Memory Book Pages Completed

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 10C. This morning it is clear and 3C. We have frost. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 11C. 

Lifestyle

As I was getting ready to go out to shop, I had a phone call. It was the doctor's office letting me know I am booked to get my Covid vaccine on October 29. One vaccine a week for the next 3 weeks. 

Our trip to New Minas was fun. We got the pool water tested so daughter-in-law can get the right chemicals into it before it is closed down for the winter. 

Next stop was to Walmart where we got some little things plus groceries. Our last stop was Giant Tiger where I got some fruit and a Christmas present. We were home just before noon. 

As I was making dinner, I decided to close some tabs on my computer. The first one was the one I go to looking to get my vaccines. I hit refresh not close and it came up that covid and flu shots are now available at pharmacies. I texted daughter-in-law to let her know and she has booked their appointments. 

Crafting

I decided to take my new glue sticks and finish the center fold of the memory book. I love using a brand new glue stick and this comes from when I taught school and made a lot of items for the classroom. I got caught up in the moment finishing the page. 

Satisfied with the page, I started on the page I was having problems with. I had out all the things I wanted to include in the book. I looked through the first 2 signatures for ideas. I decided on what to make for the page I was avoiding. 

I was on a roll and the next page came together quickly. 

The last page I knew would have a pocket to hold a mini sized puzzle. I cut the picture off the box and put it on the pocket. 

The pages are done and I was pleasantly exhausted from getting it done. I just have to put paper on the inside of the front and back covers so I can add something to each of them. I am going to look at how to bind this on my own as I have lots of time to do it. 

Before I start binding it, I have to clean up the crafting area and put everything I don't need into a container to give away. I am done with paper, stickers, etc. I collected for this project. 

Knitting

I knit for quite a long time last night as I wanted to snack rather than knit. I finished the gusset and I didn't snack. 

I have 39 rounds to knit on the foot and then the toe. It is close to being finished. 

Thoughts

    It was interesting to see fall, halloween, and Christmas decorations out all together in the stores we were in. I didn't stop to look at what they had for sale as I am not doing any decorating. I have a plan in place for next year. I am thinking that I will make some simple items using fabrics. My first colour will be yellow as I can use it for spring and fall. My idea is to have a combination of a light airy print with yellow in it matching either a yellow gingham or a textured solid. I like that better than having sunflowers for fall or Easter bunnies for spring. The idea has developed watching a lot of people decorate for the seasons. I am looking for items that I can use twice a year and are easy to store. 

    It is time to start thinking about making soup. I need to look at which ones I want to make and start making them. I know I will make fish chowder and chicken for sure. I would like to add one or two more so I can have a choice to thaw from the freezer. 

    We have had so much wind lately that the colourful leaves are almost off the trees. The colours were vibrant but short lived. I enjoyed them every time I went out in the car. 

Today

I am going to clean the front entry way and fold a few clothes this morning. This afternoon I want to clean up the memory book paper/sticker/etc. and get them ready to give away. It is going to take me a bit of time to do that job. I also need to empty the garbage I made while doing the job. If I have time, I will do a bit of work cleaning in the sewing room. Tonight I plan on knitting on the socks. 

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

A Difficult Day

 Yesterday was cloudy and humid. The high got to 24C (humidex 28C). It rained hard starting around 5 pm. This morning it is cloudy and 8C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 11C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday I cleaned the spare bedroom. I did get it done by noon. I laid down twice to stretch. Once the crack was between my shoulder blades and the other time I eased my muscles. The room was dusty but not as bad as the other rooms. The window rarely gets opened as it doesn't provide much air flow. 

The bed in the room is pretty much cleaned off. The clothes for the trip are in the suitcase and back pack. I have a few things I need to put away and what is left needs to be packed for the trip. The floor was vacuumed and mopped. The only thing I didn't do was the window. I forgot it but need to do other windows as it was too hot to wash them. They get streaky if washed when the sun shines on them. 

After lunch, I felt horrible. I was struggling before lunch but it hit me hard after lunch. I wanted to sleep but couldn't get comfortable. I was blaming my exhaustion on a lot of things; poor night's sleep, muggy weather, soreness, falling barometric pressure. 

I pushed myself out the door and went to the dollar store for the glue sticks. The store was busy and I hate being in a small store that is crowded with people. I got a few things, paid for them and left. I lounged on the couch until it was time to get a bowl of soup from family. 

I enjoyed the soup very much and it seemed to make me feel better. At 7 pm, I knew why I had been feeling horrible. I was having a bad IBS attack. When it was over, I was exhausted but I did feel better. What caused it, I do not know. 

It rained starting about 5 pm with light showers. When the rain arrived, so did the wind. It blew the storm in. There was a good amount of rain fall which was welcomed. It did cool off a lot and the air was starting to feel fresh when the showers started. 

Crafting

None done yesterday afternoon but I am ready with glue sticks. 

Knitting

I knit the heel flap, turned the heel, picked up the gusset stitches, and did 5 rounds on the gusset. 

Thoughts

    I watched Knitty Natty's video on how self striping yarn is made. She watched the process being done at Polka Dot Creek's studio in Alberta, Canada. It was an interesting video which makes me appreciate self striping yarns even more. The two pairs I knit last year were a lot of fun to knit. 

    I watched a very short video on how green tomato chow (relish) is made. The small factory making it is not that far from where I live. I remember my mom use to make it and it was okay but not my favourite relish. We did eat it on meat sandwiches and with pork. Now I know it is a Nova Scotia classic and eaten in the Maritimes. 

    I have the entry way and stairs to clean and upstairs will be done. It has been a lot of work but I am happy that I will have accomplished my goal. Once it is done (tomorrow), I will start cleaning under the stairs. 

Today

I am going to New Minas with daughter-in-law this morning. Once home, I will work on the memory book and will knit tonight. I am having a day off from cleaning house. 

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

More Things Completed From My List

 Yesterday was another sunny warm day with a high of 25C (humidex 28C). This morning it is cloudy and 15C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with rain tonight. The high is to get to 23C (humidex 26C). 

Lifestyle

It was another busy morning at my place. I cleaned my bedroom which was starting to smell dusty. I damp cleaned all the furniture and window ledges. When I was vacuuming the floor, I noticed a thick layer of dust where Rosie can't get to. I moved furniture so all those areas were well vacuumed. I also mopped the floor really well. There was a lot of dirt from the windows being opened and a fan run all the time. The room smelled clean last night when I went to bed. 

I also did another load of laundry, folded it, and put it away. Then it was out the door to the pharmacy to book my RSV appointment. They told me that the covid vaccine should be out after the middle of the month. I have to book it online. 

Crafting

I worked on the centre fold of the signature. What a lot of work. I did colour the donkey, a camel, and the three wisemen. Once they were done, I put the background paper on and laid out the pieces. I need to buy a glue stick as mine had dried up. 

I now need to think about the page I avoided. I may do something easy as this signature is getting thick. The book is going to need  a 2-3" binding on it. 

Knitting

I knit again last night and got the leg finished and 5 rows on the heel flap done. 

These socks are getting done fast as I knit rather than eat at night. 

Thoughts

    Our weather turns cooler starting tomorrow. It is going to be more average temperatures for the next week. There is rain tonight but none in the forecast for the next week. We are moving from short sleeves to sweaters.

    I am slowly getting my packing done. I have one more load of laundry to do and then I can pack 90% of my suitcase. I will be going through the list I made and marking off those items I pack. 

    I am almost done cleaning upstairs and then it will be maintenance cleaning. Once it is done, I will be doing under the stairs as I want to tackle it before I leave. My SI joint is not hurting so I might just as well do the things I need to do. 

Today

I am going to clean the spare room this morning. I need to go buy a glue stick so I can finish the center fold of the memory book. I may do some cleaning in the sewing room. Tonight I will knit on the socks. 

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

More Progress On The Memory Book

Yesterday was sunny and hot. The high got to 30C (humidex 33C). This morning it is clear and 12C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 25C (humidex 28C). 

Lifestyle

I got busy early as I knew it was going to be hot. The room I tackled was the kitchen. I set about cleaning it and getting the dust off things I hadn't touched. I cleaned cupboard doors, counters, the sink, and all the appliances. When I was done that, I took out the recycling and sorted it into its bins. The floor was vacuumed and mopped. I stood back and admired the job I had done. The cherry on top was my SI joint didn't bother me at all. Hurrah!!

I had to run the a/c yesterday as I was starting to fall asleep after lunch. I stepped outside to look at something and it was hot but not that muggy. I went back inside in a hurry as I don't like it that hot. 

Crafting

I sat looking at the page I was going to work on and I had no ideas popping into my head. This signature has some pages that are hard to get ideas to go with the story. So, I decided to tackle the center fold. I did a search, downloaded some files and started to colour. It was a relaxing afternoon and I got one half of the center fold almost done. I just have to do the donkey. I haven't attached the pieces as I need to put something on as a background. 

The other half of the center fold will have the wisemen and a camel or two. I may have to go to the craft store and get some paper as I am running out of the navy with the stars on it. 

Knitting

I knit on the socks last night and have 8 pattern repeats done (32 rounds). It is coming along nicely. 

I have 28 rounds left on the leg and I can start the heel. 

Thoughts

    I am slowly getting my appointments in place. I see a dentist on Nov. 3. It took a lot of phoning to find a dentist who is taking patients. I have my flu shot booked and will book my RVS shot with the pharmacy today. I am still waiting to book my Covid vaccine which I am hoping will be soon. I also see the doctor the day before we leave. I am watching the blood works appointments so I can book that the week before I see the doctor. 

    I didn't remove anything from the kitchen but do have a couple of items to go. I still need to find a box for donations so I can put those items into it. I am getting less to put into boxes at this time which is good. I know when I clean under the stairs I will have items to go. 

    I haven't thought about sewing since I finished the bucket hat. I am not sure what I am going to do in the sewing room except to clean it up some more before I leave. I may print some patterns so I can start sewing once we get home. I am in limbo at the moment. 

Today

I am planning on cleaning my bedroom and doing more laundry. I have to go to the pharmacy to book my RVS appointment so they can order the vaccine. I want to work some more on the center fold of the memory book and knit tonight. 

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

Bucket Hat Completed

 The weather has warmed up with the latest two mornings being 10 - 12C. The days have been warm and sunny with highs of about 22C. Today is supposed to be sunny and verging on hot. The high is to get to 29C. 

Lifestyle

There was no blog post yesterday. I got up at 7 am and was out the door to the city at 7:30 am. It was a fast paced 30 minutes. 

I have been busy with housework. On Saturday, I cleaned Rosie the Robot and she is happier. From there I went and cleaned my washer and dryer. I do them several times a year. Once they were cleaned out, I cleaned up the little hall, mopped the floor and then sent Rosie to clean the house. The floors are dusty but I am trying to keep up with them. I may put Rosie to work vacuuming every day and mopping every other day. 

Yesterday daughter-in-law and I did our grocery shopping near the city. I also got some more clothes which I will take on our trip. Once home (10 am), I had a short rest and then tackled the bathroom. It was a full clean in it. When it was done, I set Rosie to work vacuuming and mopping the floor. I will hand mop it today. 

The other job I did was to clean the oscillating fan in my bedroom. I took it apart and removed all the dust from the outer cover and the blades. I spent a lot of time getting it spotless as I know it was causing me to have some allergies. I know I had one while cleaning it. 

I was over to family's both Saturday and Sunday. We are watching videos on what to do and eat while we visit Uruguay. They are fun and interesting to watch. The food video was really interesting to watch. They do eat a lot of beef and sweets. The portions for main courses are huge and I know daughter-in-law and I will be sharing some of the meals we will be eating. 

Sewing

I did finish the bucket hat. sewed the brim onto the outer part of the hat and gave it a good press. 

I then turned it inside out and pinned the lining part in place turning under 3/8". I sat and hand sewed the lining into place. Sweet Red Poppy shows how to machine sew it in place. I didn't as I needed some hand sewing. 

I enjoyed making this hat. I didn't rush and spent my time doing the best I could with both the machine and hand sewing. 

Crafting

None done as I didn't have time yesterday. 

Knitting

I set up the 2nd sock and knit the ribbing on Saturday night. Last night I did 8 rounds on the leg part. 

Thoughts

    We are to have "hot" spell for a couple of days and then it will cool off once again. Frost forecasted for Friday morning. It will be back to normal temperatures (14 - 16C) for the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. 

    The colour of the leaves is much more beautiful than I thought it would be. One tree close to my place is fiery red. I will try to get a picture of it as it has been trimmed very uniquely. I do hope the colours last for another week or so. It is truly an enjoyable drive to and from the city at this time of the year. 

    I have been having little to no pain with my SI joint. I do stretch it every day. Yesterday's stretch was quick. I sat on the bed and when I moved to lie down, it cracked and released. I was back up cleaning in 2 minutes. The fastest release ever. 

    I am down 9.1 lbs in 8 weeks. I am working hard at portion control and not having trigger foods in the house. Yesterday I tested myself in Walmart. I had no desire for candy, cookies or anything sweet. But when I walked by the chips I wanted them. None came home with me as I know they are still a trigger food. I am hoping to have 6 lbs more gone by the time we leave and hope to eat carefully while we are away. I did it in Sweden so I can do it in Uruguay. I keep telling myself that. 

    I have also noticed that I have more energy and am quite tired at night from doing so much during the day. I would like to start walking again so I am ready for a lot of walking while we are away. At the moment, I am happy to have lots of energy to do things in the house and will transfer that to walking when things cool down in a couple of days. 

    I have emailed my doctor to get my RVS shot at the end of October and will be getting my flu shot on October 15. The only vaccine left will be for Covid and I do hope I can get it before we leave. I keep looking to see when it will be available. 

Today

I have laundry to do and while it is going I am going to clean the kitchen thoroughly. This afternoon I want to do a page in the memory book and will knit tonight. A quiet day at home, I hope. 

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

One Sock Finished

 Yesterday was mainly sunny with a high of 21C. This morning it is clear and 10C. Today is supposed to be mainly clear with a high of 22C. We could experience smoke from the fire west of us. 

Lifestyle

I started the morning out cleaning the little fridge. It is shining clean and ready to be put into storage. The next job was to wash the 2 windows in the dining area. They weren't as dusty as the living room windows but they did need a good scrubbing. 

I also wiped the baseboard heater and then cleaned the bar stools. They were certainly dusty. Once they were cleaned, I mopped a piece of the floor. Next I cleaned the dining room table which was a mess. I have books on it in which I keep track of what I need to do and what I need for the trip. I did get rid of a bunch of stuff that seemed to land there unnecessarily. I vacuumed the floor which was dusty and then mopped it. When I put the table back into its proper place, I sat on the floor and wiped down the legs. They were very dusty as I haven't done them for quite a while. My last job was to tighten the leg on my chair and give them all a wipe. I stood back and admired how clean the area looked. 

Daughter-in-law was over and looked at the fridge. It passed though there were no devilled eggs on the wooden shelf. I will have to fix that next week. 

Crafting

I did one more page of the memory book. I smudged dark blue ink on the page and stencilled snowflakes in a light blue ink. They barely show up. I made a pass through holder (forgot the name of it) for the music sheets. It wasn't hard to do but there was some fussy cutting. 

One more page done and 7 to go. I am counting down as I want this book done and gone to my friends. 

Sewing

I cut the outer fabric and sewed the crown of the hat. It was quicker as I knew what I was doing. Next was to interface the outer fabric for the brim. Then I sewed the brim pieces together and trimmed the seam with the pinking shears. 

I turned it right side out, rolled the edges so they were sharp and pinned them in place before giving it a good press. I then started to top stitch the brim. The first row was 1/4" from the edge and the other rows were the width of my regular pressure foot (about 3/8"). I stopped when I was almost an inch from the inner edge. 

I also machine basted 3/8" from the edge of the brim on the lining piece. That is to help me when I hand sew the lining in place. The 3 pieces are on the ironing board waiting for me to sew them together. 

I am enjoying this project and am doing a lot of slow sewing on it. I decided I wasn't going to rush it when I started and would sew on it after I did 1 -2 pages on the memory book. 

Knitting

I finished sock #1 last night. It went faster than expected. It took me 6 days to knit it.

I am thinking of taking them to wear on the plane over top of the compression socks. I can take them off before we land as two pair of socks won't fit in my shoes. 

Thoughts

    My SI joint hardly hurt yesterday while I was cleaning. I am being careful not to extend too far when vacuuming and mopping. I did stretch before I went to bed and had a small pop. I am pushing to do more every day as I want to strengthen the muscles around the joint. I hope it works. I see the physio therapist in 9 days. 

    I am getting the house cleaned up once again. I try to do it in the mornings but will do some in the kitchen in the late afternoon or evenings. The dust has been bad this year but I am getting it cleaned up. It seems as if I would dust and the house would be just as dusty the next day. It reminds me of when we lived in Ashcroft; you could dust every day and never have a dust free surface. 

    I have slowed down on how fast I am doing things. I am working on doing a good job vs how fast I can get it done. I do enjoy doing things this way even if it takes me longer to get projects completed. It allows me to focus on details which I will overlook if I am doing the job quickly. 

Today

I am out first thing to make sandwiches at the community hall. When I get home, I want to give Rosie the Robot a good cleaning so she is ready to vacuum the house after lunch. The space I am cleaning today is the hallway and laundry closet. I have some laundry to fold. This afternoon I want to work on one page of the memory book (blank mind right now) and work on the hat. I am out for dinner at family's tonight but hope to set up sock #2 when I get home. A busy day for me. 

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

The Start of A Bucket Hat

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 15C. This morning there is a light frost and 2C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 19C.

Lifestyle

My first job of the morning was to defrost the little fridge. I unplugged it and opened the door. I left it on its own for quite a while and finally put a container of boiling water in the little freezer to loosen the ice. It didn't take long for the ice to lift and for me to have fun getting it into the sink. It is now ready to be scrubbed clean. 

I also cleaned the living room. I washed the inside of the windows and cleaned the window ledges. Next was wiping the baseboard heaters. Furniture was moved, dusted, and floors were vacuumed and mopped. It was very dusty in that area as I have had a window opened every day for almost a month. Everything was put back in place and the freshly laundered blankets put back on the furniture. 

While vacuuming and mopping, I tried not to extend my body but it did happen when reaching into some areas. I did my stretching exercises when done and had a good crack as my SI joint released. 

I did a bit of research on my SI joint. I know it hurts when I stand a lot but it also will hurt if I sit for too long. I am working on not sitting or standing for too long at one time. I am trying to loose the weight I gained as I know it is hard on my joints. What I didn't know was to cut out sugar (that is done), processed and fried foods, and red meat. I need to pay more attention to my diet it seems. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday as I needed a break from the memory book. I decided to make myself a bucket hat and used Sweet Red Poppy's pattern. I taped the pattern together which I will not do again.

I would tape pieces 1 and 3 together and 2 and 4 tougher and leave the center not taped. 

I decided to cut the lining out first. I took my time and looked at the pictures on the website. She plunked the pattern pieces into the center of the fabric and cut it out. I was a lot more careful as I was using 2 fat quarters and want to use the scraps to make the dolls a hat. With that done, I went my merry way and sewed the side seams of the middle section together after snipping the notches. I snipped the notches on the circle and took it all to the family room to work on. 

I divided the centre section and round piece into 8 parts as it is easier to get small areas to fit together. I worked on each section using a lot of pins to get it in place.

I then hand basted each section carefully. 

I then sewed the two pieces together with the circle piece underneath. I sewed very carefully as I didn't want any puckers. 

The hand basting was removed and I gave it a good press. The seam lies against the middle piece. 

It took me a while to get the piece pressed to my satisfaction. 

I also found a meter of fabric to make the outer part of the hat. I found it in the doll's stash and it is perfect. 

The next step is to cut out the blue fabric and make the top part of the hat repeating what I did with the lining. A quick dig in the interfacing drawer found enough interfacing to make 2 hats. If I make another one, I have all the fabric I need for it. 

I really enjoyed sewing on this hat yesterday. I took my time and spent the afternoon just doing the one part. It was good for my soul to relax and enjoy the process. 

Knitting

I knit on the socks and have half of the foot knit. 

Thoughts

    The leaves on the trees are starting to turn red, yellow, and orange. We might have a good show of colour this fall which we didn't expect due to the drought. I do enjoy watching the trees turn colour each fall. 

    I am deleting almost all of the photos I have taken from my phone. They are on my tetra drive so I can access them when I need them. It took a lot of time and patience to get the job done but I am happy it is done. 

Today

I have to clean the little fridge and then will cleaning the dining room area. I want to do one page in the memory book and cut out the blue fabric for the hat. If I have time, I will start to sew it. Tonight I want to finish knitting the foot on the sock and start the toe. Another day at home for me.

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

Half Done The Memory Book

 Yesterday was a mix of sun, clouds, and cold showers with a high of 15C. This morning it is cloudy and 6C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a chance of showers. The high is to get to 16C.

Lifestyle

I was out the door early to make sandwiches. I got to cut the sandwiches and put them on the trays. It is a job I enjoy. We were quite busy as we had extra sandwiches to make. Done in really good time as we work quickly and well together. 

Once home, I started a load of laundry. I then worked on the balance sheet. I had a few problems that were my own. They were easy to find as I only had 5 entries to put in. I paid bills and put everything away including the fridge paper work. 

I did a 2nd load of laundry so all the new clothes I bought for the trip are now done. I moved all the food from the little fridge to the new one and have the little fridge ready to defrost and clean. I just have the food from the down stairs freezer to bring upstairs and I will be able to defrost the downstairs freezer also. 

I was getting ready to put the recycling and compost bin out for pick up this morning when it started to rain. It was a very gentle rain but it was cold. When it was almost not raining I got everything out. I felt cold by the time I was done. We are under a frost warning for tonight and then it will warm up again. 

Crafting

I spent the afternoon working on the memory book. I got 3 more pages completed. The first one was learning how to make a new envelope. Simple to put a sheet of music into. 

I decided to try rubbing ink on the pages to see how they looked. I quite like it. I added a few stickers and called this page done. 

The next page was also easy to do. I used a piece of card stock that was left from another page and rubbed grey ink around the page for a back ground. The stickers I used are old - probably bought 20 years ago. 

The last page was the hardest. I started it twice. The star was cut out first and the background card stock was picked out. You can see it in the above picture. I was not sure what I wanted to do. I played and fiddled around with it for a long time before I got what I wanted. 

I bought the buttons over 10 years ago and cut the shanks off the backs a couple of days ago. They were mounted using puffy double sided tape and glue. When it was completed, I was done for the day. I still have 8 pages to do. Half done. 

Knitting

I did knit last night and have the gusset done on the sock. I am now ready to knit 40 rounds on the foot. 

At the rate I am moving, I may have another pair done before we leave on holidays. 

Thoughts

    We are under a frost advisory for tonight. The weather then improves with nice temperatures in the day and cool at night. Yesterday was the first day I felt cold and woke up during the night cold. I know the cold dampness seeped into the house while it was raining. 

    I closed the living room window when it started to rain, I touched the sill and it was dusty. I now need to clean house as I know a lot of dust has blown in from all the wind and dry weather we have had. It builds up quickly. I enjoy having the windows open and the house filled with fresh air. 

    I am deleting a lot of the photos from my phone. I have a few I am keeping. I need to have lots of room on my phone for when we are in Uruguay. I know most of the pictures are in folders on my tetra drive. I just need to see if I some of them before I delete the rest. 

    There are 4 blue jays in my neighbour's yard. They are hopping around eating seeds that have been thrown around near the house. It isn't often I see them that close. 

Today

    I am going to defrost the fridge and start cleaning the living room. I will probably do a load of laundry as I have blankets to wash. This afternoon I am going to play with the bucket hat pattern. Tonight I will knit on the socks. It is a quiet day at home for me. 

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

A New Fridge

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 19C. This morning it is clear and 4C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a chance of showers this afternoon. The high is to get to 14C. 

Lifestyle

In my rush to go grocery shopping I hit my great grandmother's sugar bowl and broke it. I had to clean up the mess before I could go out. When I mopped the floor it was dirty from all the dust that is blowing in. It seems I need to mop my floors as Rosie the Robot can't keep up. 

I got to the grocery store and as I was getting out the Emergency Alert went off on my phone. More people were having to evacuate quickly from the fire that started on Sunday. I do hope no structures are lost to this fire. 

I did my grocery shopping and it was a bit busy. There were lots of children with their parents. School was closed on Monday (professional development day) and yesterday (Truth and Reconciliation Day). The children were well behaved and having fun helping their parents shop. I got home and put away my groceries. 

My fridge arrived at 2 pm. The two people were fabulous. They brought the new fridge in via the back deck and door. The old fridge exited the same way. One person hooked up the water line and plugged the fridge in for me. We took off all the shrink wrap and checked it for marks. Inside and out was perfect. 

I spent the rest of the afternoon unwrapping everything inside the fridge. I set it up and left it to cool off. It works beautifully. The only noise that startled me was the ice maker. When it drops ice into the pan, it is very loud. I need to shut the ice maker off as there is enough for me at this time. I flushed out the water dispenser and the water is cold unlike my old one where the water was warm. 

I had quite a time with my SI joint yesterday. I had to stretch it out after vacuuming and mopping the floor. Then I had to do it after bringing in the groceries. It seems as if these activities are causing the SI joint to tighten up as both times I had a good crack. I did the stretch again at bedtime and had a small crack. It is easy to get the SI joint to release if I do it shortly after I feel it hurting. 

Crafting

I didn't work on the memory book as the fridge took up my afternoon. I do have an idea for the next page and need to figure out one piece for it. It will come to me when I start to think or watch a video where I know what I want to do has been done. 

Knitting

I did knit a lot yesterday. A bit after lunch and more in the evening. I finished knitting the leg, did the heel flap, turned the heel, picked up the gusset stitches, and am decreasing for the gusset. 

This sock has been a quick knit. I really am enjoying it. It is light in colour and I can see the stitches easily. No hunting for stitches in dark coloured yarn. 

Thoughts

    My idea to stretch the SI joint as soon as possible after it starts to hurt was a good one. I will keep doing it so I can stay mobile. My muscles are sore as they have to work hard to protect the SI joint when it is sore. I do sit on heat to help them relax. At least they aren't as bad as they use to be. 

    I am putting together some ideas for the doll's outfit I want to make during the winter. It is an Edwardian outfit which will include a blouse, skirt, tie, and coat. The blouse and coat have hacks that I want to make so I need to figure out how to get the videos downloaded so I can follow along while I do the hacks. I am looking forward to doing some historical doll sewing in 2026. 

    We had no smoke in our area yesterday. The wind must have shifted enough. The fire isn't as big as they thought but it is out of control. The men who installed my fridge were out there in the morning and said it was smoky and many roads were closed to the public. 

Today

I am out shortly to make sandwiches at the community hall. Once home I need to put on a load of laundry, do my balance sheet, and pay bills. I need to put food into the new fridge and begin to defrost the little fridge. I do hope to do one page in the memory book, play with the bucket hat pattern, and knit on the socks.

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

Problems Fixed

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 24C. This morning it is a mix of sun and clouds and 12C. Today is supposed to be mix of sun and clouds with a high of 20C. 

Lifestyle

We are under a special air quality statement as there is a fire about 67 km from us. It started on Sunday afternoon and is out of control. Last night I could smell smoke (wind coming from that direction) and wondered what was up. The sky was shades of pink/orange/dark grey which is not our usual night sky. I did a google and the fire is growing rapidly and people had to evacuate from the area in a hurry. This fire is not that far from the wild fire that was brought under control on Friday or Saturday. 

I spent yesterday morning with the phone to my ear. I called about my Air Miles card, which is a Canadian loyalty program. The person who helped me was awesome. What she found out was amazing. I now have a new card number which works. I can log in and see my air miles. The second call was to the credit card company so they can link my new Air Miles card to my credit card. 

Daughter-in-law came over and we booked my hotel room. It was so easy to do using some of my air miles. 

I texted the person who mows my lawn and his worker was almost at my place. My lawn looks so much better now that is mowed but I think it will need to be reseeded this fall.  

Crafting

I did work on the memory book yesterday and got 3 pages completed. The first page was fun to do. The card flips down and a tiny book on the nativity is in a pocket under the card. 

I struggled a bit with the second page. It was hard to find what I wanted for it. After a lengthy search, I got a picture and finished it.

The third page had me digging into the crafting papers and stickers I had put into the donate/sell bins. Ideas kept rolling in my head as I loved doing this page. 

When I looked at my watch, it was almost time for dinner and I needed to drink some fluids as I was getting dehydrated. It was a successful afternoon working on the memory book. 

Knitting

I did knit on the socks last night and only have 4 rounds left to knit on the leg of sock #1. 

I am enjoying knitting a simple pattern this time. I do know that I will complete this sock before I start the 2nd one. It  is my plan at this moment.

Thoughts

    The new wildfire was under control until yesterday when the winds came up and caused the flames to spread quickly. There are about 100 homes that could be affected in the area. Fire fighters, helicopters, and bombers are working the fire. We are to have more wind today which means the fire will grow rapidly. 

    My pain level was low yesterday. My SI joint is properly in place and I could walk, bend, etc. easily. I was very careful not to do anything (sweeping, vacuuming) that would extend the SI joint and tighten it up. 

    My new fridge arrives this afternoon. I am looking forward to having a fridge I can trust. I am also looking forward to making some extra meals as I will have room to store them. The small fridge has worked but it certainly lacks room to store any extras in it. 

    I am wanting to sew once again. I have to figure out how to fit it in. Maybe an afternoon when I get to a certain place in the memory book. I want to make myself a bucket hat to wear when we are on holidays. 

Today

This morning I have to go grocery shopping. Once home, I will do some laundry and housework. This afternoon, my fridge arrives and I will work on the memory book if I can. Tonight I want to knit on the socks. 

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

A Stubbron SI Joint

 Yesterday was most cloudy though it did clear off midafternoon. The high got to 25C. This morning it is clear and 15C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 22C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I was to the hall a bit early to make sandwiches. Once they were made, I helped daughter-in-law stock the bar with water and pop. I struggled as my SI joint was stiff and out of place. I could feel it. 

Once home, I set out to do my to-do list. I put the garden hose away which was quite the job. I struggled getting the hose off the tap. I had to drain the hose and roll it up. And getting it hung up was another struggle. This hose did not want to be handled at all and I was so sore I almost let it win. I did win in the end. 

The next job was to take the food from the fridge freezer to the downstairs freezer. I put it all into a grocery tub and got it down there. I took some old popsicles and threw them into the kitchen sink to thaw as they were freezer burnt. Next was to empty the fridge and put it all into the small fridge. 

The last job was to take the recycling out to the proper containers and when that was done, so was I. I was so sore that I was almost in tears. I laid on the bed and did my exercises starting with the easy ones and moving up to the one where I have to extend my leg backwards. When I did that one, I had a long loud crack. My SI joint released. I laid on the bed exhausted but a lot of the pain was gone. 

After lunch I had an hour's nap. When I woke up I laid on the bed and rested. When I got up, I had a lot less pain but I still had some. I knew I wasn't done with the stretching but knew it had to wait for later on. My body couldn't handle it at that time. 

I was out for dinner at family's. We were to book hotel rooms but I had some issues that I need to deal with today. We watched some videos on Montevideo. One was on the area where we will be staying and the other was about markets we want to visit. They are set up for the month of December. 

I accidentally stretched in bed and had a series of loud cracks. My SI joint and sacrum released and my pain is minimal this morning. I will keep moving around and stretching on a regular basis with hopes it doesn't happen again. It will as it always seems to happen if I over do it. 

I have been watching what I have been eating and have lost 1.3 lbs in 8 days. I have almost met my first goal and have set my next one which I hope to reach before we leave in 6 weeks. It is doable if I follow my plan. 

I didn't do any work on the memory book as I was too sore and tired. I did knit 4 rounds on the sock in the afternoon. 

Today

I want to do some housework, laundry, and cook some chicken for a couple of dinners. I want to work on the memory book this afternoon and knit tonight if I don't have to go out. 

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

Purging More Fabric

 Yesterday was another sunny day with a high of 20C. This morning it is clear and 8C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 22C. 

Lifestyle

I was over to check on my neighbour's house as I saw an outside light on Friday night. It was a motion sensor light so someone or something (deer) triggered it. All was good. 

Once home, I decided to look at the fabric in my sewing room. I focused on the quilting cottons on the one shelf. I took it all out and started to sort it into keep and donate piles. I put about 10 pieces into the donate pile and the rest went back onto the shelf. 

I did keep some Christmas fabrics but not a lot. The big pile on the left hand side is for piping and it will be made into piping plus something else. There is a small pile in front of it for piping also.

What really hit me was how little I have left on that shelf. When I first got the shelf, that shelf was full and the excess was on the bottom shelf. The bottom shelf has a few pieces of fabric on it. Those pieces are going to be sewn up this winter. 

How did I feel when I left to have lunch? Happy. I am slowly getting the quilting cottons gone; donated or sewn up. 

Crafting

I did work on the memory book. I cut the paper inserts and got them put in between the pages. It helped me focus on what I needed to do. The first page required me to colour and I enjoyed that. I knew what paper would be for the background and got the page done quite quickly. 

The next page was almost the death of me. I finally decided to use an idea from the first signature. I couldn't measure if you paid me to but I made it work. The only given was the comic strip I wanted for inside the booklet. 

The cover was easy once I found what I wanted to use. 

And the bottom holder was also easy once I stencilled the paper. 

I called it a day at that point though I did think about the next page. I have a tiny book on the Nativity to put into that page. I need to figure out what I am doing to get that page to look nice. 

Knitting

I wound a ball of yarn that I had bought in Moncton, New Brunswick. I loved the colours in the skein. 

I set up sock #1 before dinner and knit for a bit on it. By the time I went to bed it was coming along nicely. 

The pattern I chose is simple but effective. It gives the sock some texture which I like. 

Thoughts

    Though I am enjoying working on the memory book, I will be getting rid of all the Christmas paper, etc. once it is done. I will look for some items in small quantities to do a book for daughter. I know I will have to do some searching for what I want as it will be a gardening book. Not as big as the one I am doing. I have learned my lesson.

    It was announced last night that the wildfire west of us is now under control. It has been a long time coming due to the drought conditions we have had. We are, once again, under a no burn ban as we are still very dry. 

Today

I am out shortly to make sandwiches at the community hall. Once home I want to put away the garden hose and then empty my fridge so I can turn it off. It will be replaced on Tuesday and I want to make sure it is defrosted and dry before it goes. I hope to work on the memory book this afternoon. I am out for dinner at family's as we need to book our hotels and get travel insurance bought. I may get to knit tonight. 

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