Working On Projects That Bring Me Joy

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 19C. This morning it is cloudy and windy and 11C. Today is supposed to be wet with a high of 19C. 

Lifestyle

I was off to make sandwiches early yesterday. When done, I headed into town to do a couple of things and then came home. After having something to drink I decided to go out and fill pots with dirt. I got 6 big pots done and 5 are outside. I put 3 on the deck for tomatoes and one on each side of the door of the shed. I was really tired when I got done. The humidity was high and the barometric pressure was going down. My knees started to hurt from that. But, I was happy the job was done. I have a pot full of empty bags and some garbage. I need to take my big bucket out and fill it up with trash. The cleaning commenced on one shelving unit. 

I put a solar light in each of the pots at the shed. I love having large solar lights long the side of the shed. I took the picture at midnight as I forgot to do it earlier in the evening. 

I still have 5 more lights to put out and may need to buy 2 more. 

Grandson came over in the afternoon and finished weed whacking the ditch for me. He did an awesome job and I truly appreciate him doing it. 

Sewing

I finished the case for grandson's scale. It was difficult to turn right side out but it wasn't as bad as sewing the closure snaps on. I had 2 big ones and they gave me grief. I think I sewed each snap on twice. If it could happen, it happened, including sewing the outside of the bag into a pleat. 

The scale sits in a plastic tray and it slides into the bag. The feet, which are the weighing mechanism, are protected by the tray and the bag. 

I had enough time to start cutting and sewing the Nova Scotia plaid gift bag. I could only match the plaids going horizontally as I didn't have enough fabric to match them vertically. Only the top part matches vertically and horizontally. I also made the bag 1" taller than the pattern calls for due to the height of one of the gifts. 

The bag went together quickly. I used interfacing that wasn't too stiff as this bag needs to fold up in a suitcase. 

I am showing the inside as it is ready to be sewn together. The lining is also done in the plaid. The yellow piece is from fabric I found in the piping stash. 

I am hoping to have it completed today and will figure out the ribbon so I can buy it on Monday or Tuesday. 

I watched a video on how to make a reusable grocery bag similar to the ones I make. I got a couple of ideas but didn't finish watching it. One of the things I am wanting to do is figure out how to cut out the corners when I go to box them. I think I know the formula; 3" square cut out will give me the 6" bottom piece I like in my bags. 

Knitting

I did not knit last night. I was too tired to even think about knitting. 

Thoughts

    I was really tired yesterday. Most of the tiredness is from having poor sleep quality. It wasn't good last night. I did get some deep sleep early on but was awake more on than off from 12:45 to 3 am. Not sure why that happened unless I was too warm. 

    My knees hurt from yesterday's low barometric pressure but eased off late in the afternoon. My knees may hurt today as I see a big storm coming in later this morning. It is annoying as it slows me down more than I want. 

    I am glad that I got pots of dirt outside yesterday so they can get wet from the rain. I have to go out and put out one or two containers out before it rains. Once the pots are wet, I can plant flowers and vegetables into them. 

Today

I am moving slower today. I don't have to rush out the door for anything. I plan on doing some housework, fold laundry, sew, and knit. I need a quiet day to relax and get caught up on the little things I have put off. 

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

Plans Changed In A Minute

 Yesterday was sunny and warm. The high got to 24C (humidex 26C). It did get cloudy late in the afternoon. This morning it is cloudy and 13C. Today we are to be cloudy with some showers in the morning and evening. The high is supposed to be 23C (humidex 25C). 

Lifestyle

Yesterday's plans went out the door. I got to the community hall to make sandwiches and found out that daughter-in-law and I were serving the luncheon at the hall after the celebration of life. 

We got the sandwiches made for that luncheon and I took grandson into town for his yoga session. Taking backroads got me there and back quickly as I didn't have to sit in line where they are doing road work. We got the next batch of sandwiches done and cleaned up the kitchen. Daughter-in-law and I finished setting up the hall in a hurry. She had to go and pick up grandson and I headed home to shower and get on nice clothes. I was back at the hall 30 minutes later to turn on the coffee pots. 

Daughter-in-law and I did a bit of cleaning while we waited for the people to arrive. The lady who looks after catering arrived with the sizes of the turkeys to make sure they had enough for a dinner mid June. The hint was out for daughter-in-law to cook them. We both ignored that as it is grandson's graduation weekend. We are busy that weekend. 

Once the people arrived and had their luncheon, we cleaned up. We work well together getting the jobs done quickly and efficiently. I was home by 2:30 pm and promptly fell asleep on the couch. I did have a short nap. 

I was out again just after 5 pm to have dinner at family's. We had smoked ribs and they were delicious. Tasty and smoked to perfection. We had a short visit and I was home by 7 pm.

Knitting

I did knit on the socks last night and got 14 rounds done. 

I am almost half done the foot but I was too tired to do 5 more rounds. 

Thoughts

    I was surprised at how well I did being on my feet so much yesterday. I pushed at times as I was tired. But I didn't have as much pain as I thought I would. I had my usual crack in the SI joint during the night. I have very little pain this morning even though I didn't have the best sleep. 

    The barometric pressure is going down again as some rain is coming in. I am sure my knees will hurt if it drops much more. So far they aren't aching so I am hoping it won't happen. We do need the moisture so I will hobble if my knees ache. 

    I was surprised at how many cases of measles have been reported in Canada. There has been one reported case in Nova Scotia with 4 provinces/territories reporting no cases. Is this just a bad year for measles or will the number of cases continue to rise in the coming years. 

Today

I am out to make sandwiches shortly. Once done, I have a few things to do before coming home. I would like to finish grandson's bag for his scales and start cutting out the Nova Scotia plaid bag. I want to knit tonight. I am hoping for a quiet day today. 

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

Working On New Projects

 Yesterday was hot and sunny. The high got to 27C. This morning it is clear and 15C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 27C. Showers tonight. 

Lifestyle

I did the balance sheet yesterday morning. When I looked at the bank statements there was a big game of musical chairs happening between the 2 print outs. I slowly went through each one checking to make sure I didn't enter any debit twice. When I did the first balance check it was dead on. I sighed with relief and finished up the balance sheet with no issues. 

I had put the blankets I use on the vegetable boxes on the deck railing to dry. Once they were dry, I gave them all a good shake and folded them. They are put away on the guest bed as we can still have a frost. 

Grandson and daughter-in-law arrived a bit later on in the morning. Grandson weed whacked the ditch for me while daughter-in-law and I put up the umbrella and sat under it. When grandson was done, he took off his shirt and shook it out and then took off his pants and did the same. All on the deck which is normal. We did a search for ticks and he had none. I was so grateful that he did the ditch for me. 

We are loving the warm weather even though we are not use to it. I have to make sure the house is closed up early and run the cooling system or the house gets unbearably warm. Outside is drying out rapidly. I keep watching everything but won't have to water just yet. My next outside job is to get the hoses out and hooked up. 

I had some pain yesterday but it wasn't unbearable. More sore muscles than the SI joint bothering me. I need to work on getting them stronger. 

Sewing

I was down stairs to sew. I decided to make grandson's case for his scale. I used up fabric from the stash along with foam interfacing. This case is narrow and I had no idea what I was going to do. I went into this blind. 

I cut the fabric and lining 10" x 19" to make sure it was long enough. I put the three pieces together and quilted them. I was doing fine. I put binding on the top edge and hand stitched it down. All was good. I then sewed the "side" seam and put binding on it. I decided the side seam would be the back seam as it would be easier to hand sew the binding down. 

It was dinner time so I stopped for the day. At this time, I know I have to make it about 3" shorter. The bottom seam will have to be bound. The top will be closed with a large snap. I was going to have it fold down but not now. I will have the top just snap together due to the thickness of this bag. I have a feeling my biggest struggle is yet to come. Turning the bag right side out. 

I have the Nova Scotia plaid fabric on the table and I have enough to make a bag. I was hoping to make the rabbit a dress from the fabric but I don't think there is enough for it. 

Knitting

I knit on the socks last night and got the gusset done on sock #2. Two more nights of knitting and it should be done. 

Thoughts

    The hot weather hit us hard and no one is outside doing much of anything. There hasn't been any humidex reading as the humidity has been low. That part has been nice. It will be nice to have a bit of cooler weather and showers/rain as things have dried out very quickly. Once damp, I want to plant both the flowers and vegetables. 

    The political scene which included Canada had me thinking hard yesterday. What I don't understand keeps me thinking. What I understand is interesting. I realize that the world will be different politically and economically. There will be diversification which, in my opinion, is good. We will live in a world of tariffs in the future. How countries do business will change. 

    It is hard to believe we are almost at the end of May. It has gone by in a blink. I did get several things accomplished in the sewing room, worked on controlling my pain, and knit a lot. What I didn't get done was due to the weather being so cold. We wait and see what June brings. 

Today

I need to get ready to make sandwiches at the community hall this morning. I am not sure what else I will do this morning but should do a few things in the house and water my plants in the garage. I want to finish the bag for grandson this afternoon and do some hand stitching. I am out for dinner tonight so don't know how much knitting I will get done. Hopefully some rounds will be knit. 

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

One Sock Completed

 Yesterday was sunny and very warm. The high got to 24C. This morning it is clear and 9C. Today is supposed to be sunny and windy with a high of 26C. 

Lifestyle

One text and my plans changed. I went with daughter-in-law for her physio therapy session. She had an intense session on her hip and knee. Once we were done, we went into Sackville to look for cookie trays for the community hall. We didn't find any. 

Our next stop was at a store called Pete's. It is a shop that is preserving its English heritage and is a delight to shop. You find a mix of exotic international items. I found pimento there but didn't buy any as it was expensive. I did buy Octoberfest sausages for dinners. The butcher was a delight to talk to. Instead of having to buy a package of 6 or 8 sausages, I could buy what I wanted. In this case, it was 3. 

Daughter-in-law looked at some items made in Nova Scotia. She bought 3 items for son to take to Uruguay. I will make a gift bag using Nova Scotia plaid fabric. 

We did two more short stops on our way home. We actually didn't find what we wanted at either store. We were both tired, daughter-in-law from her sore body and me from the heat. 

Once home, I headed out to pick up my prescription. The pharmacist told me she was cold and showed me her heater. It was on to keep her warm. She got razzed about that. 

I did uncover the plants before I left in the morning and have put them on the deck railing this morning to finish drying. They were covered with a light frost that had just started to melt when I took them off. 

Sewing

I didn't sew yesterday as I had no time. I will be making two more bags this week. One is using the Nova Scotia plaid for a gift and another is one to hold grandson's scale. I need to find out which scale he is taking so I can make it the right size. 

I have also been asked to make family a king size quilt for their bed. I need to look at designs for it. Something simple but nice. 

Knitting

I finished the first sock last night. Doing the decreases on the toe was fairly easy. I was thrilled to get it done. 

I knit 21 rounds on sock #2. I am about half done the gusset at this time. 

Thoughts

    My little cucumbers have growing rapidly in the 24 hours since they sprouted. If no other seeds sprout I am okay with that as I have 4 plants. I need to get the leeks and pepper plants in the next few days. I am getting ready to plant everything in containers and the boxes. 

    I woke to the house quite warm last night. I opened a bunch of windows at midnight and the house is cool this morning. I have one window left open and I will be closing it soon. All the curtains will be closed for the day. I am hoping that I won't have to turn on the a/c until this afternoon. 

    My back and knees did well yesterday. I had less pain and more mobility. It was a big surprise when I had a loud crack as my SI joint released when I stretched at midnight. I actually felt it release. I have some muscle pain this morning but I expected that. It will disappear with time (or I hope it does). 

Today

I have to do the balance sheet first thing and then I want to get outside while it is cool. I have to look for the Nova Scotia plaid fabric in the doll's stash and see if I have enough for a gift bag. I may head out this afternoon to get some interfacing so I can make bags. I have more than enough to do today and I hope to get it all done. 

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

Frost Near The End of May

 Yesterday was cloudy and cool until late afternoon when the sun came out. The high got to 15C at 6 pm. This morning it is clear, sunny, and 4C. We seem to have had a touch of frost as I can see it on the roof of our neighbour's house. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 23C. 

Lifestyle

I was less sore yesterday as the low pressure system had moved out. I did have a couple of cracks in bed last night as my SI joint released. I wasn't that sore yesterday so was surprised to hear the loud crack. 

I got the sheets into the washer and took off to the grocery store. My first stop was to get my prescription filled so I can pick it up today. I needed a few groceries to make dinners for the freezer. One item I needed was pimento. I looked and looked and could not find it. I asked one of the employees and he looked. He asked another employee and he looked. He asked a manager and it was supposed to be with the olives unless it was sold out. There won't be any more until they can find a new supplier. 

When done inside the store, I went to the garden center to look for jalapeno peppers. None as they sold out. They will be getting more but they don't know when. I was feeling a bit miserable as it was raining and I was getting cold and damp. 

Once home I made a casserole that I could divide up and freeze. I had never made this casserole before but it was good. I got the kitchen cleaned up and am happy I have meals for a week in the freezer. 

Late in the afternoon, I made my bed and then headed out to cover the marigolds in the vegetable boxes. The onions are looking great. 

We will have a variety of onions this fall. 

Once inside, I checked the cucumbers and each container has one cucumber coming up. I was pretty excited about three plants; one in each pot. 

Sewing

As it was cold and miserable after lunch, I headed downstairs to the sewing room. I played around with the fabric I had left over and made a small bag (called a snack bag). 

I have made three sizes of this pattern; the Everything bag, the Project bag, and the Snack bag. 

I need to buy ribbon for the four bags I have made. There is still some of the Snoopy fabric left and I need to figure out what to make from it. 

I took the rabbit's head off the body and sewed it back on again. It was still turned to the side. I then spent quite a bit of time pinning it into place so the head is facing forwards. 

My plan is to tack the head in place in the front and back then sew it in place. I do like the head centred on the body. 

Knitting

I knit a lot last night -- 39 rounds. The foot of the sock is done and I am ready to knit the toe. 

I was going to buy the pattern for the doll's coat but want to get these socks done. I will be buying it when I start knitting on sock #2. I am missing knitting for the dolls. 

Thoughts

    King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived in Canada yesterday . They were officially welcomed by the Governor General of Canada before meeting with the Prime Minister. King Charles is going to give the Throne speech to open parliament. The last time the monarchy gave the Throne speech was in 1977. The Governor General usually reads the Throne speech to open parliament.

    I just looked at the cucumber plants as I opened the curtains and I have a 4th plant peeking through the soil. That isn't too bad for old seeds. I have a feeling more seeds will be peeking through the soil and I will have to give some plants away. 

    It is nice to have the sun shining once again. It was difficult to deal with the cool, grey, and wet weather we had for a week. We can put away our winter coats as we will be having warmer temperatures for the next week. 

Today

I need to do the balance sheet, work for a bit in the shed, and pick up my prescription. I want to sew this afternoon and knit tonight. A quiet day with some outside time for me. 

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

A Larger Gift Bag Completed

 Yesterday was another cool and wet day. The high got to 11C. This morning it is cloudy and 6C. Today is supposed to be mainly cloudy with some showers. The high is to get to 13C. Frost advisory for tonight. 

Lifestyle

I was out to make sandwiches yesterday morning. I did help the set up in the community hall before I made cucumber sandwiches. Though I can do them well, I hate to make them. The slices of cucumbers are not even making it hard to get them looking pretty. What is worse than making them is cutting them. Once that was done, I kept busy washing dishes and putting trays of sandwiches into the cooler. I was back at the hall at 11:30 am to turn on the coffee urns and put milk in the fridge. People were there already which surprised me. 

I spent the rest of my morning getting meat divided and put into freezer. I cut up an onion and half a pepper and made a pot of spaghetti sauce. I have 4 meals in the freezer and had one last night. It was good. I cleaned up the kitchen while noodles were cooking. 

I was very sore yesterday. My knees have been very stiff and painful since low pressure system came in. It was hard to walk and I could have cried with the pain. I persisted and moved as much as I could. By last night, the pain went away and my knees were less painful. The barometric pressure was going up. My knees are fine this morning. Surprisingly enough, my SI joint didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. It has stayed seated properly the last couple of days. Hurrah for that. 

I looked at the pots I planted cucumber seeds into. One seed has sprouted. I can just see it coming through the soil. I need 4 plants total for this summer. Any extra will go to my neighbours if they want them. 

I did walk out into the yard yesterday morning. I had to put an extension back on to one down pipe. I looked at the vegetable boxes. The deer nosed in one corner of two boxes and then left. The marigolds and onions are growing like crazy. I am surprised at how big the onions are getting. I only wanted them to deter the deer but it seems like we will have onions to harvest this fall. 

Sewing

I cut out another bag and sewed it up. It is bigger than the last two I made. I used the same fabric to line it. I think I have more than enough fabric to make a wine bottle bag and a mug rug. 

It is ready for the ribbon as are the other two. I used a new to me interfacing. It is Pellon 803. It is heavier and nice for larger bags. Not for the smaller ones. 

So far this month, I have bought .25 meters of fabric and sewn 3 meters. The fabric I used yesterday was bought in April and I hope to have it sewn up in the next couple of days. That will leave me with 1 meter that I bought this year. I will get it sewn up next month. 

Knitting

I finished knitting sock #1's gusset last night. It was a case of forcing myself to knit vs wallowing in my pain. I am glad I knit as I am further along than I was the night before. 

I can see the difference in the dye lots now that I have knit 40 rounds using the new wool. No one will see it when I am wearing them. 

The difference is one is blue is more grey than the other one. I am glad I made the decision to knit the legs from one ball and the foot from the other. 

Thoughts

    I am so glad that the system that swirled around us for days and days has moved on. Most of my meltdown was from the pain I was having. Usually these systems have me hurt for a day or two before and then leave but this system made me hurt for days. I had a good sleep last night and had a lot of deep sleep before midnight. My body was in recovery mode. 

    The other part of my meltdown has settled also. I have learned some things that has helped me think a bit more clearly. I have come to accept that we will probably have a recession and I am prepared for it mentally and financially. I have learned that the world economic situation has been changing for the past 10 to 12 years. Quietly at times and more loudly at other times. How the world is doing business has changed and will continue to change. 

    I am so grateful to have family close by. I wanted to hire a student but he doesn't seem to want to work. Grandson is coming to do the job for me and I will make sure he gets money for doing the job. He hopes to do it on Thursday. I hope to be outside helping him. I hope to get him to do it once or twice more before he leaves on his trip to Uruguay in late June. 

Today

I have to go to get a prescription filled and will look for jalapeño pepper plants while I am out. I need 4 of them. I need to get a couple of items to make another dinner to freeze. I want to cut out the rest of the Snoopy fabric and start sewing it. I want that off the table. I want to knit tonight and may even start the doll's coat after knitting on the socks. I have been missing knitting on doll's clothes this past week. I also have to cover the marigolds due to the frost warning. 

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

Another Slow Day

 Yesterday was cool and mainly cloudy. The high got to 12C. This morning it is raining and 8C. Today we are to have showers with a high of 11C. 

Lifestyle

I was still very tired yesterday and had a meltdown. I spent a lot of time writing my feelings down and getting it off my chest. It has been a combination of missing the Spousal Unit, the upheaval in the world, and worrying about way too much that is out of my control. When done, I knew yesterday was going to be a slow day. 

I went out and bought groceries. I found some great sales and saw that a few prices are up. It is a combination of tariffs, operation costs, and, our late spring. I got what I needed and came home. 

With my energy levels low, I had to push myself to do things. I did cook a chicken carcass so I had some broth and meat for meals. I did clean up the kitchen afterwards and run the dishwasher. I also did a bit of meal planning for part of the week. Not a lot but I did push myself to do things. 

I read that we have a low swirling around a huge area from the Maritimes into eastern Ontario. It is the reason we are having so much cool damp weather. It is supposed to disappear tomorrow and then get warmer. Probably warm enough for us to complain about the heat for 2 days. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday. Mainly hand sewing. I embroidered the nose on the rabbit's head. It took me about 3 times to get it the way I wanted it to look. Then I hand sewed the head on to the body but may take it off and redo it. It is not on with back seams matching. 

I am leaving it for a couple of days to see if I like it though I am sure I won't. 

I then finished hand sewing down the second bit on the bag I am slow sewing. I did enjoy doing that. 

I also looked at the fabric I used for the gift bags and mug rugs. I have enough to make a gift bag and maybe another mug rug. I didn't look at details as I was too tired to think about numbers or lining fabric. 

Knitting

I picked up the stitches for the gusset on sock #2 and then started to knit the gusset on sock #1. I did 10 rounds on it. 

It was slow knitting as I was tired but determined to do some of the gusset. 

Thoughts

    My meltdown was mainly from tiredness and stress. I had several anxiety attacks during the day and had to work through those. I was worried about being tired and not sleeping well from that but I slept all night. I also got some deep sleep shortly after I fell asleep. It was exactly what I needed. 

    The cool weather has been annoying as I don't want to go outside and get cold. My SI joint is seated properly and my muscles are not too sore. I need to do things outside but I am refraining from doing them. 

    The cucumber seeds I planted haven't sprouted. The house has been cool so that could be one reason. Also the seeds are older which could be the 2nd problem. It also has only been 5 days since I planted them and I may be rushing them. 

Today

I am to the community hall to make sandwiches in an hour. Once home, I have to deal with the meat I bought and make spaghetti sauce to freeze. I hope to sew this afternoon and knit tonight. It will be a quiet day for me. 

Exhausted But Productive

 Yesterday morning it rained hard with the afternoon being mainly cloudy. The high got to 12C. This morning it is cloudy, damp, and 7C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun, clouds, and showers with a high of 12C. 

Lifestyle

I have to say that yesterday I was running on empty energy wise. I was tired and a bit cranky. But I made myself get up and do things. 

I folded the blankets I had laundered and got them put away. I got another load washed and dried. I also cleaned the bathroom and vacuumed some of the floors. I also made my bed as I had torn it apart from tossing and turning. Between jobs, I stood and looked at the rain come down in sheets. There was water running everywhere. 

I was supposed to get my lawn fertilized yesterday but they will be doing it on Sunday weather permitting. One thing can be guaranteed - the fertilizer will go into the ground quickly as it is wet. And we can watch the lawn grow rapidly. 

I did go out after dinner and spray the front plants with the deterrent. The deer haven't touched them since I started spraying them. A quick look this morning and they weren't back in the vegetable boxes last night. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday and made a second mug rug. It went together quickly. Once it was done, I sat and hand sewed the binding down. 

I put in a package of tea and hot chocolate and want to add a peppermint stick. 

I need to measure the rest of the fabric so I can make a wine bottle bag and one more mug rug. I have enough binding for the mug rug. The binding is left over from a project I made 6-7 years ago. 

I haven't cleaned up the sewing table as I am looking at the orphans I pulled from the Christmas fabric. I am thinking about what to do with them. I was too tired yesterday to make any plans other than using up the snowman fabric. 

Knitting

I didn't want to knit but I made myself knit the last 9 rounds on the leg of sock #2. That led to me knitting the heel flap that led to turning the heel. I am ready to pick up the gusset stitches. 

I was quite impressed with how much knitting I did last night. Once the stitches are picked up on this sock, I will work on sock #1 until it is done. I have the new ball of yarn on it. These socks may be done by the end of the month. 

Thoughts

    My back/SI joint was sore yesterday from sitting in a camping chair the night before. When I stretched in bed last night, I had about 10 cracks and pops. Not sure what was going on but it certainly relieved the pain I was having. I had a better sleep but not the best. I didn't have a deep sleep early in the night which is unusual for me. 

    We are to have warmer weather next week so I am hoping I can get outside to plant some flowers and vegetables and clean up the shelving units in the shed. It will be nice to get outside to do things in the warmer weather. I am looking forward to it as it has been so cool this spring that I haven't been able to get out as I like to. 

    I have been worrying a lot about the economic climate of the world. I know food prices are rising in Canada. Some is from tariffs and some is from the rising costs of producing food here. I have been shopping carefully for quite a while now and have changed my habits a lot. Where I used to shop at one grocery store most of the time, I am now shopping at several stores to get the best prices. I am back to meal planning as I am not getting Chef's Plate anymore. 

Today

I need to grocery shop this morning and then do a bit of housework and some cooking. I want to work on my rabbit this afternoon and knit tonight.  

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

Fabric Decisions Are Being Made

 Yesterday had some sunshine and a high of 13C. This morning it is cloudy with gusting winds and 5C. Today is supposed to be wet and windy with a high of 13C. 

Lifestyle

It was the day to get the shingles vaccine. I was there mid morning and got it done. Though the site is sore, I had no reaction to it. I chugged along all day. I go back August 14 for the 2nd dose. 

While filling in the app to say I had the vaccine, I saw a text from the pharmacist who lives across the street from me. She wanted to know if I wanted the shingles vaccine. I headed out to the pharmacy to say I had just got mine and to give that vaccine to someone else. She asked if I got it for free and I said yes. We are the fourth province/territory in Canada to offer the shingles vaccine free to seniors. 

I laundered the blankets I put over the marigolds and they are ready to fold. When I looked out to see if it was raining I think the deer were in two of the vegetable boxes. I will be monitoring the boxes very carefully and deciding on what to do. The front plants haven't been touched so that is good. I am hoping the marigolds, onions, and garlic will deter them from the vegetable boxes. I will also be spraying that area with deer deterrent. 

I was out to family's for dinner which was nice. We had pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw. Once done I helped clean up the kitchen and we left for grandson's school. Last night was cadet inspection. It is a long process which includes marching, having their uniforms inspected, and awards. Grandson and his friend accepted an award for the best platoon which is great. Job well done. 

It was interesting to watch the cadets. They are a big group of over 300 students from the school. Some love it and go up the ranks. Others just do it and you can see it. Poor saluting, not following directions, somewhat messy uniforms. This is the last inspection we will be going to as grandson graduates next month. 

I did get cold again last night. I did wear a lot of clothes but this time my feet got really cold. My SI joint tightened up something fierce due to the camping chair I sat in. I did sit on a cushion but knew it would happen. It took me a long time to get it to release. It is fine this morning. Just a couple of muscles that are sore. I will be fine. 

Sewing

I was in the sewing room a lot yesterday. I took fabric off the shelving unit and pulled out the orphans. They will be donated to the quilting group. The rest I will try to sew this year. My plan is to see what is left at the end of March 2026 and donate it to either the guilting group or a thrift shop. My cutting table is a mess and I need to clean it up. 

I finished the bags and now need to buy ribbon for them. 

The lining is snowman fabric and is a cute surprise. 

I am thinking of adding something to the front of the bags using my Cricut. 

I also decided to make a new mug rug. I saw it on YouTube and it is simple to make. 

I did my thing as I like to change things up. Though the basic size is the same, I did stitch the one part in place with an X. I also bound mine as I love things with binding on it. It is ready to have the binding hand sewn down. I will be making one more out of the fabric. I will do a quick tutorial on it in the next couple of days. 

Knitting

None done last night as we got home at 9 pm. 

Thoughts

    I am making some decisions on what I am going to sew using up the Christmas fabric I have. One thing I will have to say is that I have sewn up about 75% or more of what I brought to Nova Scotia. There still is more than I thought left but it is becoming more manageable. 

    The rest of the quilting cottons on the shelf have also decreased in amount. I still have a lot of piping to make for daughter and several pieces to make into bags. I keep looking for ideas so I can use up the fabric. I have the quilts I want to make in a unit with drawers and I am limiting how many quilts I am allowed to make. The doll's fabric is another story but I will work my way through it either sewing it up or donating it. 

    The house will be power washed in the next 2 weeks. I am excited that is happening as the house is dirty and I hate that. It will be nice to have it done and off the list. I am hoping that the hedge will get done this year though the company is so busy mowing lawns at the moment. 

Today

I have to do some housework this morning and fold the blankets. I hope to do a load of laundry. I am going to sew this afternoon and I hope to knit tonight. I am tired as I didn't sleep well last night so a nap might happen. It is a bit of a recovery day for me. 

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

A Slow Day To Recover

 Yesterday was mainly cloudy and windy with a high of 12C. This morning it is cloudy and 5C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 15C. 

Lifestyle

I was survival mode yesterday. I was tired from having a late night. I paced myself so I could get through the day. I did do some cleaning and took out the garbage. I folded the laundry and put it away. Then I had a nap. All before lunch. 

The nap did help some but I was still quite tired so I slowed my pace even more. The only jobs I did was to make dinner, take the garbage to the curb for pick up today, covered the plants in the vegetable boxes and sprayed the plants in the front of the house to keep the deer away. I think I had a deep sleep when napping and it took me a long time to wake up hence me not wanting to do much in the afternoon. 

My lawns got mowed yesterday and they were longer than I thought. The company is so busy mowing that they are behind in doing jobs like my hedge. It will get done. 

Sewing

None done as I knew I would make mistakes. I steered clear of the sewing room. 

Knitting

I did knit a lot yesterday afternoon and evening. I also made mistakes I had to fix. At least they were easy to fix. I knit 40 rounds on sock #2. Ten more rounds and I can start the heel flap.

Thoughts

    I watched a lot of TV yesterday hence why I knit so much. Most of it was videos I enjoy watching. I try not to do this every day as it cuts into what I have planned. I did sleep well last night. 

    We didn't get frost last night which is wonderful. The skies had a lot of clouds in it and there was some wind which is probably the reason the temperature didn't go as low as expected. There is still a chance we can get frost in early June. Slim but it still can happen. 

    I was saddened yesterday to hear that a rodeo friend passed away on Tuesday. She was only 65. We were quite close friends during our years in high school rodeo. We had kept in contact via social media since then. 

Today

I am out this morning to get my first dose of the shingles vaccine. Once home, I hope that I can do a few things unless I  it makes me tired. I hope to launder the blankets I use on the vegetable boxes as they are dirty. I may get a bit of sewing done this afternoon. I am out tonight to watch the cadet review at grandson's school. I won't be knitting tonight as I won't get home until after 8 pm. 

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

And We Were Early - Very Early

 Yesterday felt like winter. It was cloudy, windy, and the high got to 8C. This morning it is cloudy and 6C. Today we could see some sunshine but will have a north wind. The high is to get to 12C. Frost advisory for tonight. 

Lifestyle

I was to the doctor's yesterday and my thyroid is back under control. My kidney function is lower than it was. It is back to working on it. No Advil and getting my weight down once again. I also need to cut back (weigh) my protein intake. I took 4 Advil in the last couple of months and it affected my kidney function. So it is back to making sure I am being extra careful. 

Once home, I had a few things to do. Once they were done, I decided to plant my cucumber seeds. I filled some greenhouse pots with dirt in the shed and have them in the house where it is warm. 

I planted 12 seeds and will only have 4 cucumbers. What is left will go to my neighbours. The cucumbers will be grown in pots on the deck this summer. 

I did look at the items on the shelving units in the shed and will need about 3-4 hours to get them decluttered. My focus is on that at the moment. I will look at the rest of the shed when the shelving units are done. 

I had a short nap after lunch as I was tired. I also had dinner early as I was going into the city to watch grandson's team play soccer. It was the beginning of a barrel of laughs for us. First of all I dressed like it was winter -- 2 pairs of pants, heavy socks, hoodie, winter coat, 2 pairs of mitts and a toque. I also took a quilt to wrap up in. Inside a building and I was sweating. Outside on the bleachers, I was cool. 

I was to be ready for pick up at 4:50 pm. I was ready to go. We got to the playing field and sat and sat and sat. When daughter-in-law looked up the time, we were over an hour early. So off to Tim Horton's we went for a hot tea. We had several good laughs about it all evening. 

I got to watch the game under lights. Soccer friends' son's team was playing against grandson's team. We agreed to cheer for both teams. Though grandson was promised playing time, he got none. He should have been out on the field along with some other players but that wasn't the coach's choice. The other team won 1-0. What was embarrassing was a team of 15 - 17 year olds beat a men's team. We got home at almost 11 pm and I went to bed under a pile of blankets and had a fair sleep.

I did not sew or knit yesterday. I was on a tight time line to go out. I also wanted to get the cucumber seeds planted. 

Thoughts

    The other night I watched "The Quilters" on Netflix. It is about a group of men in a high security prison who make quilts for charities and foster children. It was very interesting as these men spend a lot of time working on their designs, get joy when they receive fabric donations and thank you cards. At this time, one of the men was removed from the program due to a violation and one has passed away. The rest in the group continue to quilt each day. 

    Our cooler weather will remain with us for a week. It means dressing up warmly tomorrow night while watching cadet inspection at grandson's school. This is the last cadet inspection for him. It is hard to believe he is graduating next month. 

Today

I am in survival mode today. I need to do a few things around the house, have a nap, and go to bed early. I hope to knit on the socks tonight. If I can, I will try to finish one of the gift bags this afternoon. I won't be doing anything that needs a lot of focusing on. I also have to cover the vegetable boxes tonight as the marigolds don't like frost. 

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

Preparing to Garden

 Though yesterday was cloudy, it wasn't dull or dark. The high got to 15C. This morning it is wet and 7C. Today is supposed to be wet this morning and cloudy this afternoon. The high is to get to 10C. 

Lifestyle

I headed out to New Minas to shop for plants. I went to Walmart where they were the cheapest and all of the plants are grown close by. I picked up mainly flowers as they didn't seem to have any vegetables. On the third look, I found tomatoes. The 6 pack had 3 Early Girl and 3 Fantastico (grape). Perfect for me and what I don't need, I will give away. 

The next stop was to Dollararma. There I picked up what I needed for staking the tomatoes in pots. I also got 2 trellises for the cucumbers. 

My last stop was at Michaels. I got two skeins of pink floss for the rabbit's nose and two balls of yarn to knit sweaters/coats for the dolls. 

After lunch, I went to the shed to look at the pots. I have several I need to bring in for recycling. The rest I will use either for vegetables or flowers. I also texted my neighbour to see if he wanted 12 heavy duty tomato cages. He was over to get them asap. I also gave him 2 bags of fertilizer and a bag of lime for his lawn. The tub I had those items in has a part bag of fertilizer I use in the garden boxes. I want to buy a bucket with a lid on it for the fertilizer. Less space than a huge tub. 

I was down to visit with my friend after that. I helped her remove stitches from a piece of fabric and then we visited. She leaves next week to celebrate her mom's 97th birthday. 

Sewing

Though I didn't sew yesterday, I did make a list of items I want to work on for the next couple of weeks. It includes finishing the rabbit, making some gift bags, and making a couple of mug rugs with pockets in them. I am looking forward to these projects. 

Knitting

I finished the sweater last night. It fits the doll a bit tight. The doll is one of my "fatter" ones. 

It is sweet and looks nice with the outfit. 

And I do like the pattern. 

I also cast on the 2nd sock and got 11 rounds knit on it. 

These socks may be done by the end of May. If not, the first week of June. 

Thoughts

    On the way to New Minas I noticed that the apple trees are coming into blossom. I noticed the lilac bushes are coming into bloom also. There are a lot of other trees I don't know the names of coming into bloom also. The lupins are growing rapidly which means they will be in bloom by mid June. 

    I am so surprised at the difference in price of plants. They range from $5.00 for 4 down to $2.98. for 6. Most of our flowers and vegetables are grown in Nova Scotia. I will be going back next week to look for vegetables as I need to buy peppers and leeks. I also need to go to another area as there is a greenhouse I love to visit. 

    I didn't have as much pain yesterday as I have had. I monitored it all day. When I did some exercises in bed, I did have 5 small cracks but nothing like I have had. I slept pain free for 6 hours. I am learning that when I start to hurt, I need to stretch and do a couple of moves to help release the SI joint. I am hoping as I do things, I will get stronger and my SI joint won't tighten up as much. 

Today

I am out to the doctor this morning. When I get home, I will fold laundry and put it away. I want to sew this afternoon and knit tonight. A quiet day for me. 

Making Gift Bags

 Yesterday was cloudy with a high of 14C. This morning it is cloudy and 11C. Today is supposed to be cloudy with showers and a high of 16C. 

Lifestyle

My first job of the day was to do yoga. While doing one of the exercises, the SI joint released and it felt good to have little pain. One thing I am noticing is that the muscles are more relaxed most of the day. They only hurt when the SI joint stiffens up. 

The second job of the day was torture. After putting on the laundry, I did the balance sheet. I could not get it to balance no matter what. I was frustrated that I could not figure out why I was out. I tried and I tried to find the mistake. Finally, I deleted all of May's entries and started again. It was then that I realized I was mixing up two numbers that I subtract to get the balance to match the bank statement and the balance sheet. Once I figured that out, I was careful not to flip them and everything balanced. It took me well over an hour to realize that and by the time I finished, it was after 12 noon. I was not happy. Thanks to that, morning was gone though the laundry was in the dryer. 

Later in the afternoon, I put the clean sheets on the bed. My SI joint was really stiff and painful. By the time I was finished making the bed I was so sore that I was yelling ouch when I moved. I got onto the bed and the exercise the physio therapist told me to do (windshield wiper) and after 5 reps the SI joint released. I did 5 or 6 more and got off the bed virtually pain free. 

I have been doing a bit of thinking and doing with Chef's Plate meals. I have been eating only 3 meals a day with no snacks and I have not lost weight. In actual fact, I gained a bit of weight. I realized that the starch part of the portions are too much for me. I am going to do some figuring out how to make them with less rice, noodles, or potatoes. I eat the last one tonight and will be making my own suppers. 

Sewing

I decided to  clean up the cutting table yesterday and found two pieces of the stripe fabric I had bought for the table runner backing. I decided to make 2 gift bags. I dug in the stash to find fabrics to compliment the stripe fabric. 

The first gift bag is ready to have the side seams sewn. The second one is the one above and is ready for me to sew it up. 

I also laundered the fabric I bought in April. It is ready to make into gift bags also. I am going to have a bit of fun making them plus some mug rugs to go with them. 

Knitting

I did knit last night. I got the heel flap knit and the heel turned on the first sock. I also picked up all the stitches to start the gusset. 

I have attached the second ball of yarn to this sock so I can cast on sock #2. 

I also knit on the doll's sweater. I have almost done the body part of it. Five more rows and the body will be done. 

It is close to be finished. Then on to the doll's coat from the same yarn. 

Thoughts

    We are having a cool spell right now and could have frost on Wednesday night. I will not be putting out plants until June 1 and will store them in the garage until then. This is not unusual for us to have frost this late in May. We can have frost in early June. We had a killer frost on June 3 in 2018 and another light frost on June 10, 2020. 

    The deer have not been around the yard since I started spraying the plants. Not sure if they have moved away to have their babies or if the smell of the deterrent is keeping them away. I have been spraying almost every night and you can smell it when you go outside. Soon I will be spraying the vegetable garden. 

    Today is Victoria Day and I thought everything was closed. From what I am reading, most everything is open. I wondered as our road is busier than I thought it would be. 

Today

I will put on a load of laundry and then head out to New Minas to look for plants. I am ready to buy some and put into the garage. I want to sew this afternoon and knit tonight. 

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