What A Storm!

Yesterday's weather was dull, grey, windy, and wet. The high got to 12.5C and I am not sure how much rain fell. A lot it felt like. This morning, it is windy, raining, and 12C. The temperature is to fall during the day with tonight being quite cold and clear. 

Lifestyle

I had an early physiotherapy session yesterday. I was assessed and am not lopsided like I was last week. We talked about the trigger point, did a few moves and then I got shockwave therapy. That is like having a jackhammer on you but it worked. I did the gym exercises and then had the electric current therapy. I felt great when I left. 

I did some shopping before heading home. I spent the morning pushing myself to do things as I was tired from lack of sleep. Everything got done that I wanted to do. After lunch, I laid on the bed and rested. I might have had a nap but not much as the wind kept waking me up. 

Late in the afternoon I got garbage out for today. I checked the ditch and most of the snow is gone from it. The water is flowing freely down to the culvert that crosses the road. It is diverted to behind the houses across the street. All is good and I was pleased. I could relax some more.

I had to pick grandson up at 8:45 pm from his once a week evening class. I slept well last night which was nice. Though not the best picture this is how the rain looked in the night lights at grandson's school. I am looking over at the soccer pitch. 

The wind was blowing the rain sideways. 

Sewing and Crafting

I had some time in the sewing room and I hand sewed the back seam on the two blocks and then did the quilting. I sewed slowly and carefully so I wouldn't make a mistake. 

Though I know the quilt is going to be large, I am surprised at how large it is going to be. When this row is done, it will be 48" x 48". The length will be 72" when done. 

I cut the added sheets for signature 2 of the journal down to size yesterday and I am ready to start work on it. I have one page to print and colour and then decide on what I will do to attach it to its page. I am mentally ready to start. 

Knitting

I got 21 rows knit on the foot of the 2nd sock. It is half done.

At the rate I am knitting, these socks will be done early next week. 

Thoughts

    Grandson and I tested negative yesterday and we both will test again today. So far we have dodged the virus. Daughter-in-law is feeling tired and has to rest lots. Son is over his bout. 

    This storm has been quite the storm. We do get them but they amaze me every time they come in. The thunder/lightening part of the storm was the talk of the morning at physio. Some people heard it others slept through it. 

Today

I have to take grandson to school, do yoga, make us dinner, and do laundry. I would like to sew row 4 together and prep it to sew onto the quilt. I would like to do one row of smocking and start colouring the first picture of signature 2. Tonight I will continue knitting on the socks. 

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

Plans Turned Upside Down

 Yesterday was warm and sunny. The high got to 11.2C. It is cloudy and 10C this morning. At 2 am, there was one flash of lightening, one clap of thunder and heavy rain for a couple of minutes.  Today we are to have rain and wind (under two warnings) and a high of 11C. 

Lifestyle

All of my plans went out the window yesterday morning. Daughter-in-law texted asking if I had rapid test kits as hers were expired. I thought mine were okay but they were expired. She had tested positive for Covid and wanted an up to date kit. I tried mine and was negative. We tried the new kits and had the same results. 

A plan of action was put in place at that time as she and son were quarantined. He had tested positive with a faint line (had it and is almost over it). Grandson, who tested negative, needed to be picked up after school and by that time, he was coming to stay with me. I picked him up and we picked up his stuff. We went for dinner and settled in. 

While we made the plan of action, I had to tidy up the spare bedroom, move the cat box out to the front landing, and get things ready for the evening. I was on the move most of the day getting things done and was happy to be active. Grandson and I had a great first evening together. We talked about the YouTube videos we like (we both like Trek Trendy) and found another video we are going to watch after homework is done. 

Crafting and Sewing

I did get down to work on the quilt. I trimmed the two blocks, sewed them together and have them ready to hand sew the seam on the back. No pictures as I left the room tidy to finish upstairs jobs. 

Knitting

I did knit on the foot of the first sock and got it done to the toe. 

I sat quietly watching cooking videos and knit while grandson did his homework. 

Thoughts

    It took almost 4 years for Covid to hit the Nova Scotia family. I am impressed that we got this far with no one having it. Proud that we dodged the virus so long. It was bound to happen as family is out a lot in public places. They have been as careful as they can be. 

    I am at the stage that if I get Covid, I get it. I will still wear a mask when out and take all the precautions I have been taking. I am hoping that I don't get it but one can never tell when it is one's turn.

    I had a very active day and I lost the weight I had put on. This means I need to get out and walk and speed up in the house doing things. I felt great and my back cracked a couple of times aligning itself into place. 

    We are to have quite a bit of rain for the next 24 hours and then it is going to turn cold again. The weather is crazy here but not unusual for this time of the year. 

Today

I am getting ready to take grandson to school and then go to physio. I have to do some shopping and some laundry. I want to work on the quilt and smock though I may nap this afternoon as I was awake during the night. I will knit tonight until I pick up grandson at 9 pm from school. It will be a busy day with quiet times planned. 

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

I Rewarded Myself

 Yesterday wasn't as sunny as expected as some light clouds floated in. The high got to 2.6C. This morning it is cloudy (still can see a hazy moon) and 0C. The high is to get to 6C where it will remain overnight. 

Lifestyle

I was out to get groceries yesterday morning and spent quite a while in the store. It is being renovated and everything is being moved around while areas are being done. It is fun to see what is happening as they update everything and frustrating when you need something and it's been moved. I got everything I needed and a few extra things to make pulled pork for the freezer.

At home, I got everything put away and the freezer inventory updated. It is nice to be able to see what is in the freezer at a glance. I got this idea from a YouTube video I watch. I have a couple of other ideas I want to use of hers also. 

I am getting ready for tax season. I have the program downloaded and need to start on it. It takes me about 2 weeks to do as I go over everything carefully several times before submitting it. I am also feeling rusty as I had someone do it for me last year as we had to file a "final" tax report for the Spousal Unit. 

Since the bout of depression/pain, I have been tired. I have been busy but I am not sleeping as well as I would like. I also have been having IBS issues which is getting better. I am hoping that I am breaking the cycle of all this as I am feeling better. The sunshine certainly has helped a lot.

The municipality has been out to salt our roads this morning. We are to have a lot of rain on Wednesday and then turn colder on Thursday. I am wondering if the salt is to stop the melting snow from freezing on the road though it isn't going to be cold before it rains. 

Sewing and Crafting

I was to the scrapbooking store to get some supplies. My treat for 2 months of "use what I have". I had fun looking at all the items in the store. I got some paper, ink, and cutouts. I also got brushes to put the ink onto the paper. They are wonderful. I had a bit of fun playing with the ink pads and laying out items for tags on the paper I had inked. 

The ink on this one is Tumbled Glass and I love it. 

The ink on this one is Faded Lilac and I love it just as much. 

I am excited to play with everything I bought so I can make items to sell. I am also a huge fan of the the designer of the cut out pieces. 

I did spend time in the sewing room and got the first blocks quilted where I had joined them together. I then started on blocks 3 and 4 and they are ready to be trimmed and sewn together. 

This quilt is going to be bigger in real life than it was in my mind. 

It will certainly keep me warm next winter. 

My last job of the afternoon was to work on the chemise. I pulled up the pleats and one of the threads broke. I was devastated. I pulled out all the pleating threads and pressed the pleats out. I threaded up the pleater and pleated the chemise neckline again. It is now ready to smock as the threads are tied off. 

I finished up the afternoon putting away everything I didn't need out on the cutting table and will have a tidy space to work in today. 

Knitting

I had a good run at knitting the foot on sock #1. I got 21 of the 42 rows completed. It is so easy to do as it is knit on the back and pattern on the front of the sock. Around and around and around you go. 

I will have to join another ball of yarn on to the foot tonight.

Thoughts

    I have had a better frame of mind lately and am monitoring what I am eating to see if I can find the food(s) that are causing the IBS flare up. I have cut back on gluten and dairy as I had been having more than usual. We wait and see if those are the culprits.

    I have decided that I am going to sew/knit the dolls each a wardrobe and a quilt. The goal is to use the patterns I have and allow myself to buy one pattern a month if I sew it up immediately. I am not worrying about the era of the doll, I am going to make historical and modern clothes. I have decided to start with Kit as she is one of my favourite dolls. 

    I am looking forward to spring and getting outside to do things and walk every other day. I have missed that part of my daily exercise regime. I have to say I am ready to put away the snow shovels until next winter. 

Today

I have a pork roast in the slow cooker to make pulled pork meals. I will have to finish them up tomorrow as the pork will take up to 10 hours to cook. I want to do yoga, laundry, and some house work this morning. I am going to sew on the quilt, start smocking the first row on the chemise, and knit tonight. If the road looks dry, I may go for a short walk this afternoon for some fresh air. 

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

Fun Playing With Paper

 Yesterday was sunny all day with a high of -3.3C. This morning it is clear and -11C. It is suppose to cloud up with flurries today and the high is to get to 1C. 

Lifestyle

I got the balance sheet done in good time. It actually took longer to get set up and put away than it was to do it. I was happy to have a quick and easy session. 

I did my yoga next and spent the time doing it slowly and stretching good. My back cracked once. It helped a lot as my back has been bothering me a bit lately. 

I spent the rest of the morning cleaning the kitchen. I scrubbed as many surfaces as I could and was happy that most things only had a minor amount of grease on them. I shined up the stainless steel and did some dishes. It felt great having a clean kitchen once again. 

I also swept the dining and living areas and got a lot of cat hair. I am finding that I need to sweep floors daily while Elliott is shedding. 

Sewing and Crafting

I spent the first part of the afternoon doing paper crafts. I cut out the reindeer antlers. I put the antlers on 10 reindeer holders.

These are in a zip bag and will be put together later on when I buy the candy for the noses. I need to make about 10 more of these and then make another design. 

I also played around and glued the little cards I had made. I need to press them flat with the iron and books. My last play was to make some tags. I cut an envelope into a tag and sponged snowflakes on it. I had lots of fun adding items to it for ideas. 

The first few I used some stickers made from chipboard. I have no idea where I got them from but they are cute. I bought 2 packages of them somewhere. One idea is this one. 

I can make 10 large and 8 small tags from the two packages. 

The next batch of tags was fun though. I sorted through the pieces I had and got 9 tags put together quite fast. Here are a couple of the ideas. 

I need to buy foam tape so some of the pieces are elevated. I watched two videos where people used this brand of cutouts and loved their ideas. 

The rest of the afternoon was spent in the sewing room. I got the doll's chemise ready to block for smocking. Progress was made on it. 

After I got the chemise to this stage, I trimmed the two cardinal blocks, sewed them together and have them ready to hand sew the backing in place. No pictures as it is the same process I have been doing for this quilt. 

Knitting

I got the gusset knit on sock #2. 

Next up to knit 42 rounds on each sock for the foot. Nearing the end of these socks. I am going to do this pattern again as I like how it has turned out. Simple and easy to knit. 

Thoughts

    I had another good day yesterday. I enjoyed the sun pouring in to the house. It is so nice to have the sun after days of greyness. I sit and enjoy it several times a day. 

    The house is getting cleaned up slowly after the spell I had. It isn't dirty but needed to be done. It keeps me busy in the mornings which is nice. I know when I stop at noon I have more space cleaned up. 

    As I come to the end of "use what I have" February, I have done well. Though I bought fabric for projects, what I have sewn this month has come from the stash. Craft projects have come from what I have on hand. Though I have bought groceries, the inventory of food is going down. I am going to reward myself for doing so well for 2 months. I am going to try to do the same in March. 

Today

I will be doing yoga this morning. I am deciding if I will go shopping or if I will stay home and do more cleaning. I want to hand sew the seam on the quilt, tie off the smocking and block, and knit on the socks tonight. 

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

A Happy and Productive Day

 Yesterday's weather was not the nicest. It started off raining, turned to ice pellets, and then snowed big fat wet flakes. The high of 3.2C dropped all day. This morning it is clear and -11C. We are to have sunshine and a high of 1C. 

Lifestyle

When I saw it was going to snow sooner than had been expected, I didn't do yoga. Shovelling snow was going to be my exercise of the day. Instead I set about cleaning the spare room and got it cleaned up. While wiping down one wall, I went down into the basement stairwell and wiped those walls. They were dirty from putting hands on the wall when walking down the stairs. Once done, the spare room floors were washed as was the hall. 

As I was on a roll, I decided to clean one of the couches, move it and sweep and mop the floor in that area. By this time one load of laundry was dry so I put the second load into the dryer and folded the first load. 

I wanted to inventory the fridge and downstairs freezer. I spent quite a bit of time doing that. They are both organized and inventoried. I knew I had to make more freezer meals so spent time figuring that out. I will be getting groceries tomorrow so I can cook for a couple of days after that. 

I shovelled snow just before 3 pm. I am so glad I put a pair of sweat pants over my leggings as the wind was cold. There was about 2" of snow which was wet and icy. It took me about 30 minutes to get the driveway cleaned. The salt I had put on in the morning did its job which was great. I was the only person out doing my driveway. I did get my exercise for the day. 

Sewing and Crafting

I had 2 hours in the sewing room. I spent part of it getting the doll's chemise prepped. I even snipped one of the smocking threads but I can fix it. I decided to cut the seams back to 1/4" and fray check them so they don't fray. I can now sew the seams. 

Next up I cut the cardinal fabric for 3 of the 4 wine bottle bags and the center piece of the 2 mug rugs. They are ready to sew when I need a break. 

I am thinking of using the other cardinal fabric for the fourth bag. 

My last job of the day was to work on 2 blocks for the 4th row of the quilt. They are ready to be trimmed and sewn together. 

Daughter bought me more fabric but won't tell me what it is. A surprise she said. I have a feeling it is for wine bottle bags. She was to her favourite quilt shop near Vancouver as they had to stop a mile from there to pick up pigeons. 

Knitting

I knit 15 rounds on the gusset of sock #2 and am half done it. 

Thoughts

    We had our excitement yesterday afternoon. The ambulance raced into the Crossing with lights flashing and sirens on. The rescue truck was not far behind it with lights and sirens on. Then came the RCMP with a truck right behind it. The ambulance left about 20 minutes later with the truck behind it. I hope the person is okay and my thoughts were with them and their family for quite a while afterwards. 

    I had a very busy and productive day yesterday and was happy the whole time. I didn't race to get things done but kept moving from one job to the next. Even the dullness of the day didn't bother me. I did stop to admire the huge snowflakes as they fell. I am feeling like I am in my happy space once again. 

    I am quite happy that I tidied up and inventoried the freezers. I know what I have and know what I need to cook for freezer meals and what I need to buy to restock fruit and vegetables. I will be busy cooking which I am looking forward to. 

Today

I have to do the balance sheet and then do yoga. I plan on doing paper crafts and work on the sewing the two quilt blocks together. I am going to watch the driveway and see if I need to scrape the ice off it later this afternoon. Tonight I will knit on the socks. 

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

A Happy and Productive Day

 Yesterday was dull and grey. The high got to 4.9C and 6.3 mm of rain fell by midnight. This morning it is raining and 3C. The temperature is to drop during the day and the rain will change to snow. We are to have wind thrown into the mix. 

Lifestyle

I did all of my yoga exercises yesterday and was amazed at how little pain I had. I was able to do a bit more of most of them. Osteopathy certainly fixed whatever was going on. 

I cleaned the landing, stairs, and front door entry. I do this job on my hands and knees. It was dirty due to the fact we come in to the house that way. I did some stretches while doing the stairs which made it fun and kept my hip and knee from hurting. I admired how nice it looked as it will get dirty when I come in from outside. 

I had low glucose at dinner time which I was surprised about. I felt tired but had no headache. I ate extra carbs to hold me over for the night. My weight hasn't changed since the beginning of January which means I am either at the weight my body is happy with or it is catching up after all the weight I have lost. I will try to loose a bit more when spring arrives and I am outside more. 

Sewing and Crafting

I had a busy time with paper crafts. I had a thought and ran with it for 40 minutes. I made small gift tags for gift bags. The first 2 were trial and error and turned out quite good. 

The next 3 were made using up scraps of paper from the paper bin. They were a bit more thought out. 

Other than the cut outs that are on the front, the cards cost nothing to make. All are from left over scraps of paper. I have light blue cut for 3 more cards. In the process of looking for scraps, I found the paper for the reindeer antlers for the candy holders. They are on the list to finish on Sunday. 

As I worked on the cards, I cleaned off the cutting table. That meant scraps were dealt with, ribbon put into the gift bag and everything put into their correct tubs. By noon it was clean. A nice way to start sewing in the afternoon. 

I spent the afternoon quilting the row on the cardinal quilt. You can see where I was feeling worse on the row. It is what it is and I worked around it. It took me about 2 hours to quilt and I am happy that row is done. 

Once done, I played with the fabric for the next wine bottle bags. The main fabric is cardinals that I bought 7 years ago while working at Fabricland. The top part is left over from the backing of the cardinal quilt. 

I dug in the stash and found enough fabric to line the bags. All is cut out ready for March. I also cut out 2 mug rugs to embroider. 

The next 4 blocks of the quilt are pinned together ready to be worked on. I will stitch in the ditch around the center blocks and then quilt those blocks plus the two of the blocks have one small grey block quilted. 

I left the sewing room pleased with what I had accomplished in 3 hours. It was the best afternoon I have had in a long while. 

Knitting

I worked on the gusset on the first sock and completed it. 

The second sock had the stitches picked up for the gusset and I am ready to start knitting it. 

Thoughts

    I had a good day yesterday as the amount of pain I had was minimal. I wonder if my depression last week was the cause of the flare up I had. The two do go hand in hand for me. It was a dull day and it didn't even bother me. I also wonder if having 2 days out of the sewing room helped also. All I know is that I am ready to sew on the quilt and start new projects. 

    I have worried a bit about the weather we are having. It is raining and will continue all day. It is suppose to turn to snow and the temperature is dropping to be cold again. I don't have to go out for a few days. I am also worried that there will be run off with the rain as the ground is frozen. I have picked up everything I could in case water comes into the basement. 

    I have decided that I am going to do some freezer meals next week. In the mean time, I am going to inventory what I have, and make a grocery list of what I need. I am starting to get low on dinners and I do enjoy having them on hand. It allows me to cook a full meal and divide it up for the freezer. 

Today

Yoga will be done first thing this morning. I want to do laundry and clean up the spare room and hall. I am going to start the freezer inventory this morning. This afternoon I am going to sew on the quilt and do a bit more paper crafting. Tonight I will knit on the socks. With the weather the way it is, I will stay home today. 

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

Should I Laugh Or Should I Cry?

 Yesterday was cloudy and dullish. The high got to -1.3C. This morning it is cloudy and -6C. We are to have clouds and rain with a high of 3C. We are under a rainfall warning for tonight and tomorrow. 

Lifestyle

I did yoga yesterday morning. Not all of the moves but most of them. I was sore and it was in all the usual places. I wanted to see if the trigger spot was bad but it has settled down. 

Daughter-in-law picked me up to go to osteopathy. I was first and my hip was still turned in slightly and I was having issues standing straight. That was worked on and I could feel the tight muscles reacting to the pressure. The therapist ended with one big move to put my hip back in place. It shocked me as I wasn't expecting it. 

After daughter-in-law had her treatment, we were off to get a part for one of their windows and then get a few groceries for grandson's birthday dinner. I got another pair of sweat pants and top using up the last of my Christmas gift card. We were home at 2:30 pm which was pretty good. 

At home, I did a few things in the kitchen and then sat down to have a rest. I was sore and tired. I fell asleep and slept for about an hour. When I woke up, I had less soreness and felt better. The osteopathy session had made me tired which hasn't happened for a while. 

I was out the door to pick up grandson from school at 5 pm. We had a lovely chat on the way home and a wonderful dinner of Soy Chicken and rice. Dessert was apple crumble and ice cream. It was what grandson ordered for his birthday meal. He opened his birthday cards and gifts and went to do his homework. Son and I cleaned up the kitchen and then we sat and talked for a bit. I was home just after 7 pm. It was a lovely evening. 

Sewing and Crafting

I spent a bit of time in the sewing room twice yesterday. In the morning I figured out how to present the wine gift bags and got the first one done. 

I may redo the ribbon on it so it is a bit longer. I am pleased with how it looks so in the afternoon, I did the other 2 before picking up grandson. 

And 

I now have to set up the back drop and take better pictures of them so they can been advertised prior to the craft bazaar. I also need to fray check the ribbon ends to stop them from looking ratty. I also need to tidy up the cutting table. 

The fabric I ordered from Spoonflower will start its journey today. It has been processed at the post office in California. I will have it in a couple of weeks. 

Knitting

I worked on the sock last night and have 8 rows left before the gusset is done. 

I am surprised at how fast these socks are knitting up. 

Thoughts

    I had a should I cry or should I laugh moment yesterday morning. When looking for the one hole punch, I dug in the container and found a package of tobacco the Spousal Unit had hid in there. It is 17 months since he passed and over 18 months since he "lost" his tobacco. I wanted to cry as the disease was further advanced than we realized and I wanted to laugh as he did a good job of hiding it. 

    I was surprised that my hip was still tipped forward yesterday. Most of it has to do with shovelling snow even though I am doing it correctly most of the time. The other reason could be how I sleep part of the night. I am working on fixing that. It is hard but I'm trying. 

    I realized that I have muscles. My core muscles are stronger. Also my legs and arms. The osteopathy therapist has noticed it also and said there is a great improvement in that department. Doing yoga, shovelling snow, and lifting things in the house has built done the job. 

Today

I have to do yoga this morning and then it will be cleaning up the front landing and entry way. I also want to do a load of laundry. This afternoon I am going to tidy up the cutting table and work on the cardinal quilt. Tonight I am going to knit. It is a stay at home day as I have things I need to do. 

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

Laughter Is Good Medicine

 Yesterday was lovely and sunny with a high of -3.6C. This morning it is cloudy and -12C. We are to have clouds with a bit of sun and a high of 1C. 

Lifestyle

I was out most of yesterday doing things. I went with my friend to the quilt shop in New Minas and we had a wonderful time in the shop looking around. I bought fabric. 

My first piece is the top one in the picture. This is for the 3 yard quilt I am going to make next. I am deciding on the size of this quilt as I have a meter of plain fabric that goes with this combination. I may use the new print for borders. We wait and see when the time comes.  

This quilt will be backed with a minky type of fabric and done on the long arm.

The second piece I bought is for the Irish chain quilt. It is a William Morris print that sat for ages in the shop and in the last 2 months has been a bit more popular. I bought what I needed before it disappears.

I will be looking for the white to go with it. This quilt will be on my bed. I am not sure what it will be backed with but it too will be done on the long arm. 

The last piece of fabric is to make daughter more piping. I fell in love with it. 

My friend spent time looking for her fabric so I talked with one of the employees. She and the crew had wondered where I had disappeared to and I told her I was either at home or at appointments. I am going to take part in the Linus Project in the spring as I think it will be fun to join in. I may go to the shop once a month to sew on little projects like I did last year. I did enjoy that time out. 

Once done, my friend and I decided to have lunch. We went to a small community on our way home to an eatery called The Noodle Hut. It is the only one that we know of. It is in an old building that has been lovingly done up. Most of the table were filled and the food smelled delicious. I had chicken spaghetti and it was divine. I will go back there again as the food has remained consistent over the years my friend said. She goes at least once a year with quilting friends. 

Once home, I grabbed some fabric and was down to my friend's house to help her out with the goat wall hanging. She needed fabrics for the fence and wasn't sure the piece she had bought was the right one. It was in the end. We ended up tea and coffee dying a bit of it, thread painting on it and laughing until we were in tears. The laughing was certainly good medicine for both of us. 

I got home at 3:30 pm and my friend continued to work on the fence. She ended up not dying the fabric but thread painting it. It looks like a weathered fence board. 

I did not knit last night. I was tired from sleeping in a warm house and a busy day. Not doing anything was just what I needed and I slept well last night. 

Thoughts

     I talked openly about how I was depressed to my friend. She has found she has been feeling low this past month also. Mostly because some of her days out have been cancelled for one reason or another. Mine may have been from being at home too much also. I plan on trying to get out some each week now. 

    I also think some of my depression was caused by having a flare up in my hip and knee. The start of the depression was further deepened by being sore and upset that I was sore. It sort of rolled all together and ended up with me being where I was. 

    I had another thinking spell last night about sewing, crafting and knitting. I will finish up the quilts I want to make over the next couple of years. I want to sew up the fabric I have in the stash as it is important for me to have very little fabric on hand. But, I am going to start sewing once or twice a month away from home. I want to go to the quilt shop and make fun little things like wine bottle bags in another environment. Have my lunch at the shop and visit with others. I want to take part in the Linus Project even if I only hand sew binding down on the quilts. 

    I was shocked when I was asked how the cardinal quilts were coming along. I told the person and she was excited that I am making progress on them. I didn't expect her to remember the quilts as she is a busy person teaching classes, selling sewing machines, and helping people find fabric. The young man who cut my fabric remembers my projects also and we chat about the William Morris fabrics all the time. He is one creative person who helps everyone in the shop. 

    I have created a bit of a plan in my head for the next week. I will work on the quilt but I am going to cut out one more wine bottle bag to sew and finish up the bags that need ribbon attached to them. I also want to design the bags I have to make for daughter. The fabric is printed and was shipped yesterday. My friend gave me some fabric for one of the bags -- expensive faux suede that I have used to make rodeo queen dresses from. 

    Donna, I still have anxiety with the fabric I have in the stash. It is all fabric I want to keep as I got rid of 60 meters last year. Most of my anxiety is about not sewing it up fast enough. I also have anxiety about the fabric that is coming in as I really don't want to add too much to the stash. The fabric I bought yesterday is for planned projects but I am trying not to acquire fabric to sit on the shelf for long periods of time. 

Today

I want to do a bit of yoga this morning. Daughter-in-law and I leave around 10:15 for osteopathy and then to get a few things. I will have a bit of time at home before I go to family's for grandson's birthday dinner. I may knit tonight if I have time.

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

Taking Time To Think and Process

 Yesterday the sun shone all day. The high got to -6.3C. This morning it is clear and -19C. We are to have more sunshine and a high of -3C today. 

Lifestyle

My first job of the morning was to clean the bathroom. I still curse the toilet paper fluff but now know why it sheds so much. The formula has been changed so it will be better for septic tanks. The job took a bit of time as I did a good job of cleaning and wiped the fluff out of the big soaker tub (that is never used). The floors were mopped and I was happy with how nice it looked. 

Next I was out the door to pay the utility bill. The lady who waited on me is from norther BC and I found out she lived in Fort St. John while I lived in Dawson Creek. We chatted a few minutes and I left to get grandson's gift. I headed home after that. 

I have an appointment with the nutritionist at the Wellness Center on Mar. 4. I haven't seen her in 9 months though she knows how I am doing. I expect she wants to check in and update my file. I don't know if I will see her in another 9-12 months or if this will be the last visit. I see the Wellness Center's physiotherapist every 3-6 months as she is the person who compiles what I am doing for my hip and knee. She is also taking information on my strength, etc. for a study. 

With the cold coming in, I took the time to turn up the heat pump to 74F. I also moved a bunch of furniture and put the living room drapes on the window sill. I turned on the baseboard heat in case the heat pump stopped working during the coldest part of the night. By 5 pm I was puffing and sweating as the house was so warm. I turned down the heat to cool off. I left the heat on at 68F all night and slept poorly as the bedroom was too warm. I didn't even turn the heat on in there. I will turn off the baseboard heaters this afternoon and just use the heat pump. The cold spell will be gone by then. 

Sewing and Crafts

I sat in the family room and hand sewed the 48" seam on the quilt. It took a while but I passed the time thinking and watching videos. Once done, I machine stitched down the long seam and then did the vertical seams that needed to be done. I am ready to quilt that section. 

One of the grey blocks on that row is a bit wonky. I left it as it is the result of the frustration and sadness I was feeling when sewing that row. I am sure it will be noticeable but I don't care. 

I stopped at that point as I had to get the house ready for the cold weather. I took the dolls off their stand, pulled it out so I could turn on the baseboard heat in the sewing room. 

Knitting

I knit on the gusset of the first sock last night. I had to unknit a row to get my head around when I decrease. Once I had that figured out, I was on a roll. 

The first two rounds are the hardest as I get into the rhythm of decreasing and handling so many stitches on the back of the sock. It will now be easy to keep going and it will get easier as the number of stitches become less. 

Thoughts

    I am feeling better mentally. I have decided not to care what others think and to ignore what is being suggested. I enjoy how I do things and that is what counts. Thanks Donna for reminding me of that. I am at an age where I should be enjoying what I do not worrying about what others say. 

    As I sat and hand stitched, I did a lot of thinking. I will be doing my own thing my way and not be accountable to others except for family. Several times I asked myself the question - will I continue quilting which seems to cause me the most stress? Yes, but not like I have been. I will not make quilts one after the other but take breaks between them and while doing them. I will make quilt tops and send them out to be quilted. The quilt as you go is an intensive way to make a quilt; more intense than piecing a quilt top. I also want to make an easy quilt and then a more difficult one so that I don't burn out. That has been tickling in my mind the last 24 - 48 hours. 

    The other thing I need to review is the pressure I am putting on myself to sew down the stash. Yes, I want to have no stash. Yes, I would like to sew 50+ meters this year. But, I need to work on a less stressful approach to meeting those goals. I need less rigid timelines and add more simple projects in to the mix which I can work on one day a week. I have enjoyed those projects as they give me time away from quilting. 

Today

My goal today is to do yoga as I am mentally ready to do it. I want to clean the front landing, and stairs. I should launder blankets and tidy up the living room. I have to take recycling out to the curb this afternoon. I want to work on the quilt with hopes of getting the quilting done. I want to knit on the socks tonight.  

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

Realizing I've Been Depressed

Yesterday was sunny, windy, and cool. The high got to -1.3C. This morning it is clear and -10C. We are to have sunshine, wind, and a high of -5C today. Tonight is our coldest night to date.

Lifestyle

I am happy that I did the driveway early in the morning as a cold wind blew for a lot of the day. I shovelled about 2" of snow. It was dry but a bit heavy. The driveway was also slippery. I did the back deck also. Once done shovelling, I got the straw broom and swept the snow off the driveway allowing the stones in the aggregate cement to give some traction when walking on the driveway. It was a lot of work but worth it as the driveway was clear and dry by mid afternoon. Also I wasn't the only one out shovelling snow. In fact I wasn't the first person out. I was the second one out doing it. 

I rested when I got in. Though I was careful to shovel and sweep from left to right, I found it tiring. It is not my natural way to do these jobs. I put heat on my knee and hip and let them rest while I had something to drink. 

I swept floors yesterday. Elliott is shedding so much I need to sweep them daily. They look dusty and hairy hours after I do the job.  

Sewing and Crafting

I worked on the quilt yesterday and got a lot done. I am ready to hand sew the 48" seam down and do a lot of quilting. 

When the quilting is done, the quilt will be half done. 

It was a rough day in the sewing room. The sewing machine was acting up and needed to be rethreaded. Pressing two seams in the wrong direction which I didn't discover it until after I had quilted those areas. My body and brain were wanting me to cop out of the world for a while. I did do that for an hour. 

I ordered the fabric for the bags I will be making from Spoonflower. It is being printed and will be shipped when done. I will make 2 bags and send both to daughter to donate. Once the fabric arrives, I will buy the remaining fabrics. 

Knitting

I knit on the socks last night. I turned both heels and then picked up the gusset stitches on one sock. It is ready to knit. 

The socks are at a stage of being hard to photograph. Looks like a boat in my opinion.

Thoughts

    I realized during the night that I have been suffering from depression the past week. Part of it has been the weather, part is missing the Spousal Unit, part is frustration that I have had pain in my hip and knee, and part is pressuring myself to do a lot of things each day. I realized that how I have been isolating myself has been the result of it all. The past couple of days, I have just wanted to sit and do nothing, eat carb laden comfort foods (not sweets), and escape from the world. 

    Yesterday afternoon must have been the worst day of the spell as I had a lot of negative thoughts yelling in my head. It was all the usual; I'm not good at anything. It was bad enough that I was saying I won't be quilting after I finish the quilts I have planned. I would be taking the fabric left over and getting rid of it. The same for crafting. It was a tough afternoon for me. 

    I am crawling out of this spell today. I can think more clearly and have had a pep talk with myself. I am doing what I enjoy doing and I don't need to explain that to anyone. I don't need to explain why I do things the way I do. I am not hurting anything or anyone. It is different from the norm and needs to be respected. Will I stop quilting? Yes but only after I finish the quilts I have planned. Will I toss the fabric in the stash? No as I still want to sew it up into useful things. Crafting will slow down and I won't be buying a lot more for it. Knitting will continue as always as I have lots of yarn and projects to work on. I find these projects keep me mentally active but they don't need to control my life. What I need to remind myself that I don't need to have my stashes gone by the end of the year. I don't need to work on something every day and having a day off is good for the mind. 

    The worst part of feeling depressed has been isolating myself. I have been home more than usual lately and have only done things with family which I enjoy immensely. The only other time I go out is for appointments and grocery shopping. I need to plan more outings where I can enjoy myself. I am thinking about that seriously. I also know that isolating is a way of protecting myself from comments people make about how I do things. I really need to stand up about what I do and not feel guilty about it. 

Today

I will be doing yoga and cleaning the bathroom. I have to go out and pay a bill and get grandson's birthday gift. I am going to work on happy thoughts as I hand sew the 48" of seam on the quilt. I will knit on the socks tonight. It is a blend of being home and getting out today. 

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

I Broke My Fabric Fast

 Yesterday was sunny and windy. It felt cold outside. The high got to -4.2C. This morning there is fresh snow on the ground and -6C. We are to have sun, clouds, flurries and a high of 1C. 

Lifestyle

My first job was to do the balance sheet. It was a struggle as nothing wanted to balance. Every time it didn't balance, it was a stupid mistake on my part. I finally got it right and everything put away. All I could say was thank goodness it was done and balanced.

I bundled up good and went to get groceries. The wind went right through you when you were walking. I got everything I needed for another week. With the store being renovated and updated, it is harder to find some things as they are being moved and line ups are longer as there are less tills at the moment. It wasn't that busy when I was in the store. I am looking forward to seeing how the store will look when it is fully renovated. 

Once home, I got the groceries put away and sat with Elliott. He was wanting his cuddle time. That means he lays beside me and lets me pet him. After lunch, he settled down for his long afternoon nap as he was happy. 

My hip and knee hurt less yesterday which was nice. Doing a bunch of knee bends helped the knee and the hip just felt better. I keep moving around and flexing it to keep it feeling good.

Sewing and Crafting

I spent a lot of time working on row 3 of the quilt. I got it the quilting done where I had joined blocks 1 and 2. 

I then worked on blocks 3 and 4 and got them done, joined, and quilted. I was on a roll so I joined the row together. 

The back seam is ready to hand sew and then the red square can be quilted. Almost ready to sew it on to rows 1 and 2. 

When I was looking at Pinterest, I found a cute cartoon to put in the front of the Charlie Brown Christmas journal. I worked on it and got it done. 

I can now start printing, colouring, and making things for signature 2. I have several items printed, more ready to print, and just need to spend some time working on it. 

My late afternoon and evening project was to finish the cross stitch I had started a while ago. It is done and will be put in the journal. I expect it will be the last page of the books. 

Knitting

I took the evening off from knitting to finish the cross stitch. I needed a break before I turn the heels and make a decision if I will rip them back and restart the heel flaps with 2 less stitches on the needles. 

Thoughts

    I am going to have to get new runners this week. My old ones will be used when doing yard work. The new ones will give me more support as the old ones are breaking down with age. They have done me well for 18 months. 

    I am going to have to break my fabric fast and buy 2 pieces of fabric to make a bag for daughter to donate to a field trial. I am hoping I have ordered enough fabric to make 2 bags so one can be put away. I will just have to buy the lining and contrast fabric for the bags once it arrives. 

Today

I have to shovel the driveway this morning and then I want to work on the quilt and the chemise. I hope to knit tonight. I may get a bit of housework done if I have time. 

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