Following A Plan Means Success

 There was very little rain fell during the day. If any, it was a bit of drizzle. The sun did try to shine and it was a bit brighter even when cloudy. The rain basically fell in the very early morning and after dark and amounted to almost 1". The high go to 25.5C with a humidex of 33C. We had rain again during the night and it is cloudy this morning. It is 18C.  We are to have rain today with a high of 26C (humidex 33C). I am sure we have had the wettest start to summer in a long time. 

Lifestyle

I cleaned up the living room yesterday and washed all the blankets. I now need to put the blankets back onto the furniture. I took out the garbage and even put more items into the compost bin at the end of the driveway. It wasn't emptied until dinner time. I also picked up any clutter that had appeared and put the placemats onto the table. I am slowly working my way through the cleaning plan. 

I went grocery shopping to get items I need for July 1 dinner. It was busy at the grocery store as people must be getting ready to either celebrate at home or go to their summer cottages. Usually all the stores are closed on July 1 but I didn't see signs stating that yesterday. I wonder if the rules are changing here. I really don't mind the stores being closed on holidays. 

I have been eating very carefully since seeing the doctor. The piece of cake didn't agree with me (not use to sugar) so I went back to eating the basics. I've lost 2.4 lbs this week from eating strictly. I've lost 40.4 lbs to date. I've noticed that my knee and hip don't hurt as much and I can do more than I could when I started on this journey. I have less IBS attacks also. 

I have been wishing the rain would stop for a while so I can go out and fertilize the garden, thin the carrots, and pick the lettuce. I want lettuce for tomorrow's dinner so may have to get my feet wet sometime in the next 24 hours. The garden is growing rapidly which is nice. The lawn is getting long once again. It is very healthy and dark green. The hedge still needs weeding and I will get to it after the lawn is mowed. The weeds are dying along the road and I am monitoring that. I will see if I need to do more spraying at the end of July. I have waged war against the weeds this year and I seem to be winning.

Sewing

With my plan in place, I went down to stitch out block #9 and hand sew down the binding on one placemat. Block #9 gave me a bit of a headache at the beginning so I rethreaded the machine and it stitched out beautifully. 

I wanted to hand sew the binding down with a close matching blue thread. I looked at the thread by the embroidery machine and there it was. Azure blue (Glide). 

While the block stitched out, I happily hand sewed down the binding. I also did some thinking and dreaming about what I want to sew this summer. 

The two items I worked on yesterday. I did what was on my plan. 

The sewing table is getting empty and I am happy about that. I need to wash some starched fabric for a doll's outfit, see if I can cut out a couple more mug rugs, and begin planning my next projects. 

I am going to make a shirt for myself and will need to buy tracing pellon. The pattern is multi sized and I want to keep it pristine so I can trace a smaller size in the future. I will need to buy buttons for it as most of my buttons are doll sized. 

The other project is the cardinal quilt. I need to starch the fabrics so I can cut out the pieces for it. I have some of the corner pieces cut but ran out of starched fabric. I am looking forward to sewing this quilt as I have only 3 more blocks to embroider. It will be a quilt as you go. 

I dug in the stash and found the fabrics to make 2 more placemats in blue and a teal green. I just need to buy batting for them. That will be almost 2 more meters from the stash.  

I started to plan another quilt which is going to be super simple. I will cut out 9 blocks about 21 x 21" and sew it into a 9 patch. Then I will cut the big block into 4 equal pieces and move the blocks so I have a disappearing 9 patch. Right now I am trying to figure out how to have the directional print going in one direction as there will be 4 blocks of it. I know for certain 2 blocks should be upside down. My next step is to decide if I can do it as a quilt as you go. I am mulling this around in my head as I do other things. All I know is I have the fabric in the stash for this quilt. I think I even have the thread to quilt it. I only need to buy batting for this quilt. 

I am starting to see a trend here -- fabric in the stash and needing to buy batting. I can live with that. 

Knitting

I picked up my knitting last night and finished the doll's sweater. I took off the crochet trim on the bottom and like the sweater a lot more. I now need to steam it and put on the buttons. No pictures as I finished it just before I went to bed. 

Today

I have a busy morning making potato salad and devilled eggs for dinner tomorrow night. I make them 24 hours before eating so the flavour comes out. I will also do some cleaning upstairs while I wait for the food to cook. I want to hand sew the binding on another placemat and trim the threads on block #9. I will steam the doll's sweater, sew on the buttons and find the needles for the leggings. I would like to start them tonight. 

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

A Day of Busyness

 Yesterday was one of those days that was interesting weather wise. It poured rain around 8 am and in 10 minutes 1/4" rain fell. There were more showers during the day with .65" falling. The high got to 25.2C with a humidex of 33C. This morning it is cloudy, wet, and 20C with a humidex of 27C. The high is to get to 22C with a humidex of 28C.

Lifestyle

My plans changed in the morning and I went shopping with daughter-in-law. Before she arrived I did clean the dining area and just have a couple of things to put away this morning. We had a lovely morning out going to a winery, the pool place and to get a few things we needed in a big box store. 

I was out again with family in the evening. I went to watch grandson play soccer. When we arrived, it was warm, humid, and damp. Shortly after we arrived, a cool wind came in and blew out the humidity and it was a delightful evening. We watched the fog roll in slowly as the game was played. 

Grandson played the whole game and did really well. He was upset they lost 1-0 in a very exciting play. Grandson's team is sitting 2nd in the league through hard work and good playing skills. The only upsetting thing was a spectator who was rude. The parents we usually sit with were down further indicating that this spectator is not well liked. 

Sewing

I got the threads clipped and the stabilizer trimmed on block #8. I didn't start block #9 as I wouldn't have finished it. I did get the binding sewn on to the last 2 placemats and the table runner. They are now ready to hand sew while the last 3 blocks stitch out. 

I looked at the Glide thread chart and the Caribbean variegated thread would be perfect to hand sew the binding down. But, I don't need a whole spool of that thread so I will be using either a light blue or white thread. 

I looked at the cutting table and it is nice to see some bare spots showing up. I made the right decision to focus on finishing up projects rather than sew more items that come home not completed and sit on the cutting table as I cut out more items to sew at Gather and Sew. I feel calmer knowing the projects will be completed in the next several days. 

I have been watching some videos from April's Craft Room. She is a hoot but she makes quilts from fat quarters. She has also made some 3 yard quilts. She is inspiring and wants me to try different designs. But, first I need to sew more of the stash and make the quilts I have planned. 

Knitting

None done.

Thoughts

    I got the paper work about renewing the mortgage and I am glad I will be paying it off in 2 weeks. The interest rate would almost be 4% higher than now and the payments would be $225.00 a month more. I am grateful that I can be mortgage free even though I can afford the higher rate. 

    We are celebrating Canada Day at my house this year. We will be cleaning up the garage after lunch and having chicken skewers, salads, and fresh buns for dinner. We may have to open the garage door and bbq out there if it is raining. 

    We are having a wet start to summer this year. I was reading old posts to confirm this and read about how the Spousal Unit was declining before our eyes. We were so busy caring for him that we didn't see how fast it was. Only reading about it a year later makes me realize how fast it was. Though I still miss him very much, I haven't had my funks lately. His ashes are still with me and I am not ready to bury them yet. But, I am moving forward and know he would be proud of what I am doing. 

Today

I am tidying up the living room area, taking out the garbage, and doing some shopping. I want to start stitching out block #9 this afternoon and hand stitch binding down on the placemats. I will fold laundry and do a load of blankets. Another busy day. 

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

A Day Around Sewing

 Yesterday was another damp day. It was mostly a misty drizzle. The high got to 24.4C with a humidex of 33C. This morning it is cloudy and 20C (humidex 27C). We are to have sunshine, clouds, showers and a high of 25C with a humidex of 33C.

Lifestyle

I had a busy day with the focus on sewing. I was out to the sale by the person who sold her quilt shop last year. She was selling her threads, patterns, elastics, trims, and many many bolts of mask lining that we were to have in our masks when Omicron was detected. She had out items I had never seen in the shop when she owned it. The area she had set up was small and busy so I looked around quickly, picked up what I wanted and left.

For daughter, I got her 5 spools of variegated thread she wants for top stitching. 

I got myself one spool of variegated thread (which daughter will get what is left) and 2 spools of metallic thread. 

I also picked up a doll's pattern and a roll of cut away stabilizer. The price on both were $5.00 which was about 1/3 of the original price. 

The lady announced that she will be selling fabric by the bolt next month. When I looked at what she has in her teaching studio, she will never use that fabric in her life time. 

I went into the quilt shop and had a quick look. The debit machine wasn't working so I left. The shop was busy as people were shopping in both parts of the building. 

Once home, I built the trolley for the Cricut supplies. It meets my needs. 

I need hooks to stick onto the top tray so I can hang the mats. The trolley looks crooked at the top so I am going to have to have a look at that. When I looked at how full the trolley is, I need to spend some time doing some Christmas crafts. 

In the afternoon, I sewed. I got the 8th block stitched out while I put the binding on 2 placemats. 

I did not knit last night. Elliott slept a lot yesterday and was cuddly last night. He spent most of the evening on my lap with his face in mine or his body close to me with my hand on him. This was him sleeping yesterday afternoon. 

Thoughts

    I really need to finish up the projects I've been working on. I noticed that I settled down when I made my decision and focused on the unfinished projects rather than worrying about getting items ready to go out to sew. I should be ready to go to Gather and Sew next Tuesday. The placemats and table runner should almost be completed. I will not have the cardinals done but I should be close. 

    The laundry was done but not folded. I will try to fold it today. The next batch of laundry is the blankets in the living room as they are full of cat hair once again. 

    The weather has been wet enough I can't do any outside work. That is annoying as I want to weed the hedge and trim a bush in the cool of the mornings. I am really striving to get the yard looking nice this year. I did look at landscape edging made from ground up tires. I may buy it to edge under the deck to keep the gravel in place. That way I can contain the gravel and know where I need to put grass seed. I want to get that project done before late fall. Once done, I will have the yard looking the way I want it to look. It will become maintenance only. 

Today

I am planning on cleaning the dining area and hall. Once done, I will need to get a few groceries as I am planning on going out to watch grandson play soccer tonight. I hope to put the binding on the remaining placemats. What ever else gets done will be a bonus. 

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

    

A Lot of Binding Made

 Yesterday was dull and wet. We had 1/4" rain fall during the day. The high got to 18.4C. This morning it is cloudy and 13C. We are to have showers with a high of 23C and a humidex of 31C.

Lifestyle

I headed out to Bedford in the morning and did my shopping. I got what I needed in 2 stores and was home by just after 12 noon. I did buy dinnerware but they have a bit of texture on them which could be a nice feature. The ones I wanted have been discontinued. 

I did some planning on how I want my kitchen to look once I get the upstairs painted. It is going to be very simple with a farmhouse look. I want to have a few things out but most items will be stored in drawers and cupboards. I know I can do it easily and can use them even if I change out the kitchen. 

I stuck to my strict eating habits yesterday and I lost weight. I am finding that it is portion control (measure and weigh) that helps the most. I still wonder if I should eat more carbs at noon and less at dinner. I find out in 3 weeks. 

I was over to see my friend last night as she was worrying about a cat that was soaking wet and huddling at her place. It turned out it was the next door neighbour's and must have gone inside its own home. We couldn't see it outside. We sat and laughed at the silly things that have happened in the past 36 hours, took her dog for a walk and I came home. A short but fun evening.

Sewing

I headed down to the sewing room to do a few things. I cut 9 strips of binding, sewed them together and pressed the length in half so I can bind the placemats. I have about 7.75 meters of binding. I also trimmed the threads and stabilizer on block #7. 

I have used almost all of the 6 meters of fabric for the winter placemats. I know I will have to buy more of the blue fabric in the picture to back the 2 place mats. What is left of the 6 meters will be used in a doll's outfit. I will then have all the fabric used up. 

I have thought about wanting to sew every other week at the quilt shop. It has interfered with finishing items at home. I decided to miss today and finish up the items I started. Once that is done, I will go back and finish up the pile I made for this week. Hopefully that will be next Tuesday. 

Knitting

None done but I feel the urge to pick up the needles again. 

I looked at yarn for a vest yesterday and will do a swatch with the ball I have at home. If it works out, I may make myself one out of that yarn. If not, I will make it out of the yarn I had originally intended to use. 

Today

I have to go to the quilt shop closest to me and look at thread for daughter. I may get a couple for myself as I would like to try top stitching in variegated thread. Once home, I would like to do laundry and put together the cart I bought for the Cricut supplies. I hope to stitch out block #8 and start sewing the binding onto the placemats and table runner. My goal is to have them done by Sunday. I would like to knit a bit tonight so I can get the doll's sweater finished. 

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

Balance Sheet Frustration

 Yesterday was a mixed bag for the weather. We had a few showers, sunshine, and some wind. The high go to 24.5C with a humidex of 32C. In the evening it poured rain and we had about .5" of rain fall. This morning it is cloudy, foggy, and 16C. We are to have showers, sunshine, and a high of 21C (humidex 27C) today. 

Lifestyle

It took me all morning to do the balance sheet. I was out 20 cents and could not find it. I redid the three large purchases and found some mistakes but not the 20 cents. When I started over again, it was the first amount I had put in. Once corrected, I was finished in about half an hour. I was exhausted from that job as it was humid, I was tired, and I didn't catch the mistake until I was almost done. It is done for the week and no one died from it. 

I put the heat pump on to dehumidify yesterday and it worked quite well. The house was cool but not cold and the basement humidifier didn't have to work as hard. Win, win. 

After lunch, I cleaned the kitchen and got rid of all the clutter. It is so nice to have the room back to having minimal items out. I swept the floor and took out the recycling. It was nice to stand and admire how nice the room looks. I know what I want to do and will slowly get it done. 

I also did laundry and put clean bedding back on the bed. I just have a load of clothes to do and the laundry will be caught up. 

Around dinner time, 2 of the neighbour's chickens showed up next door. They meandered over to my place and I was ready with camera and broom. When I went out, 2 people were in the yard ignoring the chickens. I told them if the chickens came into my yard I'd be taking a broom to them. They told me that was against the law. I told them it was against the law for the chickens to be in my yard and I'd report them. The owner came out, put the chickens back in his yard and I repeated the warning -- if in my yard I'd report it. He knows the regulations on chickens so I am sure he will be more observant about where they are. 

I didn't sew or knit yesterday as I was tired and wanted to use my energy to do cleaning. 

Thoughts

    I am going to have to get some quotes on solar blinds for the windows. My plan is to start off with the kitchen window and door. I am debating which ones I will have remote though I find that a luxury. What I want is to keep out the sun and heat. 

    I am back to decluttering and organizing. The trip to Ikea did that to me. I will be going back soon to pick up a few more items for the kitchen so I can do more organization in there. I plan on cleaning and decluttering the rooms while the weather is wet. I can't do outside jobs so inside ones can get done. 

    My weight remained the same this week. The cake, though a treat, will not be repeated. I think I will get a small soft ice cream in a cup which is 6 points vs 3 times that for a piece of cake. I will try that the long weekend in August. Between now and then, it is back to the basics and eating healthy. 

Today

I want to head out to buy new dishes. The ones I want are finally on sale. When I get home, I would like to cut the binding so I know how much more fabric I need, trace the pattern so I can start working on it and maybe knit tonight. 

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

A Good Doctor's Visit

 Yesterday was hot and humid. The sun did shine quite a bit and the high got to 28.7C with a humidex of 36C. We had about a half inch of rain fall during the night. This morning it is cloudy and 20C. We are to have a high of 26C (humidex of 31C) showers and possibly a thunder shower. 

Lifestyle

My visit to the doctor was good. My thyroid is fine, my A1C is 5.8% and the other tests were good. I thought I would have a talking to about my A1C but the doctor was happy with how much it had dropped. I think I heard him wrong at my last visit but that is okay. It gave me the wake up call I needed. He has said I am to loose another 25 lbs (no end date) and then we will talk about my goal. I will be loosing more than that. 

I had my treat (cake with icing) and I didn't enjoy it. I enjoyed the meat, cheese, and crackers I bought more. I seem to have lost my taste for sweets so my next treat will be something like meats and cheeses. I am okay with that as it is healthier and won't affect my glucose reading as much. 

I had a nap in the afternoon as I couldn't stay awake. I must have slept for an hour and I had problems falling asleep last night. No nap today so I can straighten out my sleep habits before they get so bad I will struggle for many days getting them back to normal. 

I did water the garden and all the flower pots. No need to but I was being careful. The rain came down hard just before midnight and everything is nice and wet this morning. I won't have to water tonight unless the plants in the front (north) need it. They were more protected from the rain as the storm came in from the south. 

Sewing

I did spend some time in the sewing room. I cut out 2 each of bowl cozies, pot holders and placemats. The winter fabric pile is decreasing a lot. 

I need to buy fabric for backing for the last 2 placemats and for binding the placemats and table runner. I need to see if I have enough fabric to make a couple more mug rugs. The remaining fabric will be used for a doll's outfit. I will make it next so I can say all the fabric is gone. 

Simplicity 9516

Knitting

None done again last night. 

Thoughts

    With the humidity and lack of sleep, I really struggled to move yesterday. All day long I drug myself to do a few things that were necessary. I ran the a/c yesterday to keep cool as I would have been in worse shape if I hadn't. 

    The cake I ate put my glucose reading into the high normal range yesterday. It also made me gain the weight I lost this week. So not worth it in the end. I am now back on my strict eating habits and will continue to take my glucose reading 3 times a day. If I am really strict, I may have the weight off by my next visit to the doctor's. 

    I have been having allergies the past few days. There has been a lot of pollen in the air. The car had a yellow coating of pollen on it yesterday morning. Hopefully the rain last night has beaten it out of the air. 

    I need to start cleaning the house again. I have clutter starting to bother me and I need to deal with it. It is amazing how fast the clutter emerges and how fast it bothers me. I will tackle some of it today and over the next 5 days. 

Today

I have to do the balance sheet, laundry, and start cleaning the house. With it being wet this week, I will be working inside. I need to trace the doll's pattern so I can cut it out. I may knit tonight if it isn't too humid. No naps today as I need to sleep properly tonight. A day at home trying to be busy. 

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

A Fun Shopping Trip

 Yesterday was warm. Hot for us actually. The sun shone and high got to 28C. Today is suppose to be humid, with chances of thunderstorms and showers this afternoon. The high is to get to 29C with a humidex of 33C. There is suppose to be some wind to make it feel like a sauna when you go outside. 

Lifestyle

Daughter-in-law and I had a wonderful shopping trip yesterday. We went to Ikea and wandered upstairs looking at almost everything. We saw things we both liked. The room/area displays they set up are so interesting to look at and really show case their products. After our wander upstairs we did market place downstairs. I got some items I wanted/needed including a few Christmas gifts. 

We went to Costco for groceries and it was busy. We got what we needed and left. We were home just after noon. I had to go back and deliver the two plants we forgot in the car. 

I was out in the afternoon to visit my neighbour. She arrived home from Ontario on Wednesday and is still very tired. She had gone to the inventory sale and bought a couple of items and said it was mostly notions and pre-cuts. The lady is trying to sell off items that didn't sell last year when she sold the business. 

I used my table top bbq last night. That thing works just as good as my big bbq. I did chicken skewers I had bought on it. I will be making my own this summer as they are easy to make. 

As this bbq has 2 burners, I can start with both burners on and then turn off the one under the meat to finish cooking the meat. 

I watered the garden and all the flower pots last night. They needed it with the heat we had yesterday. I slept poorly last night as the house remained warm even with the windows opened. No breeze to move the cool air into the house. This can happen before we have warm humid weather come in. This humid weather will last for a couple of days leaving everyone drained of energy.

I did no sewing or knitting yesterday. I am going down to revisit the fabric I screwed up on and will probably make 2 placemats and 2 bowl cozies for daughter. If there is enough for 2 pot holders that will be a bonus. Christmas gifts for her. I will need to buy fabric for binding and batting. 

Today

I see the doctor this morning for my test results. I will go to the grocery store for a few groceries, down to see daughter-in-law, and home to rest. I will need to water the garden and flowers this evening. I would like to nap. I don't have a lot planned for today due to the weather. If I feel up to it, I may go down and look at the fabric and make a plan for it. I would like to cut out the fabric tomorrow so I have projects to sew on Tuesday. 

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

A Cutting Mistake

 Yesterday was another lovely sunny day. The high got to 25.3C though it was warmer here (around 28C). This morning it is 9C and clear. We are to have more sunshine and a high of 29C.

Lifestyle

I headed out the door as soon as the dew was gone off the deck. I sprayed the 90 feet of ditch along the side of the property. That job is done and all I have left is under the deck. 

I did a bit of clean up in the garage. I organized a few things, put away a few things, and swept the floor. I will do a bit more over the next week and try to be ready for when family comes to help on July 1. 

I did sit out on the deck under the umbrella for lunch. I am enjoying this new routine very much. I love looking at the fountain in the pond and seeing how much the vegetables are growing. The fountain in the pond starts to run earlier and doesn't stop until around 7:30. The new location of the solar panel is perfect. 

I was tired yesterday and tried to nap twice during the day. Both times I was unsuccessful. I was to bed early and slept well. I just needed to struggle through the day it seems. 

Sewing

I did go down to the sewing room. I cut out 4 mug rugs to embroider. I also cut out 2 more bowl cozies. The remaining print I tried to cut into a square and got a rectangle. I am choked but will make a rectangle table cover instead. I have more fabric to cut -- binding for the quilted items. Of the 6 meters I had for this project, I will probably have used up 4.5 meters. I am thinking I will use the remaining fabric and make daughter placemats, and bowl cozies. I will need to buy one piece of fabric and some batting. She needs a winter set for her house. And I need to use up the fabric I have. 

As I empty the cutting table of the fabric, I am starting to plan my next projects. My ideas are more for sewing at home so I may not do Sew and Gather in July. I also want to do a few Christmas gifts using my Cricut. I have them designed and need to spend a few days doing them. 

Knitting

None done last night. I struggled to stay awake until 8:30 pm. 

Thoughts

    I looked at the hedge and have a plan. If it isn't raining, I will do some each day next week. I have to prune some bits underneath and weed. I want this done so I can enjoy a few weeks without worrying about the yard. 

    There is a fabric inventory sale this weekend and part of next week. I am not going as I do not need any more fabric. I am only buying what I need to complete projects and using up the fabric in the stash. Half of the year is gone and I need to sew more from the stash and buy less. 

Today

 I am off to the city today with daughter-in-law. If I have time when we get home, I will do the spraying under the deck. As I don't know my time line, I have nothing else planned for today. 

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

A Busy Day Outside

 Yesterday was, in one word, sunny. The high got to 24.7C. This morning it is clear and 12C. We are to have a high of 28C and lots of sunshine today.

Lifestyle

I was just leaving to grocery shop when daughter-in-law arrived wearing her painting clothes. She needed to borrow the mouse sander and sand paper so they could paint the trim on their garage. Once they left, I headed out and got what I needed. 

After I got home, I filled the sprayer and set out to spray the weeds. I got what I wanted done and was happy. I have more to do but it is accomplishable. After cleaning up, I sat on the deck to admire the scene. I even had lunch outside.

The traffic on the road makes it near impossible to hear the water in the fountain. But, I did enjoy looking at it. I ran the sprinkler on the garden while I was outside and hand watered the rest of the containers. This is basically the first warm day the plants have had and the first time I've done a lot of watering in a long time. 

Before watering the vegetables I picked lettuce for lunch. Only enough for my wrap but so delicious. The first vegetable from the garden.

In the late afternoon, I moved the solar panel, once again. I have it zip tied onto the top of the railing so it will get sunshine longer. I did a bit of weeding at the shed before going inside to get ready to leave to watch grandson play soccer in the city.

Soccer was great. The teams were quite well matched, played hard, and tied the game at 2 - 2. Grandson played well doing some simple but well executed moves. We cheered, hollered, clapped, and enjoyed ourselves immensely. 

I slept poorly last night due to pain. My back, hips and knees ached for several hours. I did sleep well once the pain left. I get like this when I climb up and down and sit on the bleachers. I will continue going to the soccer games as I do enjoy them. I will have to take a pain reliever before I go to bed. 

I lost weight again and am over the half way point by .6 lb. I did it before seeing the doctor. I need to keep focused so I can continue to loose weight. The game plan is to ask the doctor for another 6 months if my A1C is not within the range he wants it. I won't be at goal but I want to beat the war with my glucose readings.  

Sewing

I was in the sewing room to get zip ties for the solar panel. I can't find any in the garage or shed and had to use the ones I bought for doll's undergarments. I will have to buy more. 

Daughter photo dumped the patterns I had bought for making rodeo queen outfits in messenger last night. What a trip down memory lane this morning. She is back to sewing for rodeo queens once again and has filled her booking slots already. No, I don't want to sew for rodeo queens again but it was fun looking at the patterns we used. 

I watched the 5th episode of The Great British Sewing Bee. It was interesting to see what they did during art week. The good sewers continue to be good and do some impressive work. Next week is children's week which I do enjoy watching.

Knitting

None done last night as I got home just before 9 pm. 

Thoughts

    I love the wagon I bought. I hauled the garbage down to the end of the driveway in it yesterday and it was so much easier than hauling it down by hand. We did use it when cleaning the shed and loved it then. I see it having an important place when moving things around. 

    The weather for the summer solstice was fantastic. It was such a perfect day to bring in summer. People were enjoying the weather just as much as I did. 

    I have decided not to do the 2nd water feature this summer. I will get the container as I can use it either for the pond or for flowers next year. I have done enough this year and need to focus on maintaining the yard. I have set my goals for this year and need to focus on them. 

Today

I am going to do 2 containers of weed spray so I can finish up my project tomorrow. I would like to spend some time in the garage this morning cleaning up a few items. I am not sure how this afternoon will go but I would like to trim the threads on the cardinal block. If I have the energy I will knit tonight. I will be pushing myself today due to being tired. 

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

A Lot Accomplished

 Yesterday was cool until late afternoon when the clouds left and the sun shone. The high got to 17.1 C at that time. This morning it is 7C and sunny. We are to have sunshine and 25C.

Lifestyle

I was out the door early to start cleaning the shed. I wanted to make sure my plan was going to work before grandson and the boy across the street came to help. I swept and asked them to do things, and they did the grunt work. Forty-five minutes later we were done. 

Everything is organized and what was not needed or wrecked is gone. We brought some items down in the wagon that need to be dealt with (painting and mudding tools) and a lot of bins that I need to stack and put out with the garbage this afternoon. I was so thankful to have the boys helping me as they had a few good ideas also. 

Once inside, I had to turn on the heat to warm up the house. It was cool inside. I did sweep some floors and mopped the hall. Not a lot but something was done. 

After lunch, the lawn got mowed and it was long and thick. They took a leaf blower to the lawn to break up the clumps of mowed grass. When I talked to the owner of the company he said it is the best lawn he mows. I told him it gets fertilized 3 more times before winter. We laughed about that. I gave him the grain shovel I found 15-16 years ago in Fort St. John for an extra mulch shovel. 

I bagged up the garbage to take down to the road tonight. I put it all in the wagon and then will put the plastic tubs into the wagon and haul them down also. So much easier than dragging the bags down the driveway. 

My glucose readings were much better yesterday. I was low (4.2) at dinner time so had extra rice. I am still worried but know that being active is helping me. We wait and see. 

Sewing

I quilted the table runner and it is now ready for binding. It took all of my sewing time to get it done. 

I figured out that I had 6 meters of fabric to make into the winter items for the house. I have 3 meters left so have sewn half of the fabric. I will make a table topper for the table, 2 more bowl cozies, and 4 mug rugs from the remaining fabric. I still have to cut binding for the placemats and table runner. I will make some extra mug rugs for a friend to have as she loves blue. I am hoping that I don't have any fabric left from this project. If I do, I can make the dolls something from it. 

My total amount of fabric sewn this month is confusing. I did work on the doll's outfit and the placemats in both May and  June. In the two months, I have sewn 4 meters. I have bought more fabric than I have sewn (7 meters). I am trying to get the fabrics for two more quilts I want to sew. They are the cardinal and the sheep quilt. Both are for me. 

I joined a fabric fasting group with the understanding that I will sew from the stash first and buy what I need for the quilts. For Gather and Sew, I am going to start making bags once again. They are easy and I can do them in my sleep. I can prep them at home and sew them up there. 

Knitting

I got 6 rows done on the 2nd sleeve before my hands started to cramp up. A good start. 

Once done, I will make the leggings to go with the sweater so the Gotz dolls will have an outfit. If I make the sweater again, I will not be doing the short rows on the sleeves. I do not like how it looks -- the stitches are too big and I have to work them on the inside to distribute the extra yarn to get rid of the extra yarn. 

Thoughts

    The lightening storm we had a week ago (tornado warning) hit a church in the community across the lake from us. The church's steeple was hit and caught on fire. With a quick response of people and the fire departments, the church was saved though it has water and smoke damage. There were no other reported hits on buildings so I am assuming they were on ground. 

    The weather is crazy. Cool to say the least for this time of year. Daughter said it was 9C yesterday morning in Ashcroft. She wore her winter coat. About 6" of snow fell in Banff and snow was reported on the high passes in southern BC. I guess Mother Nature wanted to give one more winter blast before we bring in summer today. 

    The Spousal Unit has been gone 9 months today. I am adjusting and adapting to being alone but I do miss him every day. I am sure he would laugh at some of the things I've done and be proud of things I have accomplished. My main goal this year is to have the yard the way both of us would have loved it to be. I hope to have that accomplished by fall. 

Today

I need to grocery shop and then want to start spraying weeds. I should start cutting out the binding for the placemats and table runner. I will have to water the garden as it is going to be warm for the next few days. I will be out to watch grandson play soccer tonight. A busy day for me. 

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

Doll's Outfit Completed

 Yesterday was cloudy, windy, and cool. There was no rain but the high only got to 14.2C. This morning it is 9C and cloudy. We are to have sunshine and a high of 17C today.

Lifestyle

I did genealogy yesterday morning. I was deep into my great aunt's branch when I wondered who had a hedge trimmer going steadily. I looked out and the lawn mowers were trimming my hedge. One person was using the hedge clippers and two had lawn rakes and were raking the cut pieces out of the hedge and cleaning up. They took 5 large garbage cans of clippings off the hedge. 

They will be back to edge the lawn along the hedge and in the fall I will get them to put down weed barrier and black mulch. I need to weed under the hedge first. While they are at it, I will get them to do under the tree in the side yard. 

While the hedge was being done, grandson arrived on his bike. He was here to take out the dead tree in the front lawn. He got the neighbour's youngest son and they set to work. The job was done, dirt put in and now I need grass seed.

The boys also brought down a broken tub and the lights off the shed for me. The boys will help me clean the shed if I ask them as they "bored". They headed down to grandson's to work on their wood shed. 

Grandson called me late in the afternoon that he had gotten his honours pin and a scholarship in music. He was one very happy and proud young man of this years accomplishment. We are proud of him too. 

The genealogy was done to some degree. I did find quite a bit of information on the branch I was working on and found their headstones. Notes were made and pictures uploaded. One thing I did was look at Google maps and found that one family member lived two blocks from her grandparents in Lunenburg. I love finding out those things. 

I had a better day with my glucose readings. It was nice to see them back in a better range. My blood pressure was good also. I am still worried about my visit to the doctor. I want it to be good but I keep thinking the worst. 

Sewing

I had time to sew in the afternoon. I sewed the wristlet and it was easy to sew but so small to handle. Sewing on the tiny snap was a job to behold. It was hard as I chose a smaller snap. I did sew on a bee button which gave the bag a fun edge. 

The outfit is done and I am pleased with it. 

I love each piece I made and the shoes fit almost perfectly.

I am now ready to start the next outfit. I need to dig in the doll's stash for fabric.

Before I left the sewing room, I finished prepping the table runner to start quilting it. I will work on it next while I do some thinking on the next items I want to make; both doll and quilted items. 

I didn't trim the cardinal block as I ran out of time. It is on the list to do as I want to get the blocks done. I need to embroider mug rugs for the winter placemat collection. 

Knitting

I finished the sleeve on the sweater and got the ends woven in. I am going to cut off the crochet at the bottom of the sweater as I like it plain. I won't do it until after I do the 2nd sleeve.

Today

I am going to start cleaning out the shed this morning. I am ready to tackle this project full force. The house work will get done on the weekend when the weather is suppose to be wet. This afternoon I will sew on the table runner and trim the embroidery block. Tonight I want to set up the 2nd sleeve. 

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

Wrong Size

 Yesterday was another dull grey day with about .3" of rain falling. The high got to 15.8C. This morning it is cloudy and 10C. We are to have showers and a high of 16C today. 

Lifestyle

I got the balance sheet done but not before I had 2 stupid mistakes in about 6 entries. I paid a bill and it is done for another week. I put away May's receipts as they are no longer needed. I do keep them for a year or a bit more. 

I was outside to put the rug in back into its correct place and held down one end with a brick. Looks silly but it works. Elliott was outside to eat his grass. When I looked at the garden the animal (cat) had dug in the carrot bin. I was so angry that I put the cayenne pepper on every box. I am going to start to look for chicken wire and build fences around each box. I am not happy about this. I have cayenne pepper back on the shopping list as I will sprinkle it on the dirt regularly. 

I was out the front door to water the pots on the landing as they don't get as much rain on them. The begonia I bought is really thriving in the pot with a spiky and ivy. 

I have never seen this colour before and I do hope I can get it again next year. 

I lost 2.3 lbs this week. I am .5 lb from my half way goal. My glucose readings were higher than I wanted yesterday. I am eating the same or less than I was almost 2 weeks ago. I am less focused, and feel like something is wrong with my system. I am hoping it is my thyroid and it can be remedied with a change in medication. I haven't felt like this for a long time. 

Sewing

I had a fun sewing day. I set up the Cricut and cut out the purse and shoes. I laid a 12 x 12" sheet of transfer tape on the cutting mat and pulled the backing off. I put the fabric on the transfer tape and it kept my mat clean. I did have my frustrations though. The blade wouldn't cut. I adjusted it and it cut perfectly. 

When I looked at the shoes, they were tiny. I had sized them wrong. 

After a good laugh, I cut the right size shoes out of the black fabric. I had no more yellow fabric left. 

Once cut out I spent a lot of time sewing them together. I did a lot of pressing and was pleased with how they looked. 

I sewed on the bee buttons and tried them on Kit while the glue was still wet. I only slipped her toes into them.

With my next order of soles, I am going to get the thicker ones. And I am going to try other shoes as I've got this pattern figured out to where I really like it. 

While I was sewing the shoes, I had the embroidery machine stitching out the 7th block. I am slowly getting them done. 

I had enough time to press the backing fabric, cut out the batting and get the table runner ready to quilt. I was happy with my day in the sewing room. I am ready to wristlet next. Then the 1930's outfit will be done. 

Knitting

I stopped counting how many times I had to unknit rows on the lacy part of the sleeve. By the time I was ready to scream, I had the lacy part done. I have 3 rows left before I cast off. The issue wasn't the pattern, it was me knitting the pattern wrong. I would forget to do a yarn over or do the wrong row. 

Today

I need to carry on and do more cleaning upstairs this morning. I want to sew on the wristlet and trim the threads on the block I stitched out. I want to knit tonight. If the lawn dries off enough, I would like to go out and look in the shed so I can finalize my plan to clean it up this week. 

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

Ready to Use the Cricut

 Yesterday was a lovely day with sunshine and clouds. The high was 17.7C. There was a thunderstorm during the night and it rained - .5" fell. The wind blew. This morning it is 13C and cloudy. We are to have drizzle today and a high of 15C. 

Lifestyle

I spent the morning re-cleaning the spare bedroom. All the furniture got moved, the floor swept and washed, and the furniture dusted. I did move the furniture around and the room looks bigger. I am happy with the results. 

I took breaks while waiting for the floor to dry and watched grandson's school's closing ceremonies on YouTube. Our friend's boy got an honour's tie and a gold service pin (72 hours of service this year). Grandson and his friend were absent so weren't mentioned. I like to watch the grade 12's graduate as they tell what the students are doing after they graduate. It is a close knit community at that school. 

I had to go out last night and get grandson's diabetic kit and deliver it to daughter-in-law at Sackville. It got me out of the house and broke the boredom. Grandson now has to weed the hedge by hand for me. I will help him as it is a big job and we will visit while doing it. 

I did talk to grandson last night and he played 2 games of soccer yesterday. Both were video taped for scouts who could not come. The team he was on won their first game and tied in the 2nd game. I hope his team does well today. The scouts look at individual performance plus the ability to play in a team with others they may or may not have played with. 

I woke to the sounds of thunder during the night. It wasn't as close as the last storm. I got up and looked out and it was raining. The wind blew the deck rug up against a chair so I knew it was safe. The garden is watered and I shouldn't have to water it until Tuesday evening. 

Sewing

I pressed the fabric I bought for backing the table runner. I cut off the piece I needed and saturated it with Best Press. It was hung on the drying rack in the bathtub.

It isn't as stiff as using regular starch but it will do for this project. I do need to starch the remaining piece as I want to use it with the left over fabric. 

I played with Cricut Design Space and got the doll's purse and shoes figured out. I cut out the pieces of fabric to the size I needed. I did place a 12 x 12" sheet of transfer tape onto the cutting mat and laid the fabric on it. It works slick -- a great hack. 

The purse, lining, shoe insoles and shoe lining are in the bee fabric. The trim and outer shoe fabric are in the black/white honey comb. There were just scraps of the bee fabric left so they went into the trash bin. There is a big piece of the honeycomb fabric that I will have to think about an item to make for the outfit. I am pleased that I used up the 1 meter of fabric I bought. 

Knitting

None done last night as I was out driving. 

Thoughts

    The vegetables and flowers are growing rapidly now. I now have to fertilize them once this storm is gone. I will have to sprinkle cayenne pepper in the boxes as the animal continues to dig some in two of the boxes. Very annoying. The lawn is growing rapidly and needs to be cut, once again. 

    I still need to clean the shed and may try to do it this week. I want it cleaned so I can organize items that need to be sold and items for son to have when the time comes. I know I can get it done in no time flat. 

    I am slowly getting the inside of the house cleaned once again. I do need to get upstairs painted and some work done. I am saving up for those jobs to be done. Probably this fall. In the meantime, I am working on having it really clean for the jobs that need to be done. 

Today

I have to do the balance sheet, fold laundry, and then sew most of the day. I want to cut out the shoes and purse and work on them plus start quilting the table runner. I also hope to have the embroidery machine stitching out at least one more cardinal. I am looking forward to a day playing in the sewing room.

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