A Day of Sewing

 Yesterday was a perfect day weather wise. It was sunny, there was a cool breeze and the high got to 23.8C (humidex 27C). This morning it is clear and 12C. Today we are to have sunshine and 25C. 

Lifestyle

I did the balance sheet first thing after breakfast and it was quite easy to do. I have to pay bills on Tuesday and finish up the totals. It was a month of savings for me. 

I was out to have spaghetti and meat sauce with family at noon. They were going to watch grandson play soccer and then have dinner with friends. I elected to stay home as I wanted to sew and relax. 

I am still fighting lower glucose readings. I have increased my carbs some to see if it would help. I have lost another 2.5 lbs this week (too much) and my blood pressure is normal. I am going to have to re-evaluate what I am eating so I can get my glucose reading back to the mid 5 range and loose less weight each week. I weigh the least I have for many many years and it feels good. It is great to have my blood pressure back in the normal range even though I am on medication for it. 

Sewing

I spent a lot of time in the sewing room. I went down after finishing the balance sheet to work on two dog's blankets. I cut the red fleece in half and serged the edges. I also put a 1" hem on the blankets and by noon I had both done. 

That is 3.4 meters of fabric gone from the stash. I had bought it for one large blanket but it is perfect for daughter's dogs. I hemmed them with a thread colour called Patriot. 

It looks neat on the thread but not so much on the blankets. The red and white parts are very short with the thread being mainly blue. Maybe it would show up better on a pale blue colour. Not on red. 

I ended my morning sewing by cleaning the serger and rethreading it back to white thread. It was full of lint so I used canned air on it. It is now nice and clean.

The afternoon sewing was spent on the yellow and sage green bag. I fused fleece onto the back and sewed one side seam together. From there, I drew the lines to quilt the bag. It is very subtle as I used a linen coloured thread. I got all but 8 rows stitched down when Elliott arrived to tell me it was time to stop sewing. 

I am quite pleased with this bag and it has told me how to do daughter's bag which is next to be prepped. 

July was a pretty good month for me sewing wise. I cut 8.6 meters of fabric and donated 18.05 meters for a total of 26.65 meters. I bought 7.8 meters of fabric of which I have sewn 2.5 meters and stashed 5.3 meters for future projects. 

I have to write my August goals but I am sure they won't be as good as July's for sewing. I want to start cleaning the sewing room in August as it needs to be done. A bit a day so it gets done by the end of the month.

Knitting

I picked up the knitting last night and knit about 28 rounds. I had to stop as Elliott climbed up on me wanting to be cuddled. 

Today

I am going to clean the spare room once again and do a load of laundry. I hope to wash the floors of the rooms I've cleaned as they show signs of fine dust on them. I want to finish quilting the bag and prep daughter's bag. I hope to knit tonight. 

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

Prepping Three Bags

 Yesterday felt cooler as there was a lovely breeze (almost windy). The sun shone and the the high got to 25.9C (humidex 32C). This morning it is raining lightly and about 1/2" fell during the night. It is 17C. We are to have showers with a high of 25C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I was busy. I folded laundry but didn't do another load as it was too small. I swept all the floors but didn't mop them as they are clean. I did clean the floor at the top of the stairs, down the stairs, the landing, and stairs to the basement. All on my hands and knees. It was dusty and somewhat dirty. Not as bad as anticipated though. 

When the floors and stairs had dried, I hauled down the the little ladder to the basement and changed light bulbs in the light at the bottom of the stairs. One was completely dead and the other came on briefly. I then grabbed the light bulb extension pole and changed the burnt out light bulb in the stairwell. That job was done quickly. 

I did putter a bit putting things away, straightening blankets, and making sure the house looked neat and tidy. I am getting into the swing of making sure everything is put away and that I do the floors each day. 

I watered the vegetables and the pots on the deck last night. I am amazed at how tall the tomato plants are getting - 4 to 5 feet tall. I need to cut the tops off so they put their energy into the fruit and not the plants. I will be giving away tomatoes again this year. We laugh as I have less plants than ever (6 vs 18). 

I fought lower glucose again yesterday though it wasn't as low as the previous 2 days. I am doing a lot of extra work and using up what I eat. I have also lost weight which I had hoped I wouldn't. I am eating healthy and haven't had any sweets since I saw the doctor in June. I may allow myself something like cheese, meat and crackers or dip and nachos once a week when I shop. I usually get a salad and add chicken to it. 

Sewing

I had a great afternoon sewing. I pressed the craft interfacing to the horse bag and sewed it down around the edges. I also put the piping on the handles and button loop. I dug out the lining in hopes I have enough. I do need to trim 1/2" off the top of the bag as it is too long. 

I set it aside ready to sew when the other bags are ready. The next bag came out and I had issues getting the design in my head. What size do I need for each piece, how will I use up the cut off piece from the front, and the questions flowed. 

As I worked on bag #3, the ideas for the dog bag came to me. I just needed to have some time to think about it. 

Bag #3 was prepped using a pattern daughter had sent me at Christmas. I also used fat quarters for the bag hence it's scrappy look. The lining is a full half meter which is great. 

This bag needs to have either craft interfacing or fusible fleece put on the back and lightly quilted (diagonal lines going one way only). 

I left the sewing room quite happy with the amount of fabric I got prepped for this week. 

Knitting

None done as I was tired. 

Today

I have the balance sheet and bills to pay this morning. Once that is done, I will be heading downstairs to sew for the day. I plan on making two dog blankets and then continue on with the bags. I want to cut out the breeders bag today and get it prepped. If I get the fusible fleece on the last bag and get it quilted, I will be thrilled. I hope to knit tonight though I am not sure about that. 

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

Winter Fabric Project Completed

 Yesterday was another warm and sunny day. The high got to 28C (humidex 34C). This morning it is 20C (humidex 27C) with some clouds. We are to have a high of 28C (humidex 34C). 

Lifestyle

I went grocery shopping yesterday morning for food. It took a while to do that. When home, I got everything put away and planned dinner. 

I texted my friend and took over smoked pulled pork, buns, coleslaw and drinks for dinner. I put it into my basket to make it look like a picnic dinner. Too hot to eat outside so we ate in the a/c house. It was delicious and we had a wonderful time visiting. 

The lawn maintenance company was here to spray for cinch bugs. This lawn seems to be prone to them and I will get a second application near the end of August. There are some weeds in the lawn and I am not sure if they will be doing another weed control later on. With so much rain, the weeds have done well this year. 

Sewing

I started making the mug rugs just before lunch. By mid afternoon I had them completed. 

The Winter fabric project is done. I just have to lay out all the pieces and take a picture of them. Today's job.

Once done, I hauled out the first bag to work on. I had it cut out already to I put the first layer of interfacing on the three pieces. Next was to sew them together and press the seams open. The bag is now ready for the craft weight interfacing. 

I folded the bottom piece under as it is the part of the bag that forms the bottom boxed section. Once that was done, I interfaced the handles and button loop and folded them ready for piping. 

I grabbed a piece of very black cotton and cut out a bit over a meter of bias strips and made piping for the handles and button loop. No picture of it as it was time to leave the sewing room for the day. 

I have been watching videos of how to make a shirt. There were no real surprises in the process though I did learn a couple of things about sleeve laps. This shirt does not have them as it is Palmer Pletch's easy sleeve pattern.  Once the three bags are prepped, I will be working on the shirt for myself. 

Knitting

I didn't knit last night. I picked it up, got ready to open the pattern on the iPad and Elliott climbed up on me for a long cuddle. 

Thoughts

    Though the day temperatures are only cooling off 3 to 4C, the night temperatures are going to be in the mid teens this coming week. It will be so nice to have cool mornings and open windows. I look forward to having the a/c off for a few hours each day.

    I haven't worked on my furniture project for a long time. The garage has been too hot for painting. Opening the garage door makes it even hotter in there. Hopefully this coming week I can finish priming the pieces and prep them for paint. 

    I am hoping to do some weed control this week also. I need to do under the deck, around the house and shed, and some more along the ditch. It will be nice to have the weeds back under control and some areas ready for landscaping. 

    I have been thinking about fitting patterns to myself. I will probably need help with it if I want to make something well fitted. I do know that I need to make a shoulder adjustment (take off the front and add to the back) and to lengthen for my long waist. I am still not certain what I will do but I am watching videos to help me decide. 

Today

My goal today is to sweep all the floors and mop them plus clean the little hall and the front landing. I should fold laundry and do another load. I want to continue working on the bag and get the craft interfacing put in and the piping on the handles and button loop. If I have enough time, I will plan out the next bag and cut it out. I hope to knit tonight. 

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

Nearing The End Of A Huge Project

 Yesterday was another sunny warm day. The high got to 29.1C (humidex 37C). It rained in the evening and about 1/2" rain fell over night. This morning it is cloudy and 19C. Today is to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 27C (humidex 34C). 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I cleaned the bathroom and did a load of laundry while cleaning. It was the usual fluff from the toilet paper. I washed the kitchen floor when I did the bathroom floor. All is clean and I keep moving on to having the upstairs done.  

Once the bathroom was completed, I was outdoors to pick lettuce. A big tub full that I wash twice in cold water. 

I wandered the garden picking weeds and checking plants. All is good and growing quickly. There are little cucumbers on the vines. I picked a few beans that I had for dinner. The lettuce was bagged and over half given away. It is nice to share with family and a friend. 

I was on the phone to the county office to talk about chickens in the yard. The gentleman is dealing with it. No chickens in the yard yesterday. I also talked to public works about the drainage ditch and there will be no record of who owns it. With so much damage done, the gravel in the ditch is way down on the list of jobs to be done. The neighbour will look at it on his days off. He isn't too concerned or so it seemed when I talked to him. 

I am fighting with low blood sugar. My glucose reading on Wednesday noon was 3.9 and yesterday it was 3.9 at dinner. At noon it was 4.9 and I ate 2 small containers of applesauce which normally gets it back into the good range. I am moving more which could be the cause. I have lost another 1.1 lb and it has been off for 48 hours now. That could be another reason for the low blood sugar. I am monitoring it carefully. 

Sewing

I have been working on the list of things I need to do in the sewing room. Yesterday I laundered and starched the cardinal  and dot fabric. It was hung outside to dry and is ready to press. 

Elliott had a spell where he was growling and running up and down the stairs. He was doing sliding stops and spins on the red fabric I had laid out on the floor. It is for dog blankets. 

I spent a short afternoon hand sewing the binding down on the last place mat. I was late to the game as I had company in to get lettuce and daughter-in-law also picked up the shelled peas. But the job got done. 

I have 3 mug rugs left to sew in the hoop and I am done. I made way more than I had intended. But, the fabric is used up and I have lots of items for the house for January and February. 

I watched the last episode of The Great British Sewing Bee yesterday morning. It was one of the best I've watched in a long time. The final made-to-measure was quite the feat - a transformation gown. All worked hard on their creations and the winner had the most beautiful transformation gown ever. The three people in the final were all great. The winner is a meticulous sewer (she's a surgeon) and everything she made was to the highest standard. The youngest was very creative (she learning costume design) and she is a great inspiration for the younger set to start sewing. What she learned in 2 years on her own is nothing short of WOW. The third person allows males to know it is great to sew as there are no boundaries on who can or can't sew. I hope there is a season 10 next year. 

As I sewed the binding down on the last placemat I watched pattern drafting by the Closet Historian on YouTube. Am I going down that path to having my own blocks and make my own patterns? My friend has done a college course on sewing so may be able to help me with the measurements and fitting part. I wait and see so will start with just sewing a shirt that requires little fitting. It will get me back into sewing cloths again. 

Knitting

None last night as I was late getting things done. 

Today

I need to get groceries this morning, fold laundry, and sweep floors. I want to make the mug rugs and have them done today. Tonight I would like to knit. Not sure how many other things will get done today as I need a break from pushing myself. 

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

Harvested Peas and Garlic

 Yesterday was hot but less humid. There was sun and cloud and a high of 28.1C (humidex 35C). This morning there is some light clouds and it is 19C. We are to have mainly cloudy weather with a high of of 28C. Rain tonight. The heat warning is over. 

Lifestyle

I cleaned the kitchen yesterday. It wasn't as dirty as I had expected but every surface got washed well and then buffed to a shine. I took out the recycling and garbage and then swept all the floors in the areas I've cleaned. I washed the kitchen floor. It feels good having half the upstairs clean. 

I did a load of laundry and it waits to be folded today. I ran out of time as I was busy until almost 8 pm. Family arrived after dinner and we picked peas. The plants were pulled and I can prep that box for winter. 

I pulled the garlic and we have a nice haul for winter.

Most were regular sized bulbs but there are a few big ones. 

They will dry now until fall when we can start to use them. The smell of garlic is rich and pungent which is perfect. I will be planting more garlic in late September. 

Son and grandson moved the shale around in the ditch and it looks great. Grandson chased chickens out of our yard with me not far behind him. We had to do it twice before the people put them back into their yard. I have to make a call about them today. They know I am doing it.

The humidity had dropped as I had less than a half a tank of dehumidifier water for the plants. It didn't feel as hot outside when I was out looking at things from the deck or when we were outside last night. 

I got a phone call from the doctor's office and I have to go in Aug 1 for a follow up visit as I saw the dietician. I know there is not major issues so was surprised to have to see him. He is very thorough which I like. I will be going in to see him again after I see the physiotherapist. 

Sewing

I headed down to the sewing room after lunch. Elliott followed me and had a great nap under a blanket on the big chair. I got the binding hand sewn down on the first placemat. 

Once done, I pressed the left over grey snowflake fabric from the cardinal quilt along with the two pieces of fabric for the next doll's outfit. 

I still had time left before starting supper so I decided to embroider the first mug rug. I put the pattern onto the machine and started. They certainly don't take long to make. 

I will hand sew the backing together when I stitch out the next one. 

Knitting

None as I was tired after a busy evening. 

Today

I am cleaning the bathroom and mopping floors. I have two loads of laundry to do and may get the cardinal fabric starched and hung to dry outside. I want to hand sew the binding down on the last placemat and stitch out another mug rug. I need to pick lettuce, wash it and deliver it to my friend. Family will pick up their share of the peas and some lettuce today. I would like to knit tonight. 

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

Binding Sewn On

 Yesterday was another sunny warm day with a shower at 5 pm. The high got to 29.1C (humidex 36). We broke no records as the record was 33C on the same day last year. This morning it is clear and 17C. Today we are to have a high of 29 (humidex 37) with a risk of a thunderstorm this afternoon. 

Lifestyle

I was busy yesterday. I started out finishing up the living area. I washed the blankets, took cat hair off of the couch, vacuumed couch, and washed the floor once again. It looks great. I need a small basket to put my knitting into. I will get something at the dollar store. 

I moved into the dining area. The table was cleaned and wiped down. The windows were washed and the floor swept and mopped 2-3 times. I did dust and wipe the dust off pictures. I did more laundry while cleaning the dining area.

I ended the morning with tidying up the kitchen. The old dishes are now packed up ready for the thrift shop. Items were put away and garbage and recycling taken out. The floor was swept. I did clean more while I was making dinner and, though not done, it is much cleaner and tidier than it was. I will have to say I was tired when I was done at noon. 

The mowers were here and the lawn is looking great. I watered all the flowers, picked beans for dinner, weeded half the leeks, and watered the garden. As the garden was being watered, we had a lovely shower to help. 

The beans are now picked and we will have to wait a bit before we can pick more. The garden is starting to grow rapidly now and I am amazed at how big the plants are. 

Sewing

I worked on the sewing the binding together and putting it onto the placemats. I got it done with just under 11" of binding left. It is in the trash.

I am now ready to hand sew the binding down into place. I am thinking of taking an afternoon to do the job before I do the mug rugs. 

My next jobs are to:

    Press starched left over fabric that I used to embroider the cardinals on and cut out the squares.    

    Starch fabrics and hang them outside to dry.

    Prep bags to sew. 

    Make piping for bags plus a piece for daughter.

I am not outside much with the hot weather so I am going to sew as many afternoons as possible. If not sew, prep and use up the stash. 

Knitting

I did knit last night. I knit an extra 8 rows for the body and then started on the left leg. I got 3 rows done on it before my hand cramped up. Progress was made. 

Thoughts

    Three of the 4 missing bodies have been found. The unidentified body was one of the children. The other was found yesterday. The province is in mourning over the loss. My heart goes out to the two families. 

    I pushed myself yesterday with housework to see how much I could do in 3 hours. A lot. I do have to rest but not as long as I use to. My hip is not bothering me much as it was allowing me to do more. My mess resulted from a funk this month. I did get through it and am on the other side and in much better spirits. 

    I have hit a plateau in my weight. I am up and down 1 lb and, though annoying, I am coping with it. I knew it would happen and happen it has. I'm trying not to change my eating habits as this too will pass. I don't like to cook in the hot weather which is a down fall as I go buy something to eat. I am going to try and stop that habit as it isn't a good one. I do choose as healthy as I can but home cooked is better for me. 

Today

I am going to head out early to pull the pea plants so I can pick the pods off inside. I will keep enough for dinner tonight to go with ham and potato scallop. The rest go to family. I am not sure if family will be over to help with the shale in the ditch and if they are, I will help as much as I can. I need to do one more load of laundry. I hope to hand stitch on the placemats but it may not happen if we are working outside. I may knit tonight if I'm not too tired. 

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

The Mortgage Mess Is Over

 Yesterday was a hot day. It was sunny and less humid. The official high was 28.6C (humidex 33C) though we did see 30C here. This morning it is clear and 16C. We are under a heat warning with a high of 30C (humidex 37C) today. The heat warning is to last for 2 days and maybe longer. 

Lifestyle

I was out the door to the bank and got there just after 9:30 a.m. My financial advisor was with clients but the teller sent her a message to call me. I left saying I would be back to sit until I got answers. She called me saying that it would take until Aug 1 to process the mortgage payment but what I would pay was set on July 14. The mortgage renewal would come off at that time. At noon she called back to say all was done and the mortgage payment I made was reimbursed to my account. That was done twice yesterday. I will watch to see what happens to the 2nd deposit as I expect it to disappear. I became mortgage free on the Spousal Unit's birthdate. I guess it was meant to be. 

I did clean up more of the living room. I scrubbed the banister that runs the length of the stairs. It was dirtier than I thought it was. I mopped the floor in that area three times.  I need to mop the floors again, do the blankets, and finish tidying up. It is looking nice in there. I'm pushing myself to do some cleaning each day. I have made a list for the rest of this week and hope to get it done.  

Daughter-in-law was over yesterday afternoon to talk. We went out to pick beans and she snitched peas and carrots to munch on. We are picking peas tomorrow and grandson is going to lay the slate in the ditch into a single layer so the water can run over it. We will have taken care of the issue in my part of the ditch. 

Sewing

I did get to sew some yesterday afternoon. I got the 2nd placemat done and ready to bind. 

I did look at the binding but didn't start on it. I was done for the day. 

I have been watching the Great British Sewing Bee but haven't commented on it lately. Some of the sewing has been beautiful. Asmaa and Mia are my favourites. Both are talented sewers in my opinion and either one could win. The last episode is this week.  

I was going to go to the quilt shop and sew today. Not happening due to the heat and I'm not sure if they have the a/c fixed in the classroom. Plus, I am not ready as I need to get the winter fabric project finished and the bags prepped. 

Knitting

I took the leggings apart. I had to wind balls of yarn and after a bit of swearing, it got done. I have the leggings on the needles ready to lengthen the body by 5-10 rows. It will be fitting time as I knit. 

Thoughts

    It was a funny day for me. I was sad as it was the Spousal Unit's birthday; his first one in heaven. But it was a good day as the mortgage was paid off. My emotions ran from sadness to happiness most of the day and left me tired. 

    My weight is yo-yoing due to the heat. I think I am drinking enough but I'm not and my body retains fluid. I am not moving enough due to the heat. I only stay outside for 10 minutes at a time and have limited the number of times I go outside. I am trying to move inside but it's hard when you feel tired. My plan today is to drink more fluids. 

    This province is, once again, showing how strong it is after so much destruction and loss from the flooding. The official amount of rain was 8" in our area. People are missing and one known body and an unidentified body were found. At this time, search and rescue are still looking for 3 more known missing people. 

    I have people I know in BC who have been evacuated from their homes due to the fires. I sure wish some of the rain we had could have fallen over there. They certainly could use some good rain to help fire fighters in their efforts to get the fires under control. 

Today

I am hoping to finish the living room and start in the dining room. I need to do a lot of laundry (mostly bedding and blankets) and would like to get the old dishes out into the garage. I would like to make the binding and attach it to the two placemats so I can start hand sewing them down. I may knit tonight. My biggest job is to drink more fluids and not go out a lot today. I will save my outside time to watering the plants. 

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

I Dug My First Garlic

 Yesterday was humid and warm. We did not have any rain until around 8 pm and then had a good shower (which we didn't need). The high got to 26.5C (humidex 35C). This morning it is foggy and 16C. We are to have a mix of sun and cloud and a high of 27C (humidex 33C).

Lifestyle

I slept in yesterday morning so was late getting things done. I did the balance sheet with no issues but it did raise some anger, once again, about the mortgage situation. Once done and showered I was out to get groceries.

The one grocery store I usually shop at was closed until later in the day. I went to the other grocery store and got the necessities I need for several days. Once home, I had lunch as it was noon. 

Late in the afternoon, I was out to dead head the petunias and give them some fertilizer. I weeded the garlic and checked the carrots. The cat is back so I need to reapply the cayenne pepper powder to the garden. While weeding the garlic, two tiny tops fell off and I dug out the bulbs. They are very dirty but I dug my first garlic. 

They are drying in the garage and I will check on them in the next day to see how they look once the dirt is dried and brushed off them. I'll use them for cooking. The other garlic will need to be pulled this weekend as they are almost ready. 

The new chickens decided to visit last evening. My neighbour across the street yelled at the owner's children and they got them out of the yard. I will have to watch them carefully as the garden is producing and I don't need chickens wrecking it. 

I thought I was on a weight plateau as I am due but I lost another 1.1 lbs this week for a total of 44.5 lbs. I ate a bit more the past couple of days as I was hungry and more active. 

There are no evacuation alerts and the main highway is open to Bedford. Search and rescue continues to look for the missing people. The province and county are now dealing with road repairs and people are dealing with what ever they have to fix. There is an air of sadness in the communities but people are out to help each other. The people next door to me aren't home so the gravel is still in the ditch. I will throw the shale out of the ditch on a cool morning so the county can pick it up. The gravel will be dealt with once they are home. 

Sewing

I sewed yesterday and got the last bowl cozy completed. 

This is the stack of 6 bowl cozies on top of 4 placemats and 4 potholders. 

I moved on to complete placemat #5. It is done, trimmed and ready for binding. 

Placemat #6 is ready to be sandwiched, quilted and trimmed. Once done, I will make the binding and put it on. All I will have left to do is the 4 mug rugs. 

I am now getting ready to start on the bags. I won't be going to sew at the quilt shop tomorrow as I am not ready mentally or physically. If they have no air conditioning in the classroom I will not last the full day as tomorrow is going to be hot. 

Knitting

None done last night. No energy to even unravel the leggings. 

Today

I am planning on going into the bank to see how they are progressing with the mortgage mess. I need to do a few things in the house if I have time. I will be trying to sew this afternoon. I am not sure if I will unravel the leggings tonight but I should try. I find I am really tired by night due to the heat and humidity. 

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

The Day After

 Yesterday's weather was much better than Friday's. We had no rain during the day and a high of 26.5C. (humidex 35C). This morning it is cloudy and 20C. We are to have a mix of sun, clouds, and a few showers with a high of 27C (humidex 35C). 

Lifestyle

I am going to admit I did very little yesterday. I emptied the recycling into its bins in the garage and did a small tidy up in the kitchen. It was all I could handle. 

I was over to my neighbour's house to see how she was doing. She didn't get to sleep until 4 am and was up by 7 am due to her dog being a nervous wreck during the thunderstorms. We talked for a bit, went out to check the garage to see if there was water in it (none) and looked at the back yard. No damage that we could see. The drainage ditch behind their property is a river full of red soil due to erosion. 

After making sure her property was safe, we walked along the ditch at my property. There is a pile of shale that tumbled through my driveway culvert. It came ahead of the gravel that washed down into the ditch. Looking further down the street we don't know where it came from as the next house down had only water come through their culvert. 

I will have to deal with it through the county as it shouldn't go through the culvert under the road. I will ask about getting the two corner posts found on my lot and find out about the drainage ditch -- permits, etc. I know where my drainage ditch is and it is on the other side of my property. 

After lunch, I had a 2 hour nap and felt better. I went for a short drive and stopped to talk to a friend. He was shovelling and sweeping gravel out of his driveway. The people next to him had a good 1/2" of water in their basement. Other than that, I know of no other damage in our area but am assuming there was some. The road out of the subdivision has gravel washed across it in a couple of places. I headed into town to see the damage. There was flooding in some areas and some business were closed and others were opened. I left as there was an emergency. The highway from our exit to Halifax was closed until late last night. The fire station was active with a lot of search and rescue items attached to vehicles. Two helicopters were flying around. There is a search and rescue going on to find missing people in submerged vehicles. We don't need that in the midst of everything else that happened. 

I was out in the garden and it is soupy. I emptied the rain gauge and there was over 5" of rain in it. 

The yellow cup thing at the top was half filled with water when I went to empty it. The red is the measuring puck. 

I know we had an inch fall on Friday and the remaining fell during Friday night's storm. 

I checked the vegetable boxes and, though wet, the plants are fine. I picked beans for dinner and they were delicious. 

There are plenty more to come over the next couple of weeks. 

I also picked one pea pod and we will have to pick them soon. 

I was wakened at 4:30 am with the emergency alert coming through on my phone. The dam in the community 6 km from us breached its sides. People had to evacuate for the 2nd time in 24 hours. The province has declared a state of emergency for the province and it is going to be a while before things become normal again. Fiona came through 10 months ago to the day. The province is still recovering from it and the fires we had earlier this summer. 

I did not sew or knit yesterday. My trips to the basement were to check to make sure it was dry and to bag up the pieces I donated to the quilter's guild. I took them over to my friend's when I checked on her. 

Today

I have to do the balance sheet and get groceries. I hope to sew today but am not sure about knitting. I am still tired though I slept a lot but was awakened with the emergency alert which left me shaken. I will survive this. 

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

Oh What A Day

 The weather yesterday consisted of thunderstorm, heavy rain, and a high of 23.3C (humidex 31C). The weather website says we had 12.3cm of rain but we actually had over 4" fall according to the rain gauge here and on a weather app I use. This morning it is cloudy, raining and 19C. We are to have rain (under a rainfall warning) and 22C (humidex 30C)

Lifestyle

I had a very stressful day yesterday. I have wanted to say my house mortgage is paid off but it has become a nightmare. All of the paper work was done July 12 and the money sits waiting to pay out the mortgage. Nothing has happened until yesterday when I saw I was given a new mortgage and a payment of almost twice as much as I was paying. To say I was livid is an understatement. I emailed my financial advisor and headed to the bank.

The financial advisor was working on the issue when I walked into the bank and when I talked to the teller she got the manager to see me. I sat in a chair and cried. I was so upset. The financial advisor was hoping it would be fixed by the end of the day but it wasn't. I will be emailing her tomorrow and arriving at the bank when it opens for answers on Monday. Everything has to go away and I need for the bank to compensate me for all that I am going through. 

I came home and had a day full of every emotion you could think of. I did clean up more of the living room and took my frustrations out on it. I am down to one couch to move and clean under and 3 blankets to launder.

I was over to family's for dinner. It was Mongolian beef and rice. Delicious. I had a good visit and was home early as I left between rain showers.

We had 15 hours of thunderstorms yesterday and last night. It was pretty bad during the night with some being right over us. The lightening was so bright it was like a sunny day. A couple of loud claps of thunder had both Elliott and I jump. Then there was the Emergency Alerts for our area. A dam  was at risk of breaching. Another area was flooding. People were leaving their homes to go to evacuation centres between 3 and 4 am. Then the authorities turned off the power in our area but not where the flooding was. It was because people were in trees in our area waiting to be rescued by helicopter.  It was a crazy night.

I was out to assess the damage this morning and the drainage ditch between the neighbours and I washed out and there is a huge pile of gravel in the ditch. 

A lot of gravel needs to be put back into the drainage ditch. 

I understand it wasn't put in by the previous owner of this house but I will talk to my neighbours and find out. My approach is that it wasn't mentioned in the listing or by the real estate agent. If it isn't my problem, I will walk away. If it is, I will deal with it in my own way. Either get it done by the lawn mowing company or get family to help me. If shared we will have to come up with a plan. 

Sewing

I did go downstairs to sew and got the darts done in the 3 remaining bowl cozies and 2 of them sewn up. 

Once done, I spent a bit of time sorting through the Christmas fabric, pressed some pieces for a bag, and put more fabric into the donation pile. I was mentally exhausted from the bank issues so went upstairs to rest. 

Knitting

I didn't knit last night as I was tired. I am thinking of starting the leggings again and making the body part longer. Not today but as soon as I am more alert. 

Today

I am resting today as I am tired. I don't want to do things and make a mess. I know I will need to nap some and be in bed early. I may do a bit of clean up but it remains to be seen. And I'm not sewing or knitting as I will ruin what ever I touch. 

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

Silver Leather Shoes

 Yesterday was another warm muggy day with a high of 27.6 (humidex 36C). This morning it is cloudy and 18C. We are to have showers and a high of 24C (humidex 31C). 

Lifestyle

I've been out on the deck to see if I could open the windows to air the house out and it won't happen. It is not that cool and somewhat muggy out there. 

I was out early yesterday for a hair cut. I got there early and was in the chair immediately. I left feeling 100% better. 

Once home, I folded laundry and called it a morning. I was going to do other things in the basement. 

At 2 pm I left to take the car in to see why the check engine light was one. I did some shopping and then headed up to the car dealership. They told me it was the gas cap not being seated correctly. I was stunned as the light had come on two days before I put gas in the car. I am to watch this to see if it happens again. I left and went to get some dinner. I ordered and only got (and paid for) the fries. I had to eat more when I got home. 

Sewing

I was down the stairs before lunch to do 2 things. One was to get out the leather for the next pair of doll shoes. I chose a smoother silver leather this time. 

The next job was to find fabric for the doll's outfit I am going to make next. I got out the 2 tubs of cottons that are for the dolls and went through every single piece. I need to sew like a mad woman to use it all up. While looking for fabric, I set aside 7.3 meters for the quilting group. I did find the fabric I wanted for the outfit. 

The skirt fabric has a silver thread in it making it a perfect for the silver shoes. 

I cut out the shoes. It is best to trace the pattern on the back of the leather as you can pin it and taping the pattern pulls off the finish. The finish is fragile but I can handle it (or I hope I remember how to handle it). 

I did sew on the soup bowl cozies for less than an hour. I got the darts in 4 pieces, pressed them and pinned them together in one spot so I know which go together. I have realized that the very soft batting does not make as nice a bowl cozy as the stiffer batting. I still have 2 more squares to put darts into and then I can sew them together and finish them up. Hurrah! Another job is almost done. Then it is the 2 place mats and I'm done that big project. I will be happy to see it done. 

I ordered the fabric for the backing on the sheep quilt I am going to make. It is the perfect choice and daughter is picking it up and shipping it to me later on. My next purchase for it is the black for the faces. 

Knitting

I did finish leg 1 and started on leg 2 before my hands cramped up. These leggings are going to be a bit short in the body for the doll. Fit around is great so I will need to figure out the body length if I knit them again. 

Thoughts

    I am choked about the gas cap on the car. I don't know why it is loosing its seal and making the check engine light come on. I even put the cap on tight when I put gas in the car. I'm going to try to push down harder the next time I put gas in. That may be in 3 to 4 weeks. 

    As I sort through the fabric stash, I have this huge desire to clean the sewing room. I may start working on it a bit every day. Not a huge amount of time but 20 - 30 minutes each day. I know that I want to go through the stash one more time and sort fabrics out. I have put some quilt fabric into the drawer unit as they are for specific projects this winter. I am thinking about sorting the Christmas fabric next. 

    While sorting through the doll's stash, I kept reminding myself I need to sew just items of clothing not outfits. As I handled the fabric, I kept making outfits out of them. I was chuckling as I was playing with the fabric. I really enjoy making outfits and would like all the dolls to have new outfits to wear. 

    While in Home Depot, I looked at the blinds but am not sure if I found the ones I want to buy. No one was available to help me so I headed to the paint department. I got what I wanted and left. I was on a tight timeline as I had one more stop before going to take the car in to be checked.  

Today

I am home all day and want to continue cleaning the living room. Once I get what I have planned done, I want to prime the legs on the little table, sew on the winter fabric, and try to knit tonight. I may try to get out to weed one of the vegetable boxes if it isn't raining. I would like to knit tonight. 

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

A Good Laugh At A Stupid Mistake

 Yesterday was another warm and muggy day. We had a downpour in the evening and they say we had 1.3" of rain fall. I think it was more like 1/2" here. The high got to 28.3C (humidex 35C). This morning it is very foggy and 20C (humidex 28C). We are to have a mixture of sun and showers with a high of 25C (humidex 31C) today.

Lifestyle

My first job of the morning was to go out and prune the rose bush. I got rid of the old blooms and cut the new ones for in the house. 

This rose bush has been beautiful this year. I will be fertilizing it in the next few days so it will continue to bloom well into the fall. I pick about half of the blooms leaving the rest for my friends to admire when they sit out in their garage. I did a quick check on the vegetables and the bell peppers have more blooms opening. 

I spent the rest of the morning cleaning the living room. It was dusty and took a long time to do about 1/4 of the room. I pulled out arm chair and started with 2 of the windows. I dusted and washed the windows. I dusted the curtain rods and wiped the electric base board heaters. The floor got washed twice. While waiting for the floors to dry, I took the cat hair out of the Elliott's quilt. 

Once the floor was dry, I took the foot stool, lamp and end table out from that area and cleaned the 3rd window. I then got the tools from the garage and fixed one of the curtain rods. The usual - a new plug was needed as the old one was too small for the hole. The lamp was cleaned as was the end table. I washed the floors in that area twice and the whole piece once more. I put that area back together and called it a day. I am pleased with how it looked. 

I could spend hours decorating this space. Ideas are rolling and I am going to start a page for this room. I am going for light and airy with a hint of farmhouse. No distressed furniture as it is not for me. I think this will be a theme for the upstairs as this idea keeps popping up in every room.  

I priced solar roller blades for the 3 windows in the living room. Pricey so I will be looking at them in the store before I purchase. I want to look at the colours as I am deciding between 2 - grey and sandy white. I also want to find out more about the levels of sun blockage they have. The windows I am looking at get a lot of hot sun on them in the summer.

I had a quick look at the little table yesterday but didn't work on it. My list was too long so it got ignored. Also, the garage was too warm to work in. I got the garbage down to curbside for today and I had to walk slowly as it was so humid outside. 

Sewing

I tried the shoes on the doll and they look great. 

You don't see them when the dress is down but I know they are there. 

I spent the rest of the afternoon sewing 1 (yes 1) bowl cozy. I put the two squares together and sewed them. I had a flat square as I had forgot to put in the darts. I ripped it apart and did the darts and finished it up. I had a good laugh at myself and my stupidity. 

Maybe the next three will go together faster than this one. Once they are done, I have 2 placemats to finish and 4 mug rugs to make on the embroidery machine. I will be happy to see the end of that fabric. 

I put the fabrics for quilts into the top drawer of the new stash unit. It is really showing me how much fabric I need to sew up. Moving what is important to me is showing me what I need to sew or donate with what is left on the quilting fabric shelf. I can see more of it now which is sparking an interest in getting it sewn up. 

I measured the fabrics I donated and bagged 5.3 meters. I took it over to my friend so she can take it to the group today. Over the next 2-3 weeks I will be looking at the piles once again to see if there is anything else to donate. When that is done, I will be going through the doll's stash to find fabric for the next outfit and some to donate. 

I won't be going to Gather and Stitch this coming Tuesday. I am not ready as the 2 bags are languishing on the table. I am trying to finish up the projects that I worked on last time. There is still a lot of prep work to do on the bags before I can take them up to sew. This is not a new issue for me as I use to be fully prepped when I went to Finishing Fridays in Alberta.

Knitting

I didn't knit last night as I had a late dinner and the thought of knitting wool was too just too hot for my body to handle. I do have to take out the last row of the first leg, knit it and then cast off. I am not going to have the stirrup pant look. 

My next project will be out of teal cotton yarn family gave me for Christmas. It is suppose to be for the dolls and I will be making something for them. 

Today

I am out to have my hair cut early this morning. Once home, I will do a bit more cleaning in the living room. I would like to sew one more bowl cozy and then head out to take the car in to see why the check engine light is on. I hope to do a bit of shopping also. I will probably rest tonight as I will be on the go today. If I can bear it, I will try to finish the first leg on the leggings. 

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