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.....................................................

Making Progress Can Be Slow

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 5C. This morning it is clear and -5C (windmill -8C). Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 7C.

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I was out for osteopathy. My SI joint was sticking out a bit and that was worked on. All of my muscles were worked on as they were tight. They are compensating for the SI joint being out causing them to become tight and hurt. I was sore when the session was done but I felt much better. I was told to take it easy for a day or two -- no ladders. 

Once done, I went and got a new broom for the garage. The old ones will go out with the trash tonight. I also went and did some grocery shopping. The grocery store is bigger than ours and I had problems finding things. I actually had to go shopping at home to get some items I couldn't find. 

Once home, I rested on heat though I did get up and move around. I did make dinner which I enjoyed. I also made sure I got up during the evening and moved. I noticed that I was walking much better as things were more aligned. 

Sewing

I spent some time figuring out what I had done wrong with the shirt pattern. I printed one page of pattern pieces off and it told me the story. I had printed the original pattern with the fit the page checked off. It is way smaller than when I printed it off using 100%. I may have enough fabric to do the shirt again. If not, I have another piece I will use. 

Knitting

I did knit last night and have knit around 150 rows in total. 

I have a lot more to knit on this scarf before it is done. At the moment I have almost used 100 grams of yarn. 

Thoughts

    Though I have improved a lot since starting physio and osteopathy almost 2.5 years ago, I am still having issues with tight muscles. I could spend hours doing exercises each day. I have to choose the ones that do the most good for the SI joint. If it is in place, the muscles relax and I do better. I do find the pain exhausting and I don't want to do anything but rest. I keep pushing myself to stretch the muscles even on days when the pain is bad. I feel like I am not making much progress at this time even though I work hard at doing what I am told to do.

    I have been working on loosing weight again. Pain makes me want to eat comfort food so I have eliminated them from the house. I have stopped eating between meals. I am back to portion control. I am back to cooking meals. I would like to loose 20 lbs as I know it will help my joints. I know the dietician would not approve of what I am doing as she thinks my goal weight is too low. I disagree as I know that weight is the best for my joints. 

    I can't do any more cleaning in the garage until I do some sorting in the shed. I need to get items out for the garage sale and flower/vegetable pots outside before I can take items up to store in it. 

Today

I am going to clean the kitchen and wash the floors. It is due to be done. I have to do some cooking so I have meals ready to eat this week. This afternoon I will cut out a new shirt for the doll and tonight I will knit. Exercises and movement will be done during the day. 

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

Figuring Out What I Did Wrong -Shirt Too Small

 Yesterday started out partly cloudy and ended up sunny. The high got to 9C. This morning it is cloudy and -1C (windchill -3C). Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 4C. 

Lifestyle

I did my exercises first thing in the morning and then headed out to the garage to do more cleaning. I did the back wall and it took longer than anticipated. I broke down boxes and put them into recycling. I moved everything off the work bench and moved it out to sweep behind it. I sorted items into bins as I moved along the cupboards. I tossed items into garbage and recycling. I then gave everything a good cleaning and put tubs away neatly. The peg board has nothing on it as we display items for sale on that wall. I swept more of the floor. 

I am now ready to do the wall with the window. 

I put the bags of pop cans and the old paint into the car. I got rid of the pop cans first and then the paint. I also stopped to pick up something healthy for lunch. It was noon when I got home. 

I had laundered the sheets and made the bed later in the afternoon. Once that was done, I had to bring up the box to ship to daughter today. I got it and a birthday present ready to go. I was sore from cleaning the garage and knew my SI joint was tight. I decided to put the two items into the car so I wouldn't have to struggle with it in the morning when I would be sorer. As I stepped off the last step into the entry way, I had 3 loud cracks. One was my left knee (that hurt) and two were in my SI joint area. Instant relief. I am a bit sore this morning but osteopathy will help that. 

Sewing

I worked on the doll's shirt yesterday. I got the collar on, side seams sewn up and the first cuff on. I tried it on the doll and it is tight. This doll is not chunky. 

The sleeve is almost too short and the cuff won't close on her wrist. 

I sat and pondered on it and then decided to try on the red vest I had knit to see how it looked as a 3 piece outfit. 

I am wondering if I had print the pattern to the fit the page. I have now printed one page at 100% to check the difference. The sad part - I don't have enough fabric to make another one and will have to hunt in the stash for fabric. I have set this aside for now but am going to make it again. 

Knitting

I knit on the scarf last night and got more done. 

It helps me pass the time in the evening. 

Thoughts

    I am pushing myself to get the garage cleaned up. I have to do some housework upstairs and more to do downstairs. Once the weather warms up again, I need to be outside raking the lawn to plant grass seed. I know my SI joint will tighten up and I will have to do exercises to help release it. I am hoping that keeping active will help strengthen everything so my SI joint becomes stable. 

    My mental health has also improved. I think part of it has been busy in the garage. I work with the door open so it is bright and airy in there. I am also making a list of items I need - a broom, more shop towels, and a few items so I can do some repairs. I am also trying to do things in the house and know that being busy and accomplishing tasks helps me a lot. I also know that stress and pain make me feel tired and mentally drained. I am working on that every day so I can, hopefully, be more calm and happier. 

    The daffodils in the yard across the street have started to bloom. Soon I will be able to admire them in full bloom which always makes me happy. 

Today

I am out for osteopathy this morning. Once done I am going to get a few groceries, a broom for the garage, and some more cleaner. Once home, I hope to find fabric for the doll's shirt and see what I need to do to remake it. Tonight I will knit on the scarf. 

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

Cleaning the Garage Has Begun

 Yesterday was warm and cloudy except for one burst of sunshine. The high got to 19C. This morning it is clearing off and 3C. Rain fell during the night. Today is supposed to be cloudy with a high of 9C. 

Lifestyle

I did the balance sheet yesterday morning. There were no problems and I have not spent a lot of money to date. It is another low spend month without even trying. 

I put on a load of laundry and put the dried laundry on the couch so I would see it and fold it. I was getting it all put away if it killed me. I got both loads folded and put away before lunch. 

I decided to start cleaning the garage. What needed to be done was what I needed to do by myself. I chose the wall that is attached to the house. I moved stuff out from the wall and started to sort through the items. I put things into recycling, the garbage can, and the compost bin. I swept down the walls and wiped everything down until I ran out of cleaner. I hung up items that could be hung up. I swept the floor area and the mat and put everything back in its place. That area looks great until I looked at how some things were still dirty. 

After lunch I went shopping. I got some cleaning items I wanted and a container of cleaner that people recommend. At this point I am able to have a new container of cleaner as I am out in the garage and running low in the house. When home, I started cleaning the containers and a piece of furniture. I was amazed at how much dirt that cleaner removed. 

I took my friend for dinner at family's and we had Moroccan stew and carrot cake. It was delicious. Moroccan stew is my favourite way to have stew. I love its sweetness from the dates and orange juice and the spices that are used. The carrot cake was delicious and moist. We had a great visit afterwards about Ramen soup and then food in Montevideo. We also was watching soccer out the of corner of our eye and saw one great play which had us excited. We got home late last night as time flew by. 

Thoughts

    I did not sew or knit yesterday. I chose to work on the garage and do the things I can do on my own. I will be getting daughter-in-law to help me a bit later on. 

    When I was out to shop, I drove down to the bank to see if the forsythia was in bloom. It wasn't so I can't prune the rose bush yet. I did see a yard beside the bank had many purple and white crocuses blooming in the grass. On our way to family's I showed my friend the daffodils blooming and we also spotted another three daffodils blooming at the end of the next driveway. Daughter-in-law's daffodils are almost ready to bloom as are the ones across the street from my house. 

    I did do my exercise for my SI joint. I had one crack in my knee. My SI joint is a bit stiff this morning so I will be doing the exercise twice. I go to osteopathy tomorrow for a treatment. 

Today

I have to do the minutes for the financial committee meeting and get some items into the car for tomorrow. I have more laundry to do (sheets) and will continue to clean the garage. The next area has been picked and it needs lots of attention. I hope to sew this afternoon and will knit tonight. 

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

Progress On The Doll's Shirt

 Yesterday was warm and sunny with a high of 15C. This morning it is cloudy and 4C. Today is supposed to be cloudy with showers and a high of 18C. 

Lifestyle

I was out to the community hall to make sandwiches. We had several really good laughs while making them. We were done and leaving for home in just over an hour. 

Once home, I did my exercise and had one small crack. It was then up and cleaning windows. I started in my bedroom and was ready for the worst. They weren't as bad as I had thought they would be. I did scrub the frames good and then washed the glass. That took quite a while as I am hoping I don't have to do this job until fall. I will do the glass on a regular basis. The next room was the bathroom and it was surprisingly not that bad. I made sure it was done well so I don't have to do the frames until fall. Once they were done, I stopped as the windows were getting too warm to work on. I did not want streaky windows. 

I went back out to the shed to look for a rack for the bbq. I am amazed at how well I got that shed cleaned last fall. And how well I stored items. I did find the rack after moving a few items. It was on top of a tub and I couldn't see it until I moved the tub. I took the rack over the family's as the bbq was being picked up there. 

Daughter-in-law was cleaning up the garage. She had strips of pool covering out and was rolling them up to put into bags for recycling. I stayed and helped her and we got 5 bags of strips to go. I came home after that job was done. 

Sewing

I worked on the doll's shirt yesterday and put in the sleeve plackets. I cut new plackets longer and then had to cut them wider and at the longer length. They are finicky to put in and by the time I had them in I was tired of working on them. 

It is one boring looking shirt which is to be worn with a skirt and a jacket or vest. 

This shirt reflects the type of shirts worn by ladies for horse backing riding and baking around 1917. I still have a bicycle skirt and jacket to make which I found a picture. Thimbles and Acorns has it in a doll size version. These two pieces will be made in May and June and will finish the Edwardian Wardrobe. 

Knitting

I knit on the scarf last night and it is coming along nicely. It is a beginner's project and the instructions are not for beginners. I do like the pattern as it is easy for a beginner as you only knit and purl. It is the first and last stitch that has no instructions on what to do. I realized last night I do have the instructions in another pattern.

Thoughts

    I am going to spend one afternoon in the shed going through everything and deciding on what I will I will sell in the garage sale or online. I don't need some of the items I have stored in there. Other items I will keep as I do use them. I want to be able keep it tidy without having to do a major amount of work moving stuff around. 

    I also need to spend a morning or afternoon in the garage cleaning it up. It may take more than one session as I have to move a lot of stuff around in preparation for the garage sale. It is one job that I am not looking forward to but know I will enjoy it once I start. 

Today

I have to do the balance sheet first thing, fold the laundry I ignored yesterday, and do some cleaning upstairs. I am going to target one small area in the garage which doesn't require me to do a lot of moving stuff. This afternoon I will sew on the doll's shirt. Tonight I am out for dinner at family's and I hope to knit a bit tonight. 

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

First Daffodils In Bloom

 Yesterday started out cloudy and then cleared off and was sunny. The high got to 13C. This morning it is clear, frosty, and 0C. Today is supposed to be sunny and 15C.

Lifestyle

I started the morning cleaning the bathroom. Not too dirty but I did a good job. Next was the kitchen and I was surprised that most of it was clean but some areas were dirty. I did a good job cleaning it up. 

I marinated chicken for dinner. I rubbed it in mustard and added some spices. It was spicier than I thought it would be though it was tasty. I am looking at some new spices and haven't bought any as they come in larger sized containers. 

I walked out to the shed after lunch and was amazed at how clean it was. I still need to go through it to make sure I get everything I don't need into the garage sale. I walked around the shed picking up the neighbour's shingles. I threw a hub cap out of the yard but need to put it up on the road. I didn't throw it far enough. The Spousal Unit's rose is showing some growth but I can't prune it yet. Soon though. 

I was out mid afternoon for a meeting and got home later in the afternoon. I have minutes to type up today. On my way to the meeting I saw the first daffodils in bloom. 

This spot is protected by trees and many more daffodils will bloom on the hillside. 

Sewing

I didn't sew yesterday as I didn't have enough time. 

My snaps arrived. The company sent them by mail directly to me. When I had put the tracking number into Canada Post it didn't track the parcel. I can now finish up some doll clothes that are waiting for snaps. 

I did watch a video yesterday where the lady made placemats. She does not line them but serges all the seams. Where she joins the ruffle she puts a cotton lace over the seam. We can buy that lace but it's very expensive. She put a lovely trim on the top and they were beautiful. Fabric and trim was from a thrift store and she did buy the lace. 

Knitting

I cast on and knit quite a few rows on the scarf. I used up the yarn I had left over from the hat. 

I have to bring up another ball of yarn and am deciding if I will make it using only 1 more ball or if I will use 2 balls. 

Thoughts

    It was so nice to have the sun yesterday and walking around the yard was wonderful. I looked at the pots of dirt for the few vegetables I will plant and am looking forward to getting them out next month. 

    I did my exercise yesterday morning and I had 2 cracks in the first 3 minutes (SI joint and knee). I did a second 3 minutes and had one more crack in the SI joint. It is still tightening up and the muscles are still a bit sore. Not sure why this is happening but am going to invest in some expensive insoles for my shoes. I am not sure why I stopped buying them as I use to get a pair every time I bought new runners. 

Today

I am out shortly to make sandwiches. Once home, I have a load of laundry to fold and put away. I also want to wash a few windows. I hope to sew this afternoon and will knit tonight. 

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