    I have the cleanest garage ever seen. Thank you to that person as I have worked hard to keep it clean.

    We have the best stuff for a yard sale. We had people come that had been to our yard sale 2 years ago. They buy stuff for their grandchildren and spent a lot of time looking and buying.

The guy who does the lawns showed up and the lawns got mowed while we had the yard sale. We had people on our street come and buy and visit with each other. We had people saying if you don't buy that I will. And we had on lady FaceTime her husband to come and buy some items he had wanted. In all there were lots of chatter and laughs. 

I was out to family's for smash burgers. Son did all the cooking and they were delicious. There was a lot of banter going on how he slaved in the kitchen all day. I was home early as I was exhausted and sore. 

Sewing

None done due to the yard sale.

Knitting

I did knit the last two nights. What I thought was going to be painful increase was actually easy. I have done over 60 rows now. The makers are for the increase for the sleeves. 

Thoughts

    Grandson has talked to his mom (daughter-in-law) and told her a few things. He is working in a restaurant and is with his girlfriend's family. They will make sure he is safe. He is figuring out things on his own. He is in an area where more English is spoken than Spanish but he will have to become for proficient in Spanish if he wishes to go to university. I do hope he talks to his mom on a regular basis.

    I did not sleep well last night (again) as I was sore. More muscle soreness than joint soreness. I find that when the muscles around my knees get tired, I stiffen them and make them sore. I am working on walking with less stiff when they get tired. Walking on cement yesterday is hard on my joints. I did sit when I could be we kept moving around tidying up the tables so they were neat. 

    The other day we saw a yellow finch in the tree in my front yard. The first one I have ever seen in my yard. There is one in my tree again this morning. There are no bird feeders or houses across the street any more so they are looking for new places to eat and nest. My place is too open for them so I hope they nest two houses down where there are several birdhouses up high on a pole. 

Today

 I am tired today and will do what I can and I may have a nap. I would love to sew on the doll's blouse as it is so close to being done. I want to knit tonight. This is recovery day from two poor sleeps and several busy days. 

Until the next time...................................................................

Setting Up For Garage Sale

 Yesterday was sunny with a cool wind. The high got to 19C. This morning it is partly cloudy and 10C. Today is supposed to have periods of rain with a high of 10C. 

Lifestyle

I was out the door for a hair cut after dealing with a ton of texts. I had my hair cut and was off to pay the water bill. Once home, I had a bit of a rest before deciding on what to do. 

Daughter-in-law was over to pick up the Dyson. I had it ready for her. She borrows it to clean the rug of cat hair. I send the charger and a few tools for her to use. 

I got the minutes for the community hall organized and into a binder. It wasn't a hard job but it needed to be done. We have to have hard copies of each meeting which I hand over to the president when I am done the job. 

Family was over in the afternoon and we put up two tables in the garage and started to put items on them. We have a lot of stuff for the yard sale tomorrow. More than I thought. It is all organized and ready for pricing. Tomorrow we will set up two more tables outside and have everything spread out for people to see. When the yard sale is done, we will pack up what is left and give it to a non profit society to sell at their annual yard sale. 

I was tired yesterday and wanted to nap but knew I couldn't. I wanted to snack and knew I couldn't. I pushed myself hard all day to stay away and on track. I did prep chicken and made myself dinner for last night and tonight. It was delicious. 

No sewing or knitting yesterday. I was in bed in good time and slept for almost 7 hours before waking up to go to the bathroom. I slept another 2 hours after that. I feel much better today.

Today

I have to go get my prescriptions filled this morning and then will spend the day pricing items. If I have time I hope to do a few little things and will knit tonight. 

Until the next time..................................................................

Almost Done The Doll's Blouse

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 14C. It did rain last night. This morning it is cloudy and 8C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun, clouds, and showers with a high of 19C. 

Lifestyle

I was at it fairly early moving boxes of items from the basement to the garage for the yard sale on Saturday. Once it was all up, I brought everything from the shed down and have it all in the garage. I remembered a TV and brought it up. I just have a step stool to bring up and I think I am done. 

Daughter-in-law brought over a car load of stuff and we put it into the garage. She has another part load to bring over and then we can start to price everything and set it up on tables. 

After a rest, I went and picked up the mail. I got my paper so I could do the census online. It was done in about 3 minutes. I was happy to have that done. 

I did some work on my family tree. My focus was on my maternal grandmother's side of the family. Her father's side was from England. It was her 2nd great grandfather who married a lady of French descent. It also where her family married people from Scotland. And she married into a Scottish family. 

Sewing

I worked on the blouse yesterday. It is ready for the front piece to be put on and then the neck band/tie. It is almost done. 

Though it has a lot of pieces and takes time to sew as they are small, it has gone together really well. 

Knitting

I knit again last night and have 49 rows knit. I am ready to start increasing for the collar and something to do with the waist. I have a bit of research to do as the purl increase is vague. 

I do know that I will have to pin the bottom of the vest down and steam it. It loves to curl up for some unknown reason. It could be not enough rows of seed stitch at the bottom to weigh it down. 

Thoughts

    I was sore yesterday and part was bringing up all the stuff upstairs for the yard sale and part was stress. I really had to work at relaxing and letting go of things that started to bother me again. I had a hard time going to sleep but finally did. I know I will be tired today from this. 

    I am going to have to transplant my tomatoes again. They are getting really big and I am thinking of putting them into the final pots. They can go outside during the day and come inside at nights. 

    I called about my car and I will be able to pick it up next Friday at the end of the day (4 pm). The new batteries won't be in until Tuesday. I am really missing my car mainly because it is higher to get in and out of than the car I am renting. 

Today

I have a hair cut this morning and will pay my water bill. I am not sure if we are setting up for the yard sale today. If not, I will do some housework and will either go out for a drive or sew this afternoon. I plan on knitting tonight. 

Until the next time.................................................

News On My Car $$

Yesterday was cloudy with rain. The high got to 9C. This morning it is sunny and 4C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 14C.

Lifestyle

I started the morning off by opening the blinds and curtains and turning on all the lights. It helped me a lot mentally. I worked on the balance sheet and got it done. Only one stupid mistake on my part but I fixed it quickly without any issues. 

I put on a load of laundry and folded the laundry from the day before and got it put away. I also got yesterday's laundry dealt with. I did a bit of tidying in the kitchen and cleaned the bathroom. I took out garbage and recycling to their bins in the garage. I even got three items up from the basement for the garage sale. By then it was lunch time. 

I got a call late in the afternoon saying that the main battery in my car needs replacing. It is expensive and I am asking questions as to why it happened. I will be asking questions about this when I call to say go ahead and fix it. 

Sewing

I puttered in the sewing room yesterday and I got the back yoke attached to the back body. I then worked on the sleeves and had many questions about them. I did as the instructions said and they are inserted and look perfect. So easy to do. 

And the back. 

I am down to gathering the neck, adding the tie and the front facings. Then it will be to hem it and add snaps. 

This pattern has been a delight to sew. 

I will get back to the bicycle skirt when I can get to the store to buy buttons for it. 

Knitting

I knit more on the vest last night and it is coming along nicely. I have figured out a way to keep track of how many rows I have knit for each repeat. I have 30 rows knit and have about 19 rows left to finish the bottom part of the vest. 

I am using Paton's sock yarn for this project and it isn't the soft yarn I am use to knitting. I am using up what I have in the stash for these projects. I have 4 balls of Patons sock yarn left in the stash. 

I watched Knitty Knatty's last video yesterday while hand sewing the bands on the sleeves of the doll's blouse. It was for noise but I did end up watching it. She was going through all her yarn and sorting it so she could have it in less bins. She did accomplish that. She is finishing up her last works in progress and then can start new projects. She has a lot of yarn to knit over the next couple of years. She has let go of some yarn. My stash looks like a drop in the bucket compared to hers. On the other hand, she knits a lot more than I do. 

I am doing well on knitting down the stash. Of the 21 balls of yarn I have removed from the stash, 8 have been put into the donate pile and 12 have been knit with the 13th being the vest I am knitting. 

Thoughts

    My stress level is going down and I am starting to sleep better. I am also wanting to do more during the day. I was surprised that I my stress level didn't go up when I got the call about the car. I had hoped for the best but expected the worst. 

    Today we start to get things into the garage for the garage/yard sale this Saturday. We are registered and on the map. I am hoping it will be a good sale as the weather is supposed to be sunny and warm. I will try to get most of my stuff into the garage by tomorrow afternoon. 

Today

I have to start putting items into the garage this morning. It is top priority. This afternoon I would like to sew if I have time and I know I will knit tonight. I am prepared to be sore by dinner time. 

Until the next time.......................................................

Starting A New Doll's Blouse

 Yesterday was cloudy and dark with rain. The high got to 15C. This morning it is raining and 7C. Today is supposed to be rainy with a high of 10C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I made the fish cakes. They turned out okay but I probably won't make them again for a while. I did put 5 bags of mashed potatoes into the freezer for a friend. I don't eat a lot of potatoes and when I do they are usually baked or roasted. I did clean up the kitchen afterwards. 

Laundry was done but it isn't folded. I wandered around wanting to get stuff out to the garage but couldn't as I wasn't willing to park the car outside. I need to park the car outside as I know the insurance will pay if the rats do chew on the wiring. No one on our side of the street has had rat problems so I need to park this silliness. 

Sewing

I cut out a blouse for the Gotz dolls and started to sew it. The pieces are small and it is like putting together a puzzle. The instructions are clear and I worked through the steps. Do what was required and pin the pattern piece back on. I now have the front of the blouse done and will start on the back. 

This blouse is to go with a pair of overalls I made years ago. It is also goes with a skirt and vest pattern that I don't have but plan on buying. 

Knitting

I knit a bit before dinner and then again after dinner. I got quite a bit done on the vest. 

The cables are interesting as you only hold the stitches to the front when you make them. 

Thoughts

    Though the wet days are making me feel like I want to sleep, I am not complaining. We need it to get the water table high and wells full. After last summer's drought, everyone is hoping we have a wetter spring this year. The prediction is for another hot summer. At the moment, it is wet as I am emptying the dehumidifier every few days. 

    We have quite the chat exchange here about everything so you have to monitor what you hear and what you want to ignore. Everyone talks about the deer which have moved into our area. We exchange ideas of which none work. The rat issue is being discussed and most people do keep their yards clear so they won't move in. From what I see and hear, it is only one house that has attracted the rats. The problem is that people want someone else to report it to the municipality. Eyes on me as I reported the chickens in my yard. I'm not doing it as I haven't seen any rats since moving here and my yard is pretty much a place they won't come to. I will if I see them but not until then. I said it is those who are affected that should report it. 

    I forced myself to do things yesterday though I wanted to sit and do nothing. I have to do that or I will hibernate. It was good to get up and activate my body and brain. It also helps reduce the stress I have had. 

    My stress levels are going down. I can feel it overall. I have parked the stress that grandson caused and am feeling disappointed with his actions. Daughter is in a better place in their mediation as what she sent in was well presented. The person she hired to help her is great. I know she feels overwhelmed but is trying to do a bit each day and is happier to know she can do it on her iPad rather than her computer. 

Today

I am going to turn on all the lights and brighten up the house and then do some cleaning. I have laundry to fold and I am going to try to get a few items out into the garage. I want to sew this afternoon and knit tonight. 

Until the next time......................................................................

A Day Of Rest

 Yesterday was wet with a high of 18C. This morning it is cloudy and 10C. The fog is rolling in as I type. Today could be wet with a high of 16C. 

Lifestyle

I admitted to myself that I was tired and was not going to push myself to do a lot of things. I did go out and get groceries first thing. It was nice not to drive in a park without a lot of cherry pickers around as the store is getting a new roof. It was needed as it leaked every time it rained hard. The store wasn't busy so I got what I needed in good time and came home. 

I will have to say I sat and rested for quite a while and then went and had a good nap. I woke up groggy but I did feel better. 

I picked up my friend and we went to family's for dinner. We had a lovely chicken curry for dinner and a Black Forest cake for dessert compliments of daughter in BC. We sat afterwards and watched some videos on airport lounges and had some good laughs. We were home in good time.

Sewing

I napped instead of sewing. I am not panicking about not sewing.

Knitting

I did cast on the stitches to knit a vest for the dolls. 

I got the first 5 rows done with no issues. When I started to knit the 6th row, I had issues. I read the instructions for the row and it does not follow the same format that I am use to. After knitting the row and unknitting it severals times, I figured out what she meant. 

I am now ready to work on the design with is a combination of cables and knit/purl areas. 

The colour of the yarn is called muslin and will be the starting point for an outfit I plan on making for the dolls. 

Thoughts

    I did think about the rat problem on our street. I know we have rats and they have been here for years. I can't control that. How others live and allow the rats to live and populate on their property is also something I can't control. What I can control is making sure my property is clear of debris and my garbage is in secure containers and/or places. I can advise people to make calls if they are impacted and have proof of the rat problem. After that, I move on from the problem and monitor my property. I did look around and saw no signs of rats here.

    Though I had a nap yesterday, I slept fairly well last night. I made sure I watched my favourite videos last night to help me relax. I knit even if I had issues with the last row. I didn't dwell on it at all. I know I need another good sleep tonight but I am feeling a lot better today. 

Today

I have to do something with the mashed potatoes I brought home from the dinner. I also need to do laundry and start bringing up items for the garage sale on Saturday. I really want to sew this afternoon and knit tonight. 

Until the next time............................................................................

A Busy Day

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 15C. This morning it is cloudy with showers and 10C. Today is supposed to have showers in the morning and rain in the afternoon. The high is supposed to get to 16C.

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I think I texted more than I worked. My neighbour texted to ask if her son could do any jobs for me. We chatted and I said yes he could do the weed eating in the ditch. He came over so we could talk and he could look at my weed eater. He would come over as soon as he had mowed 2 other lawns. 

I then started cleaning the fridge. It wasn't really dirty but needed to be wiped down on the inside and refreshed. It took me a bit of time as I was going to do it properly. When done, I washed the window in the back door and part of the kitchen window. 

The young man came back after lunch to do the weed eating. I was out to check on him a couple of times and replaced the batteries in the weed eater. I also spent time seeding the lawn and where the vegetable boxes were. I also cleaned away the old growth around the lilies and found that one of the hosta plants is up and going to be big this year. 

My friend and I worked a bar last night. We had so much fun with the people and got lots of compliments. It was an enjoyable evening. Daughter-in-law took over around 8:30 pm and we left the tips we made for her. She was doing the late shift and wouldn't make as many tips. She had also done all the prep work for the dinner and was serving and cleaning up. She deserved the tips we got. 

Sewing

I was down into the sewing room pulling projects I want to make. I have 2 quilts, a tree skirt, and placemats in tubs that will be done this year. I also have to design and make a quilt for an auction in October. 

Knitting

A pattern was chosen and the yarn was brought up so I can start knitting a vest for the dolls. 

Thoughts

    I had a great talk with my neighbour yesterday afternoon. She lives across the street from me. She let me know that the neighbour across the road from us is moving to the United Arab Emirates as soon as they sell their house. That is a huge move and we wish them well. 

    She also told me the rat problem is worse in our area. I have always known there has been rats but there are traps out for them. The number has increased as one household has garbage everywhere. A great haven for rats to get food and nest. One person has had the wiring chewed in their car twice and those people have trapped at least 6 rats and seen many more. Another person went to get something out their car and it was missing. They found it made into a nest in the engine of their car. I had parked the rental outside and it is now in the garage. I will be looking for rats around my property though my garbage is kept in containers in the garage. This did keep me awake during the night. 

    My muscles are sore today from doing things outside and standing in one spot for too long. This is called muscle soreness. My joints and usual pains are not bothering me at all. Hurrah for that. 

Today

I have to get groceries this morning. I would like to cut out the doll's blouse and maybe start sewing it. I am out for dinner tonight and may not knit tonight. 

Until the next time...............................................................