I Pushed Myself

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds. This high got to 26C (humidex 32C). This morning it is cloudy and 12C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 18C. 

Lifestyle

I was tired yesterday as I had slept poorly the night before. I knew I had to push myself to get things done but also knew I had to rest or I would be sore and cranky. 

I did put a load of laundry into the washer and dryer in the morning. It is still there waiting for me to fold. Maybe today. 

I was out to get items to make sandwiches and it was then that I noticed how humid it was getting. When I got home, I put the heat pump on to dehumidifier to help remove the excess humidity and to cool off the house. 

After lunch, I headed out to family's to get the filling ready for today. When I arrived, the in-law suite was humid and I noticed the dehumidifier was full. First job was to empty it. Son hobbled downstairs to talk to me and turned on the heat pump to cool off the space. His back/SI joint is really sore and he is struggling with it. I know how he feels and encouraged him to do his stretching exercises. 

I set about chopping vegetables, mashing eggs, chopping chicken, dried, cranberries, and getting the cream cheese filling made. I washed dishes, cleaned counters, and spent just about 90 minutes doing what needed doing. I then loaded the car and took everything to the community hall. I got it all put into the fridge for today. 

Once home, I crashed on the couch. I was tired and somewhat sore. The humidity and dropping barometric pressure was getting to me. The house was cool so I sat and enjoyed it. I did nothing but drink fluids and watch TV. 

I was in bed at 8 pm and didn't wake up until 4:30 am. I then fell asleep and woke up when the alarm went off. I do feel better this morning. I should as I got 8.5 hours of sleep. 

Sewing

I didn't sew yesterday but did think about it briefly. I bought this pattern for the Gotz dolls at the end of September. 

I am slowly building up patterns for these dolls. This one I would love to make in a print and knit a sweater for them to wear under it. I probably have both fabric and yarn in the stash. 

It is good to hear that you are back sewing Marianne. I did look at the video you linked and may make some of those bags later on. 

Knitting

None done last night as I was too tired to even think about knitting. 

Thoughts

    Mother Nature certainly surprised us with the heat and humidity yesterday. By the time I went to bed, the humidity was gone and it is lovely outside this morning. Crisp like fall should be. It did rain overnight which was nice. We are going to be back to normal fall temperatures. 

    I was worried about doing the prep work for the sandwiches but it went better than I had thought. I will know today if I need to adjust anything but I doubt it. I do this again for sandwiches on Monday. 

Today

I am out to make sandwiches this morning. After I get home, I have to go get some groceries for more sandwiches. I want to do cook the eggs this morning also. This afternoon I would love to sew the bag and I want to knit tonight. 

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

Progress On The Bag

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds which ranged from being sunny for a while and then full cloud coverage. The high got to 21C (humidex 25C). This morning it is cloudy and 17C (low got to 14C). Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 25C (humidex 28C).

Lifestyle

Yesterday I headed to New Minas to grocery shop. I got the items we needed for making sandwiches plus did a big grocery shopping for me. I went to Walmart to get everything as it is cheaper than the main grocery stores. I had looked at Giant Tiger's sale flyer and there was nothing I wanted in it. They did have a few items cheaper than Walmart. 

Once home, I put my groceries away and then headed to family's to put the sandwich items away and get the eggs. The door to the in-law suite wouldn't open for me and I had to go in through the main house. We are not sure why it wouldn't work but did figure out a way for me to make the door unlock. 

While making dinner, I boiled the eggs and took the shells off them. They are in the fridge ready to be mashed today. I did make a lovely dinner for last night and tonight. While I was cleaning up, I got a phone call to say we had to make sandwiches on Monday. That means I mix fillings today, make sandwiches and shop tomorrow, and mix fillings on Sunday. I don't make sandwiches on Monday as I have physio at 8 am. 

Sewing

I did sew more on the purse. I covered one handle. Turning over 50" of tube is not what I call fun. I threaded the webbing through the tube and top stitched it in place. Next I put fusible fleece onto the print leaving 2" at the top. I put fusible interfacing on it. I turned down the top 2" so I have a 1" hem. Repeated for the other side. I also put fusible fleece on the purple bottom part of the bag. 

 I laid out one of the top parts of the bag and pinned the pocket on and stitched it down. I then measured where the handle was to go and pinned it in place. I stitched it down. I then sewed the bottom onto the top and top stitched it in place. One front was completed. 

I now need to make the tube for the second handle and attach it. Then I can finish the bag which should take a couple of hours. 

Knitting

I did knit l2 rows last night. I finished the ball of yarn and attached a new ball to finish the pattern. 

Thoughts

    We are having a couple of days of warm weather due to a shift in the jet stream. It is pulling warm air up from the south. The wind has been from the south-west since late last night. This is giving us warmer than normal temperatures at the moment. The air is humid also as I had to empty the dehumidifier yesterday afternoon and have been running the heat pump on dehumidify since 4 pm yesterday. 

    The drive to New Minas was lovely. The trees are turning colours and when you look in some areas it is gorgeous. The mix of red, orange, yellow and green is spectacular. I truly enjoyed the trip both ways. It something that needs to be enjoyed before it is gone. 

    I was surprised at how many early shoppers there were at Walmart when I went in. By the time I left, it was quiet and I didn't have to wait in a long line to check out. I did a bit of price comparison while shopping and was surprised at how much we save when shopping there. Food prices are high in our grocery stores and people are out looking for lower prices. 

    I decided to do my glucose reading yesterday morning and it was 5.8. It scared me as I don't want it to go above 6.0. I did it again at noon and it was 5.4 which was much better. Between that and gaining weight, I took control of my eating once again. It is part of my October plan. I need to shift my thinking back to looking after myself once again. 

Today

I hope to do a bit of sewing this morning and then head out to do the sandwich fillings at family's house. I will take everything to the hall. I am going to rest if I have any spare time. If I have the energy, I will knit tonight but only a few rows. I am pacing myself as I have a lot to do this weekend. 

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

Sewing Room Cleaned and New Project Begun

 Yesterday was cloudy with a couple of showers.  We had a high of 16C. This morning it is mainly cloudy and 12C. Today is supposed to be mainly sunny and 21C. 

Lifestyle

I headed down to the sewing room first thing and spent the morning cleaning the room. It was in need of a cleaning. I put away all the thread I had been using, fabric put away neatly, and everything was cleaned. I even scrubbed the cutting mat which was quite dirty. I took the Dyson downstairs and vacuumed the floor twice as it had so much thread on it. I was pleased with how it turned out. Not perfect but a while lot cleaner. 

As I went upstairs, I could feel my creative juices flowing once again. 

I had a fairly pain free day. When I felt sore, I would straighten up, sit quietly, and relax. It really helped as I felt less pain almost immediately. I am hoping that this will continue as it feels great. 

Sewing

With my creative juices flowing I decided to tackle a new purse design from Tamara's Joy. I should have quit when the video was acting strange. It would play for 15 to 20 seconds and then go back to the start. I persisted and in my frustration I cut the lining too short. I said a few words to myself, sorted out the left over fabric. I added the left over outer fabric to the bottom. I am calling it a designer feature. I found out what I had done when I cut the interfacing 1/2" too short. That was an easy fix. 

Once the joys of the lining was fixed, I sew the lining together. It was really easy to do. Her instructions are clear and easy to follow (when the video is working properly). 

My next job was to make the pocket for the outside. I wanted to have a quilted block so decided to do a simple one that is 6.5" square when done. I had to add borders so the pocket piece was 7" wide by 7 3/4" long. I had to sew it to another piece to line it. By some miracle I got it right. 

The bottom border is wider as it needed a 1/2" seam allowance. 

I am ready to start work on the out fabric. I am planning on interfacing it with fusible fleece. That means I have to leave 2" at the top with no fusible fleece and add a strip of interfacing to it. I did this with the seagull bag. I am ready to start working on it when I have time. 

The purple fabric should have been folded in half as it will have the two print panels sewn on each end. I am hoping I have enough of the purple to cover the webbing I will use to make the handles. They will be pieced but I am okay with that. 

Knitting

I did knit 8 rows on the afghan last night. It is now almost 15" long. 

I will be done this ball of yarn in the next couple of nights. 

Thoughts

    September is done and it was a month of pain for me. Some of the pain was the weather, some was stress, and some was me doing too much. On a positive note, my hip has had very little pain since Sept. 21 which I am enjoying. 

    I have to do prep for sandwiches today and tomorrow as we make them on Saturday. I am hoping this will be it for a bit as we all need a break from it. I will be doing this on my own and am a bit nervous. I will get it done though. 

Today

I am out shopping this morning for both sandwiches and myself. Once home, I will boil the eggs and make one dressings. I hope to work on the bag this afternoon but it may not happen. Tonight I will knit on the afghan. 

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

Repaired A Horse Blanket

 Yesterday was mainly rainy with a bit of sun coming out in the late afternoon. The high got to 18C. This morning it is cloudy and 13C. Today is supposed to have showers this morning and a mix of sun and clouds this afternoon. The high is supposed to get to 19C.

Lifestyle

I had a fight with one of my blinds yesterday. I somehow hit the stop button and it was going down when I pushed the up button. I kept pushing the stop button and it wouldn't change direction. I kept reading the vague directions and couldn't hear the little noise it makes when you follow the directions. I did a google search and it said the same thing. I took a break as I was frustrated and when I came back, it worked like a charm. That job as completed. 

I changed the sheets on the bed and got them into the washer. By this time, I was really sore. Was it me over extending or was it the weather causing my SI joint to flare up. It was pouring rain and the barometric pressure was still dropping. I clocked out and did my exercises. As I was taking my left foot off my right knee, I had a crack and the majority of the pain was gone. 

As I was feeling better, I grabbed my cleaning supplies and finished cleaning the lower kitchen cabinets. I looked at my spices and a lot of them have expired but I didn't toss them. I want to figure out which ones I don't use and which ones I will replace. My last job of the morning was to wipe down all the counters and clean the top of the stove. I also cleaned the outside of the microwave. At that point I was done with cleaning and ready for lunch. 

I was out mid afternoon to family's as I had a small job to do for daughter-in-law. I got it done as the last shower went over us. I was then home for the rest of the day. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday. It was repairing the rips in my neighbour's horse's blanket. It was quite the job as one part was ripped around a buckle. I did a lot of zig zag stitching on most of it and some straight stitching on part. I use a 2" wide tape on it so I have a good backing to attach the ripped pieces to. I also stitched a few small rips so they wouldn't get bigger. I didn't take pictures of my repair job as I wanted it done and out of the house. It took me about 2 hours to do the job. I don't charge her for doing the job as they help me out shovelling snow in the winter. 

I did look at the sewing room and I still have some things to do before I can vacuum the floors. I will focus on that today. 

Knitting

I didn't knit last night. 

Thoughts

    It is hard to believe that it is the end of September. It was hard to believe that I had to turn on the heat pump to dehumidifier yesterday as it was so humid outside you felt like you were walking into a warm wet towel. I also had to empty the portable dehumidifier as it was almost full. The humidity was about 100% all day. 

    I am trying to figure out what I need to do in October. With September being crazy I now need to slow down and enjoy the month of October. No pressure to get a project completed. Time to do a few things that need to get done before winter. Time to pace myself so I don't get over tired and cranky. 

Today

I don't have a thing planned for today but will try to work in the sewing room to get more of it cleaned up. I will probably try to do a few other small things and remember to take out the garbage later this afternoon. I am looking forward to a quiet day before I start prepping for sandwiches tomorrow and Friday.

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

Feeling Less Pain

 Yesterday's showers turned out to be rain all day. The high got to 15C. This morning it is cloudy and 14C. Today is supposed to have showers most of the day with a high of 17C.

Lifestyle

Yesterday I had an extremely busy morning. I started out doing the balance sheet and cursed myself for one stupid mistake. I got it done in record time even with the mistake. 

Next up was to empty the dishwasher and clean it. I took out the filter and sprayed it with a bleach based cleaner even though it was quite clean. I put in more dirty dishes and moved on to folding laundry and putting it away. 

At that point, I laid on the couch and did my first set of exercises. My SI joint was really sore and I was getting tired from the pain. I did them with a bit of relief but not enough to say the pain was gone. 

From there, I tidied up the table and scrubbed it. Then I took out the tub of recycling and sorted it into its proper bags in the garage. Rosie had her water tank filled and a clean mop put on. At that point I was done. The pain had done me in. 

I sat with heat on the SI joint and worked a bit on my family tree while I ate lunch. I then went and laid on the bed and did more exercises. When I did the last exercise to stretch my left piriformis, my SI joint released and I was virtually pain free. 

The municipality was out to mow the ditch on our street. They usually only do that ditch but this year, the person mowed the ditch along the length of my property. I was thrilled to see that being done. 

I was out to have dinner at family's. Daughter-in-law made smash burgers and they were delicious. We had tomato, bacon, mushrooms, and cheese on them. This time, we had them on sourdough buns and they were the best buns we have had for smash burgers. I was home in good time last night as they had company show up. 

Sewing

I hauled all the fabric I had laundered downstairs and pressed it. The left over fabric from the table runner was put away as I may make a doll's quilt using it. Some of the fabric did go into the drawer I have dog fabric stored. The placemat fabric was also pressed and folded ready for me to make in October. 

The cutting table is starting to look much better. I have got a few more things to work on before it is completely cleaned off. I will continue cleaning the room as I am behind thanks to my SI joint being so painful.

The Onyx in Autumn Table Runner pattern can be found here. There is a link on the page to download the pattern. It is a free pattern. 

Knitting

I did knit last night and got 8 rows done. The afghan is getting longer and the ball of yarn is getting smaller. 

Thoughts

    I have really dealt with a lot of pain this month and it has left me exhausted. My hip placement hasn't moved since Sept. 21 but my SI joint has been quite painful most of the month. It seems to have enjoyed flaring up on me. Though I was tired after the SI joint released yesterday afternoon, I didn't allow myself to nap. I pushed through so I would sleep better last night. I am looking forward to physio on Monday so I can get more exercises to strengthen the muscles in my leg. 

    We had a lot more rain than anticipated. It was the leftovers from the storm that hit the east coast of the US. We had about an inch of rain fall. I am hoping what we got and what we should get today will really help the grass seed sprout and grow. My neighbour is hoping also.

Today

I have to do more laundry and will try to do more fall cleaning in the kitchen. I should try to fix my neighbour's horse blanket this afternoon and knit tonight.

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

Another Busy Day

 Yesterday started out with rain and ended up sunny. The high got to 18C. This morning it is cloudy and 11C. Today is supposed to be cloudy with showers and a high of 16C. 

Lifestyle

I was out to make sandwiches yesterday morning and we were done in 50 minutes. Once done, daughter-in-law and I headed to Dartmouth to shop at Costco for more supplies. It was busy there but not as busy as the last time. We lucked out and got a parking spot closer to the building.  

When done at Costco we headed to Walmart in Bedford. It is the Walmart we like to shop at. We got what we needed and headed home. By that time the sun was shining. The trees are turning colour very quickly. It is early for this to be happening. 

Once home, we unloaded the car at family's and I headed home. I got my three items put away and had lunch. I then started to struggle. I was sore and very tired. I went to bed and slept for almost an hour. I woke up feeling better. I realized the soreness could have been from the storm coming in today. I stretched in bed last night but had no cracks. 

Sewing

I didn't look at the sewing room yesterday. 

Knitting

I knit 7 rows on the afghan. It is now 12" long. Progress is being made. 

I took a picture of the other end of the afghan. It is bunched up as it takes up a lot of space on the couch.

Thoughts

    I had a small anxiety attack last night after I went to bed. It took me a while to get it under control but I got it done. It was caused by being over tired, worried, and a bit stressed. I am hoping that I will have quieter days where I can do things without having to rush. I have started to get my week in order so I can pace myself. I have to shop for sandwiches and do the prep work. 

    I opened a bunch of windows last night as the house was stuffy. It was nice to have them open all night. The house was cool this morning but I enjoy that immensely. I had kept the windows closed as there was supposed to be rain during the night which never really happened. 

    I saw two small flocks of Canada geese flying yesterday morning. They were flying down towards the community hall. I haven't seen or heard them over my place but I am sure they will be over here soon. 

Today

My goal is to stay home today and do some things around here. I want to do press the fabric I rinsed the other day and do some more tidying up in the sewing room. I am out for dinner at family's tonight and hope to knit once I get home. 

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

Plans Made, Plans Revised

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 19C. This morning it is cloudy and 14C. Today is supposed to have showers with a high of 16C. 

Lifestyle

I was out to make sandwiches yesterday morning. Once home, I sat with a cup of coffee and heat on my SI joint and area. I had twisted it when turning at the community hall. It was sore. 

Once my coffee was done, I cleaned the bathroom and moved laundry from the washer to the dryer. I then cleaned the kitchen counters and stove. I cut chicken into chunks and marinated it. I then cut onions and peppers in to chunks and put it all into the fridge for dinner. Once that was done, I cleaned the kitchen counters once more and sat down. The pain was there and annoying me. 

I had a nap after lunch. I really needed it as I crashed for 45 minutes and one-third of it was in a deep sleep. I woke up groggy but with less pain. 

Once out of bed, I meandered down to the sewing room. I picked up all the left over fabric from the table runner and put it into a tub. I cleaned up my cutting tools and put everything away neatly. I found 4 missing pencils in with my cutting tools. 

I soaked the fabric in warm water so the starch would come out. I hung it up wet on the drying rack in the bath tub. They can be pressed and put away for another project. 

I sat some more after that was done and was getting ready to make dinner when daughter-in-law called me. The person who was going to help her didn't show. I headed out to get us dinner and then went to the hall to help bartend. The group was celebrating one lady's birthday and the party lasted a full 3 hours. We enjoy this group as they are fun, polite, considerate, and patient. I did a run to the liquor store in the middle of the evening. Was home by 7:30 pm. So was everyone else. 

I didn't knit but I did sit on more heat and by the time I went to bed, the soreness had subsided. I am back to feeling like myself this morning. 

Today

I am out to make sandwiches again this morning. Then daughter-in-law and I will head to the city to get more supplies for sandwiches. I will buy eggs and 2 tubs of soup as I don't have time to make it this week. Once home, I will try to fold laundry and then make my dinner. I do hope to knit tonight. 

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