A Lot of Fitting Fixes

 Yesterday was wet and dismal. The high got to 3.4C and 3/4" of rain fell. This morning it is 3C and we are to have sunshine and a high of 6C.

Lifestyle

I did my yoga yesterday and it always makes me feel better. I did not walk in the afternoon as it was raining and cold outside (1.8C when I wanted to walk). 

I finished cleaning the dining area. I was down on the floor cleaning the legs of the table as they were dusty. I wiped down the chairs, did the baseboard and mopped the floor. It looks clean and tidy. I only have the living area left to clean. I did sweep and mop some of the floors while I was doing the dining floor. 

Two loads of laundry were folded and some of the cleaning cloths got the whitening treatment. They soaked for several hours and then went through the washer and dryer. They are looking so much whiter now. 

Sewing

I spent a bit of time trying to figure out the bodice for the dress I am making. It is too big for the doll. When I placed the American Girl doll sloper on the pattern it fit exactly. I have a dress pattern that will fit the AG dolls. 

I spent 2 hours of sewing on the bodice of the dress and it almost fits Anna. I took the side seams almost 1/2" and the back seam 3/4". The fit around is pretty good.

The should seams should have been taken in but that meant taking the lining out. I wasn't doing that. 

They needed to be done as both sides are up from her shoulders about 1/4".

I will make the bodice again using a well fitting pattern and adapt the yoke to fit. 

I didn't look at anything in the sewing room before I left. I was just too upset to deal with cleaning even a small area. 

Knitting

None done last night. 

Thoughts

    With our first cold damp day, I realize that I am going to have some pain in my hip and knee. I can't let it stop me so will be buying boots and a heavy coat this coming week so I can be prepared to walk most days.

    We had an emergency alert late yesterday afternoon for a dangerous person on the move. The person was arrested a few hours later. I went around to make sure the house was locked up properly as this person was driving and the police didn't know which direction they had fled. Since the mass killings during the pandemic, we get these alerts. Most provinces don't do it but it is one of the outcomes from the review. 

    I am keeping up at keeping the house clean. I try to tidy and mop each room at least twice a week. I will do a 2 day cleaning up when upstairs is done and then start downstairs. I know it will be slower as I am thinking of one day upstairs and one day downstairs. I will get this house decluttered and cleaned this year. My goal is to try to keep the clutter out and the house clean.

Today

I hope to do yoga but the main goal is to decorate for Halloween. We set up in the garage and will keep it simple. I also need to get figure out what to eat as the children start coming at 5 pm. I hope to sew in the afternoon for an hour and do a short walk. What ever else gets done is a bonus. 

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

Doll's Bodice Is Too Big

 Though yesterday was cooler, it was sunny. The high got to 9.2C. This morning it is cloudy and 2C. We are under a weather statement of having snow pellets and rain today and Wednesday. The high today is to be 4C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday was busy. I started the morning off doing yoga. I am doing a few more moves to help keep the muscles stretched. I will be checking in Wednesday with physio to see what will be added or taken away as I move forward. 

The balance sheet was done without any issues. Once done, I spent time doing floors, and getting the 4 Chicken Hurry meals finished and into the freezer. I now have 23 meals to eat. Two loads of laundry were done. Before I had lunch, I went up to the shed and brought down 2 chairs and the salt for the driveway. 

I have been also trying to whiten pillow cases for a friend. They arrived quite yellow with age and after 2 long treatments of soaking in dish soap and oxiclean, they were put into the washer to see if the magic worked. I think it did. They are drying on the rack in the bathtub. I enjoyed the challenge. 

I went for my walk and did the 1.4 km loop. I stopped to talk to a lovely gentleman and he knew exactly where I lived (Grumpy's Garage), the wonderful vegetables the Spousal Unit grew and the Spousal Unit working in our yard. The Spousal Unit impressed a lot of people in our area this person told me. I ended my walk feeling mentally happy even if I was cold. 

Sewing

I worked on the doll's dress and it doesn't fit as nicely as I had thought it would. The armholes are too deep which I really don't like. That could be a relatively easy fix. 

The back is the issue. It is way too large for this doll. The center backs cross over about an 1" rather than 1/2". That is easy to fix. Sew a deeper center back seam. 

I will finish the dress as is but I have the pattern pieces upstairs to do some manipulating on it. I will sew up a couple of bodices using shop towels before I decide if I want to go further or stop for now. 

I did get the wall art done and need to get the level downstairs so I can hang it. It turned out quite nice. I need to buy white or blue fabric for the back of the cushion cover so I can make it. I know Elliott will push it on the floor when he wants to sleep on the chair in the sewing room. He does that with the cushions upstairs. 

I have decided to sew a couple of reusable grocery bags as I seem to be missing one. It isn't in the house as I've looked for it. I have fabric set aside for 2 bags I will make to replace the missing one and an extra one for a friend. 

Knitting

I did knit 5 rows on the vest last night. I have everything figured out so I can knit away knowing which rows I need to decrease. Hurrah. 

Thoughts

    I am still working through the notebooks I have. I will put them in a pile and see what I will use and what I will let go. Excess pens go to family as they use more than I do. I keep my pencils as I use them a lot when sewing. This year I bought 2 small notebooks for shopping lists. I also got one that I can add refills to so I can write what I need to do each day. 

    I am happy with how I am decluttering and cleaning the upstairs. The areas that are done are more calming which I like. I am realizing how little excess stuff I need and keeping only what I love is bringing me joy. I hope to take a load to the thrift store early next week. 

    I am mentally preparing myself to start cleaning the basement. Areas have been done but need to wiped down. There are some things to go. And under the stairs needs to be tackled. I need to think of how to do it as I can't work under there for long periods of time as I get very tired squatting. It also makes my knee and hip ache. It may be remove everything from under there and sort it in the family room. 

Today

I have to do yoga this morning and then continue on cleaning the dining area. Laundry needs to be folded and I hope to start packing box #3 to ship to daughter. I hope to finish the dress after I do a bit of altering to the bodice. I want to knit tonight. No walking today due to the weather. 

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

A Doll's Dress Is Started

 Our warm spell went out with a bang. Sunshine and a high of 24.8C. It broke the record for that day. This morning it is clear and 6C. We are to have sunshine and a high of 8C today. 

Lifestyle

I did yoga yesterday and it helped to ease some of the soreness I was having in my muscles. The flare-up continued for the day. I did not walk due to the warmth. I missed it as it really helps keep things lubricated. I did walk inside the house and on the deck a lot to help ease the pain. 

I spent the morning cleaning the dining room. I purged the server and I have too many pens. They are new and in their wrapper so I put kept them. I do use a lot of pens and pencils. The bottom drawer is empty and where dishes are put has two items in it. I cleaned the server with furniture polish and discovered it was made 2/8/34. No wonder it has an art deco vibe to it. 

I also cleaned a side table I use to have in the living room. I purged a lot of stuff from it. What is left is in either a basket or a tray. The table was also cleaned and polished. Then it was on to the half circle table. I got rid of a container and will replace it with something new. I also cleaned and polished it. 

I was up and down the ladder wiping fly poop off walls and ceiling lights. Floors were swept and then mopped. I did the hall and half of the dining area. I still have the table area to do. The room looks so much better even being half done. 

I made chicken hurry last night and it was delicious. I have 4 to put into the freezer after I make a pot of rice and vegetables. This is it for freezer meals for a while as I have about 3 weeks worth in the freezer. Add some stir fry meals and I could be set for a month. 

Sewing

I laundered some fabric for sewing doll clothes while I was cleaning the dining area. I decided to use a print with a white background for a summer dress. This is for the Gotz dolls. 

The dress takes about .2 meter of fabric. I cut the lining out of white broadcloth as the print showed through when I held them together. After a lot of thought I cut the little yoke from the same fabric and used some lace from the stash to give it a more feminine look. 

When I sewed the backs to the front the back shoulder seam is bigger than the front by a bit. I had to trim away a bit of the back. This is a common problem with this designer. I pressed the seams to the back and pinned the side seams together. Anna chose to model the bodice for me. 

So far the fit is looking good. I stopped at this point as it was time to start dinner. 

On a doll thread we have been talking about a couple of doll patterns. I thought I only had one of the Boho style but it seems as if I have 3. 

The pattern on the right has several items traced so I am going to sew them up for the little girl I have been sewing for.  It will be fun to say I made most of the items in one of the patterns and then start on one of the other ones. As I make them, I will put the patterns into a tub to donate when I am done with them. 

Knitting

I did none last night as it was too warm to knit. 

Thoughts

    I looked at the number of small binders and notebooks I have. I need to decide on how I am going to use them and donate those I won't use. Notebooks, pens, pencils, and erasers are something I tended to buy in late August before school starts. It seemed to fill a need after I retired from teaching. I have been working at stopping that habit the last 2 to 3 years. I need to put the excess in a container I can see so I won't buy any more. 

    I also looked in the sewing room and I still have too much in there. I seem to be sewing less hours now that I am exercising and cleaning. I will go through the patterns, fabrics and trims as I sew and get let go of items over time. I know once the weather turns bad I will be sewing more. I just have to remind myself that I don't need to buy fabric for new projects only what I need to finish projects. 

Today

I have to do yoga and walk. I need to do the balance sheet, a bit of housework, cook and sew on the doll's dress. I hope to knit tonight. A busy day for me. 

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

A Minor Flare-Up

 There was a bit of rain early in the morning and then it was cloudy all day. The high got to 16.8C. This morning it is clear with the Hunter's Moon shining and 11C. It is going to be sunny with a high of 23C. 

Lifestyle

I had a minor flare-up yesterday. I did the yoga exercises and they did help. My muscles were sore with very little joint pain. I did walk in the afternoon and wondered if I would make half the distance. As I walked, the pain went away and I did 1.3km - the loop I have been walking. Muscles were sore later on but I didn't have to take anything as it wasn't something that heat didn't help. 

I spent the morning cleaning up the kitchen and getting it clean. Floors were swept and wiped. I moved slower than before but I got it done. The kitchen looked great and the other floors are clean. 

I packed a box to ship to daughter and went out and mailed it. I walked carrying the box and bought 2 more boxes to ship. The boxes we have been using have made at least 2 round trips across Canada and maybe 3. Time for new boxes. 

I picked up grandson from school and went for dinner with family. We talked about what I should do. We decided I should talk to the doctor in January to get an idea of what I can continue to do before I really need to be referred for surgery. I like to have plans or at least ideas for the future. In the mean time, I am to continue on with what I am doing implementing any exercises I am given.

I have followed my eating plan for 2 days and lost 2 lbs. My body enjoyed the rest I gave it and is now ready to loose the remaining weight. It wasn't hard to get back into the program; I just needed a good reason to start following it carefully again. I know loosing the remaining weight will be good for my joints, blood pressure, and glucose levels. 

Sewing

I didn't sew yesterday. But I did think about things in the sewing room. 

I need to continue working on cleaning the sewing room and keeping it clean. 

I have to keep making decisions about the stash. As I handle the fabric and trims I need to decide if I will sew it and if I won't donate it. The stash is getting smaller and I need to focus on decreasing it even further. Fabric purchases will only be what I need and not for new projects. I need to have the stash fit into the container I have designated for it. This means no more quilts after this winter unless I buy the fabric for one at a time. It means using up the doll's stash for doll clothes sewing myself clothes and finding projects for the quilting cottons. I need to apply the less is more rule to my stash. 

Knitting

I finished crocheting the edge on a lap afghan for daughter-in-law. She needs to weave in the ends and donate it to a long term care home. I enjoy doing the edging for her. 

I did not knit on the vest last night as my hands were tired from crocheting. 

Thoughts

    I am starting to realize (slowly) how much I am doing since I started osteopathy and physio. As the pain has diminished, my mobility has increased. I am not exhausted from the pain at this time and have been more focused on exercise and housework. 

    As I clean the house and purge items, I am feeling more calm in my home. It feels good to feel less stressed and anxious about the space and it is so much easier to keep clean and organized. It leaves me wanting to decorate which is wonderful. 

Today

I have to do yoga and walk for sure. I want to start cleaning and purging the dining area. It is time to tackle it. I have printed a pattern to start a doll's dress and will knit on the vest. I will also start packing box #3 to ship to daughter. 

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

Pondering The Future

 Yesterday was one lovely sunny fall day. The high got to 21.1C. This morning it is cloudy and 12C. We will have some showers this morning and then sun/clouds this afternoon and a high of 20C.

Lifestyle

I spent some time on the phone with the wellness facilitator at the hospital talking about my plan. She read the report on my x-rays and has suggested I get referred to a specialist starting the process of having both the hip and knee replaced. She has agreed with my plan of action and told me to get the report for both physiotherapy and osteopathy. The doctor's office sent me the report. I plan on getting referred to the specialist for the right side as my left knee is wearing out also. 

I finished cleaning my bedroom. It took a bit of time as I did an extra good job on cleaning the furniture. I took canned air to my grandmother's treadle sewing machine and got rid of old dust and dirt. The floors were swept and washed and the room put back together. It smelled nice and fresh in there and everything looks good. Now I can think about decorating it. 

I did my yoga exercises and wonder what new ones I will get now that we know what is wrong with me. I will know on Wednesday. I also walked 1.4 km yesterday. It was a nice walk in the sunshine. I did follow my eating plan as I begin the journey of loosing the last of my weight. 

Elliott and I enjoyed the sunshine yesterday. He slept on the back of the couch and cooked in the sun. 

He slithered off panting from getting too hot. I went over to visit my friend and her sister and we sat outside enjoying the sunshine. I helped get a pair of mitts ready for her to finish. We had a great time visiting. 

Sewing

I didn't go into the sewing room yesterday. I am wondering if I should sew the quilt together or do quilt as you go. It is going to come down to how will I quilt it. I have ideas for the quilting but it would be easier to do the design if the quilt was one piece. My question is -- do I want to wrestle a 48 x 60" quilt on my sewing machine? I am thinking hard on what to do. 

I thought about selling all my sewing/craft items once again. It is part of how I deal with bad news. It isn't going to happen but it has made me realize how I need to get the sewing room/craft stuff under control now and not later. It isn't about sewing down the stash but making sure I am not over buying fabric, etc. My plans for sewing are one that requires me make decisions that will allow me to meet my goals sooner rather than later. 

Knitting

I finished the left front of the vest last night. I got the decreasing done quite easily. The neck was the same rows each cable repeat. Only the arm changed which was fairly easy to keep track of. 

The vest could be finished in a couple of weeks at the rate it has knit up. Picking up the stitches around the neck and armholes take a lot of time as I like to space them evenly. I will get it done and enjoy wearing it. 

Thoughts

    The sunny weather yesterday certainly drew me outside. I thoroughly enjoyed putting other things aside as this weather won't last forever. It was even hard to finish cleaning the bedroom in the morning as the sunshine was calling me to go outside. 

    I am worrying about how I will deal with the surgeries. I am mainly worried about the loss of my independence before and after the surgeries. This has made me realize how independent I am and how much I hate being a burden on people. 

    I had periods of feeling despondent/depressed the last two days. I am talking to myself to get over this as I know it is part of the shock of bad news. I have been trying so hard to get well and felt like I had failed. The self talk is all about taking care of myself and getting well. The end goal is different than the one I had but a lot of what I am doing is the same. As long as I can do it, I will work on my goals of self care and getting my home clean and organized. I will move forward and be okay. I needed a few days to process everything. I am not ready to move from my home yet. 

Today

I have to work on getting parcels ready to mail today. I want to tidy the kitchen, sweep and mop floors and do yoga. My walk today will be shorter. I hope to spend a bit of time in the sewing room and knit tonight. 

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

My Joints Are Wearing Out

 Yesterday was one sunny day with a high of 17.9C. This morning it is clear and 13C. We are to have more sunshine and a high of 21C today. 

Lifestyle

As I waited for the doctor to call, I cleaned up the kitchen. I wiped down all the counters and wiped the appliances. I swept most of the floors before he called. Very early was almost 10 a.m.

The results of my x-ray were surprising as I am feeling so good. I have severe arthritis in my right hip joint and bone on bone arthritis in my right knee. We talked about my plan which didn't include seeing a specialist at this time. I am to continue with physio, osteopathy, yoga, walking, and pain control only when needed. When the pain increases I will increase the pain control. At that time I will ask to see specialists for replacements. Until then, I continue on doing what I am already doing. I have added loosing the last 30 lbs. to help my bad joints. 

Once done the call, I did my yoga exercises and they certainly are making a difference. I did them paying attention to making sure my body is straight and I am relaxing when in rest position. 

I headed out to grocery shop as I needed to have some comfort food (not sweets as I hate the taste), to get some healthy items, and new pain medication which is not a prescription. I was home just before noon which was nice. 

Later in the afternoon, I went for a 1.3 km walk. I am getting into the rhythm with the walking poles. Only had to stop twice to get myself coordinated. I really enjoyed the walk though I was tired when I got home. I have pushed myself as I doubled my distance rather than do it slowly. But, I know I can do it. I ended my walk by taking out the garbage to the curb. I earned my rest before dinner. 

Sewing

With the day so nice, I limited my time in the sewing room. I had to finish the last 4 blocks in 90 minutes so I could go for my walk. And I did it. 

I did stop to admire it before leaving the room. It was wonderful to finish the blocks but I'm sad it is done. Once again, I learned so much while doing a simple block. Next up is to review the quilt as you go without sashing that I want to do. Elliott's quilt is the practice one. Fabric and batting needs to be purchased. 

Knitting

I worked on the vest last night making sure I am decreasing on the rows I should be and doing the pattern correctly. It is a lot of thinking but I know it will end soon. I have 5 of the 10 pattern repeats done and will soon stop decreasing. 

Thoughts

    I pondered and thought about how I can keep the surgeon at bay for a few more years. Exercise, physio, and weight loss will probably be the key to this. I will have to balance what I do every day which means I need to have a schedule to follow. I will also need to get good winter boots and new runners. I will have to be active in the winter either walking or shovelling snow. I tend to want to hibernate in the winter.

    I am working on how I want my days to look. At the moment I am doing house cleaning in the mornings after I do yoga. Once I have done the purging and cleaning, I would like to have a simple routine of sweeping floors, dusting, and putting away. At the moment, it is a lot of work as I am maintaining what I have cleaned along with cleaning/purging other areas. I have a daily planner to help me keep organized and will use it to plan what I want to do each day. 

    I am also looking at my sewing time. I like to sew in the afternoons but have cut back the time I spend in the room. I set a goal of what I want to sew and what I want to clean each day. I want to keep it cleaner once I do this deep clean. And I want to work on the rest of the basement also. One thing I have is lots of time to clean as I don't go out a lot. I also need to remember to have time to do a few things I want to do. 

Today

After I do yoga, I want to finish up my bedroom. I need to do some sweeping and mopping in other rooms also. They are looking good. I want to pack one box to go to the mail, do the wall art for the sewing room, and go for a walk. The area to clean in the sewing room is the embroidery machine area. I hope to knit tonight. Another busy day which is good for me mentally.

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

A Good Day

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 12.7C. This morning it is 10C and we are to have a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 18C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I did yoga first thing. I am doing quite well with them so I decided to try to straighten my right leg out. I held it off the floor and slowly lowered it down until it just hurt. I did that 4 times before stopping. There is definite improvement in my hip and knee or I think there is.

I went around and swept and mopped floors and gave the bathroom a wipe down. It feels good to be able to keep the areas I have cleaned kept up. 

I cleaned up more in the master bedroom. I tidied up the closet I use and got rid of one item. I wiped all the shelves and doors. I still am not able to let go of the Spousal Unit's shirts. I was up and down the little ladder wiping walls and dusting away whatever I could find. I wiped down furniture and the baseboards. Half of the floor was swept and mopped. I was done for the day in that room.

I took grandson to his dentist appointment. I loved the welcome sign in the office. It is made from horseshoes.

When I told grandson how unique it was, he said he liked it and thought that Grumpy (aka the Spousal Unit) would have like it. He would have and would have wanted one for in the house. 

On the way to the dentist, the doctor's office called and I have a phone appointment early this morning about my x-rays. I am a bit worried as there could be something not right. I will probably be referred to a specialist or surgeon. One more person on my care list. I am hoping the person will allow me to try and get the hip/knee problems fixed without surgery. 

I have decided that I need to reevaluate my eating plan and loose more weight just in case I need surgery. The goal is to loose another 25 - 30 lbs in the next year. It means bringing out the measuring spoons and cups and being super careful about what I eat. My glucose readings have been ranging in the normal to low range which is good. 

Sewing

I took 10 minutes and swept the floor. I knew it was dirty but it was dirtier than I thought. Not only was there a lot of threads and fibre, there was dirt. I used two wet clothes to wash the floor and I was super thrilled how nice it looked. Now to finish the rest of the room so it can be as nice as the other part.

I want to hang art on the wall of the sewing room. I remembered I had a cushion cover that I could use half for wall art and half for a cushion on the chair. I hauled it out and played with it for 20 minutes. It is not done as I didn't take the plastic cover off the artist canvas. But I do like the idea for wall art. 

I can keep the green bins that I store yarn in and get a blue blanket for the chair. It is time to let go of the green blanket and pillow I made for grandson's bed when they visited us in Kamloops. Some other child can enjoy it as it is soft and cuddly. 

I made the 4 quilt blocks in just over an hour. I really focused on chain piecing and was quite successful. 

It is going to be quite nice when done. I am liking the blend of the print and the embroidery. 

One more row and I can start the quilt as you go part. I am excited about getting the two cardinal quilts done. 

Knitting

I knit and discovered that I had knit 2 stitches together in one of the cables. I had to unknit to fix my mistake. I did get quite a bit done in the end. 

It is now getting awkward to knit as the one side gets longer. But, I am happy to be making good progress. 

Thoughts

    While cleaning the house yesterday, I kept thinking I was a slob but not a hoarder. What I realized by the end of the day was I didn't learn how to do daily cleaning but how to do deep cleaning. I am now trying to figure out a schedule where I don't have to deep clean every room but just keep what I have done clean. That means cleaning up the clutter on a daily basis and figuring out what days I do what. I am going to be doing the basement and need to figure out how I can fit it all in. A plan is starting to emerge. In the meantime, I am keeping the spaces I have cleaned clean every day. It is helping move forward. 

    My IBS flared up worrying about the doctor's call today. It is stress related and I am hoping it will settle down after the phone call. I have done so well lately.

    There was a covid vaccine clinic at our firehall yesterday afternoon. It is a drive thru one and the line up was long. People were waiting on the side of the road with their blinkers on. People from our subdivision were waiting on our street to join the line up. It was crazy at 4:30 pm. But, it is great there is a clinic like this in our area. There could be one at the community hall next month. 

Today

I am going to do yoga, and finish cleaning the bedroom. I will sweep and mop the rooms I have already cleaned. I would like to finish the last 4 quilt squares and knit tonight. If I need to, I may go talk to family about the doctor's call. They need to know what is going to happen. If not that bad I will text them. 

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

More Mobility Means More Done

Yesterday turned out to be cloudy with some rain. Less than I had thought it would be 9.25"). The high got to 9.4C. This morning it is clear and 0C. We are to have sunshine and 13C. Though we have a frost this morning, warmer weather is coming.

Lifestyle

I got the car to the detailer and my wonderful daughter-in-law brought me home. I am so grateful for family to help me out and I enjoy helping them out also. When I picked up the car in the afternoon, I was amazed at how clean they got it. It looks brand new. I will use them again and recommend them to others. 

I spent the morning cleaning the 2nd closet in my bedroom. It started out as a storage area and became a place to put things I didn't want to deal with or thought I had wanted for later. I put some items in the trash, some in recycling, a bunch into the thrift shop box, and a few items where they really should go. I found a small tub that was filthy dirty and scrubbed it clean. I put the Christmas bags, tissue paper, and containers in it. I know I can use it all up this year and get new items after Christmas. 

I put a few of the Spousal Unit's clothes in the thrift shop box. They were items we had kept for him to wear if we went somewhere nice. It did not happen. I had hoped one of the ties was the one he wore to our wedding but he got rid of it years ago. I think someone needed it for a special occasion and never returned it. I still have the tie bar he wore at our wedding. 

When I finished up, the closet looked great and I am happy with it. The white fan will be sold in the spring as I didn't used it this year. I am storing it in there as I don't want it in the garage all winter. 

My spot jobs were folding laundry, cleaning the litter box, washing sheets, making the bed, and emptying the dishwasher. Having more mobility means more is getting done each day. 

Sewing

I didn't clean in the sewing room yesterday as I wanted to get the quilt blocks done before I had to pick up the car. It is on the to-do list for today. 

I fought with my brain to chain sew the blocks and had to keep focusing on it. I got them done in 75 minutes which is a record for me. 

It is really nice to have cut all the pieces earlier so I can focus on just sewing the blocks together. When I get the backing and batting, I will spend time cutting them all out so I can focus on the quilt and not the cutting. Trimming happens which is part of the sewing process. 

Knitting

I forged on with the sweater last night and am ready to cast off under the arms. Now comes the part where I will have to decrease for under the arms and the V neck. I will have to really concentrate on that. 

Thoughts

    I finally worked through my "bad" mood. It actually was a period of grieving for the Spousal Unit. It happened right when he'd been gone for 13 months. Though I am adjusting, I still feel the loss. The spell has passed though I am still not going out a lot right now. 

    I got a cancellation call for physio yesterday and couldn't go due to the car. I am hoping for a cancellation on Wednesday. I hurt less in the areas that use to hurt and more in areas that didn't. I am sure it is mainly muscles rebelling from being exercised and used in their proper positions. 

    I am pleased with how much I am getting done each day. The house is starting to feel cleaner and more calming. I am purging the clutter that came in during my period of pain. I am also letting go of things that I am ready to let go of. I am working towards getting back to the clutter stress level I am most relaxed with. I have a ways to go still but the areas I have done are right where I want them to be.

    The lawns got their winter fertilizer yesterday. I will be repeating the program again next year as I am happy with how the lawn looks and how great the company is. I will also hire the mowers again as they did a great job also. I am on the list with another person to have the hedge area and under the deck done. My job will be weed control. 

Today

I have to do yoga today as I have missed a couple of days. My goal for today is to clean out the 2nd closet and start cleaning my bedroom. My spot jobs are mopping floors, wiping the bathroom vanity, and take out the recycling to their bins. I hope to sweep and mop part of the sewing room floor and sew 4 more blocks. I will knit on the vest tonight. If I can fit it in, I will go for a walk. 

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

One Long Walk - I Survived It

 Yesterday was damp. We got almost .5" of rain which made the soggy ground even soggier. The high got to 13.8C. This morning it is raining and 7C. Today we are to have showers and a high of 10C. Tonight we could have frost. 

Lifestyle

Yoga was done and I am finding I am becoming more limber as the days go by. Not where I would like to be but better than I was. Things are moving back into place nicely. Hurrah. 

I was over to daughter's and hauled home 2 boxes of litter and some treats for Elliott. A friend gave them to me as her cat is now at family's house and his larder and litter are well stocked. I helped daughter-in-law a bit and came home. I enjoyed my time with her. 

The balance sheet was done without any issues. I was happy about that. I did a quick scan and realize that my food costs are quite high. Grocery costs have really gone up since the pandemic. And will continue to go up some due to fuel prices. 

I did grocery shop and after lunch I stripped a bbq chicken to make chicken pies. I put 7 in the freezer and will have one tonight for dinner. I have 23 meals in the freezer and will make one more batch of freezer meals. I will have to make a few late in November. 

My friend texted me and we went for a walk together. We did 1.7 km which was amazing for me. We went to her place for tea and visited for a bit. I won't be seeing her for a while as she has one of her sisters visiting soon and then she will be at a course for a week. 

I didn't sew yesterday as I was out in the afternoon. I did knit 10 rows on the vest last night. Soon I will be casting off under the arms. 

Today

I am leaving in the next 15 minutes to take the car in for detailing and will pick it up at 4 pm. Daughter-in-law is picking me up and taking me back. I want to clean upstairs this morning and fold laundry. I need to pack up a box to ship to daughter. I hope to sew 4 blocks on the quilt today and knit tonight. I probably won't walk today due to time constraints. 

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

Half Done The Cardinal Quilt Blocks

Yesterday had rain in the morning and evening. Between times was dry or misty. 2" of rain fell (record broke). The high got to 15.8C. This morning it is raining and 13C. We are to have rain and a high of 14C today.   

Yesterday morning I did my yoga exercises first and then went and cleaned the closet the washer and dryer are in (which I love). I started at the ceiling and ended with the floor. I cleaned off the shelf and put the Christmas wall hangings into my closet to deal with when I can get a tub. Light bulbs were put away where they belong and what is left is a light unit for under the kitchen cupboards.  

The inside and outside of the machines were cleaned and the outside got a shining. The drawers were cleaned out and junk was tossed. Why do I keep measuring cups I will never use again? I put some items into a small container so they don't rattle around and the rest was neatly lined up. I have exactly what I use in one of the drawers. The other one is empty.

The tile floor was wiped as were both sides of the doors. When the doors are shut the hall looks neat and tidy. 

I swept the hall floor and washed it. That area is almost done. I will go back and wipe the baseboards and dust the top of the walls today. 

My spot cleaning was to clean up the litter box area in the spare bedroom, wipe down the counters and sweep the bathroom floor. I ended my morning sweeping the dining area and kitchen floors. I have to say I was tired and a bit sore from climbing up and down my little ladder. Muscles got a work out for sure. I am happy with what I got accomplished. 

I went for a walk (.7 km) in the afternoon which is one power pole further than before. It was a good walk which I walked at a steady pace. When home, I spent some time getting the front porch decorated. I was under the stairs and found what I wanted. And, yes, I still need to clean under there. I filled the flower container with almost 3 jars of sand for weight and it really helps hold the flowers where I want them. 

It was nice to look out the window last night and see the candle flickering. This will stay up until the end of November when I will put out my winter flowers. 

Sewing

I cleaned the chair area in the sewing room yesterday. All the dolls are back on their cubby. I moved the chair and the small table out and started to clean. Dust rolled onto the cleaning cloth. I had to wash the floor twice to get clean (embarrassed). Everything was put into its place and I am happy at the moment with how it looks. I have a small pile to deal with. I also need a basket for my knitting needles. 

I happily sewed 4 more blocks on the quilt. I was able to keep my brain focused on chain piecing. I also checked the length of the red rectangles and had to cut more to the right length. 

It is a great feeling to know I am half done the blocks. 

Knitting

I knit 24 rows last night and have 18 rows left before I cast off under the arms. 

I have not finished the 2nd ball of yarn either so will have yarn left over to knit for the dolls or to make myself a hat. 

Thoughts

    I have been working through my feelings and staying to myself. I have decided that it is the best for now. I will venture out when I want to though I am happy to be home alone at the moment doing what I want to do.  

    The house is basically clean but I am still going through everything so I can purge what I don't need, have hidden from sight, or is trash. It is a good feeling to be back at it with way less pain. I can also work for longer periods of time. I need to work on having less clutter lying about. It is hard but I am training myself to put things where they belong. 

Today

I have to do the balance sheet, yoga, tidy up the areas that I have cleaned, do some laundry and grocery shop. I need to finish emptying the car as it gets detailed tomorrow. I want to sew 4 more quilt blocks and knit on the vest. If it isn't raining I may go for a walk. 

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

I Need To Think As I Clean

 Yesterday was a lovely warm fall day. The sun shone and there was a breeze. The high go to 19.2C. This morning it is raining and 13C. We are to have rain/showers and a high of 17C. 

Lifestyle

I didn't do yoga yesterday morning as I was wanting to get the bathroom cleaned. I did a lot of stretching while cleaning the jet tub and shower. I ended up washing the floor on my hands and knees. A good workout. The bathroom is clean and I have 4 cleaners under the sink. When one is used up, I will not replace it. The other 3 I use regularly when cleaning that room. 

I folded laundry before lunch and got it put away. That was my spot clean for yesterday. I'm trying to do something little each day so I can clean that area the following day. 

I went for a .55 km walk yesterday afternoon. It was a lovely walk and I did kick it up a bit. I walked a bit more quickly as I am getting use to the walking sticks. I made my body relax and focused on my gait. I really got a good even pace and enjoyed it. I wasn't that sore when done. Just muscles that said they were tired from being exercised. 

My IBS is improving. The only time it will flare up is when I have a lot of pain. I am back to eating all foods with no issues. The cause was stress and pain. 

Sewing

I finished cleaning up the yarn cubby before sewing. The floor was washed and the cubby wiped down. I put it against the wall with the book shelf. The yarn winder is in a basket to keep it off the floor. I am happy with the arrangement and am now ready to tackle the chair and little table beside the bookshelf. 

I sewed 4 more blocks on the quilt. I started off great chain piecing. It was fast and quite relaxing. I even got the top row chained pieced but as soon as it came time to sew on the bottom row, my brain shut down. It was sew one block at a time. 

I had to take apart 2 blocks as they had one red rectangle that was 1/4" too long. I fixed that quickly and got the blocks pressed and onto the floor to see how it looks. 

So far so good. I'm deciding if I will add an extra column to make it wider. At this time it will be 48 x 72". I will decide on at the last moment. 

Knitting

I knit a lot on the vest last night and now have 6 cable patterns done. 

I am 4 rows short of being half way done to the underarm cast off. 

Thoughts

    Yesterday, I had a bad afternoon mentally. I have figured part of the reason why. At the moment, I will be staying to myself and only doing what I want to do. Other than family, I am going to focus on myself and my life. It is time for me to let go of pressures I have been forcing myself to live with. I realize I need to keep everything simple and less overwhelming. 

    I have also realized how much pain I had been living with now that the pain level is reduced. Now that I can move about easier, I want to get the house cleaned and I want it done now. In reality, I have to pace myself as I need to build strength and stamina. After being sore and less mobile, I am weaker than I thought I was. 

    I have been working on my goals lately. Getting the house clean has been one and I am working on purging and letting go of items I don't need. I thought I had kept things minimal but the clutter is creeping in again. I need to evaluate every area and decide if I need it or not. I want to have less so I can feel calm. At the moment I am not feeling that especially when I open closet doors. It isn't just the upstairs, it is the basement also. 

    Another goal is getting myself pain free. I want to join the exercise groups at the hospital's wellness center. Another goal is to walk most days. Not only will it help my fitness level, it will help me keep healthy. I will continue with physio and osteopathy until I am as pain free as I can be. 

    I am evaluating my sewing and knitting goals. What do I want to make is the big question. Knitting is easy as I love to knit most nights. Socks, doll clothes, hats, and even vests. I find it easy to knit up the yarn I have and hardly look at purchasing yarn. Sewing is harder. What is it I want to do? What is my focus for the future? I enjoy quilting, sewing doll clothes, reusable bags, piping, and other fun items. My goal is to use up the stash which is happening. There are days when I feel like I am without a plan. I have a lot of thinking to do as I clean up the sewing room. 

Today

I need to do yoga this morning. I want to clean the laundry closet and the hall. My spot cleaning will be sweeping floors. They need doing and can be done in 15-20 minutes. I want to start cleaning the chair area in the sewing room. It is a mess. I also want to sew 4 blocks on the quilt. Tonight I would like to knit. If not raining, I would like to walk this afternoon. 

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

Off To The City I Went

Yesterday was a lovely day with a mix of sunshine and clouds. The high got to 16.6C which was really nice. This morning it is 8C. Today we are to have a mix of sun and cloud and a high of 18C.

Lifestyle

I ditched my house work and went to the city with daughter-in-law. We went to look for stone for retaining walls, decks, and stairs. Then it was on to get windows for their basement, look at bbqs. Our final shop was a meat run at Costco and then we went for lunch. Once done lunch, we came home. 

I held up really well. I was sore but it seemed to be weak muscles rebelling. I was also some muscles being tense as I need to relax when walking. I remained quite straight and walked slow so I could focus on walking correctly. In total I walked .85 km which is the most I've walked in a long time. 

Once home, I put used the heating pad to help with sore muscles and fell asleep on the couch. I was quite tired from all we did. I was stiff when I woke up but the soreness is more in the areas of weakness. The big muscles in my groin hardly hurt at all and my knee was less stiff. I'm getting better.

I added what I call spot cleaning to my list. Yesterday was the dining room table and I did get it tidied up before leaving in the morning. I will finish it today by washing it. I have chosen to add spot cleaning which is to last 10 minutes only so I can clean little areas up quickly. 

I did a quick check of cleaners under the sink. The amount is going down and I hope they will be gone in the next couple of months. I will be buying a couple of baskets to contain and control them. 

I finally was able to book the covid fall booster for mid November. I have to travel but will be looking for an opening closer to home. 

Sewing

None done yesterday as I slept. I didn't even think about sewing as we got home mid afternoon. 

Knitting

I knit 10 rows last night. The front is coming along and there is only 10 patterns to left complete to under the arms. 

Today

I need to do yoga first thing and then finish the bathroom. Spot cleaning is folding laundry. I need to clean up behind the yarn cubby in the sewing room and sew 4 blocks on my quilt. I want to knit tonight. I also need to go for a short walk in the afternoon while it is nice outside. I may not be walking for the next couple of days due to rain. 

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

Another Quilt Top Started

 Yesterday was either bright with sunshine or dull with dark clouds. There was a small shower in the morning and none the rest of the day. The high got to 13.9C. This morning it is 8C. We are to have similar weather to yesterday with a high of 15C. 

Lifestyle

I did the yoga exercises yesterday with less pain. I am working on keeping my right knee straighter which does cause me some soreness. I did each exercise twice which takes me about 15 minutes to do. 

I started to clean the bathroom and it was deep clean time. I got the vanity scrubbed inside and out plus the toilet done. I washed some of the floor on my hands and knees. I got about 50% of the room done and hope to finish it today. I hauled out some trash from that room and got the vanity organized. 

I was outside before lunch and planted the garlic. I got 36 cloves plus 4 plants that started to grow after we harvested the garlic in August. The box is full so I won't be planting elephant garlic this year. I looked at the Spousal Unit's rose bush to see if I could start trimming it back but it has 4 buds on it. That bush had a lot of blooms on it this year. When I cut it back for the winter, I will fertilize it so it can grow good next year. 

I was out and walked .65 km with my friend yesterday. We went over to say good bye to her friends that leave for Newfoundland this afternoon. They are going back to where they were born to be with their siblings. 

Sewing

I started to work on my cardinal quilt. The goal is to sew 4 blocks a day and work on chain sewing. My brain hates this as it likes to see me finish 1 block at a time. I was able to do 2 blocks at a time without worrying or panicking. I did lots of finger pressing and when done, I pressed and trimmed the blocks. 

I like it but wish I could have embroidered all the center blocks. It was too time consuming to do that. I do like it though. 

When row 1 was completed, I started to clean up the yarn area. The knick knacks were taken off the top of the cube and it was moved so I can clean behind it. All the tubs need to come out so the unit can be scrubbed clean. I am making progress with cleaning the room. I do need to bring down the broom and sweep the floor as it has fibre lint on it. 

Knitting

I knit 12 rows on the vest last night and it is starting to look like a vest. I still have a long ways to go before it is finished. 

Thoughts

    The battle of the cleaners continues in this house. I have bought one container of cleaner in the past year and am still using up what I bought prior to that. Yes I had a lot. I am finding that I like two cleaners the best and will buy them only. I want to make a cleaner for windows. For the floors, I will continue to use what I have been using for the past several months. I can use it with a mop or a cloth which is good. Now to use up all the old cleaners so I can stock up on what I want to use. This has been a journey and when I am done, I should have very little under the kitchen sink. What I need to buy are more microfibre cloths and bar towels for cleaning. I will use up to 5 a day when cleaning. 

    I continue to work at keeping the house less cluttered. I am not a minimalist as I like to have some things out that I love. But, the clutter is creeping in once again and I am starting to feel a bit stressed. It is mainly paper clutter but it could take off on me if I don't monitor it. As I am doing lots of deep cleaning, I will be getting rid of the excess once again. Not only to the recycle bags but to the thrift shop. I'd like to do a trip there mid November. On a plus note, the garage and shed are quite clean and tidy. 

    I am playing catch up cleaning. I did minimal cleaning for several days before osteopathy due to the pain I was having. It was painful doing chores and I let things slip. I need to do some spot cleaning every day until I get caught up. I am adding it to my daily to-do list. 

Today

The goal today is to finish deep cleaning the bathroom. Spot cleaning will be the table. I want to sew 4 blocks on the cardinal quilt and clean up behind the yarn cubby. I also would like to clean the cubby. I need to do yoga and try to go for a short walk. 

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

Elliott's Quilt Blocks Finished

 Yesterday was wet with a few sunny spells. The high got to 11.4C and about .5" of rain fell. This morning it is 4C. We are to have clouds, sun, and a high of 14C. I wonder if we will have frost as daylight comes as we are at that sweet temperature for it to happen. 

Lifestyle

Daughter-in-law was over first thing to bring me potatoes and the batteries I ordered. She took grandson's gift home. She was sore as she cleaned up the basement and put heavy tubs away after another mouse was spotted in the basement. I felt for her as pain is a bummer to deal with. Once she left, I got the first box ready to ship to daughter. It is gone and should be leaving Halifax this morning and it may be returned to me as I may have printed out the wrong shipping label though I usually trash them when I send them out. I am printing the new label so I can take it back to the PO if necessary. I feel sort of stupid about this. 

I had my osteopathy treatment yesterday. The person and I talked about what I've been doing in the past 3 weeks and she's thrilled that I am going to physio, doing yoga and starting to walk. She did a treatment on my groin and sore spots on my torso. She knows I am stiff from all the pain I've been dealing with. My right hip is moving back into place faster than she thought but I still need more treatments which I figured I would. I left with little pain which felt good. 

After mailing the parcel and getting lunch, I headed home to apply heat as required. I was tired but happier than I have been for a long time. I rested for a bit but walked inside as the weather was not what I wanted to deal with. I did go outside and get the flyers which were at the end of the driveway. The walk down hill hurt a bit but the walk uphill was great. I worked on standing straight and walking with a good gait. It's coming even if I have to focus on doing it right. 

I have had to run the heat as the house gets cool. Mainly mornings and evenings. I wear a sweater inside to keep warm which is normal for me in the fall and winter. I have also started to close the curtains at night to keep the house warmer. 

Sewing

Thought I was tired, I wasn't as bad as other times. I went down and sewed. I got the last 3 blocks for Elliott's quilt made and I love it. I had to cut out 2 grey squares to finish up. 

I have it all organized by rows and put away until I get the backing and batting to do quilt as you go. The plan is to practice on this quilt before I do mine. 

I got the pieces out for my quilt and have them piled so I can start sewing them. I am going to start by doing 4 blocks a day so I can have it done in good time. 

I looked for a separating zipper in the stash and found nothing in the colour I need for the doll's jacket I want to make. I will have to look in Walmart when I go shopping. If not, I will have to take a trip to Atlantic Fabrics or Fabricville. That means a longer day trip as they are out past Dartmouth in an area called Cole Harbour. 

Knitting

I didn't knit last night as I was tired. 

I did clean up the tubs of yarn yesterday and I don't need to buy yarn unless for the 2nd vest I want to make. I have lots for the dolls and enough to make 2 pairs of socks. This yarn is for socks for daughter. 

The other yarn will be made into socks for grandson. I need to find silk yarn to make daughter-in-law another pair also. Great winter knitting projects. 

Thoughts

    I found another video series on YouTube to make freezer meals. The person is Canadian which makes it easier to find the brands she is using. One of the recipes I want to make is Chicken Hurry. I can do it with carrots and rice and put them in the freezer. There is also a beef and broccoli stir fry that I want to try. I enjoy having freezer meals which I can thaw out and reheat in the microwave. The ones in the aluminum pans will be put on a plate to reheat. I am trying to use up the pans as I have lots of them in the pantry. Once done, I will get the plastic ones. I've seen them at a couple of stores. I have lots of round ones for dishes like the stir fry and other meals that can be layered. 

    I didn't shop yesterday as I didn't want to make myself sore. I will try to walk today if the weather is nice in the afternoon. I need to strengthen the muscles for walking as I am now more correctly aligned. 

    I am going to get back to cleaning the house while I have less pain. The past few days have been busy outside the house. The pain has been at a level 8 most days making it hard to do a lot of cleaning. I will work on cleaning as best as I can and hope I can see the results over time. 

Today

I need to do yoga this morning and go for a short walk this afternoon. My goal is to start cleaning the bathroom. I want to pull out the yarn cubby and clean behind it this afternoon. Sewing will be 4 blocks on my quilt. I have to take out garbage, get the mail, and buy cat food. A busy day for me and I hope the muscles are going to cooperate. 

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