A Doll Dress Is Completed

 Yesterday was another hot sunny day with a high of 30C (humidex 33C). This morning it is cloudy and 19C. Today is supposed to be mainly cloudy with a high of 25C (humidex 27C).

Lifestyle

Yesterday, the temperature climbed all day until 6 pm. The only difference was the humidity was not as high as it had been earlier in the day. The mass of humid air was moving away from us. The heat warning was gone around 8 pm but there were chances of thunderstorms which never materialized.

I started out the morning washing the remaining walls in the dining room and kitchen. The walls are ready for paint. When done, I mopped the kitchen and dining room floors. I was done as I could feel the humidity in the house and it was making me feel tired. 

I was out to the vegetable boxes and picked two more grape tomatoes and a red onion. 

I am picking the tomatoes semi-ripe as I don't want the deer in the yard. Since the dog barked at them, they haven't been around. They love ripe tomatoes so I am trying to get them off the vines so they don't attract the deer.

My blinds arrived yesterday at noon and I checked my order and all is good. I have them in the boxes on top of my wagon. Once the walls are painted, I will get them installed. The old drapes will be gone. 

Sewing

I spent most of the afternoon sewing on the doll's dress. It is finished and I am pleased with it. 

I love this pattern and am grateful I have a copy of it as my friend did not publish it. Though I don't follow her instructions exactly, they are well written for a beginner. 

This dress was kept simple and I added a tiny bow to the neckline. 

On the back, I added 2 buttons as I am working on sewing buttons on when using snap closures. 

I still have some of the fabric left and I have an idea of what I am going to do with it. I may have to buy .5 meter of the fabric. I just need to do my research while I finish my quilt top. It's next on my to do list. 

Knitting

I did knit last night and have 61 rounds done on sock #2. 

I will soon be ready to start the heel flaps on both socks. Progress is being made. 

Thoughts

    I am happy the heat warning is gone and that we will have a couple of cool days and more cooler nights. Everything is so dry that it's scary. There was a wildfire reported near Halifax yesterday. They were fighting it and seem to have it contained. There is a province wide burning ban in effect until October.  

    I am starting to make a list of things to do in August/September. Will I paint the living room? Maybe as it is easy to do. I do know I want to clean my bedroom and continue decorating it. I need to get the vegetable boxes ready to be emptied and gone. 

Today

I have to get my hair cut this morning and my goal is to starch the fabric to finish my quilt. I want to play with some fabric and make a quilting block for the next project I am designing in my head. I want to knit tonight. Another day at home for me. 

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

Making A Doll's Dress

 Yesterday was hot and humid. There was a shower in the afternoon that left outside feeling like a sauna. The high got to 32C (humidex 38C). This morning it is cloudy and 16C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 30C (humidex 36C). 

Lifestyle

I only watered the plants twice yesterday as they were still wet in the morning. I also picked 6 cucumbers off the 2 plants. 

One I took over to my friend so she can enjoy it. There won't be any more ready for a while. 

I looked out at the tomatoes in the vegetable boxes and I can see another semi ripe grape tomato. I will be picking it this morning as the deer love ripe tomatoes. 

The heat is getting to me and I found it hard to get motivated to do any cleaning. No one is really motivated as you see no one outside doing things unless they have to. My neighbour has been 3 weeks working on putting new decking down and got 2 or 3 boards put down yesterday. He is about half done a 10 x 10 ft deck. Just too hot and humid. Everyone seems to want to be in the shade with ice cream. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday. I cut out a dress for one of the Gotz dolls and got the bodice made. 

It is a very simple bodice to make and went together quite quickly which was nice. The skirt is cut out and ready for me to serge the seams and hem before attaching it to the bodice. 

Knitting

I knit on sock #2 last night and got quite a few rounds done on it. 

I am deciding if I will make the heel black and the toe white at this time. I could add some rows of black in the toe if I choose. 

Thoughts

    It was a surprise to read that there was an earthquake near Russia and that they are having a tsunami. I also saw the warning for the tsunamis down the west coast of North America and have since read that the waves have been seen hours after the quake. 

    I watched a video where Knitty Natty visited wool shops in Ontario. In one shop she showed a bag which is made out of canvas and it has a granny square trim on the front. It is fully lined and the bottom of the bag is boxed. I looked it up and they sell for $100.00. A cute idea. 

    My friend was over last night while her son's house had a viewing. We talked about items she wants to make to sell that would make good Christmas presents. She has some good ideas which she will sell at a local craft shop. She will get lots made as she sews fast and does a nice job. 

Today

I will try to wash some walls this morning. I want to fold yesterday' laundry. I will sew and knit today. I have to be home as the blinds are supposed to be delivered today or tomorrow. A quiet day for me. 

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

A Bag Is Finished

 Yesterday was very warm and humid. The high got to 28C (humidex 34C). This morning it is foggy and 16C. Today is supposed to be sunny and very warm. The high is supposed to get to 30C (humidex 35C). 

Lifestyle

I was out the door to grocery shop before it got hot. The store was fairly quiet and I got what I wanted and left. Once I got the groceries put away, I went out into the yard and pulled an onion for daughter-in-law. I also picked her one semi-ripe grape tomato. I gathered up the cucumbers and headed over to give them to her. She had a good laugh over the tomato. 

We had a good chat and she made me lunch (unexpected but appreciated). The smoked Montreal beef sandwich was delicious. We chatted for a bit longer and I came home as she needed to get back to work. It was a wonderful visit. 

Due to the heat and humidity I had to water the pots on the deck 3 times yesterday. They are saturated and I won't be watering them until mid morning today. The last watering I moved leaved and found 4 more cucumbers ready to pick. Here are 2 of them. The other two are the same size. And there are more to come. 

I counted the jalapeño peppers on 2 plants and quit when I hit 12. There are more. The other 2 plants have a lot more on them. Son is going to have a lot of peppers to play with when he gets home. He said salsa. 

Sewing

I worked on the bag yesterday and finished it. It was a fairly easy sew with the only concern being the points on the triangles. I didn't need to be concerned as they are near perfect. 

I had to decide on what I wanted to cover the button with and decided on a pheasant. I carefully cut it out from one end of the fabric I used for the bag. 

I am quite proud of this bag as I spent quite a bit of time designing it using left over fabric from the quilt and a strip of fabric daughter sent me. I did no piping as I wanted the design to be the focus. 

I put away all the scraps so I can use them in another project. I will ship the bag to daughter when I get a few other things made for her. My focus now is to finish my quilt and clean the sewing room. 

Knitting

I did knit last night and finished the leg on sock #1. I will do the heel in black yarn.

I will be starting the leg on sock #2 tonight. 

Thoughts

    I got hot yesterday and was craving sweets even though I was quite hydrated. I realized my internal temperature was high causing the cravings. I remembered I had some popsicles in the freezer and had a couple of them. I cooled off and the cravings stopped. 

     Yesterday I caught myself having a small panic attack and sat and did some thinking. I realized what is causing me to feel like I am. I was looking at issues negatively when I should be looking at them positively. I know the world situation is not the best for everyone. What I am learning is that when we remain calm, we can tackle a lot more than if we panic. 

    The fog has lifted and it is warming up. We have another 48 hours of this heat and humidity. From what people say, this is usual for Nova Scotia and from what I read, it is common to have this type of weather. I remember the 2 weeks we spent in 1992 and it was hot, humid, and dry. My mom said that the water flowing by the house she grew up in would almost dry up in the summer. It was almost dry when we were there. She and I walked up to the family cemetery and it was crispy under foot. I do remember that no rain fell while we visited. 

Today

I have to clean the bathroom and then starch the fabric for my quilt. I am not sure if I will wash walls today due to the heat. I may do a wall or two. I want do a bit of tidying up in the sewing room this afternoon and knit tonight. A fairly quiet day for me. 

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

A New Bag Is Emerging

 Yesterday was sunny and warm. The high got to 28C (humidex 30C). This morning it is clear and 17C. Today is supposed to be warm, humid, and sunny. The high is supposed to be 29C (humidex 35C). We are under another heat warning. 

Lifestyle

I got the balance sheet done very quickly yesterday morning. I have a grocery shopping and a hair cut for expenses for the rest of the month. I am happy with my spending this month considering I had a trip to PEI, the car done, and a home repair. 

I spent a lot of time watering the tubs on the deck. They are growing and producing and need to be kept moist. I picked cucumbers last night. 

There is a tiny grape tomato almost ripe. 

There is another tomato in the vegetable boxes at this stage of ripeness also. There are also jalapeño peppers growing like crazy. 

Sewing

I vacuumed the sewing room yesterday morning. It needed to be done. I do need to clean the room again when I finish the quilt. 

I worked on the bag yesterday. I added brown fabric to the top and bottom. I adjusted the sizes to get what I wanted for appearance. I fused fleece onto the back and quilted the brown fabric. I then added fusible interfacing to the back of that. The handles were sewn on and I folded the bottom part of the bag under so I could see how it looked. 

I then put the fusible fleece onto the back of the bag, quilted it, added fusible interfacing and added the handle to it. I then cut out the lining and put fusible interfacing on those pieces. 

At this point I was done for the day and needed to go and make some meals. 

Knitting

I finished knitting the cuff on sock #2 and then knit on the leg of sock #1. 

So far so good. I am not following the pattern exactly. I bought it for the idea of how to do the work sock look. I will buy another bundle later on to make another pair as I do like the look of work socks in a finer yarn. 

Thoughts

    I found this map on Facebook which states we are dry with areas of Nova Scotia having drought conditions. 

There have been postings on what we should be doing. Those should have been posted a long time ago. I am okay as I have nothing near my house, one tree in the yard, and my hedge is a distance from the house. My biggest fear is someone throwing a cigarette out of their car window and causing a fire. I experienced that in 1994 when we lived in Ashcroft. 

    I have been keeping to myself a lot more than usual. I have been thinking and talking to myself a lot more than usual as I have been worrying a lot about everything. I need to focus on what I can control in my life and let go of what I am not able to control.  I am working on trying to balance my life between getting things done and doing those things that bring me joy. Though I need to know what is happening around me, I need to stop at that point unless it affects me personally. I tend to over think everything which is not good. 

Today

I have to get groceries this morning, take a cucumber and semi ripe tomato to daughter-in-law. I want to do a bit of housework if I have time. I also want to work on the bag this afternoon and knit tonight. I will also need to water all my plants as it is going to be hot today and warm overnight. 

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

Progress On The Bag

 Yesterday was cooler and sunny with a high of 25C. This morning it is clear and 12C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 27C. 

Lifestyle

I did a bit more work on the family tree as I needed to find out more about my great-great grandmother's three children out of wedlock. I read a note that their father would not recognize them as his. They were raised by her parents and lead productive lives. I won't work on it until this winter when I will buy another subscription to dig deeper into the past. 

I was out the door to go to the quilt shop next. I thought I had to get more fabric for daughter but I didn't. But I needed interfacing and fusible fleece so went to get it, a rotary blade, sewing machine needles, and thread. I had a great trip there looking around the store which had one other customer in it. 

I was out to the community hall to help with the bar. It was so slow that I ended up helping the lady in charge of the food so it could be put away to be eaten safely later on. I was home before 8:30 pm. Daughter-in-law stayed and she figured she would be done by 9-9:30 pm. People drank fruit punch and coffee which we were told could happen. It was a beautiful wedding and the decorations were gorgeous. It was a couple in their early 50's who got married. 

Sewing

 I have lots of interfacing for the next 3 - 6 months. My supply was low -- .5 each of 2 interfacings and not a lot of fusible fleece. I will be going through the drawers to organize what I have. 

I did work on the reusable bag yesterday. I had to sew the flying geese to the dog fabric twice. I was trying too hard to be perfect and it wasn't perfect. I finally figured out an easy way and got it done. 

Once I got that done, my plan for the rest of the bag fell into place. But, the fat quarter I bought was calling me to be made into piping. I cut it out and made over 4 meters of piping. 

I am not a fan of the colour brown but I do like this one. It will be a great addition to daughter's piping stash. 

Daughter hoards the custom piping I make her. I keep telling her to use it as I can always make more. She has finally decided to use it which thrills me. I enjoy making piping for her. 

Knitting

I did knit last night. I cast on sock #2 and knit 5 rows in black before I stopped for the night. 

Thoughts

    We are going to have another hot spell over the next few days. I will be watering the pots on the deck 3 times a day so they don't dry out. I am almost ready to pick 2 cucumbers which is exciting. I have done watering #1 already this morning. When I touched the railing, the dew on it was cold. Not complaining as I like the cool mornings. 

    The lawn got mowed yesterday morning. It was longer than I had thought it was and areas where the down spouts are were even longer and very lush. The yard looks neater now. If the hot dry weather continues, the lawn won't need mowing for another month. 

Today

I need to do the balance sheet this morning. I want to cook another meal so I can have a variety in the fridge and freezer. I will work on the reusable bag and knit on the socks. I will be watering the plants a couple of times today also. 

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

Another Sock Started

 Yesterday was warm and sunny with a high of 31C (humidex 39C. This morning it is sunny and 17C. Today is supposed to be sunny and 25C. 

Lifestyle

I was tired yesterday so slowed my pace. I cleaned the dining room windows and the outside was quite dusty. I also spent quite a bit of time cleaning the kitchen which was due. A few dishes and items to put away. It is very clean now and I can finish washing walls next week. 

I folded laundry and put it away. I laundered the sheets and made my bed. I cooked a bunch of chicken breasts so I could have them for lunch and dinners over the next several days. 

I watered the plants 3 times yesterday due to the heat. I also watered the flower boxes for 20 minutes last night. Everything is drying out fast when it is hot and windy. 

Son texted me yesterday to go over and check on daughter-in-law. She hurt herself cleaning the pool. I raced over in a hurry only to find out she had a tiny scrape on her elbow. She got it when trying to get the vacuum head out of the pool after cleaning it. I had a good laugh at her antics and I am sure son will have a good laugh when he watches the security video. But, we were both worried she hurt her knee or hip and needed to be helped. 

Sewing

I didn't sew as I was too tired to figure out the fabric sizes for the bag I am going to make. I need to measure and get the sizes right. 

Knitting

I did knit last night and got the cuff knit on the first sock. I did knit 2 rows of the blue on it. 

Here is the colour scheme. 

I am ready to knit the cuff on sock #2. 

Thoughts

    The heat yesterday was difficult to handle as the wind was also hot. We had a warm shower in the evening which helped a bit but it didn't cool down the air. It finally cooled down early this morning. The mornings will be cooler this coming week which will be nice. We really need a couple of days of rain. 

    I read that the SWAT teams that arrived in our community on July 11 went into motion on Wednesday. They headed down what we call the Chester Road (towards Lunenburg). No one knows what actually was going on but it had to be a big thing to have the SWAT team involved. 

Today

I have to go and buy a piece of fabric to make some more piping for daughter. She needs more of it. I am taking it easy today as I have to be out tonight to tend a bar for a wedding. I will do a few little things but nothing major. 

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

A Yarn Mess

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 28C (humidex 31C). This morning is clear and 19C. Today is supposed to be hot with a high of 32C (humidex 39C). We could get a thunder shower this afternoon or evening. 

Lifestyle

I was out to the community hall to held daughter-in-law put locks on the cupboards. When the job was done, we checked the bar for supplies and set up the tables for a wedding buffet. There will be people there this evening to set up the hall the decorate. 

Once home, I folded fabric as I wanted to put it away. That job took some time as I was folding about 8 pieces and all were about 2 meters in length. 

I was over to have dinner with daughter-in-law. We had take out pizza and had a great talk. When done, we put the cover on the pool. It is easier when 2 people do it. We then sat and talked and I will be buying a new front door. I am going with a dark coloured door on the outside and white on the inside. The old one leaks a bit now and again so it is time to get it done this fall. 

Sewing

I pressed one piece of fabric and then played around with it and some fabric bits. I am going to use a strip to make a bag for daughter to donate. 

The top part will have the brown on it but not quite that wide. Then the geese and dogs. The bottom part of the bag will be the dark brown. The back of the  and handles will be dark brown and the lining will be a rust colour. I just need to buy interfacing for it. 

Knitting

I decided to wind the skeins of yarn for the next pair of socks. The first two balls wound perfectly for me. The last skein was the smallest and it decided to be a pain. I ended up with a mess and started to wind the yarn into a ball by hand. 

This picture was taken when I was about half done. When done, I wound it into a cake and put everything away. I was done for the day. 

I bought the pattern for the socks. The first pair I made was called Timber Ridge which used a heavier yarn. This one is called Timber Valley which uses sock yarn. 

My colours are blue tweed with cream and black. I am looking forward to knitting them for grandson. 

Thoughts

    It was the Spousal Unit's birthday yesterday. He would have been 80 years old. I got through the day with minimal sadness. Keeping busy does help me not be depressed. I still do miss him but I know he is not in pain. 

    I am watering the plants twice a day now and may have to give them a bit of water at noon during the hot spell we are going to have for the next several days. I have fertilized and watered them already this morning. Everything is growing well and all looks healthy. 

    The deer haven't been in the back yard since the dog barked at them. I am expecting them back as they will become braver over time. 

Today

I am going to try to wash some walls this morning and maybe even get a couple of windows washed. I want to sew this afternoon, do a bit of cooking, and knit tonight. A quiet day at home for me. 

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

Rabbit's Dress Completed

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 26C. This morning it is clear and 16C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 28C (humidex 32C). 

Lifestyle

I started the day out removing the drapes from the living room windows and washed the walls. I stood back and looked at the windows and decided to buy blinds for them. 

The curtains are past their life expectancy and are dusty and dirty. They have done their job and I do like how open the room feels. Daughter-in-law came and we went through the list of what I needed to do to buy them. I am getting the 3% value solar motorized blinds in a light grey for the living room, dining room, and kitchen. 

Once ordered, I went back to washing walls and got the long living room wall where the tv is done to one of the dining room windows. I then mopped most of the floor in the living room as I put furniture back. I hung the curtains as they do block out the afternoon and evening sun. 

I made a batch of spaghetti sauce after lunch. I ran out and pulled an onion from the garden. Not the biggest but not the smallest one. 

I am watering the vegetables on the deck twice a day now as it is getting warmer and they are drying out quickly. I am watching the cucumbers grow bigger and the tomatoes turn from dark green to light green. The peppers have tiny little peppers on them. 

I took recycling to the end of the driveway last night and visited with my friend. We waved and her dog saw me and wanted over for her pets. She is getting excited to move into her apartment. She also feels sad as she will be a 5 hour drive from her son. She said she will make her decision about moving to be closer in January. In the meantime, I told her to enjoy her new place and not to fret too much. 

Sewing

I spent nearly 2 hours sewing buttons and snaps on the rabbit's dress. I chose black buttons just because of the size. I only had to move one button which was amazing. It slipped down just enough to be noticeable. 

I did learn that sewing the knob end of the snaps under the buttons was a genius move. I will have to remember that when I do buttons and snaps on doll's dresses. 

I did struggle to get one front edge even when the rabbit stood up. It is even when the dress is flat and I even adjusted it a bit when sewing the snaps on. 

What did I learn making this dress if I choose to make it again. 

    Treat the bodice like it has a lining rather than sew the two pieces as one. That way I can hide some of the seams for a nicer finish. 

    Use tricks like was shown in the video to do the hem, gather the skirt, and sew on the buttons and snaps. 

I will make it again using a print and not cut the front pieces on the bias. That way I can see if I can do a better job of the next one. 

Knitting

No knitting last night as I didn't have time to wind the yarn. 

Thoughts

    When hanging the drapes up, I noticed a deer walking across the road. She was really tentative as I don't think she had done this before. She stopped and started all the way across the road. Finally she made it and ran down a small gully to the field behind the houses. What surprised me was seeing her out in the middle of the day. 

    I am getting close to having all the walls washed and will then prep them for painting. I am going to have someone come in and paint. I decided to hire someone as I can't do some areas due to me feeling unsafe. I will get a quote on having them do the walls, trim and doors. 

    We are in for another hot spell and I am hoping this one won't be humid. Tonight and tomorrow night will be warmer but then the nights will cool off after that. I can handle the heat if we don't have the humidity. Tomorrow will be the worst and I will stay inside most of the day. 

Today

I have to be at the hall this morning to help daughter-in-law put locks on cupboard doors. Once home, I will fold laundry and fabric I did yesterday. I will be winding yarn this afternoon and maybe work on hand sewing the lace down on the purple bag. I am out to have dinner with daughter-in-law tonight and do hope I can start a new pair of socks this evening.  

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

Socks Finished, Dress Almost Finished

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 22C. This morning it is clear and 12C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 27C. 

Lifestyle

I headed out to New Minas yesterday morning to get a new Keurig. I went to one store and got it and a few other little things I needed. I headed home as I knew I would have road construction to deal with. It was after 12 noon when I got home. 

I did a bunch of cleaning in the evening. I took out the recycling, put everything from the small fridge into the big fridge, and gave the kitchen a tidy up. It was supposed to be part of my morning job when the Keurig decided to die on me. It was good to get that part of my list done even if it was in the evening.  

Sewing

I worked on the plaid dress for the rabbit. It is done to the snaps and buttons. 

I handled the dress very carefully and I think the front bias pieces stretched a bit. Or I may be second guessing myself as I try to make the fronts match in length. 

The back of the dress looks good. 

And it is really cute when she is sitting. 

I have the snaps out and need to find some buttons in the button stash so I can finish it. 

Knitting

I knit the toes on both socks last night and they are done. 

On to the next pair of socks. I do have to wind the yarn first. 

Thoughts

    Our weather has been perfect for growing vegetables. The cucumbers are getting larger each day. The day time temps and the cool nights are perfect for the optimal growth. I need to fertilize everything today so they continue growing like they have been.

    I have been working on trying to keep the house tidy. I keep saying to myself to put it away rather than leave it for later. It is working most of the time and will become a habit over time. The hardest part is doing the jobs I hate to do but I am finding if I do them right away, I am happier that is done. 

    I am eating much better now that I have the big fridge to more food into. I prepped cucumber, tomatoes, and mushrooms yesterday afternoon. I am going to make a spaghetti sauce and freeze it for meals over the next week or so. I also want to make a couple of rice bowls so I can have them on alternate days. 

Today

I am going to wash the walls in the living room, do laundry, and make spaghetti sauce. This afternoon I want to finish the dress and wind yarn for the next socks. Tonight I will start the socks as I need to keep knitting the sock yarn I have bought. 

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

Progress On The Dress

 Yesterday was sunny, cloudy, rainy, and windy. The high got to 21C (humidex 27C). This morning it is clear and 12C. Today is supposed to be sunny and windy with a high of 23C (humidex 25C). 

Lifestyle

I spent yesterday morning cleaning the entry way. I washed walls, windows, stairs, railings, and doors. I am ready to paint one wall when I can get to my painting supplies. And I can put the baseboards back on when I buy either the proper nails or No More Nails. It took me a couple of hours but I am pleased that I got that area cleaned up. 

I laundered the cleaning cloths and there was a lot of them. I use at least 3 every time I clean an area. More if I need to. I am ready to start with clean cloths as I was getting low. 

I went and picked up the mail as there was a box of fabric from daughter. It has enough fabric in it for me to make quilts for 2 years. Maybe more. As I was opening the fabric to look at it, I found a piece of lace she was missing. I have to mail it back to her this week. 

I descaled the Keurig yesterday and I think it has hit the end of its life. I can only brew coffee in the descale mode. I have tried everything. It is probably at the end of its life span as I have used it daily for 3 years and family had it for 2 years before that. 

Sewing

I worked on the dress for the rabbit. I watched the video again and was ready to do the back skirt. The presenter started to gather it up and set it to the side. There were other steps that needed to be done before the back skirt is attached. 

I started out hemming the sleeve area on the side bodice pieces. I pressed up the front hems 1". Then I attached them to the front and back bodice making sure the ties were in the proper place and the front piece was aligned with the folded edge of the hem. There was hand basting happening along with lots of pins. A couple of hours later, I was ready to add the back skirt. I saved that for another day. 

I took another picture to show the front better. 

And a side view to show that I still need to add the back skirt to the dress. 

I had one of the doll stands not work and this one is being a pain. I think I spent more time poising the rabbit than I did taking the actual pictures. 

When this dress is done, I will be ready for something easy to make. The patterns for the Luna Lapin animals are a bit challenging and I go slow to make sure I am doing it correctly. The plaid fabric frays easily which doesn't help. 

Knitting

I knit on the socks last night and have both socks ready to knit the toes. It was a marathon to get them to this stage but I wanted to see how the yarn would pool on the feet. 

The sock with the blue stitch markers has the pooling on the other side. I do like how they have turned out. 

Thoughts

    We had several showers yesterday. The clouds came in and it was dark out there. Dark enough I had to turn on the lights to do things inside the house. Once the shower was done, it would brighten up again. It was nice to have the showers and cooler weather yesterday. We needed it. 

    I talked to my neighbour yesterday and their house goes on the market tomorrow. Average number days to sell is about 57 at this time. Their place is nice so I am hoping they have a quick sale so they can move before school and hockey starts. 

    The two cucumbers are growing rapidly and there are a lot more coming. I found 2 more that are about 3" long and many tiny ones. The peppers are starting to show now and the tomatoes are starting to turn a light green. Fresh vegetables soon. 

Today

I am going to go and buy a new Keurig, some coffee pods, and pick up two packing boxes. I want to be home in good time as the roofer may come. I want to sew on the dress this afternoon with hopes of getting it done (buttons????). Tonight I hope to finish the socks.

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

An Adventure Sewing A Rabbit's Dress

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 26C (humidex 30C). It rained during the night and it is cloudy and 17C this morning. Today is going to be cloudy with a risk of showers. The high is supposed to get to 19C. 

Lifestyle

I started off the morning doing the balance sheet. It balanced and I was quite happy with the expenses considering I went on a trip last week. I put everything away and headed out to get groceries. 

The grocery store was not busy so I enjoyed myself shopping. The produce section had huge empty spaces and they were filling them up as fast as they could. I got what I wanted even if I had to go back at the end of my shopping and pick it up. When I got home, I got everything put away and sat to have something to drink. 

Later in the afternoon, my friend came over to tell me that she is not going to New Brunswick but will be renting an apartment not too far from where we live. She has a one year lease and next summer she will decide if she wants to go to New Brunswick or stay here. If she goes to New Brunswick she will either rent an apartment or buy a condo. If she stays she will look at either staying in that apartment or finding another place to rent. This is her year to think and decide. 

Sewing

I spent time in the sewing room yesterday. I got the quilt half done and I am pleased with it. Wrangling 80 x 40" was quite the feat but I succeeded. 

Once it was done, I decided to work on the dress for the rabbit. I watched the video and did the steps for one side of the dress and then the other. I had to watch one step twice as I missed what she did. I pinned one side piece onto the front piece to see what it will look like. Putting the rabbit into the doll stand was a disaster. The doll stand malfunctioned and I had to find the other stand I have. 

I have no idea what is going on so I will be watching the video once again to see what I am to do next. I know I have to gather the back section of the skirt next. Where I attach it to the bodice is unknown at this moment. An adventure for this afternoon. 

Knitting

I got the gusset on sock #2 knit last night and am now ready to knit the foot on both socks. 

I am going to dig in the yarn bin and pull out the oldest yarn and knit grandson a pair of socks next. 

Thoughts

    My IBS symptoms flared up again after a period of calmness. I am sure it was the rich food we ate on our trip (which I would do again in a heartbeat). I am going back to some basic eating habits for the next while in hopes it will calm down the symptoms. 

    I was up after midnight last night and when I opened the back door to look out, it was raining. Not a heavy rain but a nice one that you could hear falling on the deck. Hopefully it will rain again this afternoon as we do need it. We will be having another hot spell later this week. 

    I feel another funk coming on. It will the Spousal Unit's birthday on Thursday and I know it could be a rough day for me. I need to put one foot in front of the other and do things with hopes that it won't too bad. Sitting around, like my body wants to do, makes me feel worse mentally. 

    I am planning on working in the front entry this week. I want to clean it, paint one wall that I did patchwork on, and put the baseboards back on. I am hoping it will keep me busy for a few days with a trip to a hardware store for supplies. 

Today

My plan is to clean the front entry this morning. This afternoon I want to do some sewing and cooking. Tonight I will knit on the socks. I want to keep busy all day. 

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

Nearly Half Done The Quilt

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 27C (humidex 29C). This morning it is partly cloudy and 14C. Today is supposed to be mix of sun and clouds with a high of 26C (humidex 29C). We are supposed to have showers tonight. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I cleaned the fridge. I found two puddles of water; one in the fridge from the ice maker defrosting and the other in the freezer. At 11 am, I turned it on wondering if I would have a fridge that works or a fridge that needed to be replaced. By dinner time, the fridge was cold and the freezer was almost there. I panicked once as I could not hear a noise from it. 

I spent the rest of the morning cleaning the living room. What started out as mop the floors ended up being deep cleaned. Windows were washed and the tracks cleaned. They were dirty with dust and pollen. I wiped baseboards, dusted furniture and mopped all the floor either on my hands and knees or with the mop. All I have left to do is wipe the walls and it will be ready to paint. 

I was in and out of the garage yesterday as the neighbours brought over the last of their items they needed to store while their house is on the market. They will help me put the soil in the boxes up for free and will take the vegetable boxes with them. 

I had to water the cucumber plant as it was drooping in the afternoon. While I was watering it, I noticed I have 2 cucumbers about 3" long. 

There are a lot of tiny cucumbers on the two plants. 

Sewing

I spent part of the afternoon in the sewing room. I sewed rows 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 together. I fussed a lot making sure that the corners of the blocks matched as close as possible. 

When this section is sewn together the quilt top will be half done. 

Knitting

I knit last evening and got the gusset done on sock #1. 

I am getting ready to choose which yarn I will knit next as I will have to wind it into cakes. 

Thoughts

    I was a bit skeptical that the fridge would work properly when I turned it on. I will be monitoring it carefully over the next month. I am hoping that it will work properly now that it has defrosted for 48 hours. If not, I will be getting a new fridge. I was advised to keep this one as I had paid for the new part and, if it worked, it was the cheaper route. I do have a new fridge picked out if I need to replace this one. 

    I was very sore yesterday. It was mainly muscles that hadn't been used as I was squatting in the garage fixing up boxes. Last night I stretched in bed and I had a lot of cracking going on. I kept stretching until it stopped. I was releasing tight joints. A bit was from sitting in the car for 2 days and most was from helping get boxes and tubs into place in the garage. It felt good to have everything relax and be seated properly. 

Today

I need to do the balance sheet and go grocery shopping. I don't know how much housework I will get done this morning. My goal is to sew the two sections of the quilt together this afternoon and I will knit tonight. I do have to water all the plants today. 

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