Jar Covers Completed

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 26C (humidex 32C). This morning it is cloudy and 12C. Today is supposed to have showers with a high of 16C. 

Lifestyle

I did the balance sheet yesterday and it took me hours to do. I couldn't find my mistakes. I'd get to a point where everything was balanced and then it wasn't. I found the first one and it looked better. Then found a second one and I was still out. I finally figured it out. All of it was my me not paying attention to what I was doing. I finished just after 12 noon. I was happy to put it away and get on with life.

I had a wonderful text yesterday from someone and we talked about 20 minutes. I was happy to get it. The other text I got was from daughter and it was interesting. Expected but kind of rattled everyone that it happened. I assume that one person is angry about it but has to live with what has happened. Daughter is fine and just has to do some paperwork to do and a lot of negotiations to do with any angry person. 

I was out to help daughter-in-law get the sandwich fillings ready for sandwiches today. The burn she got from spilling her tea is a combination of 1st and 2nd degree. It looks ugly but is starting to heal. We got the fillings done in good time and the area cleaned up. We are ready to make sandwiches today. 

Sewing

I didn't sew on the doll's cap yesterday as I didn't have the right size elastic. Instead I decided to make the bottle covers for daughter. I had so much fun sewing them. I was making something I wanted to try and not worrying about whether I could sell it or having it under foot when done. I got the remaining 3 made in good time. I'm kind of sad that they are done. 

The flowers on the one print are so pretty. 

I drew up a pattern for the bottle cozy. It was simple to do and I will make 4 of them. They will protect the jars when travelling. Once they are done, I will make pot holders and mug rugs from the left over fabric. 

Knitting

None done last night as I got home late from helping daughter-in-law. 

Thoughts

    I had another poor night's sleep. My Cpap mask wouldn't seal and was making a lot of noise. It took me a while to figure it out and then I had to find the new one and replace it. I was awake for a while earlier this morning though I thought I had fallen asleep. I will monitor my energy today and rest when necessary. 

    I did some more reading on the clothing the Acadians wore. I'm into the part of the thesis that talks about it in more depth. There seems to be a real difference in what they wore in each location giving them a distinct local flair. Some items that were not in fashion in Paris they continued to wear as they suited the climate in Nova Scotia. One was woolen capes that kept them warm in the cold wet winters. What was worn at Fort Louisburg had more of a French influence and was different to what their farming "cousins" in the Annapolis Valley or their trading "sisters" wore. 

Today

I have to help make sandwiches and then I need to figure out if I am going to go to New Minas to shop and mail a parcel to my friend. I may not do a bit of sewing and I will see if I will knit tonight. 

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

Fabric Purchased for Fun Projects

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and light clouds. The high got to 27C (humidex 34C). This morning it is foggy and 16C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a probability of showers this afternoon and tonight. The high is to get to 30C (humidex 35C). 

Lifestyle

I was tired yesterday and struggled to do much. I did get the basics done and called it enough. I did talk to another person who was also struggling and they had a business to run. 

I did get all the plants watered and most are doing well. They are still getting their roots established from being transplanted. Overall, I am happy with how they are doing.

The lawn got mowed yesterday at noon. The person who does it is busy as can be. He has a lot of places to do and is probably working 6 days a week to keep up. The lawn looks great now that it is cut and the bare patches are slowly growing in. Maybe by fall they will be filled in and I will only have a few areas to reseed. 

Sewing

I did go out to the quilt shop nearest me. I wanted to get fabric so I can work on little things for daughter. It wasn't busy there so I wandered around looking. In the end I picked up two solids to go with the prints. 

I started out sewing the neckerchief for the doll's outfit. I did well until trying to do the two ends that have a sharper angle to them. No matter what I did (tiredness) I couldn't do it the way the pattern said. I finally did it my way. It isn't perfect but it is done. I put it around the doll's neck like a fichu. 

I decided to sew a jar cover out of the new fabrics. I made one using the plaid and the green fabric. I enjoyed making it. 

The reverse side. 

I am going to cut out three more; one like the one I made and 2 out of the flowers with the pinkish solid. I want to make a couple of pot holders and maybe some jar cozies for them so they are protected when travelling. My goal is to sew up all the fabric I bought. 

I did buy the fabric for the short gown's jacket. It isn't going to be historically correct as there was nothing in the store I could use. I will photograph it when I start the project. I still have the linen hat to make. 

Knitting

None done last night as I didn't have the brain power to work on it. 

Thoughts

    The lady I spoke to about the emergency alert wondered why they did it for our area rather than only for the area she lived in. The details are skimpy so one wonders if she was walking or driving a vehicle. The main information on the case was for the people of the community to be alert and report any sightings. Not a lot we could do as we are 50 km from that community. 

    I did a bit of research on my paternal grandmother. I am not able to find her death certificate but was told by my aunt that she died in childbirth. I assume this is correct as she was 11.5 years old when it happened. There is something on the headstone that looks like "infant" but I could be wrong. The other thing I realized when researching her is that she used her mother's maiden name on the birth certificates of her first 3 children. She was married to my paternal grandfather at that time. 

Today

I am going to do the balance sheet this morning and make a batch of spaghetti sauce for dinner and to freeze. This afternoon I will sew the doll's hat and one more jar cover. I won't knit tonight as I have to help daughter-in-law prep for sandwiches and do the clean up. She can't get her burn wet at this time. 

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

A Doll's Shift Is Completed

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 26C (humidex 30C). This morning it is mainly clear and 12C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 26C (humidex 29C). 

Lifestyle

The morning started out with a text from daughter-in-law. Son had gone for blood works and told her that the emergency was empty. She promptly spilled boiling hot tea on her hand and ended up in emergency to have it treated. 

I was out in good time to water all the plants. I checked on the Spousal Unit's rose bush and it has 2 buds on it. 

All the plants are doing well. They are enjoying the cool mornings and the warm days. The tomatoes have buds on them also and are getting greener and stronger. 

Next I cleaned the living room. I dusted and did some tidying up which is easy. That room does not have a lot of stuff in it. I dusted the furniture and mopped the floor. The floor was grimy and had quite a bit of pollen on it. It is now clean. 

I had to run downstairs and empty the dehumidifier when I realized it wasn't running. It was full due to the high humidity we are having. When I have to replace it, I will get one that will drain into the floor drain so I won't have to worry about it. That may or may not happen as this one is working like a charm. 

I went to the superstore garden center and returned some empty plant pots. They give you points for doing that. They ship them to their supplier who recycles them and makes them into new pots. I have 5 more to take when I go grocery shopping. From there I went to Dollarama and snoop shopped for 30 minutes. I got a few items for daughter. 

I still need to buy her a couple of more things and then I will do my magic and ship them to her. It is fun to do something like this. 

Sewing

I had a blast yesterday sewing a jar topper. I followed this video for size and idea. I did not cut an opening for the elastic but left turning hole and the first row of stitching open to insert the elastic. It worked perfectly. 

After inserting the elastic, I closed the row of stitching and topped stitched around the outer edge. I am now ready to buy a bit of fabric and make the ones for daughter. 

I spent a lot of time working on the doll's shift/chemise. I had a few struggles but nothing I couldn't work through. Most were my issues. I got it finished and on the doll. 

I really love this pattern. I put on the "jump" (stay without boning) and put the lacing in the front. I read that working women wore it this way so they could loosen them when necessary. 

I have two more items to sew from the linen and then I can cut out and sew the skirt. 

Knitting

I knit last night and when I went to fix my little ball of yarn I had 5 stitches slip off the needles. I spent the next while unknitting and picking up stitches. I was not a happy camper. In the end, I did get 4 rows knit on the afghan. 

Tonight I will be adding on a new ball of yarn. So far I have knit 214 grams of yarn. 

Thoughts

    I had a fair night's sleep. The emergency alert went off at 3:45 am waking me from a sound sleep. A 79 year old woman was missing. It went off again just over an hour later stating she was found. I did not sleep well after that so am feeling tired. I know I will loose energy sometime this afternoon. 

    I had no issues with my heart rate yesterday. It was back in its normal range all day. I am pushing myself to be more active during the day which does help keep it at a normal level for me. I am still monitoring it carefully especially first thing in the morning. 

Today

I am going to clean the bathroom and then head out to get a piece of fabric and thread for the jar toppers. I want to sew more on the Acadian outfit this afternoon. I know it will be slow sewing as I will run out of energy. I hope to knit tonight. I also have to make myself something for dinner for tonight and tomorrow night. 

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

Sewing Linen Doll Cloths

 Yesterday was sunny and warm with a high of 27C. This morning it is clear and 12C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 29C.

Lifestyle

I spent the day being very busy. It was to see if my heart rate would be in the normal level or if it was going to be slow. It was normal all day. 

My first job was to launder the sheets. I got them done and the bed made later in the afternoon. While they were on, I was out the door to plant the flowers. I did 3 tubs of them at the shed. 

The third tub was done and I put in a solar light that daughter had given me Christmas 2024 and I forgot to put it out last year. 

I turned the tub around so the solar panel was in the full sun and it was really nice to look at last night. Some of the little lights twinkle on and off. 

Once the outside chores were done, I decided to clean the front entry way. It was the floor at the top of the stairs, the stairs, entry floor, and the stairs down to the basement. I will have to say they were dirty. It was nice to have that job done. 

While prepping for dinner, I got a text and had to go over and pick up liquids from my friend's place. They are all stored in the garage along with 2 plants. Daughter-in-law and I will sort through them when she has time. 

I checked my cucumber pots and I now have 4 plants. They will be going out next week. They need to have some growth on them before I transplant them. Once they are planted, I am done for this year. 

Sewing

I had a good afternoon sewing. I made a very simple half apron for the Acadian outfit. Though simple, it had us make mitred corners like I did when I made a bunch of napkins. Love that method. 

I started sewing the chemise and I almost didn't work on it. I had to make a button hole and then cut out the neck facing. It took me 3 tries to get the right size buttonhole. When done, I cut out the facing and carefully sewed it onto the chemise neck. I clipped and turned it, pressed it well and top stitched it in place. Done. 

Next I played with the sleeves. I have the gathering stitches in and the bottom of the sleeves ready to hem. I did not put lace on them as they would not have been practical for a working person. As the raw edges of the hems are not finished, I am thinking of doing either a zig zag or a cross stitch on them so they don't fray. With all of that done, I called it a day. 

I am happy with what I got done yesterday afternoon. 

Knitting

I knit 5 rows on the afghan last night. I am not sure why I was so slow knitting. But it was progress. 

Thoughts

    My heart rate has been good this morning. I have not allowed myself to fully relax at the computer which is what I had done when it dropped below 50 beats. I am still monitoring it carefully. 

    I was on the hunt for a pattern for fabric jar covers. The one I was going to use wasn't exactly what I wanted. I did find another one and with a few small adaptions I can make one I like better. I also want to make jar cozies and found a video on how to make my own pattern. I will be doing a mock up of both from the left over Altoona bag fabric. 

Today

I am going to water the plants first and then clean the living room. If I have time, I will go out for a bit but may not if it is humid. This afternoon I will sew on the chemise. Tonight I will knit. 

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

The Afghan Is Growing

 Yesterday was mainly sunny and warm. The high got to 19C. This morning it is a mix of sun and clouds and 8C. Today is supposed to be mix of sun and clouds with a high of 28C (humidex 30C).

Lifestyle

I did a few things to clean up and folded the laundry first thing. I also went out and looked at the plants after the heavy rain. The peppers were looking poorly so I decided to replace them. I am not sure why but they could have been touched by frost prior to me buying them. They were stunted and never grew. The rest of the plants looked great. 

I took my friend to New Minas for lunch. I noticed how gorgeous the lupins looked on the drive. We had lunch at Swiss Chalet and it was an okay experience. There was only one waitress on at noon. There were no salad greens. I had a stir fry (overload of sodium) and my friend had a chicken dinner. Both were good. 

After lunch we went to look for pepper plants. I found 4 in individual pots and they were healthy. I planted them when I got home.

My friend and I said our goodbyes but will be texting each other. She picks her sister up at the airport today and start their journey to Ontario tomorrow. I will certainly miss her but know she has made the right decision. 

Sewing

I did not sew yesterday but I did look in the sewing room. I am ready to sew the doll's apron today. 

Knitting

I knit on the afghan last night and have a little over 11" knit. 

I knit 9 rows last night which was amazing for me. 

Thoughts

    I got closer to how much protein I needed yesterday but I went over in sodium. I have a bit of fluid retention today. The stir fry used more sodium and fat that I do so I was somewhat prepared for the sodium overload. 

    I didn't do a lot after visiting with my friend. I allowed myself to have a bit of sadness but now need to pick up socks and move on. 

    My heart rate drops low some mornings and I am monitoring it carefully. It happens when I am in a deep state of relaxation which often happens when I sit drinking my coffee. If it happens during the day, I will see the doctor. 

Today

    I have to water the pots for the flowers and move all the plants on the deck into an area that gets shade early. I want to sew the doll's apron today and knit tonight. I also want to do a load of laundry today. 

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

It Rained Buckets

 Yesterday was cloudy and wet. The high got to 21C (humidex 26C). This morning it is clearing off and 7C. Today is supposed to be mainly sunny with a high of 18C. The wind is coming in from the north. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday's weather was something to behold. It showered in the morning and the humidity was so bad it felt oppressive. At 2 pm the temperature had dropped almost 5C and the clouds came in. Showers that were predicted for the evening came in early and it rained so hard three times you could see it coming down in sheets and you could hear it inside the house. I am certain we had well over an inch of rain fall. 

Yesterday morning I made a batch of cookies to go with the sandwiches we will be making on Saturday. They are in the freezer. I did a basic clean up and then prepped vegetables and sausage for dinner. My new favourite seasoning is Kinder's butter garlic and herbs. When that was prepped, I did a good clean up in the kitchen. And I did another clean up after making dinner. And dinner was tasty. 

I also did a load of laundry and will fold it today. I dried most of it on the drying rack with a small load in the dryer. 

I brought the flowers out onto the deck and they got a good soaking in the rain. I also pulled the flower pots out so they could get wet from the rain. It was really muggy while I was out there. 

When I went to water the cucumbers I saw one has sprouted. This morning there are two. 

I need two or three more seeds to sprout and I will have enough plants for the summer. 

I had to go to the hall as daughter-in-law needed a summer shirt. I looked after the bar while she did a few little things. It was a birthday party for a lady who was either 75 or 80 years old. Enough food to feed an army but it was somewhat disorganized. Everyone seemed to be having fun though. 

Sewing

I did not sew or craft yesterday. Instead I cleaned up the family and sewing room. I put away items, picked up items and vacuumed the floors. I have two small piles of fabrics to put away and one pattern to cut out. I am so happy to have my cutting table cleaned up. 

I looked at the scraps left over from the trial Altoona bag. I have no idea what to do with them. I have set them aside until I find something I want to make and gift. 

Knitting

I knit 9 rows last night and have almost finished knitting the first ball. 

I will be knitting the 64 gram ball next as I want to have it gone. I am really enjoying making this afghan and can knit quite a bit in an evening. 

Thoughts

    My Fitbit said my readiness score was high yesterday and I crashed after cleaning the basement. I had to stop and take it easy. I had no energy left to do anything. I did bounce back later in the afternoon. Today my readiness score is high so we wait and see what happens. 

    I didn't eat enough protein yesterday. I missed it by 35 grams. One reason was I thought I could only have one Italian sausage when I could have had 2. I still would have been short. I was also short on fibre but my ratio of protein to fibre was correct for what I ate. I didn't feel hungry which was good and I just googled and found out my protein is at the bottom of the baseline. I will be trying harder today. 

    I haven't had any inflammatory foods for a week now and my joints are thanking me for that. I have some pain but nothing like I had. I am not craving any foods at this time though I do know if I eat them I will be off the wagon in a minute. I am more focused on not eating them and loosing weight so I can have less pressure on my joints. 

Today

I have to fold laundry first thing and then plant my flowers. I am picking  up my friend at 11:30 and we are going for lunch. This afternoon I may try to sew a linen apron for the dolls. It is part of my next Acadian outfit. Tonight I will knit on the afghan. My focus today is to have 75 to 80 grams of protein. 

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

Trial Bag #1 is Finished

 Yesterday was warm and sunny with a high of 20C. It rained last night. This morning it is foggy and 14C. Today is supposed to be one of showers with a high of 20C.

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I did a bit of clean up before heading into Dartmouth with daughter-in-law. We first went to a restaurant supply store for items for the hall. I bought 2 new paring knives which I needed. Two old ones I have are rusting and needed replacing. We looked around the store at all the goods they have. I enjoy looking when we go there. I have bought 3 paring knives from them. 

Our next stop was Walmart. I did my grocery shopping plus I bought 4 more balls of yarn for the blanket, a spool of white thread, and a grape tomato plant. When we were done, it was time to start our journey home.

On the way home, we stopped at Giant Tiger in Sackville. Daughter-in-law wanted to buy a pair of pants for work. We looked and looked and found nothing. From there we went to Mucho Burrito and I had a quesadilla for lunch. We headed for home. 

Once home, I spent time watering pots and planting pepper plants. Those poor plants are wimpy looking. I put them in the pot and gave them a drink of sugar water. I also hauled up the last pot for the tomato and planted it. I did put a tent over the peppers to keep the sun and wind off them and took it off last evening before it rained. 

I had a nap in the afternoon. I was falling asleep in my chair and knew I was running on empty. The tissue around my knees were inflamed and sore. They had fluid build up thanks to the storm coming in. When I woke up I did feel better but knew it was going to affect my sleep last night. I won't be sleeping today even though I know I will want to. 

Sewing

I did hand sew the top binding down on the bag and am calling it finished. I do like it and will make another one before the end of June. I need to perfect a few things before I do the contest bag. 

I do like the heart on the inside but the block needs to be on the outside. 

I am back to the drawing board designing trial bag #2. 

Knitting

I did knit 7 rows last night and am loving how the ombre is starting to show. I have still not knit the first ball of yarn. 

Thoughts

    I am feeling better with the house being tidy the last few days. Though I didn't want to do dishes last night, I did them and immediately knew I had done the right thing. Putting all the groceries away as soon as I got home was another positive hit to my brain. It makes me want to do more cleaning which I really do need to do. 

    The lupins are coming into bloom. They are so beautiful but are also an invasive species. We see them along side the roads when travelling. The best displays are on the way to New Minas. We have a small amount in our subdivision though they are contained to one ditch. The colours are purple, blue, pink, and white. 

Today

I am going to make a batch of cookies for Friday. I want to clean up the sewing and family rooms so I can vacuum the floors. I am not sure if I will sew or do reindeer this afternoon. I want to knit tonight. I have to pace myself as I didn't sleep as well as I had wanted to last night. 

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