Monday, March 18, 2024

New Yarn, New Socks

 Yesterday was grey with rain in the late afternoon and evening. The high got to 5.1C. This morning it is partly cloudy and 2C. We are to have sunshine and 7C today. 

Lifestyle

I did yoga yesterday and have noticed that the pain is still located in the new spots. The old pain seems to be gone. For that I am grateful. I am doing more stretching to keep all the muscles limber and, hopefully, strong(er). 

I did the balance sheet and the little bit of stats I do. I have to buy very little for the next two weeks if I want to put away the $$ I had planned on. The brakes were the big expense which means I have to use what I have and get only what I need. I have roughly figured out what I can get as extras. The rest of the month is use what you have and get only what you need. Groceries are a given but other items will be selectively chosen. I have plenty of stash to work with and know what I will need to continue doing crafts. 

I cleaned up a bit in the house before declaring it time to stop and do what I wanted to. With the wet weather it meant I couldn't walk. I was sad about that as I am enjoying being outside. I was going to go to an open house but decided not to as I am not looking for a house. So I went and did some fun things in the family room. 

Sewing and Crafting

I started out my time making 3 cards. I had found a card sketch that I wanted to try. I used 2 sheets of paper to make them and I quite like the design. Bonus -- very little scraps. 

Once I got started, the next two went together quickly. I was on a roll. 

I started digging in the stickers I have and I enjoyed myself immensely. 

I also took some card stock that I had cut and folded one in half and made a tag using more scraps and some wooden Christmas trees. I need a sticker on it. 

I hand stitched the two back seams on row 5 of the quilt. I took a picture but you can't see the stitches; only the lines I draw to keep the back pieces lined up. 

I can now quilt the two red blocks and it will be ready to attach to the quilt. 

It was a very productive day in which I had a lot of fun. I now need to work on the journal which means loading tag into the printer and printing out some pictures for it. I also need to continue hunting for ideas on how to present what I find in the book. 

Knitting

I wound the skein of yarn before lunch and admired it while I ate my lunch. I love the colours in it. 

The top of the cake is full of colour which is exciting. What will the socks look like was my main thought. 

After dinner I cast on the first sock and knit 22 rows. I love this yarn as it is soft and squishy. 

I am doing the same pattern as the last socks as I want the colours to show up and be the star of the socks. I don't think we will be disappointed in how these socks look when done. I am super excited to watch them develop over the next several weeks. 

Today

I have physio this morning and have physical activity at the hospital in the afternoon. I will probably be tired from having 2 sessions in one day. If I have enough energy, I want to quilt the red blocks on row 5. I will knit tonight. 

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

Sunday, March 17, 2024

The Chemise Neckline Is Smocked

 Yesterday was a lovely sunny day with a high of 9.8C. This morning it is cloudy and 3C. We are to have a mix of rain and snow with a high of 5C. 

Lifestyle

I did yoga yesterday morning with a bit more ease. I am trying to do a bit more of a few exercises to build more strength in my hip now that the muscles have relaxed. 

I decided not to go to New Minas and shop. I need to do the balance sheet and have a plan for the rest of the month getting what I need. I asked the question "Is this really a need or a want?" It is a bit of both. 

My cleaning focus was the hall and dining area. I did a good job on it and have it looking much cleaner and tidier. It wasn't overly dirty but dirty enough that it needed doing. The dining room table has been tidied up with all my notebooks put into a container. I can use them and put them away easily which is important. 

I did two loads of laundry -- bed linens and some blankets. I had the bed made early and got that off my list. My bedroom is to be cleaned next so I like to have the sheets done before I do it. 

I went for a walk at 4 pm. I was able to go another pole in distance. Once done, I went to see my friend for an hour as we haven't visited in a week. It was a great way to end the afternoon. 

Sewing and Crafting

I worked on the quilt yesterday and have two seams to hand sew on row 5. Then it will be 2 blocks to quilt and I can attach it to the quilt or wait until I do row 6. 

When row 5 is added, the quilt will be 60" long. 

It will certainly cover the couch when it is done. 

I had time to smock on the doll's chemise. I got the neckline finished and pulled out the pleating thread. 

I thought the black thread stained the fabric but I think it may be needle holes. The fabric is very thin and the holes in it are big. I will need to give it a press and see. If stained, it will be getting the Dawn soap treatment when done. 

I did way too many rows of pleating on the neckline and will only be doing 4 on the sleeves. They have 3 rows of smocking on them. All the stitch I love to invent my own way of doing it. I will pay attention to the pattern. 

Knitting

I finished the hat last night and it is ready for me to wear on cooler days. 

Next up is socks which I still need to wind the yarn into a cake.

Thoughts

    My hip and knee are improving and the pain is more local rather than running up and down a muscle or tendon. I still wonder if it is joint pain or weakness that needs to be worked on. It feels great not having pain from tight muscles. Even my gait has improved though I still need to work on it as I get stronger. 

    I enjoyed walking again yesterday. I am hoping I can walk 2 km at a time. I know it will take me time to get there but I did it last fall when I was in worse shape than I am in now. I enjoy being out in the fresh air and find it clears my mind of a lot of things. I am looking forward to watching tulips and daffodils bloom, the magnolia trees blossom, and everything look green and lush. 

    My friend and I talked about the real estate market. It has really slowed down with nothing selling in our small area since last fall. The 55+ area behind us has homes for sale (5 new and one older) and they sit at a high price. The house for sale on our street hasn't sold yet. It is the best deal of all the homes for sale. On the up side, more people are out looking at places for sale. We haven't had many people driving around looking for places. Overall, inventory is low in the municipality. The great deals are sold quickly. 

Today

I have to do yoga first thing then do the balance sheet. I have to clean up Elliott's litter mess before I can do what I want to do. My friend and I may go to an open house. I do want to hand sew the quilt back, wind yarn, and start knitting socks tonight. 

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

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Is There Improvement In My Hip and Knee?

 Yesterday was a cloudy day with a bit of rain in the afternoon. The high got to 6.2C. This morning it was cloudy and 1C. Today we are to have a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 8C. 

Lifestyle

I did yoga in the morning and I had some pain. It is becoming different than it was. More from the front of the knee to the hip with a bit in the back of the hip. I did do all of the exercises in hopes it continues to improve. 

I did clean the kitchen. It wasn't as dirty as expected but I did wipe surfaces to get rid of any grease and grime. Appliances were shined up. The stove was pulled out and that area was cleaned. I got down on the floor to clean under the fridge as it collects fluff on the front grill. Once all was done, I washed the floor. 

I have been doing a bit of genealogy as I can get information off Ancestry free until tonight. It has been interesting digging into family names that were talked about by my dad and his sister. 

Late in the afternoon I went grocery shopping so I could get that off the list. It wasn't as busy as I had anticipated though it was getting busier when I left the store. The commuters were arriving to do their shopping.

Sewing and Crafting

I hand stitched the back of the quilt and then quilted the red square. I was starting to do my thing mentally so I stopped, took a deep breath and allowed myself to measure the spacing of the quilting rather than think negative things about myself. It worked out well. 

I also worked on the smocking of the chemise and am about half done the last row. I have to pay attention to what I am doing as it is easy to make a mistake on it. I did one and caught it before I got too far along. I am slowly getting it done. 

I did play with ideas for the next cards. I have the pieces I want to add to the cards done and am working on the paper choices. It is getting close. 

I have to work on the journal also as our friends will be here in mid May to pack up their house and move back to Alberta. I would like to have it done but if not, I will mail it to them later on. Signature 2 is coming along but some of the pages are hard to get ideas for. I am working on it slowly. 

Knitting

I finished the hat body and am ready to do the last 6-7 rows. 

This means I need to wind the sock yarn so I can start working on them. 

Thoughts

    My hip and knee are feeling much better. The pain I had has almost disappeared only to be replaced by pain running from my knee up to my hip. I am hoping that it is mainly weakness but it may be the joints hurting more as I use them. It also could be the muscle that has been bothering me needing another treatment. I am hoping it is weakness as I can work on that. I will know more on Monday when I go to physio. 

    I have been working on standing on one foot as it improves my balance. I am able to stand longer than before as my muscles are stronger around my knee and hip. I now need to start walking every day I can so I can go further each week. I know I will have to stop when it gets hot and muggy but I have 3 months before that happens. 

     I have been enjoying having not appointments. It has been nice to do things that need to be done and have some down time. I am enjoying the pace I have set and getting things done that I had to let go of. 

Today

I am going to do yoga and then head out to New Minas to get a few things I need. Once home, I want to work on the quilt and smocking. I need to wind yarn. I would like to go for a short walk later this afternoon. Tonight I will knit. 

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

Friday, March 15, 2024

A Day of Doing Things At Home

 Yesterday was quite sunny with a high of 7.8C. This morning it is cloudy and 0C. Today is to be cloudy with a chance of flurries or showers with a high of 5C. 

Lifestyle

I did yoga yesterday morning and was sore at times. I did all the moves and stretches correctly to try and help the pain. There was a bit of cracking but nothing huge. 

Next up was to clean the bathroom. It was spring cleaned -- walls wiped and everything scrubbed clean. I even washed the floor on my hands and knees. It smelled so clean when done. 

The next jobs for the morning were to fold laundry and put it away and take the pop cans to the bottle depot. When I walked into the depot, I came down off the step hard and made my hip really hurt. I survived it. Heat is my best friend. 

I had been cooking a chicken carcass in the morning and before lunch I strained the broth, put it into containers. I shred the meat to have some for dinner and put some in the freezer. 

I used some of the broth for dinner and it was flavourful. The remaining containers went into the freezer. There was over 11 ounces of meat which made 3 meals for me. 

I went for a walk yesterday afternoon. It was just over .5 km which is good for my first time out since last fall. I used the poles and found that I am walking stronger and better. It was nice to be out in the sunshine and doing something I enjoy. I hope to walk on nice days and build up to 2 km. 

Sewing and Crafting

I spent time in the sewing room and finished up the outer part of the remaining wine bottle bags. Next up is the lining which I will do another day. 

I worked on the first two blocks of row 5. They are quilted and sewn together ready for me to hand sew the back seam. 

It was nice to work on it after a few days of not looking at it. 

Next up was to spend a bit of time smocking. I got started on row 4 and am progressing slowly. I count and check as I don't want to make a mistake. 

I have printed out the sketches for the next set of cards and looked at the papers. I had no time left to do any planning. 

Knitting

I did knit last night. I am nearing the end of this hat so will have to wind yarn for socks. 

I may have to start knitting hats between socks as I have lots of yarn that will make great hats. I need to find a place to donate them to. 

Thoughts

    I had some cracking of the joints when settling down in bed last night. It did help some. The pain is a bit different this time and I am wondering what has stretched and what has tightened up. I am wearing new runners that have me stand a bit differently. I do like them as I feel more comfortable on my feet when wearing them. 

    When I went to stand up yesterday from washing the floor, I noticed that I am able to do it much easier. Another improvement. I am wondering if getting into the truck on Wednesday did a lot of stretching that helped more than I thought. 

    I have been working on the perfectionism and have caught myself several times slipping into over thinking and focusing. Once was yesterday when I was quilting. I had to stop, talk to myself, and start again. I let myself measure the spacing for quilting rather than mentally beat myself up. It worked. 

Today

I will do yoga this morning while laundry is on. My goal is to clean the kitchen more thoroughly this morning. I want to work on the quilt and smocking this afternoon, walk if it isn't raining, and knit tonight. A stay at home day for me. 

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

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Smocking Done Correctly

 Yesterday was a nicer day with some brightness. It started to clear late in the afternoon. The high got to 3.6C. This morning it is -2C. We are to have sunshine and a high of 7C today. 

Lifestyle

I had to be in New Minas at 8:30 am so left in good time just incase there was slush on the road. The roads were great. I left the car to be worked on and daughter-in-law and I started our day off with breakfast and then some shopping. I bought 2 pairs of running shoes after trying on 3 pairs. They were on sale buy one pair and get the second pair for $2.00. 

I was back to the car dealership at 11 am and had a 30 minute wait before the car was done. The brakes had to be replaced (knew that was in the books) and the recall work was done. The check engine light was on but there is nothing wrong with the car so they turned it off. I am to try a different method when starting it which other hybrids have to do. I am to drive it a bit more also. 

Once home, I sat with heat on me as I was sore. It is quite the feat for me to get into the truck but I can do it. I was pretty proud of myself as I haven't got into the truck for a few years due to my hip. 

I got the garbage out to the curb before dinner. I am waiting for a spell of dry weather and I will back the car out and sweep the floor and tidy up the area. The first job is to take the pop cans to the depot. I will slowly get the area cleaned up once again. 

Sewing and Crafting

With my hip tired from the truck, I decided to work on the last card and get it done. It was my design using up the scraps of card stock from the other 6 cards. 

I have kept the few scraps as I can use them to lift pieces when they sit on 2 levels of card stock. I am thinking I need to add something to the plaid -- hearts or larger crystals. 

I tackled the smocking by taking out the part row first. Then I worked on taking out the third row. I have to say that I tried not one or two variations to the pattern but 3. Once I completed the picking out, I did row 3 correctly. I am now happy with it. 

I have the last row to do and the neckline will be done. Then on to the 2 sleeves which I hope won't take as long. 

Knitting

I worked on the hat last night and got a lot done. It is knitting up quite quickly. 

I had to stop as the Tylenol was starting to work and I was feeling tired. 

Thoughts

    I am looking forward to wearing new runners. The ones I bought have more support than the old ones. I really like them a lot after I tried on new version of what I had been wearing. My hip hurt less when I had these on meaning the extra support is needed. 

    We found bok choy seeds yesterday which we didn't think we would find. I will be planting them inside in April so we can have small plants to put in one of the vegetable boxes. 

    I am excited that I have no more appointments until Monday. I can do things at home for a few days. I am happy about that. 

Today

I am going to put the chicken carcass on to make more soup broth. I also want to clean the bathroom and fold laundry. I have to get some groceries and take the pop cans in to the bottle depot. If I have time, I want to set up the next 4 blocks for the quilt and do a bit of smocking. Tonight I will knit. I am looking forward to having time to do things around the house. 

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

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

The Storm Wasn't As Bad As Predicted

Yesterday was a day of snow flurries and wind. The high got to 2.1C. This morning it is cloudy and 1C. We are to have flurries this morning and cloudy this afternoon with a high of 4C.

Lifestyle

I was out the door early for osteopathy. The roads were wet and there was fog. Otherwise no issues. When I left osteopathy, the sun was trying to shine. When I got to the freeway, the clouds had dropped and there were snow flurries. The roads were wet until Ellershouse and then they were dry. 

My visit to osteopathy was good. My hip is still in place which was wonderful news. My back is bothering me some so she worked on that. Then she moved to my left rib cage and worked on the bottom rib. I had a fuzzy feeling in the left groin. She was happy as what ever was wrong is right again. 

I was sore for the rest of the day. I applied heat when I got home and in the evening. During the night, there was cracking in my hip and back and I feel much better today. Things were shifting back into place. 

I was out for dinner at family's last night. We had a wonderful roast chicken dinner and I brought home the carcass. I will be making more broth and freezing it. The extra meat will be made into something like chicken pies. 

Sewing and Crafting

I worked on the wine bottle bags yesterday. The four bags are sewn down the side and across the bottom. Two have been boxed and are ready for me to make the lining. 

The cardinal one is my favourite and I will have 3 of them for sale. 

The western one used up most of the fabric scrap though I may get two wine bottle toppers or one gift bag topper out of the remaining scraps. 

I did work on the smocking but have to take out the row I am working on plus the previous one. There is a mistake in the previous row. No big deal as I can work on it over the next few days. 

I put laid out a card and can put it together. I used up the bits and pieces from the six other cards I had made. 

The scraps that are left will be tossed as they are small and useless. I am pleased with how little waste I had when making these cards. 

Knitting

I set up another hat and got the ribbing done. 

I am now ready to start on the spiral part. This hat is for me. 

Thoughts

    Though yesterday had lots of snow showers, very little snow stuck to the ground. It was melting fast. The roads were in good driving conditions. Mt Uniacke had the most snow on the ground but the roads were fine. The storm that was predicted didn't materialize like planned. That was nice for people who have to commute to work. 

    I was thrilled that my hip didn't tip forward in the past 3 weeks. I am way more relaxed and that is allowing the joints to shift around into place. My back is bothering me some and I will have to work on that. Part is how I stand and part is soreness in some muscles. I should be able to do more this spring as I am in a much better place than I was last spring. 

    I had a major glucose low late yesterday afternoon. I am going to have to try and have a piece of fruit mid afternoon to see if that will help. It was a bit scary as I didn't have any symptoms but decided to test before I went out for dinner. I am glad I did. I had apple juice before I left. 

Today

I am out again today. The car is having an oil change plus recall work done on it. Daughter-in-law is picking me up and we are going for breakfast and then a bit of shopping. I will have lunch and do a bit more shopping before I come home. I am not sure what I will get done at home but I would like to start picking out the smocking so I can work on it. I will knit tonight. 

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

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Another Busy Day

 Yesterday was a grey, foggy, rainy, snowy day with a high of 4.7C. This morning it is 1C with snow flurries. It is suppose to snow a bit with a high of 2C. 

Lifestyle

I was out the door early to go to Dartmouth. My drive was foggy and misty. Daughter-in-law was ahead of me and she said there was not fog. The weather in Dartmouth was either rain or not rain until noon when big fluffy flakes of snow fell for 20 minutes. It didn't stick to the ground. The drive home was good. Foggy with mist but no snow. 

We had a great time in Dartmouth. We went to Costco and got a few items but browsed. It wasn't busy so we wandered up and down all the aisles killing time. It was fun to look at everything and talk about things. Our next stop was Walmart but we didn't wander in there. It was busier so we got our things and left. 

We had a wonderful lunch of loaded potato soup, salad, and bread. Perfect for a wet day. 

Once home, the weather tried to snow but not much happened with it. In fact it was nice enough that the people across the street got the street hockey stuff out. The boy stands up at my garage door and shoots the ball into the net and dad sends it back up to him. I am so glad they have a place they can do this safely. 

I have eaten too much and am feeling stuffed. My weight is up a bit so back to eating my "rations". I don't want to gain weight so I will be careful until I have the two pounds off. 

Sewing and Crafting

I had quite a bit of time to work on projects in the afternoon. I got the trellis stitch done on the doll's chemise. It was a simple stitch to do and went quite quickly.

There is one more row of smocking to do and I have never done that stitch. I look forward to doing it.

I spent the rest of the afternoon working on cards. I ran out of double sided tape in the dispenser so had to use the roll I had. I finished up the 3 cards I had designed.

With these cards done, I will start to cut out the next 6 cards using a different layout. I need to buy glue and tape so I can make them. 

I also looked for a wine bottle tag and have found this one I can cut out on the Cricut. Her svg file does not work so I used the hand cut one and sized it per her instructions. I am going to make one to see if I have the right weight paper. If I do, then I will proceed to make a few of them. 

Knitting

I worked on the counted cross stitch picture and got it done. I am very pleased with it. It will be used in the last part of the journal. 

Thoughts

    I am feeling much better about driving into Dartmouth again. My memory muscles are back again. I will be going in when the weather is nicer so I can start buying some Christmas gifts. 

    I have two appointments on Monday. One for physio in the morning and one for the Wellness Center in the afternoon. I will be tired as it is going to be one active day for me. 

    My last appointment for this week is tomorrow and I will be happy to be home after that for a few days. I need time to clean the house and do laundry. I feel like I have done very little in the house the last 10 days. 

Today

I have osteopathy this morning and will be coming home right afterwards. I want to do the last row of smocking on the chemise and do some sewing on the wine bottle bags. I want to knit on socks tonight if I have wound the yarn into a cake. If not, I will start another hat for myself. 

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