A Day Dealing With My Car

 Yesterday was mainly cloudy with a high of 12C. This morning it is cloudy and 4C. Today is supposed to be cloudy with showers this afternoon and rain tonight. The high is supposed to be 13C.

Lifestyle

I wrote up the minutes yesterday morning and am ready to read them for the final time today. They took quite a while as they were some complicated parts to word correctly. 

Once done the minutes, I decided to get groceries. When I turned on the car, I got this message - check Hybrid system. 

I talked to my daughter-in-law to let her know and was going to call for a tow truck when she said she would look at it. She got the same message and the same google searches as I did. She called the dealership as they do all the work on our cars. It had to be brought in as it needs something replaced. 

I called the tow truck and got an ETA of 1:30 pm. Daughter-in-law took me out to get groceries. She dropped me off at home and came back at 1:00 pm to help with the car. The tow truck did not arrive until 3 pm. Grrrrr but I kept my cool and remained calm. The car was pushed out of the garage and loaded onto the truck. It is now at the dealership in New Minas. 

I will have to say my afternoon was shot except for a lovely visit with daughter-in-law. I did cast off the scarf while we visited and wove in the ends last night. 

Daughter-in-law and I did take the salt used on the driveway up to the shed and we hauled the sand down to the end of the driveway. I will spread it out today as I have some areas that could use it. I can finish cleaning the garage. 

Thoughts

    I certainly wasn't happy about the car. I know family will take me to wherever I need to go. I just don't have the luxury of jumping in the car and going somewhere on a whim. I will survive this. 

    Tylenol Arthritis is helping. My muscles are not sore like they were which was most of the pain I had. My SI joint hasn't acted up at all. I have had very little joint pain with the storm coming in. I am only taking two doses a day vs three that I can take. I am not allowed to take Advil, etc. as my kidney function is slightly below normal. My doctor is very strict about that. 

    Though we complain about the spring being long and cold, we are having normal temperatures for this time of the year. The trees are not in leaf yet which is late for us. I do know other places are experiencing colder spring also. 

    We got a third emergency alert yesterday stating that the person at large was caught along with a firearm. We can now rest easy and move about freely once again. Though the incident was a 90 minute drive from us, the person could have gotten to our community through hitchhiking or auto theft. 

Today

I have to make cookies this morning for sandwiches tomorrow. I will putter at house cleaning while they bake. I want to sew the doll's blankets this afternoon. I have to figure out and start a new knitting project tonight. If I have any extra time, I will take a few more tools to the shed in preparation to clean the garage. 

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

Doll's Shirt Completed

 The past two days have been sunny and warm with highs of 15C. This morning it is cloudy and 4C (frost last 2 mornings). Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 10C. 

Lifestyle

I did not blog yesterday. I had blood work on Monday which went better than I had expected. The technician was amazing and did it so quick. I got breakfast and came home. 

The rest of the day was spent helping make an agenda for the community hall meeting that night. I had a short break and was off to help with the food prep for a lunch on Tuesday. I also helped put up tables and set them for said luncheon. That night I was at the meeting and got home at 8:30 pm. No sewing or knitting happened on Monday. 

Yesterday was one of stress. Daughter is upset with her situation and I was trying to help her via text messages. I couldn't rake the lawn and plant grass seed as the company was scheduled to aerate the lawn. That was done at noon. 

I did do some cleaning and finally got the laundry put away. I decided to try out the new brushes I bought for cleaning the windows. I did one of the living room windows and am impressed with how well they work. I still have a bit more to do on it but am happy with what I did. 

I brought the tomato plants in the other day and am turning them twice a day. They are growing fast now that they are in the house with lots of light. 

Sewing

I spent quite a long time in the sewing room yesterday afternoon working on the doll's shirt. I finished it. I do not like the button on the shirt so will be looking for a flat tiny button for it. 

It fits the doll well which I really like. 

I added the red knit vest and do think it is a cute outfit. 

I can now make 2 doll's blankets which are on the list for this month. I have May's list made but need to look at it to see if I want to make any changes to it. 

Knitting

I knit on the scarf last night and it is now 64" long. 

I am going to cast it off tonight and weave in the ends. I'm calling it done. 

Thoughts

    We have had 2 emergency alerts in 5 hours. A dangerous person is on foot in a community just over an hour's drive from here. He is still at large with the police looking for him. The first alert came at about 2 am and scared the heck out of me. The 2nd one came as I was drinking coffee but I was better prepared for it. 

    I have started to take Tylenol twice a day to see if it will help my sore muscles. It has so far. I will stop for a day or two to see if it the Tylenol or if the nice weather has been kinder to my muscles. My joints haven't been sore but that could change as a storm is coming in starting tomorrow. 

    I am feeling a bit scatter brained at the moment. I have started jobs and stopped them. I know they need to be done but other things have cropped up and I don't finish them when I have the time. I know I am stressed and need to work on bringing calmness back to my life. When that happens, I do much better at getting jobs done in an orderly fashion. 

Today

I have to get some groceries this morning, write up the minutes, and try to focus on one unfinished job. This afternoon I will sew and, if the weather is nice, I will prune the rose bush. Tonight I will cast off the scarf, weave in the ends, and start a new project. 

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

Enjoying The Outdoors

 Yesterday was sunny and warm with a high of 15C. This morning it is clear, frosty, and 0C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 15C.

Lifestyle

I spent a good portion of the morning on the balance sheet. I wasn't balancing and when I worked backwards, I figured out it was an error when I moved money around. I finished up the balance sheet, paid a bill and happily put it away. I was done with the stress from a stupid mistake. 

Right after lunch I was out the door to the shed. I checked the rose bush and it is has woken up and showing some growth. I will be able to prune it shortly. 

I spent some time in the shed and put all the vegetable and flower pots but two outside. I put the solar lights out and then started to figure out what I could sell at the garage sale. I have a small pile of items to go. I also cleaned an area for the salt to be stored. I have a few tubs to get rid of and one or two to clean and use. 

Back inside the house, I transplanted the tomatoes into bigger pots. They will come inside today as they needed some time to absorb the water I gave them. They were quite root bound in the small pots so I am glad I did the job. The next time I repot them will be when they go outside on the deck. 

The solar lights were really nice to look at last night. One did not work so I need to look at it today. I do enjoy the solar lights and am always sad to put them away. 

Sewing

I did spend some time sewing on the doll's shirt. I got the cuffs on and hand sewn down. I also got the collar hand basted on. 

My hands were tired from all the pinching I had to do while fiddling with the small pieces. 

Knitting

I did knit last night and got 48 rows done. The scarf is about 54" long. 

I do like the scarf a lot. The basket weave pattern gives it a lot of texture. 

Today

I am rushing at the moment as I have to get ready to go for blood work at 7:20 am. Once home I want to do a few things in the house and a bit outside. I may get to sew a bit. I have to be at the community hall at 4 pm to set up for the luncheon tomorrow and then have a meeting after that. I may get to knit some tonight after the meeting. 

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

A Day Out of The House

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a cold north wind. The high got to 9C. This morning it is clear and 5C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a north wind and 12C. 

Lifestyle

As I waited for daughter-in-law to pick me up I started to fold laundry. I got some done as she arrived early. I got into the car and we were off to the city. We chatted and laughed and before we knew it, we were turning off into Lower Sackville. Our first stop was at Giant Tiger (a Canadian store opened in eastern Canada). Daughter-in-law picked up 2 flats of canned ham for sandwiches we make at the community hall. I picked up a flat (24 cans) of turkey for me. They were on sale for 57% off. We also bought ourselves new purses. 

It was back in the car and off to Halifax. More chatting and laughing. Our next stop was the big Walmart store. It was grocery shopping time. The big sale item was canned tuna which daughter-in-law bought 3 flats for the community hall. They were on sale for $.98/can which was another good savings. We got most everything there and headed out once again. 

Our next stop was just down the road to a wholesale place. We buy a lot of the food we need for catering dinners there. This time we needed a lot of beef roasts for 2 dinners. Both of us were standing on the upright cooler arranging the roasts and pulling out the ones we wanted. One thing we can be proud of is that meat display was way neater than it was when we got there. By the time we got finished buying for 2 dinners, the cart was full. We checked out and decided to head home. 

We stopped on our way home to grab a bit of lunch at Tim Hortons. It was busy there as it as almost noon. We were doing take out as we were going to eat on our way home. When daughter-in-law started the car, it said the small battery was dead (she has an electric car). She boosted it and made a mental note to tell the dealer. This happened when she last visited me. There are still issues with the system in the car so she takes it in for another session of work. It is still under warranty. 

We stopped at the community hall on our way home to unload as many of the items as we could. It starts out putting things away and ends up with us bagging cardboard as no one does it except us. We unloaded all the meat and a few other things at her house as she will smoke/cook the roasts tomorrow for a catered luncheon on Tuesday. She took me home after that. 

Mid afternoon, son and daughter-in-law arrived at the house to put the new lock on my front door. It was a bit of job but son got it done. We are all finger coded in and they have access into my house when necessary or if they come to visit me. No more texting "I'm coming, open the door". 

I got weighed this morning and am down about 3 pounds. I am happy with that and will continue working on loosing more. I know that weighing less will help my joints. I also feel better eating more healthy foods even if it costs more to have them. 

My muscles have decided to cooperate and not be too sore. I walked quite well yesterday which was a bonus. This morning they are not too sore so I am hoping I will have some less painful days this week. 

Sewing

I did get a chance to sew for about an hour yesterday afternoon. I put in the 2nd sleeve and sewed up one side seam and pressed it open. 

It is a pretty boring shirt but very basic for the doll's Edwardian wardrobe. It is a very finicky shirt to make as you add tiny sleeve laps and a 2 piece collar to it. My hands ache as I have to pinch the pieces in place due to how tiny they are.

Knitting

I kept my hands busy last night knitting on the scarf. I did 54 rows and have 330 rows done. 

I will finish up the ball of yarn I am on and cast off the scarf. It will be plenty long for someone to wrap around their neck.

I am really proud of myself as I have not bought any yarn and have knit/donated 3.35 lbs so far this year. 

Thoughts

    The wind was cold yesterday. It went right through you when you were outside. It is still from the north this morning but it is supposed to calm down which will be nice. It has been a cold late spring this year. I think it's the latest we've had since moving here. A year ago the tulips and magnolias were starting to bloom. This year, the daffodils are just starting to bloom and the trees do not have their leaves out.

    I really enjoyed my day out with daughter-in-law. We had some really good discussions and some good laughs. I needed the day away from the house and am ready for the quietness once again. I come home ready to be alone and quiet. 

    I am so proud of how much yarn I have knit/donated to date. I still have 14 lbs of yarn left to go which I will not get knit up this year. I am hoping to get a lot more knit with hopes of having 10 lbs knit by the end of the year. I think it is a realistic goal. 

    I am plugging away at the fabric stash. I sewed 3.9 meters so far this month. I may get another .5 meters sewn if I have time after the doll's shirt is made. I still have a lot of fabric in the stash and keep reminding myself it is less than I have ever had for many years. 

Today

I have to do the balance sheet this morning. I have to finish folding laundry and take out some recycling from the lock. My goal is to get into the shed and get some items out for the garage sale. I also want to put the tomato plants into larger containers as they can't go outside for quite a while. I want to work on the doll's shirt in the afternoon and knit tonight. 

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

Half The Kitchen Is Cleaned

 Yesterday's weather was cloudy, sunny, windy, and there was even a snow squall. The high got to 7C. This morning it is cloudy and 3C (up from 1C at midnight). Today is supposed to be showery this morning with sun and clouds later on. The high is supposed to get to 6C. 

Lifestyle

After doing my stretching, I worked on cleaning the lower cabinets. They are all done. I did get rid of a few things most of which came out of the drawer that holds the storage containers. I spent time cleaning the outside of the fridge and the pantry door. The pantry door had some dust on the bottom but otherwise it wasn't too bad. 

I had to go and measure the corner desk in the sewing room. Someone asked about it. I also took everything out of it and cleaned it well. It is now ready for the person to look at if they come this weekend. 

I was quite sore yesterday. It was weather related. My SI joint is a bit sore this morning so I will be doing the big stretch to see if it is out or if it and a couple of muscles are just sore from the weather. 

Sewing

I worked on the doll's shirt yesterday. I got the tiny sleeve placket in the 2nd sleeve and one sleeve sewn in. I had to leave the sewing room very quickly as I was having an anxiety attack. I did not take any pictures of my progress. 

Knitting

I knit on the scarf last night and it is about 39" long. On Thursday night I had 240 rows knit and I am now at 276 rows. 

I will knit it until I use up the ball of yarn I attached last night. 

Thoughts

    The anxiety attack I had was caused by the thought of the old desk in the sewing room could be sold sooner than I expected. I felt guilty and anxious when someone expressed an interest in it. It has been in our homes for about 35 years and the Spousal Unit loved it. I left the sewing room and did some mindless things until I calmed down. I had a little talk with myself and am ready to let it go. 

    I am happy the bottom kitchen cupboards are done. I did a lot of stretching while doing them as they require me to be on the floor. As I did them I thought about what I need to replace. My flatware needs to be replaced as it is about 30 years old and showing some wear. I need to replace the bbq tools as they are rusting from old age. I am slowly replacing all the plastic storage containers with glass ones. I also need some kitchen tools to replace the old ones that are wearing out. 

    The top cupboards are next and I am working on a plan for them. I do know 2 casseroles will go into the yard sale. I have not used them for a few years as I reach for two others. I will decide on what else I need as I clean each cupboard. 

Today

I am heading into the city with daughter-in-law. When home I would like to put the other sleeve into the doll's shirt. I will knit tonight. 

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

Progress In All Areas of Life

 Yesterday started out cloudy, then was sunny, and then cloudy in the late afternoon. There was no rain and the high got to 6C at 7 pm. This morning it is cloudy, damp, and 2C (1C at 11 pm). Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 7C. 

Lifestyle

I was somewhat sore yesterday and really had to keep stretching all day. Exercise was done in the morning and afternoon with other stretching done as I did my daily thing. 

After putting a load of laundry on, I tackled the kitchen once again. I pulled out the stove and cleaned it. It wasn't that dirty but it needed doing. I even scrubbed the inside of the oven door. I wiped down the cabinet sides, vacuumed the floor, and mopped it. I put the stove back in and shone it up. I also cleaned the microwave and the cupboard above it. I got one more cupboard completely done and the lazy Susan is ready to have the doors washed. 

While doing the bit of cupboard cleaning, I made a pot of cheddar and broccoli soup. As it has milk in it, I had to watch it carefully. It was delicious when I had a bowl for lunch. After lunch I washed the dishes and put 2 containers of soup in the fridge. 

Sewing

I started to sew on the doll's shirt. I worked slowly and steadily on it and got quite a bit done. When I stopped, I sewed the buttons onto the red knit vest. 

One thing I did differently on the shirt was to do the burrito method when sewing the yoke. I love how it makes the front should seam so nice and flat. I did have to google on how to do it as I haven't done this technique in years. 

I downloaded the Edwardian bicycle hat and the booklet on focal point for free. I missed out on the proportion booklet as I didn't think they were going to do them. I now need to decide what pattern I want for free. I haven't downloaded any patterns this year as I haven't had a need for them. I do this month as I want to make something for the Gotz dolls. 

Knitting

I knit on the scarf until I ran out of yarn. I stopped for the night. I didn't measure it but I have closet o 300 rows knit. 

I just looked back and it has taken me 7 evenings to knit this much. I may get it almost done by the end of the month. 

Thoughts

    I was sore yesterday due to a weather system going through. This morning only my piriformis is sore. I am sure that is because it is protecting my SI joint. It is a real balance act knowing how much stretching to do. Yesterday was where I stretched while cleaning the kitchen. Today it may be doing a bunch of exercises or a lot of walking. 

    I ate well again yesterday and didn't snack. I really wanted to snack last night but knew I couldn't. I know the reason - not knitting for a while. I am still doing portion control and am keeping trigger foods out of the house. I think I am loosing weight and will know when I step on the scale Sunday. Losing the weight will help my joints a lot.

    The robins are back and busy as can be. There have been some sightings of hummingbirds in our province but I won't see any for a while. I do hear chickadees and saw a grosbeak in my tree. Other birds will arrive once it is a bit warmer. 

Today

I am going to continue cleaning the kitchen this morning and fold the laundry I did yesterday. This afternoon I want to sew on the doll's shirt. Tonight I will knit. I also want to throw in some exercises this morning for good measure. 

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

Second Attempt At the Doll's Shirt

 Yesterday was basically sunny with a high of 8C. This morning it is cloudy and 3C. Today is supposed to be cloudy with rain later this afternoon. The high is supposed to be 7C. 

Lifestyle

I did my exercises first thing with one small crack. When I did them later on, there was another small crack. My SI joint was a bit tight and my muscles were sore from osteopathy but I dealt with it. I now need to add about 4 exercises to help keep the SI joint from "freezing". 

I took the chicken I had bought and stripped the meat off the bones. I cooked the carcass to make broth for soup. I have a tubs of white and dark meat and 3 tubs of broth. My next batch of soup will be cheddar broccoli soup. With the weather being cool (normal) I am wanting soup for lunch.

I started to clean the kitchen cupboards. I thought I would get them done in one morning. It did not happen. They were dirtier than I had thought. I started on the bottom cupboards and cleaned them carefully after removing the handles. I did the inside and outside at least twice to make sure all dirt and grease was removed. The drawers were emptied and cleaned really well. I got about half of the bottom cupboards and under the top cupboards above them done before noon. 

My other job of the day was to take out the garbage to the curb for pick up this morning. There was a lot to go as I had old brooms, a big halloween skeleton and a bag of garbage from the house and garage. It was nice to walk outside in the sunshine while doing the job. 

Sewing

I cut out the doll's shirt again in the right size pattern. I had enough of the original fabric for the shirt. 

I have the front band pinned onto the front of the shirt. I went to sew it and realized I needed another spool of thread. I headed up to the quilt shop and got it, buttons for the vest, and a couple of other things I needed. I am now ready to sew the shirt. 

I have been worried about not getting April's to do list done. Besides the shirt, I have 2 doll blankets and piping to make. The blankets will get done but I am not sure about the piping. It could get done but I am not worried about it as it will not be sent until later this summer. 

Knitting

I sat and knit on the scarf last night. I now have 230 rows done and almost 30" long. I will do one more ball of yarn before I cast it off. The pattern does not say how long to make it. 

At the rate I am knitting, I will not get this done before the end of the month. At the moment, it is basically half done. 

Thoughts

    I am trying to figure out why my SI joint is tight and I think it may be from all the muscles being very tight. I started to massage the ones I can reach and they were sore. I now need to do the yoga exercises that stretch them so they don't become tight. I'm trying to figure all this out with hopes of having the muscles relax.

    I ate carefully again yesterday and will continue on trying to loose weight. I haven't weighed myself but will on Sunday. My focus on portion control and no snacking is challenging but I am being successful. Last night I wanted a snack but I didn't give in. 

    As I cleaned the cupboards I wondered what they are made from. The boxes look like they have some wood grain finish applied to particle board. The doors are wood and they are in need of a refresh. I was told to get a stain and refresh them that way. It would be a warm weather job so I can open up the house to get rid of the smell. 

Today

I am going to make a pot of cheddar broccoli soup and continue on cleaning cupboards. This afternoon I will sew on the doll's shirt and tonight I will knit. I do have to make dinner which is planned. 

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