Decision 2 Made

Yesterday was wet for most of the day. There was about 1/2" of rain fall during the day. The high got to 19C. This morning it is 14C and the sun is shining. The high is to get to 19C again today.

Lifestyle

I focused in and got the upstairs tidied up and the floors swept in good time. I also finished hanging the pictures in the downstairs bathroom and they are still hanging. We need to do the toilet paper holder next. 

Son was over for a visit yesterday and we found out they had no hail in the big rain. We had a good visit talking about lots of things. 

At noon our neighbors walked over for a "picnic" lunch. We had hot dogs, chips and dip, snap peas and pop at the dining room table. It was an enjoyable meal.

There was one new case of the virus reported yesterday and one person is in the hospital in intensive care. 

Sewing

I spent a couple of hours in the sewing room having fun yesterday. No pressure, no time lines, and no guilt in doing the projects. 

The first thing I made was a pillow for the pillow case. Easy to make and it was done in no time flat. I did take pictures of the quilt and I am hanging my head in shame. 

I put it away until I can launder it. I then started to play with two 9 x 12" pieces of the cat fabric to make potholders. I had a blast measuring, cutting, and sewing the tops of the potholders. I kept them simple and will do some straight line quilting using the walking foot. 

There are two in hiding which are gifts. I need to buy light teal for the backing, my purchase for August. I now can work on the squares from the remaining half meter of cat fabric so we can have them for our plates. If there is any fabric left over, I will make gifts out of it. I am having some fun doing my thing and using up this fabric. 

The second decision of what I want to do in the sewing room was an easy decision. I was going to make a bunch of items for the local fall fair for 2022. When I looked at the list, I realized how much fabric I needed to buy. I also wondered what I was going to do with some of the items I was making. To make items for the sake of filling categories for the fall fair needed to be rethought. So, I concluded that unless it fits in with the house, the dolls, us, or gifts, it won't be made. I am not sewing items for the sake of sewing them only to wonder who I can give them to afterwards. This will limit what I am making which is fine with me. 

Decision 3 is the last one. 

Knitting

I frogged the hat and decided to crochet a beginners scarf. I'm not good at crocheting and this will help me work on keeping the number of stitches consistent in each row. I count every 2nd or 3rd row to make sure I have 22 stitches. I made good progress and I'm sure this scarf will be liked much better than the hat. 

Once done, I know I will not buy this yarn again. The color changes are way to long for the items I like to make. 

Today

I have to spray bugs on part of the lawn today. Then I'm free to sew in the sewing room. I'm going to work on cutting out the quilted squares and sew the dark pieces on them. The left over fabric will be cut into something also. I will also crochet on the scarf. It is the beginning of the long weekend so we won't be doing much due to traffic and the stores being closed on Monday. 

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

Decision One Made

 Yesterday was another lovely day with a high of 23.3C. This morning it is 16C and it is starting to rain. It is to be rainy with a high of 19C. 

Lifestyle

I did 2 loads of laundry yesterday morning and while it was on, I began to paint the patches in the downstairs bathroom and the sewing room. It took me longer to set up to paint than it did to actually paint. I did 2 coats where we had done some mudding and all looks good. 

Between loads of laundry, I also did a few other home decor things. I cut strips of card stock 1 x 4" and glued them to the back of the fabric pictures to go into the bathroom and they were left to dry for 24 hours. I used kid's glue to put them on.

Next up was to takes the little table shelves and sand the paint job. I had to clean up a place to work on and got it done in no time flat. When I came to wipe them off, I got a scrub bucket that we have in the garage, cleaned it, filled it and when I finished wiping I realized this bucket had a hole in it also. Two buckets, 2 days. I will have to buy a new scrub bucket.

Once done, it was lunch time and after lunch I made our bed and folded the 2nd load of laundry. Not too bad for a morning. 

There was one new case of the virus reported yesterday with 10 active cases in the province. With other provinces showing a growth in new cases I'm worried about a 4th wave. 

Sewing

I got the binding sewn down on the doll's quilt and the pillow case made. No pictures as they are stiff with starch and need to have a quick laundering. All that is left is the pillow. 

I continued to think about what I want to do in the sewing room. I do my best thinking down there. I went over a lot of thoughts and my biggest decision was to stop sewing for testers. I think I am burnt out from it. I worry every month if I am going to get 1 pattern to test. I started to grab the first pattern available even if I didn't want to sew it. The designers have slowed down and there is less to choose from. In all the fun is gone for me. 

Decision 2 is coming. 

Knitting

I finished the hat and I dislike it. 

It's how the colors turned out that I dislike, not the pattern. I will rip it out and make something like a scarf from it. I will knit the hat again as I did enjoy the pattern this time. 

Today

I'm heading out to grocery shop shortly, do some housework, have neighbors over for hotdogs at noon, and, hopefully, start the next project in sewing and knitting. Sewing is the doll's pillow and knitting is ripping the hat back and finding a scarf pattern to knit. Maybe I'll get a picture or two taken today.

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

Trying To Complete Projects

 Yesterday morning started off with it being warm and a few showers. We woke up to 16C. It got to 22C yesterday and the sun shone in the afternoon. The breeze was cool which was nice. This morning it is 12C and the sun is shining. It is to be a nice day today. 

Lifestyle

After playing avoiding folding the laundry, I got it done. It didn't take long and I did a load of laundry while folding. It is done and I feel good about that. And I should quit avoiding folding the laundry.

Once done, I headed to the downstairs bathroom and cleaned it. I washed the floor and, as I finished, I leaned on the scrub bucket and it cracked at the bottom. Talk about scrambling to clean up the water on the floor. The room is ready for me to paint the area we had to fix and attach the toilet paper holder. 

I did spend a bit of time thinking about how to finish the bathroom which I love. I need to add cardboard to the back of the pictures so I can hang them up on the wall above the towel bar. 

Putting 3M hangers on the fabric does not work as they kept falling off the wall.  I was thrilled when I read to put cardboard on the back of the pictures so the 3M sticky tape has something to grip onto. 

The next project for the room will be painting a small table to put under the towel bar. I have to sand the chalk paint I put on, prime it with a good primer and paint it with the trim paint. I may have to set it up in the basement so I can finish the bathroom before starting on the family room. 

There were no new cases of the virus reported yesterday and no recoveries. 

Sewing

The doll's quilt is ready to have the binding sewn down. I will be so happy when it is done and the pillow and pillow case competed. 

I did learn a lot from this quilt. I found I was uptight while quilting it. I was more relaxed while quilting yesterday. It went much better but the quilting is nowhere close to being perfect. I made the mistake pressing the seams to one side as it created a hump in the fabric. There is a place for pressing to one side and it isn't in this quilt. 

My thoughts for sewing were interesting. Will I sew for the fair for 2022? How can I use up the fabric I have and buy a lot less for the rest of the year? Where am I with testing doll patterns - keep on or give it up? Where are my interests now? It was quite constructive and interesting as I thought about sewing and knitting. More on this as I firm up my ideas. 

Knitting

I knit on the hat last night and did one row 3 times. I finally had to stop everything and count out loud to get it done right. I will cast the hat off but not finish it. I'm not sure if it will be kept or frogged out for another project. 

Today

More laundry today and I hope to paint the wall in the bathroom. I would like to sew down the binding on the doll's quilt and knit tonight. It's another stay at home day.

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

One Doozy Of A Storm

 Yesterday's weather started off lovely. It was warm and humid. At 1 p.m., the skies darkened, thunder rolled in and lightened flashed. The skies opened up and it poured rain and hailed. In no time flat we had 2" of rain fall. By the time it let up, it had rained 2.25". The day ended with sunshine. The high got to 27C with a humidex of 32C. This morning it is raining lightly and 17C. We are to have rain until noon. 

Lifestyle

I did the last of the budget yesterday and will have a few entries to do on the weekend. Bills were paid and all is well for a couple of weeks. We looked at the hoard and will only be buying the basics for the next while. We need to use up what we have. 

The storm we had was quite the show. It was an isolated storm over us it seems. 

The hail was hitting the front and garage doors and the windows. Talk about loud. 

The strange thing, the temperature dropped to 21C and the ice melted quite quickly. The flowers on the deck fared well. 

The garden seems to be okay though there was some damage to the tomato plants. We will call it pruning. 

The ditch that runs along our side of the street was half full of water and running quite well. The town had it's issues with flooding. One of the stores had to close as water was coming in. The exhibition grounds were full of water. 

I snapped the picture from the CBC page on the flooding.

Last evening when we went out on the deck and saw the neighbor's cat on the shed ramp. He looks a lot like Elliott except his face has a white spot on his nose and no white up to his eyes. 

He lets us talk to him and allows us to get close but will walk away when we get too close. He left his perch and waited until we were back on the deck and then crossed the yard under the deck and went to his home next door for food. 

There were 2 new cases of the virus reported yesterday. Both are related to travel. We have some concerns about the variants and will probably be wearing masks when in most stores. If not busy, I may not but I will when it is busy. I worry about getting the virus and spreading it to children who can not have the vaccine. 

Sewing

The thunder and lightening show did not stop until around 4 p.m. so I did not sew yesterday. I did do a bit of thinking of the next projects I want to do next month. 

Knitting

I did a bit of knitting on the hat yesterday. There will be a color change soon. It will be the deciding factor if I finish the hat or make it into something else. 

Today

I have to fold laundry and do one more load. I hope to quilt on the doll's quilt. We are not sure if we will be out tonight for grandson's soccer game. It's an hours drive from here so it will be a later night for us. 

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

I Need To Keep Practicing Quilting

 Though not hot at 25C, it feels hot as we are having warm nights (18C) for the past couple of days. Also the humidity makes 25C feel like 32C. Today is suppose to get to 27C and we could have showers today. 

Lifestyle

On Sunday I did June's budget (I'm late) and was happy to have it done. Remove travel restrictions and we restocked groceries and bought plants and gardening items. When I looked at the amount of groceries we have stocked piled, I knowingly bought less in July to use it up. We are continuing on the trend again in August and will buy only what we need. I need to see lots of bare spots in the pantry and on the shelving unit in the basement. 

Yesterday we were out to get apples. We asked about fall garlic and nematodes. We can get both at the store in September. Once home, we rested as the heat was wearing on us. 

There was one new case of the virus reported for 3 days. There are 13 active cases in the province. 

Sewing

I finished one half of the doll's quilt and buried all the threads. When I started the bottom half, I made a mistake and had to rip it out. I also ripped out some of the stitching on the row above. I fixed the mistake, buried more threads, and quit. I was really upset with myself for the stupidity but I guess it happens to all of us at one time or another. I just need to keep practicing.

I got the preliminary measuring done for the two 12" squares I want to make and, at this time, I only have to buy .75 meter of one fabric. It may go up to 1 meter when I figure out the potholders. I have the rest of the materials needed for the projects. The most time consuming part will be the straight line quilting on the squares. 

I have thought quite a bit about pressing seams on quilts. For piecing most items I will be pressing the seams open. But, where I want to stitch in the ditch, I will press the seams to one side. When I make the squares I will press to the dark side. 

Knitting

I knit on the hat and I'm not sure if I like it. It is sitting looking at me as I have to change over to double pointed needles to decrease. I will probably do it and before I cast off, show it to daughter for her opinion. With the heat and humidity, I've really slowed down on knitting. I will get back to it again when it cools off. 

Today

I have laundry to do, budget to finish, and I want to work on the doll's quilt. I have to check on the garlic and remove more dirt off the roots as it dries. I will knit tonight. 

Until the next time.

Birthday Dinner and Many Home Dec Thoughts

Yesterday was a lovely sunny day with a high of 24.4C. This morning it was 12C at 6 a.m. and there was lots of dew. We are to have sunshine and 25C today and some showers tonight. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday was all about getting the Spousal Unit's birthday dinner made. I started the morning off cleaning the kitchen and getting my list organized. 

The prime rib was taken out and rubbed with oil and garlic and sprinkled with a delicious rub. It sat on the counter for 4 hours to warm up and let the flavors of the rub get into the meat.

I put the prime rib onto the BBQ at about 2:30 pm and baby sat it for 3 hours. I keep the temperature at 250F by turning burners off and on each side and cooking it over indirect heat. The last bit I turn the back burner on and heat the BBQ to 45 and brown off the meat. It then comes off, get covered with foil and sits for 30 minutes. It was cooked to perfection and tender. I had less struggles with the heat this year due to turning on the BBQ a few minutes before I put the meat on by lighting only 1 burner and putting it on low.

The picture was taken half way through the cooking process. 

In the morning, our neighbor came over for a visit and we enjoyed it very much. The lawn people came and sprayed for cinch bugs and showed us the bugs plus a lovely larva we have eating our grass. And after lunch, I got the ice cream cake for dinner. 

Dinner was wonderful with roasted veggies made by daughter-in-law. We visited for quite a while after dinner which was lovely. 

I lost 2 lbs this week and am .2 lb from my first big goal. 

We are no longer getting updates on the number of new cases on the weekend. They will be added to Monday's information. Briefings will become less frequent and community vaccine clinics will be closing down. Vaccines will be available at pharmacies and, what I'm assuming, medical clinics. The mobile vaccine clinics will also be going to small communities. The province is moving towards Phase 5 of the reopening plan - the new normal of living during Covid. 

I did no sewing or knitting yesterday but I've been thinking about the house. I'm trying to put together a plan to get the upstairs done but I need to finish the basement first. 

The basement needs to have the bathroom completed by:

• Painting the wall we had to repair from my oops with the toilet paper holder
  

• Installing the toilet paper holder

• Hanging the pictures - found out how to do that.
  

• Cleaning the room (once again)

I also need to paint a small patch on the wall in the sewing room and clean the family room. When I get white paint for the upstairs trim, I will do the ledge in the family room. But, I can hang the pictures in that room. I will also sand a little table and get it ready to prime and paint when it's cooler. It is to go into the downstairs bathroom.

When the weather cools off, I can start painting upstairs, one room at a time. I need to get the spare room cleaned before any of that can happen. Another project for August. 

There is quite a bit to make over the next couple of years. I'm looking at it room by room and what will be useful to us in the years to come and what we can do to update for resale when the time comes. 

I've also been thinking about the Christmas fabric in the stash and how I'm going to sew it up. Do I need soup bowl cozies? Or can the fabric be used for something else in the house at Christmas time. How many placemats do I need? Six vs 12.

I also have a woodland theme fabric and I need to sew it up. Will it be okay in the basement or will I make items and gift them to daughter for her basement. 

I guess I will be over thinking the Christmas fabric once again but I'm happy to have it to sew it. 

Today

I'm doing the budget this morning, digging garlic in the after lunch, hopefully sewing and knitting. A quiet day at home. 

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

Quilting Begun

 Yesterday was cooler than it has been for a while. The sun did shine until after lunch when we had a nice shower. It was nice until I started dinner and had to bbq in another shower. The high got to 22.4C. This morning it is cloudy and 12C. I don't know if we've had showers or not but I'm thinking we might have. 

Lifestyle

Grandson was over for the day and once he arrived, we headed up to Canning to get the prime rib roast we ordered. We got lunch, dinner, and pepperoni also. We had a lovely trip talking about the Olympics. 

The Spousal Unit picked a few tomatoes from the garden. They will be for dinner tonight. I prepped a cucumber salad for dinner and all I have left to do it put the seasonings on the prime rib, let it warm up and baby sit the BBQ this afternoon. Before that happens, the ice cream cake will be picked up. Family is bringing the roasted vegetables. The Spousal Unit's birthday dinner is ready to go. 

There were 2 cases of the virus report and 1 recovery for a total of 11 active cases. It was also reported that almost 56% of the population is fully vaccinated. 

Sewing

I started quilting the quilt. I am free motioning triangles to practice getting from point A to point B with a decent stitch length. I practiced on a sandwich and did okay. When I got on the quilt I had issues with the seam allowances being bulky. Not sure why that is happening but it tells me to press the seams open to have less bulk. I have the pressure at -7 but may have to back it off more.

After getting half of the quilt done, I was totally hating what I had done. I did one of the sashes and was thrilled with it. I then went back and did reverse triangles on one row and I am happier with the look. It does look organic and a long ways from perfect. I'm learning which is important. 

Knitting

I knit on the headband of the hat and am almost done it. I hope it looks okay with the long color runs. I know the main part of the hat will start with white but it will only be a few rows before the color changes again. 

Today

I will be prepping for the Spousal Unit's birthday all day. I doubt if I will be sewing or knitting. Knitting maybe if I have a few minutes here and there. 

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

Ready To Quilt

Yesterday morning the rain, thunder and lightening continued until mid morning. 1.5" of rain fell in that storm. The skies lightened and we had a rather nice cloudy day. The high got to 18C. This morning, the sun is shining and it is 12C. We are to showers this afternoon and a high of 23C.

Lifestyle

As it was an inside day, I chose to wash floors. I got them all done before noon. I also replaced a light bulb in the dining area and cleaned all the pot lights. 

Once I did that, I cleaned the stairs and front entry, disinfected all the door knobs and swept the sewing room floor. I also cleaned up some in the sewing room. And all before lunch. 

The Spousal Unit weed whacked the ditch in the front of the property and was pleased with how it looked. He will work slowly down the side getting it done. 

There were no new cases of the virus and 1 death reported yesterday. There are still 11 active cases in the province. 

Sewing

I muttered and grumbled, sewed and cut and finally got the back of the doll's quilt done. 

I flipped it over, taped it to the floor and put the batting and top on. Crawling on the floor I pinned it together. My hips and lower back let me know I'm old. 

I am ready to quilt it. I have a plan of doing triangles on this one. I may have to buy another spool of thread to finish this quilt. 

I still have the pillow and pillow case to make. The pillow case pieces are cut out and I need to cut out the pillow from white broadcloth. The left over scraps are in the garbage can. 

Knitting

I worked on the hat band and the color has changed to white. 

I am not totally impressed with the color changes in this yarn as I prefer short color runs. We will see how it looks in the end. I feel the yarn is more suited to scarves. 

I am wanting to work on the Chinese waitress cast on and this video should help me get started. This video shows how to do a cast off that goes with this cast on. It is towards the bottom of the page. Something new to learn. 

Today

We have to get the prime rib roast for the Spousal Unit's birthday dinner tomorrow night. I would like to sew the doll's pillow and pillow case this afternoon and knit tonight. 

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

Rain With Thunder and Lightening

 Yesterday was another warm and humid day. The high got to 26.3C with a humidex of 33C. Last night there was a lot of lightening and thunder but no rain. This morning it was 18C at 6 a.m. and there was fog. The thunder and lightening started and it poured rain. We got a good 1/2" rain in less than an hour. We are to see it remain at about 19C all day. We could have showers during the day. (Down the valley, it rained 2.5" before midnight.)

Lifestyle

I headed out to shop later than I normally do as I had to wait for the pharmacy to open. The store wasn't really busy and I started to shop. I was surprised to see that the arrows showing us which way to go down the aisles were gone. There is still social distancing, masks, and the staff are still behind plexi glass. We are moving into our new normal as long as the number of cases stay low. 

I was outside to pull a few weeds in the lawn yesterday but it was humid so I quit. The Spousal Unit fertilized the vegetables and came in complaining about the humidity. 

We watched a great lightening storm last night from the living room windows. One of the best since we moved here. There was one clap of thunder that was loud enough to get Elliott's attention. Otherwise he dozed through the storm.

This morning we stood in the garage and watched the rain come down. It was a down pour with a thunderstorm to entertain us. The ditch has lots of water in it and running good.

There were 7 new cases of the virus reported yesterday. There are no people hospitalized which is great. 

Sewing

I was down to the sewing room before lunch as I wanted to finish the test pattern yesterday. The jacket was a lot of work and left me tired. But, I got it done. 

I wish I had pink buttons in the stash but there were none. 

I used the Diamond to make the buttonholes and they turned out perfect. 

I am happy this pattern is done and I will make the dress again for sure. The jacket is questionable at this time. Probably because I had to sew it under pressure. 

Knitting

I have about 13" of the band done on the hat. The color is changing to light blue now. 

You can barely see it but I'm thrilled to be knitting a lighter color. 

Today

I plan on sweeping the floors and washing a few of them this morning. I need to clean the sewing room and start again on the doll's quilt. Tonight will be knitting as I don't think we will be going to grandson's soccer game. 

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

Hong Kong Binding Rocks

 Yesterday was another warm day with a high of 25.7C and a humidex of 33C. This morning it is 18C and we had a shower early this morning. The high is to get to 26C and we could have showers during the day.

Lifestyle

I cleaned the living room area yesterday and it was a big job. I am happy to have the upstairs cleaned and will be washing floors next. 

The Spousal Unit mowed lawns and trimmed the long grass with the weed whacker. He is happy to have the outside caught up again. My outdoor foray was to pick a handful of cud weed. I got one area picked and will do more when I can get outside. 

I sat outside for a bit and read late yesterday afternoon. Either it wasn't as humid or I'm getting use to it as I didn't get a headache like I have been getting. It was nice to be outside reading. 

There was no report on how many cases of the virus yesterday as they were updating the system. Fingers crossed there were none and a couple of recoveries. This time last year we had been a week with no cases and 1 active case. 

Sewing

I worked on the jacket of the doll's dress and had lots of fun. Instead of serging the raw edges of the facing, I did a Hong Kong binding. 

Once you get use to doing them, they are so easy to do. And they make the outfit look much more high end. I am going to work on perfecting the binding on sleeve seams. Not this one as I am running out of time to complete it. 

The jacket just needs the 2nd sleeve inserted, side seam sewn up and the facing sewn in. Then I can sew on snaps and all the buttons. 

The drought on testing patterns is now a glut. There is another pattern coming to test - a cape for the dolls. I'm not sure if I will test it but I certainly will make it next month. I have to get the child's quilt finished and off the sewing table.

Knitting

I knit on the hat band and now have 10" done. I seem to be getting the length done quicker this time. 

The band will be the light blue and an off white in color. I was surprised at how long each color is on this yarn. I quite like shorter runs of color. I'm sure the hat will look nice when done. 

Today

I'm heading out to shop at 9 a.m. this morning as I must get items from the pharmacy. Once home, I have to replace a light bulb and then theI am going to sew the jacket and get it done. Tonight will be knitting. I may even sneak outside to pull weeds between showers.

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

Test Pattern Dress Completed

Yesterday was another humid day. The high got to 28C with a humidex of 36-37C. This morning it is 21C with a humidex of 27C. We are to see the same type of weather again today.

Lifestyle

We were busy yesterday. I cleaned the kitchen, dining area, front entry and did a load of laundry before lunch. The Spousal Unit trimmed tomatoes and hilled the leeks. Since getting their hair cut, the leeks have really grown a lot. Late in the afternoon, we picked Swiss Chard for dinner and delivered beans, a few peas and carrots to family. We also admired 5 grape tomatoes that are turning red.

The Swiss Chard was good. It could have cooked a bit longer as a few of the stems were still hard. I will be cooking more of it this summer. We have to let it grow more before we have another meal.

The humidity is getting to us. We are tired most of the day as it feels like a sauna outside. We live in the house where it is cool. When we go outside, we feel the energy leave us and in a short time I get a headache from it. We are staying hydrated.

There were no cases of the virus reported yesterday and there are 7 active cases in the province. 

Sewing

I finished the test pattern dress and it is a cute basic dress. I quite like the pleats in the front. A great alternative to a gathered skirt. 

I have to sew on the buttons on the back yet and make the jacket. It is cut out ready to be made. 

Once this is done, it will be back to quilting as I still have the doll's quilt to finish and the cat fabric to sew up. I am looking forward to having those pieces of fabric gone from the stash. 

Knitting

I knit on the headband of the hat and have 7" done. It is knitting up easier than the last hat as I seem to have a better understanding of the pattern. I'm not stressed over it like the last time. We wait and see when I get to the main part of the pattern. 

Today

The plan is to clean the living room and fold laundry in the morning, sew on the doll's jacket in the afternoon and knit tonight. It is going to be too muggy to do much of anything outside though I may pull some weeds in the lawn (so many a day until they are gone). 

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

A Busy Day

Yesterday was another warm and humid day. The high got to 27.5C with a humidex of 34C. We had a bit of rain fall in the evening/night and it is warm this morning at 19C. Showers and 27C for today. 

Lifestyle

I spent the morning cleaning our bedroom and the bathroom. The bedding was laundered, windows cleaned and the dusting was done. It was a bigger clean than normal. The bathroom was a normal cleaning job. 

I made a rhubarb and strawberry crisp after lunch. I used the oven on the stove with no issues. We took it over and had it for dessert with family. 

The Spousal Unit swept the garage and picked beans for supper. Our first vegetables from the garden and they were yummy good. 

There were 3 cases of the virus reported yesterday and there were no recoveries. There are now 8 active cases in the province. 

Sewing

I didn't get a chance to sew yesterday. But I did think about items I want to make. It was fun to think and maybe I will get things done in the next year. 

With all this thinking (dangerous for the budget), I'm still trying to use up the fabric in the stash. How can I fit some of it into the house, what can I make for others, and what will be used to practice quilting designs on. I will have to continue adding to the list of ideas and check them off when done. The monthly to-do list really helps as does a master list I have in a book where I keep my ideas. 

But, I have to finish a test pattern first. Then back to the doll's quilt and get it finished before I use up the cat fabric for potholders and table squares. 

Knitting

While babysitting the oven, I did a bit of knitting. I have about 4" knit now on the hat band. 

Today

The plan is to clean the kitchen and dining area, try to finish the dress test pattern and knit. 

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

Working On New Projects

Yesterday was warm at 26C and a humidex of 28C. The humidity did drop making it nicer to be outside. This morning it was 19C when we got up. There was also a shower that happened about 4 a.m. It is to get to 25C again today with showers tonight. 

Lifestyle

We were tired yesterday as we didn't sleep well on Friday night. I did bbq chicken in the morning and made a cucumber salad. With a bit of tweaking, the cucumber salad will be good. We had some last night and it was refreshing to eat.

We were out to friends in Wolfville yesterday afternoon. She wanted help with her tomatoes. While the Spousal Unit and our friend trimmed and staked the tomatoes, I weeded the garden for her. The Spousal Unit also dug out her celery root that was taking over her garden bed. After a short visit we got home in time for dinner. It was a nice afternoon for us. 

I took a picture of this lovely Japanese iris in her yard and I'm hoping to find one for our front flower bed. 

I have a spot for them. 

There were no cases of the virus reported yesterday. The fourth day in a row now. There are 5 active cases in the province which is wonderful. Hopefully we will see less than that soon. 

Sewing

I did work on the doll's dress on Friday. One half of the skirt is gathered onto the bodice and it is cute. 

This could become a new favorite basic dress for the dolls. I love that the skirt pleats and the bodice darts line up. 

Knitting

I got the sweater and beret done and ready for the doll to model it. I am thrilled with this pattern and will be making it again during the winter. 

The hat never made it into any of the pictures. 

I have enough of the yarn to make myself a hat and, I hope, a scarf. If not enough, I will buy another ball. 

I started another project out of a variegated yarn. It is shades of blue with a silver thread in it. I'm making a hat that I said I'd never make again. 

I love how the stitches are on a slant though the knit row is the hardest to knit. And the silver thread does glitter some. 

I have 23" to knit of this stitch so I will be quite a while working on it. This stitch does give me cramps in my hands. Strangely enough, I am enjoying knitting it the second time. 

Today

I am going to housework this morning and make the crisp. I hope to sew on the doll's dress this afternoon and get it finished. I may get to knit tonight.

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

Hot and Humid

We have had our fair share of weather here. Warm, humid, wet, and mainly calm. Yesterday it rained all morning and then the sun shone and it was humid outside. The high got to 26.5C and humidex made it feel like 36C. This morning it is 22C with a humidex of 29C. It seems like we will be having another humid day.

Lifestyle

I've been busy and I crashed on Wednesday due to exhaustion. I'm doing a lot more outside getting things set up for the Spousal Unit. His memory is not as good as it was. Little things like making sure the hoses are connected and not leaking, the lawn mower is on mulch and not bagging. I've been puttering in the vegetable bins and gave the leeks a tiny hair cut. I am also monitoring beans and peas as they are growing fast. We will be eating Swiss Chard soon also.

I identified a weed in our lawn as Marsh Cudweed. It has to be hand pulled so we continue to look for it and pull it out. It is getting to be less all the time. It is a nuisance weed that was brought to North America

We were out to watch our grandson play soccer on Tuesday night. He scored the first goal which was a big surprise. His team plays well together and they did some really good moves as a team. 

Our neighbor's cat stopped by and Elliott happened to see him through the front door. It was interesting how Elliott watched him and he ignored Elliott. 

The number of active cases of the virus has dropped to 22. The past 2 days we have had no new cases reported out of about 6000 tests being done. We have moved into Phase 4 of the reopening plan. We can also be outside at farmer's markets, games, etc. without a mask. 

Sewing

I've been out of the sewing room and finally made it back in and finished the top of the quilt. I was so tired, I didn't do pictures of it. I'm now figuring out how to use the left over fabric to make the back. It won't be fancy but I'll use up all the fabric I have left. 

An outfit came out that I am testing. It is Church Tea by Keepers Dolly Duds. 

I got all the pieces but the collar cut out and the pleats pressed in the skirt. I'm ready to serge seams on the skirt so I can make the dress. It is pretty basic so shouldn't take too long to sew up. The jacket will take a bit longer due to the scallops. 

Knitting

The sweater is complete and ready for buttons. The beret is ready to decrease the crown. I could be done tonight.

Once this outfit is done, I will start knitting a hat for daughter for Christmas. The yarn is in the stash waiting to be knit up. I have to say I'm enjoying knitting what I want to knit and at the pace I want to work at. 

Today

I want to do some housework this morning. Floors need to be swept and some laundry done. I would like to sew this afternoon and knit tonight. 

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

Warm and Humid

Though yesterday wasn't hot -- 24C but the humidex read 30C. It was humid outside. In the late afternoon, it cooled off and was enjoyable. This morning it is 16C and we are to see a high of 24C. 

Lifestyle

Though we started out the morning moving slowly due to tiredness, we ended up fertilizing 2/3rds of the lawn. Due to the humidity, we took turns doing it. 

In the afternoon we went to watch our grandson's team play soccer. Our son did a great job of coaching and the boys did some great plays. They lost but it's more about what plays you did correctly. Even the other coach was working on that. 

It was really warm and humid at the game and we sat under umbrellas and drank water. The humidity was the worst part. It cooled off after we got home and we ate dinner in the garage. The cool breeze made it delightful and we were out of the sun. 

There was one new case of the virus reported yesterday. It is good to see the number of new cases remain very low. 

Sewing and Knitting

Nothing was done yesterday. 

Today

The goal is to finish weeding the hedge, sew on the doll's quilt, and try to knit tonight. I have to bbq dinner also. 

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

Elsa Was Cranky

 Yesterday the high got to 25.4C and it was humid. There was rain in the morning and we thought it was done. Nope, it rained off and on all day. Post tropical storm Elsa slid in around midnight and the heavy rain woke me and the wind kept me awake. She was a cranky storm for sure. This morning it was 17C with a lovely cool wind. We are to see 24C today with quite a bit of sunshine. 

Lifestyle

With the first good rain storm over with early in the morning, we decided to head to order the prime rib roast for the Spousal Unit's birthday dinner. It rained hard most of the trip and let up when we got to our destination. 

We had a quick lunch on our way to a parking lot to look out at the Minas Basin and then headed home. It was a nice trip even if it was wet.

As it was wet and windy, I couldn't barbecue so we bought a roasted chicken for dinner. We decided to have a bit of cake for dessert and man it was sweet. Not doing that again; we will buy fruit instead. I'm expecting an IBS attack today as I ate more gluten than I should have. I'd be surprised if I didn't.

There was 1 new case of the virus reported yesterday. What is wonderful - no community spread in the province. 

Sewing

I got another 2 squares cut and resewn yesterday. I sewed on the strips and now have a square. 

I watched a video on how to sew long strips without stretching them. This works if your strips are the same length. If they aren't, start at one end and sew in the same direction each time you add a strip according to Rob Appell. 

Knitting

I looked at it and decided I couldn't do anything. We spent the evening talking. 

Today

We are tired from the storm coming through during the night. I've up righted the deck furniture already and the only thing left to do is up right 2 cucumber pots. I'm not sure what we will do today as our energy levels are low. I'd like to work on the doll's quilt but that remains to be seen. I have 2 blocks to cut and resew, three short and 1 long sashes to add and it's ready for sandwiching and quilting. It's the cutting I'm worried about as I have to talk myself through it. We wait and see.

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

Test Pattern Completed

 Yesterday was another sunny warm day but with a bit less humidity. The high got to 21.8C. This morning it was 16C and we are to have showers and thunderstorms today and rain tonight. Just before 7 a.m. we had a heavy rain that was over in about 15 minutes. 

Lifestyle

We were out the door early to do yard work. The Spousal Unit did a bunch of weed whacking in the ditch and I pulled the remaining weeds out of the lawn. We were both tired due to the sun beating down on us. But we got what we wanted done. 

After the rain passes, I will finish weeding the dreaded hedge. It won't take too long to do as it isn't overly weedy. It is easier to do if I keep up on it. 

There were 2 cases of the virus reported yesterday. Both were in the Eastern zone. 

Sewing

The test pattern is finished and I'm happy with it. 

I used the lace trim and stitched it together to make the scarf. I'm trying to use up what I have in the stash vs buying more fabric. 

This is a pattern I won't be sewing again. It is a nicely fitting pattern but there are too many issues with it. The front seam should be sewn so it can be covered with the trim. The back seam needs to be 1/2" rather than 1/4" for snaps. But, I'm glad I sewed for a designer I've never tested for. 

Knitting

I looked at the sweater but did nothing. I was too tired to work on it. 

Today

I have a load of laundry to do and clean the bathroom. I want to sew a couple of blocks on the doll's quilt and knit tonight.  It will probably be an inside day today.

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

More Weeding, Sewing, and Knitting

Yesterday was another warm and humid day. The high got to 24.9C with a humidex of 29C. We are now under a warning for tropical storm Elsa. This morning the temperature was 12C and it is to get to 25C again today.

Lifestyle

I set the timer for 55 minutes and pulled weeds out of the lawn. I got a big area done in that time and filled a 5 gallon pail to the brim. That part of the lawn looks better even though there are dying dandelions in it. We are trying to get that area looking nice after last years mess from the cinch bugs (no control was done though we paid for it). Once done, I went and got grandson from his appointment and headed home for water and a bit of recovery time. 

The Spousal Unit weed whacked around the vegetable bins and the shed in the morning and fertilized the plants. In the afternoon, he weed whacked part of the ditch. He was tired when done due to the humidity. 

There was 1 case of the virus reported yesterday and the number of active cases has dropped to 39. The briefing yesterday stated we will be wearing masks until 75% of the total population has had 2 doses of the vaccine. 

Sewing

I worked on the doll's dress yesterday and got quite a bit done. I'm not thrilled with the pattern construction as it is quite simple. At least the seams are finished even if not to a high standard. 

I did a leaf pattern down the front to try a design on the sewing machine. It worked perfectly. 

In all reality, the pants should have been the solid green but I didn't have enough fabric. I wasn't going to put the lace a the bottom of the top but now I will to give a break between the top and the pants. I'm not sure about the scarf as it should be light weight and it remains to be seen if I have anything in the stash. 

Knitting

The second sleeve is done and I'm ready to start the front band and shawl collar. I am looking forward to this part as it is the challenging part of the pattern. 

Today

More work on the weeding as I want to get most done before the rain comes. I do hope to finish the doll's outfit and start picking up the stitches for the front band and shawl collar. 

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