Starting A Small Wall Hanging

 Yesterday started out cloudy and ended up raining. The high got to 11C at 11 pm. This morning it is foggy/cloudy and 7C. Today is suppose to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 8C.

Lifestyle

I decided to start putting away the Christmas items and by noon I was done. As I put away items, I tossed two broken picks into the trash and put 3 items into the donation box. Everything else was carefully wrapped and put into one tub with a bit of room to spare. It is ready for me to take and put under the stairs. 

The two quilts are in the spare bedroom closet and the 3 blankets are ready to launder. A picture needs to be wrapped and put away in the closet also. 

I wanted to put the two LED projector lights away but didn't. There was enough wet slippery snow that I almost fell sinking into it. I will do it today as there is no snow due to the rain we had. I will box them and put them. under the stairs on top of the tub. 

I took out the winter placemats and have enough for a set of 4 and a set of 2 (placemats, potholders, and bowl cozies) that I am going to sell them at the bazaar. I will look for fabrics that I can make what I want for the living/dining rooms. I am looking for something that I can use for most of the year. 

Sewing

I just sewed. yesterday as I am thinking about what to clean next in the sewing room. I got out a kit I had put away into the Halloween fabric tub. I decided to make the wall hanging I had made for daughter-in-law years ago (before moving here). This will be for my neighbour's wife as she loves to decorate for Halloween. 

I had a rough start with it. When I put it onto the thumb drive for my embroidery machine, I didn't untick the box so each colour was separate. I had to reload it and start the first square again. I was busy cutting and pressing fabrics and batting for all three blocks. 

I also kept running back to the computer to read the instructions. By 3:30 pm I had two blocks done. 

They are not cut to size at the moment. I will do that when I finish the third block. I also have 3 ghosts to embroider on wash away stabilizer. Once they are done, I can put the wall hanging together. 

When done this project, the rest of the fabric will go into the donation bag, the beads and ribbons into a box for the thrift store and what ever else that needs to be put away, put away. I can say that I am enjoying this project even if I had a huge learning curve when I started. My next learning curve will be when I need to sew the blocks together. The instructions say to use a fancy stitch and the Spanish hemming foot. 

When this project is completed, I want to clean the table the machine is on and pull it out and clean up the floor space. This will be my first job in 2025. 

Knitting

I knit on the vest last night and am almost done it. I will take pictures once it is done. 

Thoughts

    It is hard to believe we had a white Christmas. The only snow remaining this morning is what was plowed/shovelled into big piles. I have a few very small patches of snow on the front lawn as do others. The warm weather and rain melted the snow very quickly. 

    I was sad to put away all the Christmas items yesterday. The pop of colour made the house very cozy and warm and I will miss it. I need to choose a colour to help have the house warm and cozy for the rest of the year. I am going to look at some flowers to add to the decor that will also brighten up the house. I know that painting the house grey is going to make the house feel lighter and brighter but I need some colour also. 

    I almost have the family room completed and will start cleaning it a bit each day starting in January. I will set the timer for 15 minutes and either wipe down surfaces or mop floors. It may take me a few days to finish but I know it will be well worth it when I am done. 

    I am still thinking about what I need to let go of in the sewing room. I did a bunch of rearranging in the summer that I still like. The closet and work space areas are both done and I like them. I am not happy with the sewing machine areas so need to work on that. Also I am not happy with the cutting table. I am realizing that I need to pick up after myself after I finish sewing each day. I have been doing that lately and it has really helped. I have put away tubs after using them and have noticed that I really want to do it. I am getting myself trained to keep this space clean and tidy. 

Today

I have to go out for groceries this morning and then will put the LED projector lights away. If I have time, I will vacuum the kitchen floor and mop it. This afternoon I want to work on the Halloween wall hanging and will knit tonight. New Years Eve will be quiet for me ( as per usual). 

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

Working Through Projects

 Yesterday was cloudy though the weather app called it foggy. It rained in the afternoon but we didn't have the freezing rain like forecasted. The high got to 5C. This morning it is cloudy and 3C. Today is suppose to be cloudy with drizzle and rain tonight. The high is to get to 10C.

Lifestyle

I spent the morning in the kitchen. I pulled out the fridge and unplugged it to defrost. I found out via YouTube how to remove the freezer shelf and drawer. I put towels into the freezer and left it for the day to thaw. 

I spent the rest of the morning cleaning the kitchen. It was nice to wipe down all the surfaces, shine the appliances and have it neat and clean. While I was doing all of this, I cleaned the fridge inside and out. I was not able to do the floor as the fridge was out of its place. A job for today. 

Late in the afternoon, I checked the fridge and it had defrosted. I got the wet towels out of the freezer and into the washer. I put the drawer and shelf back into the fridge, plugged it in, and put it back into its place. By 8 pm it was down to temperature. No noises from it all night. It is ready to put everything back into it today. 

My hip was a trooper yesterday. It barely hurt. Even the muscles weren't as sore. I stood for long periods of time with no problems. The last crack I had seated the SI joint. I know that both physio and osteo will be working on tight muscles. I can feel them at times. Two weeks of pain has had them tighten up again. But, I am grateful that I can move around like I had been. 

Sewing

I spent a bit of time making daughter another 4 meters of piping. This one is cute as I found a stripe fabric that I wanted to make piping from. 

I spent some time cleaning up the pressing center. The table was dusty from all the fabric fibre. I wiped it down, sorted everything back into its proper spot and then cleaned up the ironing board. It is ready for its new cover. 

I also swept the floor in that area and under the fabric shelf. Next up I sorted through the quilting cottons getting them organized. I have a lot of Christmas fabrics to sew. 

Though the shelf is not full like it was, the majority of the fabric is Christmas prints. I will start working on it Jan. 1. 

I had a bit of extra time so I sat down at the clean coffee table and added a 1/4" seam allowance to Luna Lapin's head and ears. It is now ready to print onto cardboard and trace onto the fabric. 

I am ready to start making her. I am watching the video on how to make her. This rabbit is going to be a slow sew as I want to enjoy the process. 

Knitting

I knit on the sweater last night and am caught up to where I had to unknit the night before. It is coming along and I have about 5" left to knit before casting off. 

Thoughts

    With my SI joint back in place I am able to do most everything I want to once again. I am amazed that it took 2 weeks to get back to normal. A very long time with a lot of pain. I am able to do most everything once again which is wonderful. 

    When I put all the food into the downstairs' freezer, I realized that I need to stop buying and start using up what I have. I put Chef's Plate on hold for now. I will be buying only what I need and using up what I have. This week I need a loaf of bread, some fresh fruit, and some items for lunch. I have everything else in the freezer to make my own dinners. 

    I am sewing items that I had put onto the cutting table. I pick something and make it. It has been fun to make items that I had put aside for Christmas and get back to finishing them. 

Today

My goal is to bring up the Christmas tub and start putting away Christmas and bring out the winter placemats. I will be sad to have the cardinals go away but know they will be out again next year. I am going to spend some time making a Halloween wall hanging so that project can be cleaned up. I want to knit tonight. Today is a stay at home day as I need nothing. 

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

Two Projects Completed

 Yesterday was another sunny day with a high of 4C. This morning it is cloudy and 0C. Today is suppose to be foggy with periods of drizzle or freezing drizzle. The high is suppose to get to 5C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I was slow. I did get the laundry folded and the sheets done. The bed was made in the late afternoon. I cleaned up my laptop putting a lot of file folders into order and onto the tetra drive. That was a big job but I am glad it is done. I am ready for 2025.  

Downstairs, I cleaned off a side table and dusted it. I also cleaned up the table the Cricut is on and have it ready to use again. I also did some tidying up on the table where I am working on the memory book. Items were put into a tub or the trolley. I also played with some paper and have the center fold of the signature 2 ready to make. 

My hip has been really sore and annoying. During the night I rolled over and it cracked 3 times. It is much better today. The muscles are sore but the SI joint is not painful like it was. I am sure it will still crack some more as it finishes seating itself. 

Sewing

I looked around in the sewing room and checked to make sure the fabrics to see if I need to do anything with them. The quilting cottons are fairly well organized and waiting for me to start sewing them. 

I made 4 meters of piping for daughter. I had cut it out earlier in the month. I zipped through it quickly. 

Next up I got out the Child's Crayon Art Folio. I worked on it until it was finished. 

I need to buy some stickers for inside and it is will be done. 

The next ones I make I will use fusible fleece on them rather than interfacing and regular batting. 

Knitting

I got the knitting out, did a few rows, counted, and had to unknit as I had decreased too often. I am back on track now and will continue to knit evenly until I have the right length. 

Thoughts

    I did not realize how tired my body was from the pain from the SI joint. Once it seated itself last night, I slept for 5 hours before waking up. It isn't finished seating itself and the muscles are sore from the pain. I, on the other hand, feel much better. 

    The fridge started making a noise and I have to empty it out and defrost it. I need to get the person in and see what is wrong or decide if I am going to buy a new one. The temperature in the fridge is okay but there is ice build up in the freezer. This is today's job. 

    Our sunshine is gone for the next week. It is going to be cloudy, warm, and wet until Jan 1 and then cooling off after that. I think we are in for a long winter which usually does not start until late January. 

    I am quite happy with how the family room is cleaning up. It was messy but not as bad as I had thought. I have one box of garbage to empty and then tidy up one trolley. Once that is done, I can finish cleaning up the room and call it done. 

    I did look around the sewing room and will be decluttering it more. It is more organized than I had thought but I need to continue figuring out what I want to keep and what to let go of. I keep asking myself "how much is too much" and am slowly getting it figured out. 

Today

I have to empty the fridge into the small fridge and freezer and defrost it. While that is happening, I will clean the kitchen and do the balance sheet. This afternoon, I will make more piping for daughter. I will have to clean up the fridge and wash the towels I used. I hope to knit tonight. 

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

Doll's Outfit Finished

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 3C. This morning it is clear and -7C. Today is suppose to be mainly sunny with a high of 4C. 

Lifestyle

I was out the door to the optometrist hoping it was open. It was and there was one patient and a very bored staff. A technician told me the arm was broken but she fixed it with super glue and shrink wrap. I can wear them but can't fold the one arm. I'm good with that. I also made an appointment with the optometrist for April 2. We have to wait 2 years between appointments unless we have certain health issues, which I don't. 

Once home, I got busy. I cleaned the bathroom and did a load of laundry. Once the bathroom was done, I headed downstairs to do some cleaning in the family room. 

My goal was to clean off the coffee table and polish it. Some items got put away, some put into the donation box, and a bit tossed. 

I am hoping it will stay this way. I can put stuff away when I am done working there. I also dusted the tv stand and a bit of ledge. By that time, I had Elliott downstairs telling me it was lunch time. 

After lunch, I did some tidying up in the sewing room. I put away a box that held Christmas gifts. I dusted the table and desk. I also emptied the two garbage cans I have in that room. 

Elliott decided to have a good sleep in the evening. He went under the blanket and then poked his head out and slept soundly for quite a while. 

Sewing

I finished the doll's outfit yesterday. One button and snap was sewn onto the top. The pants were made and finished in a couple of hours. 

Though I wasn't going to take part in the Iconic Barbie outfit, I am glad I did. I really had fun making the two pieces. 

I am still deciding if I want to do Sewing With Cinnamon in 2025. I have enjoyed making the outfits though I do feel rushed some months to get an advanced outfit completed. I am also wanting to make a stuffed rabbit this year and may focus on it. I am still thinking. 

Knitting

None done last night. I need to get back to knitting the vest. 

Thoughts

    I was impressed at how quickly the technician fixed my glasses. I have decided that I will get a 2nd pair so I have a back up pair to wear. I can get them at Walmart or Costco. My main pair will be from the optometrist. 

    I am slowly getting the sewing room and family room cleaned up. The sewing room has been more difficult as I need to make more decisions. The family room is easier as I know I will be downsizing my craft materials. I am working on a balance of trying to do something in both rooms each day. 

    I have finished all my sewing projects I had planned for December. What I do for the next couple of days is bonus projects. I want to sew in the afternoons but know I need to spend at least one afternoon working on the memory book. 

    I am still sore from when I had both SI joints out. I am wondering if my right hip has tipped forward causing pain in my back and down to my knee. I see the osteopathy therapist in 2 weeks and will find out then. 

Today

I need to fold laundry and launder the sheets on my bed. I also want to do some tidying up upstairs and then do some more downstairs. The family room will be the table the Cricut sits on and I will empty two garbage containers. The sewing room will be sorting through some fabrics on the shelving unit. I want to sew something this afternoon. I hope to knit tonight. 

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

Starting A Doll's Outfit

Yesterday was a mainly cloudy with a high of -1C. This morning it is partly cloudy and -5C. Today is suppose to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 3C. 

Lifestyle

I spent yesterday morning putting away all my Christmas gifts and getting bags, tissue paper and boxes dealt with. It was many trips to the basement and garage dealing with that. But, it is done. One gift as put onto the server. A friend made it many years ago and it got framed. She got the picture after her oldest sister died a year ago. 

It fits in perfectly with my display of cardinals. 

After a short rest, I headed to the basement to start cleaning. I decided to work in the storage/maintenance room. I organized everything and as I moved it, I vacuumed the floor. It is 100% better than it was. 

My crafting supplies take a lot more room than I had wanted but most will be gone by the end of November 2025. What is left will be donated to the thrift shop. 

The tubs that will hold the items I make. The bottom one is pictures that I will deal with later on. They are at the bottom of the list. 

And lastly, items that need to go to the thrift store and to be shredded. That area should be emptied before spring. 

I sat with heat on my back when done this area. I was hurting and it really had nothing to do with cleaning. I think there is a weather system coming and my knee wanted to hurt. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday afternoon. I worked on a top that is part of the Iconic Barbie Outfits that Sewing With Cinnamon did in October. 

I have one snap to put on the front. It wasn't a hard pattern to sew though I didn't serge the hem. I chose to fray check it due to the curves going into the ties. 

Knitting

I didn't knit last night as I was too tired. 

Thoughts

    I was surprised to see the garbage trucks working yesterday. I had thought they would pick up our garbage on Saturday. They have to pick up Wednesday's collection then so out they went on Boxing Day to do our area. I didn't put mine out as I didn't have enough to fill the bags. 

    It was great to clean up the storage/maintenance room yesterday. A first step to doing something each day. It has too much stuff in it still but I want to have most of it gone by December 2025. A goal I will meet for sure as I have my plans in place. 

    One of the legs on my glasses fell off this morning. I have it taped on. I cannot get my eyes checked until the end of March 2025. At the moment, I will have to pay for everything. I will go to the optometrist today and see if they can be fixed. If not, I will have to figure out what I am going to do. In the meantime, I have the leg taped back on so I can do most things. 

    The weather has warmed up enough that most of my driveway is bare. I am still not doing a lot of shovelling yet but hope to work back up to doing it myself in the new year. With rain suppose to be here Sunday night and several days of warm temperatures, I am sure a lot of the snow will be gone. When the next storm arrives, I hope I can shovel the snow off the driveway. 

    I am slowly going back to my healthy eating. I stopped for Christmas which wasn't the right thing to do. I know that part of my soreness is from the weather system coming in and part is from eating things I know that cause inflammation in my joints. I should be back to my proper regime by tomorrow. I am slowly moving back starting yesterday. Today will be better and tomorrow should be back to normal. 

Today

I have to go out and see about my glasses. Once home, I want to do a load of laundry and some cleaning upstairs and downstairs. I may sew this afternoon. If not too tired, I will knit tonight. 

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

A Wonderful Christmas Day

 Yesterday started out clear and sunny and ended up cloudy. No snow. The high got to 0C. This morning it is cloudy and -2C. Today is suppose to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of -1C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I started the day opening gifts from daughter and texting her. I got some lovely fabrics and lots of other nice things from them. 

I was over to family's at 9:30 am. They were Skyping family while opening gifts from them. We then did our gifts and had a lot of fun. I got lots of lovely things from family. 

After lunch, daughter-in-law and I knit the afternoon away. Son played games on his computer and grandson worked on a model. It was a relaxing time which was great. Friends came up at 4 pm and we had dinner and ended the evening opening more gifts. We had more laughs and lots of hugs. 

I got home after 8:30 pm to my driveway being cleared. Everything is in the house ready for me to clean up today. 

Elliott got rope toys and he loves them. He spent a lot of time rolling around on them and playing. 

Family's cat got a bag of treats and he loved the ones he got to eat. Grandson put the treats backing to the gift bag and the cat proceeded to figure out how get the out. He did an amazing job of figuring it out. We sat and watched him.

Thoughts

    We had much simpler Christmas meals than in past years and they were delicious. We need to continue on with that tradition as we all had a chance to relax and not worry about preparing big fancy meals. 

    Today is Boxing Day. It is our big sale day (like Black Friday). People will be out getting items on sale in most of Canada. Not in Nova Scotia as all the stores are closed. The rush for the sales starts tomorrow. Boxing Day is mainly celebrated in Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It began in Britain when the wealthy would box up their leftover Christmas meal and had it distributed to the poor. 

    I had a bit of a worry for a couple of days. I saw "foot" prints in my yard on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. At first I thought it was the local kids but when I saw the prints going to the back on both sides of the house, I panicked. The prints went across the neighbour's back yards and up to the next street. I finally figured it out that the deer are going through my yard as they are going through other people's yards. Their habitat is decreasing due to land development and they are now trying to find new locations. 

Today

I am going to spend the morning putting away all of my gifts and the gift bags. I want to make sure I have the upstairs neat and tidy before I go downstairs to sew after lunch. I want to knit tonight. It is going to be a quiet day in this house. 

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

Merry Christmas

 Merry Christmas  

Yesterday we had another significant snowfall with the temperature rising. It got to 0C. This morning it is cloudy and -2C. Today is suppose to be a mix of sun, clouds, and flurries with a high of 0C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I folded laundry and got it put away. I vacuumed some floors and mopped the living room floor. It was enough for me as i start doing more things. 

Son and grandson came over after lunch and shovelled the driveway. There was close to 4-5" of snow on it. Son salted the front steps and sidewalk. I was grateful that they did the driveway for me. I did do 10 minutes of shovelling in the afternoon and got about 1/3 of the driveway cleared. There was another 2" of snow. 

I spent some time sewing a stuffed rabbit for our neighbour. It was to try out the pattern and it turned out cute. It just needs a pompom for a tail. 

I put the pattern, the rest of the fabric, some ribbon and stuffing into a bag for her to make a 2nd one for herself. They are really cute but I won't be making any more. 

I spent the evening with family and friends at family's house. Family wore their Grinch shirts and our friends wore one piece Snoopy pyjamas. We had a delicious dinner and talked and laughed the evening away. 

Daughter-in-law showed our friend the Christmas in July bag I had made (I gifted it to her) and we talked about it. She then took out the quilt and the two of them snuggled under it for the rest of the evening. It was nice to see how they were enjoying the quilt. 

I was home by 8:30 pm and watched some tv to relax. I had a wonderful evening which has become a tradition with our friends. They exchange gifts which is really nice and I enjoy watching them. 

Today

I am going to open my presents from daughter as soon as I eat breakfast. Then it is over to family's to open gifts. It will be a lot of fun doing that. I will have lunch and dinner over there and be home in the evening. 

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

I Am Ready For Christmas

Yesterday was sunny with a high of -7C. This morning it is cloudy and -13C. Today is going to be snowy with a high of -2C. The amount of snow fall is unknown at the moment but they are predicting it to last about 12 hours. 

Lifestyle

I was out the door in good time to go grocery shopping. It wasn't that busy at the store which was nice. I used my points to buy groceries and I only had to pay $.50. I collect points each time I shop and cash them in once or twice a year. 

Once home, I rested as my back was sore. I then grabbed the snow shovel and headed out to the deck. The snow on the ground was crunchy as it had a layer of ice on it. The snow on the deck was dry and I had fun shovelling it off. I only did a wide pathway so I can open the door and walk down the stairs. I was done in 15 minutes which was amazing for being a bit sore. My back enjoyed the exercise as I took it easy and didn't fling snow over the railing. I enjoyed being out in the fresh air and sunshine. 

I was over to see my friend late in the afternoon and we visited for a couple of hours. She was away for 6 weeks and has been home for a week. We got caught up and will be going out tonight for dinner at family's. 

Sewing

I finished the binding on the quilt. It wasn't as hard to do as I had expected. 

It is a simple quilt to make and it will keep daughter-in-law warm when sitting outside in the cooler evenings. 

That was the last Christmas gift and today I will make a friend a simple stuffed rabbit. I will give it and the pattern to her tonight. I will not sew again until Boxing Day. 

Knitting

I knit 8 rows last night. I was tired but not falling asleep so I was able to concentrate on where to do the decrease rows. 

I will probably take it to family's to knit on Christmas Day. The back may get done if I have to sit for the afternoon. 

Thoughts

    I am ready to start cleaning up the sewing and family rooms. My plan is coming together and I will get it done. Purging and decluttering will continue until I am finished. I plan on doing some each day until it is done. 

    I want to sew and craft each day while decluttering and cleaning. I have a lot of items I want to make and will be enjoying my time in those areas. One thing I need to do is clean up each day to keep those spaces clean and tidy.  

    I am glad that I went out and shovelled the deck yesterday. It was what I needed to do for safety but it also made me feel happy being outside in the sunshine and fresh air. I also enjoy doing things for myself which keeps me independent. 

Today

I need to fold laundry and vacuum the living room. I am going to make a simple stuffed rabbit for a friend and give it to her tonight along with the pattern. I may have to shovel snow this afternoon unless a couple of boys come over to do it. I am out at family's for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner with friends. I will not be knitting tonight. 

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

Finishing The Last Projects

Yesterday it snowed lightly for most of the day. The temperature dropped to -10C (windchill -14 to -16C). This morning it is partly cloudy and -12C (windchill -16C) Today is suppose to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of -6C.  

Lifestyle

My neighbour came over and cleaned up my driveway and front entry. I am so grateful for the things he does to help me stay in my own home. I need to do the back deck. 

I folded laundry and got one more load done. It was a small load so I wouldn't have to worry about doing laundry over Christmas. It is ready to fold today. 

I did play with Cricut and it still wouldn't show any files on the canvas. I went downstairs, loaded it onto the other lap top and it works. I am going to delete it from the Mac and then try again. I do have the files I want to cut for the memory book and can access them from the Mac. If it doesn't work today, I will be calling them for help after Christmas.

Sewing

I finally got to sew yesterday. I sewed the binding strips together, pressed them, and got it sewn onto the quilt. I spent a couple of hours hand sewing the binding down and have half of it done. 

The backing is fireside and it is soft and warm. I draped it on me and was toasty warm while I hand sewed down the binding. 

If I finish the quilt today, I will make one more small item for a friend. I can make it quite quickly and it will be something fun for her to have, pattern and all so she can make her own. 

Knitting

I picked up the vest and knit 16 or more rows on it. It was nice to have my hands busy while watching tv. 

I did enjoy knitting after a short break. 

Thoughts

    The weather is going to warm up again starting tomorrow. It is also suppose to snow heavily tomorrow. We are suppose to get up to 15 cm of snow (again) and will be digging ourselves out Christmas morning. Haven't done that since moving here.

    My SI joints are still popping when I stretch. It may be when I stretch after going to bed, in the middle of the night, and, on occasion, before I get up. I do notice I am walking much better and have a lot less pain in my back. I am hoping I can start to do a few more things so I can get back to being more normal. I haven't vacuumed any of the floors and will have to do that job slowly but surely over several days. 

Today

I am out to get groceries this morning. I hope to shovel part of the deck so I can get out in case of an emergency. It will be slow going. I want to finish the binding on the quilt and knit tonight. It is going to be a quiet day here for me as I have two busy days coming up. 

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

A Frustrating Day

 Yesterday's weather was not the most pleasant. It snowed, it rained, and then it settled in and snowed for many, many hours. This high got to -1C. This morning it is snowing lightly and -8C. Today is suppose to be a mix of sun, clouds and flurries with a high of -10C. 

Lifestyle

The winter solstice brought a lot of snow with it. My neighbour used his snow blower on the driveway and his son came over to finish scrapping it off. I went out to do the sidewalk and landing and it was slippery. I threw salt out on the top half of the driveway to make it safe to walk on. At noon, daughter-in-law and grandson shovelled the driveway again and it needs doing this morning. The municipality plowed the roads 3 times in 12 hours and may have done it late last night. We get to dig ourselves out from this storm only to be under a storm warning for Christmas Eve. 

I did do 2 loads of laundry yesterday. I also did a tiny bit of housework as most of my time was spent trying to cut paper on the Cricut. It was not my day. I ruined 2 pieces of paper after doing 5 cuts to no avail. I cleaned the blade and tried again on lighter paper. It took 2 cuts for those sheets. I got 6 snowflakes made. 

I was frustrated to say the least as this job should have been done in less than 2 hours. 

I do like that I could show case the snowman on the Lindt chocolates. 

I played with the memory book trying to set up the center page. I used the cut outs from the snowflakes daughter-in-law and I made the day before. 

I wanted to cut out dark blue music notes and found what I wanted. Cricut Design Space would not upload them onto the canvas. I tried free ones from design space to no avail. I have changed settings from live to beta, rebooted my computer and reinstalled Design Space. Nothing worked. I sent a email to them letting them know and I will phone them tomorrow. I started to think it wasn't my day to use the Cricut. 

I didn't knit last night as I wasn't in the mood. I was still upset about not being able to use Design Space. I was also worrying about the snow on the driveway.

Thoughts

    This is the earliest I have seen a lot of snow fall in Nova Scotia. To be under two snow warnings in a few days is unreal. I am a bit worried as I will be out Christmas Eve and then on Christmas Day. I do not like driving after dark in the snow. I will do it but will be a wreck by the time I travel the 3 miles home. 

    I have only to bind the quilt and I will have all my projects done for this year. I put several items I started on hold until the new year. I am going to spend time cleaning up my mess in the basement after Christmas. I am embarrassed how messy it is and need to deal with it. Once it is done, I will start sewing and crafting. If winter has come early, I will be sewing and crafting a lot as I don't go out much in this kind of weather. 

    My soreness is going away slowly. I am still having the one SI joint pop into place when I stretch in bed. I am not doing as much as I would like to. I don't want to be dealing with the pain and trying to see a physiotherapist when it is Christmas. I do what I can and leave the rest for others to tackle for me.

    In my frustration over the Cricut, I left a bigger mess in the family room. I am not happy that I did that but I couldn't clean up as I needed to leave the room. I was frustrated and couldn't have cared less about the mess. When I looked at it this morning, I was embarrassed. I will do a bit of paper tidying up today.  

Today

I am going to shovel some snow this morning, tidy up the paper mess in the family room, and then work on the quilt binding. I would like to start hand sewing it down so I can finish it by Dec. 25. If I am not too tired I will force myself to knit tonight. I need to keep busy in the evenings. 

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

A Busy But Fun Day

Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of -1C which occurred in the evening. This morning it is snowing and -2C. Today is suppose to be snowy (snow at times heavy and blowing snow) and 0C. 

Lifestyle

I was out the door in good time for a hair cut and then was off to New Minas. I did not think I would be going to New Minas but I had to pick up a gift from daughter at the quilt shop. 

My first stop was at the craft store to get more paper for making snowflake shaped chocolate holders. I also picked up a new blade for the Cricut so I can cut heavier materials. I found what I needed and took a peek around at the Christmas items. It is well picked over with very little left. I bought the paper and left. 

I got to the quilt shop and picked up the present. I had a great visit with the owner. She had a heart attack 6 weeks ago and is back in the shop in the mornings now. She has 6 weeks left before she can come back full time. I also took a peek around but bought nothing. New fabrics had come in but they were not out. 

Once home, I finished wrapping the Christmas presents. I have the quilt to bind and I will be done. I know I will be hand sewing up until Christmas Day. 

The afternoon was spent with daughter-in-law. I installed the new blade and we started to cut out the glitter paper. It takes 2 passes to cut the snowflakes. While we waited for them to cut out, daughter-in-law got the new vacuum cleaner out. She vacuumed the family room floor while I emptied half of the garbage containers and put away items that will go to the thrift store. She was amazed with how it works. She vacuumed until the battery was dead.

With enough pieces cut out, we started to glue the holders together. Sparkle paper on top of blue. They are gorgeous. We left them flat so she could take them home. She will finish them up there and have them out on Dec. 23 when they host a dinner party for soccer friends. 

I did not knit last night. I was tired from being on the go and a bit sore. I did stretch in bed but no popping or cracking. This morning there was one sore spot and I stretched it good. It helped. My gait is good but I think there is one muscle having a bit of a rebellion on me. I need to work on that. 

The snow came in very quietly last night. There was wind as half of my driveway is bare but I didn't hear it. I woke to the plow truck clearing the roads at 4 am. We are suppose to have up to 10" of snow fall with it ending tonight. The wind is from the northwest which means my driveway will stay fairly clean. It seems as if we will have a white Christmas, the first since moving here in 2017. 

Today

I have a busy day planned. I need to do laundry, take out more garbage, make snowflake chocolate holders for Christmas dinner, and try to get the binding sewn together for the quilt. My outdoor job is to do the front porch and sidewalk. Grandson will do the driveway for me unless the boys across the street get sent over to do it. Daughter-in-law will probably vacuum upstairs for me. 

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

Working At A Slower Pace

 Yesterday was wet in the morning and then it cleared off in the afternoon. The high got to 4C. This morning it is cloudy and -5C. Today is suppose to be cloudy with snow starting to fall tonight. The high is to get to 0C. We are under a snow warning at this time. 

Lifestyle

I did yoga yesterday morning and will be happy when I can start doing them on the floor. I find I can do each move easier on the floor. But the bed works until I can get up and down off the floor. 

Most of the presents were wrapped yesterday. All are bought and only 4 are left to wrap. I stopped when I my back started to hurt and applied heat to it. I also did some stretching to relieve the pain. 

When I went downstairs to get the gift bags, I stopped to look at the memory book. The page I was thinking about came to me and I did it. Took about 15-20 minutes as I cut, coloured, glued, and designed. 

My problem was overthinking the page. I was trying to incorporate a 4 part comic strip when I only needed one part. 

After lunch, I went back to making the chocolate holders. I finished them and now need to put them into a box. 

My next project was on the tv. I needed to get out the supplies and start working on it. It was quick and easy to make. Stopping the video to get the measurements took the longest. 

I actually enjoyed making this gift card holder. I could spend hours doing them. 

The gift card goes in the pocket in the back. You can actually put a hole in it, add ribbon and hang them on the tree. 

I didn't knit last night as I kept falling asleep on the couch. I went to bed in good time. I did my big contorted stretch and actually felt the SI joint seat itself. There was a crack to go with it. I slept all night and woke with a bit of pain in the SI joint. On the whole, I am pretty much back to normal. 

Thoughts

    I was sore yesterday but much improved from the day before. Most of the soreness was from the muscles having to do the SI joint's job. Some of the soreness was the SI joint not being in place. The cracking brought relief. The heat helped and I probably should have done some ice. The ice helps numb the pain but I always feel so cold when I apply it. 

    I cooked a BBQ pork bowl last night. It was okay but lacked something. I think it needed a bit more spice in it. The beef bowl the night before was delicious. Tonight is hamburgers with onion jam and fries. Then it is a two week break. I need to eat the meals I have in the freezer and remake a couple of the meals I really enjoyed. 

    The list of things I needed to do is almost done. I am working through it slowly but surely. The upstairs is tidy and I can keep up on it if I don't rush around. I am living with the mess downstairs at the moment but will get back to it after Christmas. I am trying to put away things when I am finished so the mess doesn't get any bigger. 

Today

I have to do a load of laundry, wrap gifts, and get my hair cut this morning. This afternoon daughter-in-law and I are going to make more chocolate holders. Snowflake ones this time. If I am not exhausted, I would like to knit tonight. 

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

Cracking Means Relief

 Yesterday was another lovely sunny day with a high of 7C. This morning it is raining and 1C (did go to -1C). Today is suppose to be wet with a high of 6C.

Lifestyle

I decided that I needed to tidy up the clutter and got it all put away. I then did a bit of vacuuming and mopping. By a bit I mean 20 minutes total. It didn't do any more damage as I made sure I was taking short strokes. 

Once I was done the housework, I was out to return Advil I had bought. The seal was broken on the bottle. The pharmacist figured someone opened the box and bottle to see what the pills looked like. It was classified as contaminated and replaced. I also got one gift while in that area. I drove to another area and walked a bit about another gift. They sent me to another shop and I will get the gift there today. By that time I was tired due to my hips being sore.

I spent a lot of time with heat on my SI joints and inner thighs. I also got up to walk around so I wouldn't be ultra sore. I use heat as that is what both physio and osteo tell me to do. I wasn't as sore during the day but my gait was horrible. I felt like I was not striding when walking but gimping along. It was a strange walk that I didn't have even when I first started treatment. I kept wondering if my left SI joint was slightly out of place. 

While settling down and doing stretching exercises in bed, I had a loud crack in the left SI joint. It was seating itself into place. Immediate relief. The right side had a small crack and I settled down to sleep. This morning, the right side is still a bit sore but the left side is fine. I am now dealing with only the right SI joint and sore muscles which will improve over time. Yoga will become my best friend and I look forward to the day I can do it on the floor rather than on the bed. 

Crafting

I made 5 reindeer holders yesterday. I used my Cricut to cut out the heads and then glued the eyes and antlers onto the bodies. 

I have to cut out 5 more sets of antlers so I can finish them. Today's job. 

Knitting

I didn't knit last night as I was tired. 

Thoughts

    I am much improved this morning though I am still sore. I think part is one SI joint needs to continue setting into place and the other is muscles that are tight from having to do extra work. I will keep working on loosening them up with yoga and stretching. 

    I am watching our weather carefully so I can get everything done by tomorrow afternoon. The snow starts tomorrow night and ends on Saturday. They are predicting it could be up to 5" which means I will be busy shovelling snow off and on until the job is done. I am hoping it will be dry snow which is easier to remove. 

    I am behind on most things at the moment but am trying to do some each day to get caught up. It has been hard with the set back but I refuse to give up. I just have to adjust how long it takes me to do things, realize that I get exhausted, and need to take breaks. 

Today

I need to fold laundry and wrap a few gifts before heading out to get the last of the gifts. This afternoon, I would like to finish the reindeer. If time, I may set up the sewing machine to start the binding on the quilt. Tonight I hope to knit if I am not too tired. 

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

A Trip With A Friend

 Yesterday was damp, windy, and warm. The high got to 11C. This morning it is partly cloudy and 3C. Today is suppose to be mainly sunny and 7C. 

Lifestyle

I had a rough day yesterday. My lower back and the muscles, etc. in both legs hurt like crazy. I was hobbling around holding onto walls, furniture, counter tops, etc. to get from point A to point B. I thought the SI joint on the left side was out as pain meds weren't working. 

I pushed myself to do yoga on the bed. I then began to wrap presents and stopped a good hour later as I needed to find boxes, etc. for gifts. I was pleased with what I had done as I went down stairs to get the fabric gift bags. It was time to rest with heat on my sore spots. 

Son and grandson arrived to pick up the parcel upon delivery. He showed me the map on his phone. Amazon had a picture of Santa's sleigh delivering the parcels. Thank you Amazon for being in the holiday spirit. They got the parcel and went home after a brief visit to make sure I was okay. 

I was over to pick up our friend who arrived early yesterday morning. She is staying with family (her husband arrives on Friday). We went to New Minas to pick up the keyboard she is renting. While in the store, I alternated between walking and sitting. While walking, I would stop at a box with a tall speaker in it and stretch. I had at least 10 cracks in my bad hip some of which everyone heard. The SI joint was seating itself into position. I had very little pain on that side. The left side was another story. 

We went to the grocery story where we both got groceries. I hobbled around the store getting what I needed. It was painful but not like it had been. I was still having problems walking but not like it had been. Pushing the cart helped. 

Once home, I got most of the groceries put away and headed back to family's to have dinner. I was sore and tired. When leaving I had 3 loud cracks in my right knee area which was good as that side is settling down to being okay. 

At home I sat with heat on my left side and in bed I stretched it out in any way I could. I had 2 cracks on that side. I slept well and I am less sore today. It is going to take a bit of time to get over this. It has set me back but I will survive it. What gets done, gets done and what doesn't, doesn't. I just want to get back to where I was before this incident. 

Thoughts

    I so appreciate all the help everyone wants to give to me. Knowing I will can help is wonderful. I need to keep moving and resting to allow this mess to heal. Sitting all day is not going to help. It actually is bad as I need to stand, walk, and do what I can do. It stretches the sore muscles which is what they need at this time. It also helps get the joint seated correctly if I stand and stretch. Family will be called to help me out when I need them. I love that they are available to help me. 

    I have been doing some research on which robotic cleaner I want to buy. I am getting down to choosing one. What I have learned is that they don't do a perfect job so you need to look for the one that does the best job overall. You still need to vacuum and mop. Several different videos showed that the Dreame L10s Ultra does the best job overall. The one I had thought I wanted was rated lower than this one plus the same brand that was one machine lower. I will see what the price is on Boxing Day. 

    I will continue to vacuum and mop my floors but will only do one room at a time. Doing the whole house in a morning is not allowed any more. It means I could be doing floors 7 days a week. I also need to take short strokes when vacuuming and mopping as doing the long strokes causes the SI joint to pop out. This is a common problem for most people who put it down to back pain. 

Today

I am going to wrap a few more gifts this morning, head out to get the 2 gifts plus return Advil. The box and bottle were open. I would like to make the reindeer chocolate holders today and knit tonight. We see what my body says I can do. Hopefully more than yesterday. 

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