Ready To Hand Sew The Binding

 Yesterday was another sunny day with a high of 23C. This morning it is clear and 10C. Today is suppose to be sunny with a high of 24C (humidex 27C). 

Lifestyle

I was out the door early to pay the property taxes and then to take grandson his school blazer. I stayed for about 5 minutes as they were all working (jobs and school) and came home. 

At home I finished cleaning the bathroom. I scrubbed the tub and shower, swept the floor and then mopped it. Though it sounds like very little, the job took me over an hour to do as it was fall cleaning. I don't use the tub but keep it clean. That means crawling in and out of it while cleaning. My hip told me it was tired when the job was done. I had a short rest after the bathroom was done. 

I was over to visit my friend in the late afternoon. I had some playing cards for her grandson. We had a great visit and then I was home for dinner. 

Sewing

I spent the afternoon in the sewing room and got the quilting done on the cat quilt. 

The row of quilting down the center of each sashing strip makes the batting stable and adds a bit of interest to the quilt. 

I made the binding and got it sewn on and the first bit is turned under ready to hand stitch in place.

I looked at the left over fabric for a doll's quilt. I had a pattern in mind that is simple to make.

I can cut it out and set it aside until I have a day to make it. 

I am not sure if I have enough batting for it even if I use the batting tape to put two pieces together. I know the backing will have to be pieced but that is okay. One of the dolls will have a quilt. I hope I have enough fabrics left over from other quilts to make more quilts for the dolls. 

I have decided that when I buy fabric I have to sew that much or more from the stash. This is starting in September. That had me look at the Christmas fabrics. 

I have a lot of bags I can make to use or sell. I will start by cutting out several bags so I can sew them when I need a rest from big projects. I can also grab some other fabrics set aside for piping and cut them into bias strips ready to make up when I need something easy to make. It will be a case of grabbing fabric, measure, cut, and sew. I will need to remember to put the amount I use into my spreadsheet so I can keep track to see if I can buy fabric. I need a challenge right now and this is going to be it. 

The exception to the rule will be that I can buy interfacing, ribbon, and other small notions needed for a project. 

Knitting

None done last night as I need to get yarn wound to make socks. 

Thoughts

    My hip was sore and stiff yesterday from going up and down the ladder when painting. It is still a bit sore today but I am going to try and do one wall -- cut in and roll paint onthe wall. It may be all my hip will be able to handle. If it continues to hurt, I will clean the walls, patch and hire someone to paint them. It is an option I will keep open.

    I am excited to get back to sewing up the stash. I have deviated from it as I was loosing interest in the projects I was working on for so long. The Scandinavian Winter quilt was started in April and the cat quilt in June. At the moment I am forcing myself to get both of them finished so I can work on new projects. I am going to cut out several easy projects that I can work on for the next few months. These will include gift/wine bags, piping, and mug rugs. I may even make a few doll quilts with the left over scraps. My big project will be another quilt. 

    I need to get back to paper crafts again. I want to set aside time to work on them. It is something else that will keep me busy this winter with hopes that I can sell at a bazaar next fall. I don't have enough inventory to do it this year. I will start out by looking at videos for more ideas as I work through some of the projects I have in mind. 

Today

The goal is to paint one wall (dining area) and see if my hip will let me cut in the other two walls. If there is enough time, I want to start pulling the beans from the garden box and pick the peppers. This afternoon, I want to hand sew the binding down and cut out the doll's quilt and bag it. I also need to wind wool so I can knit tonight.

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

Nearing the End Of The Cat Quilt

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 20C. This morning it is clear and 7C. Today is suppose to be sunny with a high of 22C. The high temperatures are about the same as last year but with less humidity and the nights are cooler. We had about 3" of rain fall at the end of August 2023. 

Lifestyle

I got to work on the painting and spent the morning cutting in the area I prepped. I got better as time went on, but I am not happy with a bit of it. Hopefully I can fix it today. 

It has brightened up the area just doing this. The area in the dining room is also done. Once done to this point, I cleaned up and washed the floor. My hip wasn't too tired considering I was up and down the ladder a lot. It took me longer than anticipated. I will do a second coat before I roll the paint on those walls. 

As I looked at the walls, I know I will have to go back to paint the trim. That is going to be a lot of work. I bounced back and forth between me doing all of it and hiring it out. I will wait and see how my hip holds up as I do want to try and do it myself. 

The last application of weed control was done on the lawn yesterday. There is just seeding, liming, and fall fertilizer left for this year. Then it is repeat for next year. 

Elliott laid on the back of the chair and was staring out the window at something and sniffing the air. 

He was totally ignoring me as I took his picture. 

Normally he looks at me when I do pictures and I loose the moment. Not yesterday.

Sewing

I got quite a bit done on the cat quilt yesterday. I did have a few issues with it but got them fixed. 

I did one row of quilting in the center of the sashing. I will do the rest including the outer sashing to hold the batting in place. Once that is done, I will trim the edges and do the binding. A couple of days and it will be done. 

I did take a picture of the fabric for the Luna Lapin I am making this winter. 

The print is for the inside of her ears and soles of her feet. I know that I will give the solid fabric a light starching before I cut out the pieces. I want it as stable as possible when I work with the fabric. 

Knitting

I finished the doll's sweater to the buttons which I need to buy. 

I am going with the wooden buttons as planned as that is what was on the little girl's sweater I saw in Sweden. 

Thoughts

    I am so happy that my hip has improved a lot since my last visits to osteopathy and physio. It is stiff in the morning but once I start moving, it leaves. I have very little pain which is nice. I am hoping that I can put longer between my visits which is now at 4 weeks.

    I am looking forward to finishing up some sewing projects and starting some new ones. With the weather cooling off, I want to be outside but know I need to try and fit in outdoor work and sewing. I know once the yard work is done, I will be able to sew most afternoons getting more stash sewn up. 

    My IBS has settled down a lot since coming home from Sweden. Not sure what has changed but it is nice not having the constant pain from it. I know it can flare up at any time so am watching my diet, stress, and pain which I know cause the flare ups. 

Today

I have to go and pay my property taxes and deliver grandson's blazer to him. Once home, I will finish cleaning the bathroom. In the afternoon I will sew and I need to get socks started this evening. A busy day for me. 

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

Prepping and Clean

 Yesterday started out sunny and ended up rainy. The high got to 22C (humidex 28C). This morning it is clear and 12C. Today is suppose to be sunny with a high of 20C. 

Lifestyle

It was a busy day yesterday. I laundered all the bedding and made my bed late in the afternoon. It was late as I had so many other things on the go. 

I started to clean the bathroom. It is deep clean time. I scrubbed everything I touched and even did inside the vanity. I swept the floor countless times and scrubbed the perimeter on my hands and knees. I have the bathtub and shower left to clean and finish the floor. I am happy with what I got done as it really needed doing. 

When I needed a break from the bathroom, I spackled the holes in the wall I am going to paint. 

I left it to dry and then sanded it later on. I wiped down the walls with a blue shop towel (love them), vacuumed the floor, and taped off the top of the baseboard. I am ready to start cutting in. 

I stopped housework at this point as I knew I had pushed it and my hip was telling me so. I rested my hip for hour which it was grateful for. I also rested it in the evening. 

I did garbage and recycling and put the garbage out to the curb for pick up this morning. I did it before it rained (thank goodness). Recycling goes out next week and I know I will have full bags by then. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday. It was fixing the pocket on grandson's school blazer and then attaching a button to the front. I gave it a good pressing and used the lint roller on it. It is ready to take back to him. 

I put the Strawberry Shortcake pattern pieces onto the cutting table. I think I will set up the Diamond and sew the dress on it. I can putter away at it when I need a break from the quilts. 

Knitting

I picked up the stitches for the first sleeve and finished it last night. 

I should have it finished to the buttons tonight. I still need to buy them. 

Thoughts

    Just when I am able to start painting, the colour grey and white seems to be going out. That disappointed me a lot but I am still going to paint the walls the light grey. My house can be dark as it faces north west. In the winter, it lacks a lot of light due to the short days. In the summer the sun heats up the house hence I have to keep the curtains closed. The colour I have chosen is the same colour as the basement and those rooms are light all year round even when the curtains are closed. 

    On the up side, the grey blue is popular which I am going to be using throughout the house in soft furnishings. I am leaning towards denim blues which has a grey undertone to it. I still need to add another colour to the mix but am not sure what it will be. It could be a pale apricot colour which works well in this house. 

    I was happy that I was able to do so much yesterday and not have one throbbing hip last night. I know that once I get the walls I have chosen done, I will need to rest for a few days before tackling half of the hall. I will need to balance rest and work so I don't overtire the hip joint and muscles. 

Today

I need to finish cleaning the bathroom and start cutting in the paint on the walls. I will stop that at noon. After lunch I want to work on the cat quilt and tonight I want to knit the other sleeve on the doll's sweater. 

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

Another Busy Day

 Yesterday was another sunny day with a high of about 26C (humidex 30C). This morning it is cloudy and 14C. Today is suppose to be nice in the morning with rain this afternoon. The high is suppose to get to 23C (humidex 28C).

Lifestyle

I forgot to hit the publish button so there are 2 posts today. I ended up being in a rush to get out the door.

I went to New Minas yesterday and stopped at Home Depot. I got spackle to patch small marks in the walls I am going to paint. I also got paint. The person working the paint department spent the extra time to get me an exact match to the colour I have on the basement/front entry walls. I so appreciated what she did. I have the card so it can be mixed again when I need more paint. 

I did do a load of laundry and it is ready to fold today. Other than tidy up the kitchen, I spent any extra time resting my hip. It really helped as there is less pain in the muscles today. The best I have felt in a long, long time. I am talking two to three years. 

I looked at this welcome sign daughter gave me for Christmas several years ago. I took the burlap ribbon off it as it was dirty. 

I am hoping to buy denim blue ribbon and some white flowers to go on it. It goes on the wall by the coat closet and is quite cute. I held it up to the grey wall and it goes well on it. 

Sewing

I was down to the sewing room yesterday. I put away some items that I am not using and swept the floor. It was dusty and had a lot of thread on it. I cleaned up some of the cutting table and started to lay out projects I need to finish. 

I did sew some on the cat quilt. I got the quilting done on the two vertical sashings. I also cut out the outer sashings and pinned one on so I can work on it today. 

I have decided to finish it first and hand sew the binding on when I have a bit of time in the afternoons. 

I also starched the fabric for the sashings for the Scandinavian Winter quilt. I am now ready to finish it when the cat quilt is done. This quilt will be taken to the long arm quilter to be finished. 

I was to the quilt shop yesterday and bought the white fabric for the Irish Chain quilt. I did not see what I had thought I had seen so I bought a white on white paisley design which goes well with the blue William Morris print. I also bought the fabrics for the rabbit I am going to make. I will be setting it aside until December. 

Knitting

I knit while I watched tv last night. The body of the sweater is done. 

I was worried about not having enough yarn but there will be plenty for the sleeves. 

The sweater will fit big on the doll which is fine as the little girl I saw in Sweden had on a sweater that was too big for her. I now need to get the dress pattern and make the dress. 

Thoughts

    I finally figured out (or had the aha moment) that people store their seasonal decor in their unfinished basements or sheds. My basement is finished which I love even if it leaves me with little storage space. My shed is full of items for the yard and I have no room in there for bins. I love looking at what others have to decorate their homes even though my house will not have those kind of decorations in it. I admire people who spend time decorating their houses for the seasons. 

    I am looking forward painting the house. I know it is going to snowball with me wanting to do more and more. It also feels overwhelming as I need to do so much to update this house. I have broke it down into parts and will focus on what I will do first. Though I am painting in the living area of the house first, I will be sewing for my bedroom. I have a vision for that room and not the living room. The only given is that the upstairs will be grey and my colour will be a denim blue. I know I will have no accent walls in the rooms. 

    I am amazed at how fast fall is arriving this year. The garden and flowers are maturing off and I will be cleaning them up over the next while. Most mornings are cool which is nice though the afternoons can be warm and humid. The hydrangeas are turning to pink meaning they have matured. Summer is almost gone. 

Today

I have a long list of items to do today. Garbage, folding laundry, spackle walls, clean bathroom, and do laundry. I will see how much I get done and what will be done tomorrow. I want to sew this afternoon and knit tonight. I am planning on having one busy day. 

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

Thinking About Fall/Winter Projects

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of about 23C (humidex 29). This morning it is foggy and 13C. Today is suppose to be a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 25C (humidex 29). 

Lifestyle

I had a good session of physio yesterday morning. I am level and balanced at this time. The muscles are inflamed causing the pain I am having. The therapist did lots of stretching to help with that. After gym exercises I had the TENS machine put on along with heat. I was sore but not so sore I was hobbling. Improvement noted. 

Once home and after I had a cup of coffee, I set about cleaning the hall. The hall turned into cleaning the spare bedroom as Elliott had one good amount of litter on the floor (all clean by the way). When I opened the curtain, I saw one huge spider (about 3/4-1" wide by 1-1.25" long) on the outside of the window. I had to deal with that and proceeded to open the window to spray her. She got hit and moved up to the top of the window. I sprayed her more and knocked her off onto the grass. She was well sprayed so I left her while I cleaned the window on the outside. I then went out and dealt with her. I also sprayed spiders while out there. 

When I got back to the bedroom, I cleaned up the litter, moved everything out to the hall, swept the floor again and mopped it well. I had a talk to Elliott about the mess but he ignored me. Once the floor was dry, I put everything back in the room and proceeded to clean the hall floor. Talk about deviating from the plan. I didn't wash the walls as I was behind schedule. I did replace the light bulb in the kitchen. It went smoothly with only 4 trips up and down the ladder. 

After lunch, I went out to get a bag for daughter-in-law's gift. I bought a big bag, balloons, pump, card and a cake for her. I pumped up the balloons and put them on sticks, put them all into the bag with her gifts, cake, and 2 fresh picked tomatoes. I was off to their house to do delivery. 

I ended up staying for dinner which was delicious. Stuff mushroom caps and shrimp with pasta. And of course, cake. We had some good laughs during dinner and then son, grandson, and I cleaned up the kitchen for daughter-in-law. We left it spotless for her so she could enjoy her evening. 

Once home, I relaxed and went to bed. I was tired from being busy all day. It was a good tiredness though. 

Sewing

I did not look in the sewing room all day. Not even a peek in there. 

I did look at ideas for this fall. Once the two quilts are done I have two more quilts to work on. One is going to be the Irish Chain and the other is going to be a simple fat quarter quilt called Slice and Dice. I have chosen one simple and one more complicated quilt to make. 

I have looked at two table runners to make. One is Winter Blues of which I will need to buy some fabrics for. This will be for my bedroom and will include the fabrics in the Irish Chain quilt. 

The other one is from one charm pack which I won.

I will have to buy the backing and binding for it. 

My list will include doll clothes and maybe another shirt for me. 

Knitting

Didn't look at it last night. 

Thoughts

    With a huge decrease in pain and more mobile, I am going to start yoga once again to increase my flexibility. I am also going to watch what I eat as I need to loose weight. The extra 15 lbs I have gained this summer is not good for my hip. I will be ignoring the dietician about not dieting and get this weight off. 

    I have been watching videos on decorating and everyone is putting out their fall decor. I walked through the fall decor at the Dollar Store yesterday and found nothing I liked. I also wondered where I would store it in the off season. I also looked at what I have under the stairs and will be cleaning the front deck and putting it out. That may be all I have for fall decor. I am leaning more towards having blue and white in the house most of the year. That way I don't have to worry about storing items when I don't have the storage space. I will enjoy what others are doing in their homes while I lean towards keeping the minimalist look I love. 

Today

I am heading out to New Minas today to get the light fabric for the Irish Chain quilt, paint, and a few other items I need. Once home, I want to clean the sewing room so I can finish the quilts I've been working on this spring and summer. I hope to knit tonight. 

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

Auction Projects Done

 Yesterday was warm and somewhat humid. The sun shone and the high got to 28C (humidex 33C). This morning it is foggy and 13C. Today is suppose to be a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 25C (humidex 29C).

Lifestyle

I started the morning of doing the balance sheet. All went well and it balanced perfectly. I am doing well though I have 3 big bills to pay - land taxes, house insurance and car insurance by the end of November. I know I will need to budget for them over the next couple of months.   

Next on the list was to fold laundry and put it away. Done in no time flat which was great. I then moved on to cleaning the kitchen. I emptied the dishwasher, put away dishes, washed more dishes and wiped down counter tops. The floor was swept and mopped. It was dirty from the dust that came from under the fridge from pulling it out and cleaning under it on Friday. 

After lunch I went over to family's to get my stuff that they borrowed for the bbq. I sat and visited with them on their new patio area for 2 hours. It was quiet and relaxing and we talked about patio furniture, door locks, and the hot tub. 

Grandson loaded the car for me. I came home and he arrived on his bike. He put away the lawn chairs and tables into the shed and the crafting table into the basement. He then took the neighbour's dogs for a walk and went home. 

I went out and picked tomatoes last night. They are maturing off and will be done in the next few weeks. The rest of the garden is also maturing off though there are a lot of peppers to be picked and used. 

I used my little barbecue to make a hamburger and ate one of the tomatoes with it. I ended it with some fresh fruit. It was a delicious dinner. I ate well all day and hope to continue on this trend to loose the weight I have gained. Goal is to loose it by Christmas. 

Sewing

I finished the wine bottle bag yesterday. Instead of using ribbon, I used a natural coloured cord for the tie. 

It is now packed into the box ready to ship to daughter. 

I looked in the sewing room and I need to sweep the floor and organize the next projects to finish them. Two quilts and a doll's outfit. 

Knitting

I knit last night and got quite a few rows done. I am looking forward to having this done so I can pair it with a dress I want to make in September. 

I will need to wind yarn this week so I can start socks once again. 

Thoughts

    I looked at paint that I want to buy and got confused with which one to get. I went downstairs to look at what I had and know which one I will be buying. I get the more expensive paint as it covers much better than the cheaper ones. I am ready to buy new paint and will take the old cans to the paint recycling depot. Those cans have sat under the stairs for 5 years now. I am also thinking of painting the front door this fall but need to wait for the weather to cool off a bit. The sun hits that door on the hottest part of the day. 

     I looked in the shed and cringed at how much is in there. It is going to take me several days to clean it and get it organized. I will have to work on it slowly as I am not sure what I need and what I will let go of. I will talk to family about a couple of things and they may end up in the garage sale next year. I did move a couple of items into better spots. Those two spots look much better. I also emptied two pots of dirt into empty boxes and will be putting bags of dirt into the boxes when emptied. 

    I looked at the upstairs and am cringing at how much I need to do. Part is being busy with other things, part was being exhausted from the humidity, and part was feeling overwhelmed with things that needed to be done. I have been making a daily list and working through it. It is helping a lot. 

Today

I have physio in an hour so need to eat. Once home I want to do some cleaning upstairs but it all depends on how sore I am. I am hoping to plug away at it slowly if I am sore. This afternoon I want to clean the sewing room and get the projects to finish them. Tonight I want to knit. It is a wait and see day due to physio.

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

Wine Bottle Bag Almost Finished

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 26.5C (humidex 29C). This morning it is clear and 13C. Today we are suppose to have a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 27C (humidex 30C). 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I was out on the deck cleaning up the pond and putting it away for winter. I also cleaned up the two tables I have and took them over to family's for the bbq. I helped set up the chairs and get the tables ready for the food. I also disinfected the counter tops in the second unit kitchen. It helped daughter-in-law to get ahead. 

Once home, I decided to start cleaning the coat closet and got side tracked to change a light bulb in the fan above the stairs. Job done and back on track to cleaning. I turfed everything out of the closet and gave it a good cleaning. I put back only what I am keeping and trashed the rest (yes it was trash). I washed the doors on both sides and then sat for 2 minutes to decided on what to wipe down next. A plan formed in my head. 

This area is what I am going to paint so I started at the doors and washed the walls around to the wall with the picture on it. I also scrubbed the baseboard and the door trim. It is now ready for me to do a bit of patching and painting. I got the job done by noon. 

The bbq was enjoyable and lots of fun. I enjoyed visiting with everyone and had a good talk with grandson's soccer coach/trainer about soccer in Sweden. We ate lots of great food that daughter-in-law made and son cooked the hamburgers that were delicious. Desert was fruit and a dish from Brazil (mixture of condensed milk and cocoa powder). Several of us left about 8 pm. I was getting tired and my hip was sore. But it was a great evening. 

Sewing

With the wine bottle bag design in my head, I headed down to cut it out and make it. I made the piping for it also. 

The lining is a beige with beige maple leaves on it. In the stash ready to be used up. I have some of it left for another project but the dog fabric is sewn up with the useless scraps in the trash. 

All I have left to do is hand sew the opening in the lining, give it a good press and add a ribbon to it. I did it and the parcel is ready to be shipped tomorrow. Hurrah. 

Knitting

None done last night. 

Thoughts

    My hip is strong enough for me to stand on the ladder and paint some every day. I am working on keeping it strong and healthy by being active. I can't get the paint and spackle until Tuesday or Wednesday so I will wash the walls in the hall when I have the time. I also have yard work to do. It is a wonderful feeling being able to do more with less pain. 

    With the items ready to ship to daughter, I can get back to finishing up the quilts. I am looking forward to getting them done. I have more sewing to do but those quilts will be done first and off the list. I am going to enjoy finishing them as there is no immediate time line for them to be done. Back to stress free sewing. 

Today

I have to do the balance sheet, fold laundry and wash the sheets on my bed. I will do some kitchen clean up also. I have to go to family's to get my deck chairs and tables. I want to finish the wine bottle and get it into the box to ship tomorrow. I also want to knit tonight. Time to work on the sweater and get it done. 

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

A Busy Day Away From Home

 The weather website has changed its format and it's hard to find information needed. Yesterday was sunny with a high of around 21.4C (humidex 24C). This morning is clear and 16C. Today is to be sunny with a high of 26 (humidex 31C). 

Lifestyle

Yesterday was a very busy day outside of the house. I was to New Minas twice and out to see my friend all before dinner. 

I was extremely tired and sore by evening due to tiredness and being on the go for the past few days. I took Tylenol and was in bed early. I slept almost 9 hours before waking up feeling much better this morning. My hip is stiff due to sleeping so long but it will loosen up. 

Daughter-in-law's car now has a/c which is wonderful. We did look at the new electric cars at Kia. The EV9 is boxier than the EV6. They had 5 EV6's and the white one was quite showy. 

We did quite a bit of shopping for the BBQ tonight. I enjoyed being out very much snooping around in the stores. I bought cleaning clothes and a bathing suit (hot tub). What surprised us what the lack of outdoor furniture in one store. Absolutely nothing not even a patio umbrella was to be seen. A few barbecues in boxes was all that was left. Fall and Halloween items are starting to be put out. 

I have the little fridge filled to capacity and some drinks in the big fridge (which is hanging in at 10C). I have texted a person to come and look at the fridge to see what needs to be replaced. 

Sewing

I did not sew last night but helped daughter with a dress via texting. She was sewing a new pattern with new stresses. It was bulging out at the bust/stomach area. She found the issue -- the center front section was shorter than the side section. She took it apart and pinned it correctly. It is smooth and looks like a nice pattern for rodeo queen dresses. 

The wine bag has been mentally designed and will be made today/tomorrow. The left over fabric will be put away or donated to the quilting group. Once sewn, I will be ready to work on the two quilts and doll's outfit. Getting things done for the auction has been stressful. 

Knitting

None done last night as I was too tired to think. A recipe for disaster. 

Thoughts

    I am ready to start working on the house and yard once again starting Monday after physio. What was going to be a quiet week turned into a busy one. Things happen and I went with the flow. I have a plan in place and will be working my way through the house and the yard. I am calling it fall cleaning and I am looking forward to doing it. I may even buy some paint and start painting the upstairs. 

    Outside clean up is going to be done in stages. I need to pull weeds and plants. I have to clean out the shed and get it ready to store winter items. I have the hedge to weed once it cools off. I will be busy getting the yard ready for winter. 

    I am going to focus on finishing up projects in sewing. I want them done and gone so I can clean up the sewing room and start planning new projects to use up the stash. I have pushed myself the past week trying to get items done to be mailed out on Monday. Fun to design but stressful when meeting a deadline. 

Today

I have to get a few things to family's house for the BBQ tonight. I want to do a few things here (laundry and litter box for sure) and I may even get started on the wine bag cover. Tonight is at family's so no knitting. 

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

Refrigerator Woes

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and cloud with a high of about 24C. This morning it is clear and 12C. Today is suppose to be partly cloudy with a high of 23C.  The government weather station is acting up to get information and has been since last night. It is the website that is down for across Canada. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday was fraught with stress. The fridge seemed warm though the freezer was ok. I pulled it out into the room to a first check. 

I had thought it would be very dirty behind there as this fridge has not been moved in the 7 years since it was put in. There was a pile of fluff in the front corner but the rest was just dusty. I cleaned up and gave the back the fridge a good sweep. 

I had to leave as I had to get my hair cut. When I returned home, I made 2 small dishes of lasagna and put them in the oven.

I turned my attention back to the fridge. I unplugged it, let it stand for a minute or two and plugged it back in. The same. I knew that something was wrong but what. Late afternoon, I told son and daughter-in-law about it. I went and bought a fridge thermometer and the temp was 60F. Son came over to look and was amazed at how clean it was. I did a bit more cleaning behind the fridge and pushed it back in. 

Daughter-in-law bought me a fridge as she was in Halifax. I got one of their electric coolers for the food I could keep and the rest will be thrown out. The new fridge arrived after 7 pm and it is cooling down until this afternoon. 

I need to call a repair man this morning to come and look at the fridge. It has cooled off 10F overnight. We wonder if a new thermostat is needed or if it got stuck in defrost mode. It is still new enough that it can be repaired and last for another 7 years. On a note, I found the receipt for it and it was 4 months old when we moved into the house. It replaced the original fridge that was 3-4 years old. 

The second stress was my bank card wouldn't work first thing but did later on. Was it me or was it the bank machine? Who knows but I have a new bank card arriving shortly. 

I went out and got the remaining deck chairs from the shed and put all 5 and a table into the car and delivered them to son's house for the bbq tomorrow. I can still crawl around in the shed and will be doing a clean out in there this fall. I looked at son's yard and the upper part is coming along nicely. The brick work will be done today. The hot tub is in and the electronic part I bought is on and son can tell you what you need to know about it on his phone. Best gift I ever gave him. 

Sewing

To calm down, I decided to make piping. The first was 4.5 meters long. 

The second piece is 4 meters long.

I kept a strip to make piping for a wine bottle bag I kind of laid out to see how it would look. 

I have enough fabric to make 1 bag which is great. Once done, the box will be ready to shipped. 

Knitting

None done last night as it was a busy evening at my house with the new fridge. 

Thoughts

    The fridge acting up was not what I wanted. It made extra work for me when I wanted to do other things. I know that I do not like this brand of fridge as it has horrible reviews overall when I did a search. It is a lower end product which is used here more often than not. It isn't one I would have bought. The stove and dishwasher are gone which didn't surprise me. I replaced them with higher end and different brands which have better reviews. 

    With the rain and humid weather, the weeds are growing rapidly. I will be going outside to weed when the weather is cooler. I may even go out and pull weeds for 15-20 minutes until it is done and do the hedge when it is cooler. I want it done before winter. I will also be putting the flower tubs to bed as soon as I clean up the shed. The beans need to be pulled thanks to the deer eating them. 

Today

I am leaving in 30 minutes to pick up daughter-in-law in New Minas as her car gets air conditioning put in. It has been dead since June. We will have breakfast and do a bit of shopping. I would like to start the wine bottle bag if I have time and knit tonight. It is wait and see what I get done today. 

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

Dog Bags Completed

 Yesterday was sunny and cooler until the afternoon when the humidity went up. The high got to 22.1C (humidex 27C). This morning it is clear and 14C. Today is suppose to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 24C (humidex 28C). 

Lifestyle

I spent the morning in the kitchen making freezer meals. First up I made spaghetti sauce using a combination of hamburger and sausage meat. I added onions, mushrooms, celery, garlic, marinara sauce, rotel tomatoes, and pasta sauce. I brought it to the boil and put it on the warming part of the stove (high) for many hours to let it cook and the flavours mingle. I seasoned it with salt and pepper at noon. Mid afternoon I heated it up and put it into containers to freeze. I had a bowl with pasta for dinner and I enjoyed it very much. There is a bowl in the fridge to make lasagna today.

The second casserole I made was the Chinese fried rice which I am going to call a chicken and rice casserole. I made it according to the directions in the largest casserole I own. 

I put it into the oven as directed and after 50 minutes checked it. I covered it with the lid and left it another 40 minutes. 

It was delicious but it needed more water. I would also put it into the slow cooker the next time. I got 5 meals for the freezer and lunch for today. 

I had the kitchen clean at noon and then again at dinner. It was a lot of work but worth it in the end. 

I had the windows open most of the day but noticed the house was warming up and checked the temperature. Though not hot, the humidity had rolled in making it warmer. I quickly closed up the house and put on the heat pump to cool off the house. I also had to empty the dehumidifier in the basement which means we had a lot of humidity the past few days. That is twice in the past week. 

Sewing

I spent a long afternoon in the basement finishing up the bags. The linings were put in, the bags turned out, pressed and top stitched. I then made the buttons and attached them. Finally I sewed the buttons on and gave the bags a good pressing. 

I am happy with the bags and they will be packed up and shipped across Canada. 

I was tired when I got but happy when I got them done. They were a lot of work but I know someone plus daughter will enjoy them immensely. 

Next up will be piping and a gift bag. All to be shipped to daughter on Monday. 

Knitting

I knit on the sweater last night and am ready to divide it to knit on the body. 

Thoughts

    I enjoyed my time in the kitchen yesterday. I had to keep moving as I was making 2 different dishes. I realized that I enjoy making freezer meals and will be doing more next week. I think doing two more meals (chicken and beef or pork) which will keep me in freezer meals for quite a while. In the mean time, I will cook a turkey breast to slice and freeze into a few meals. 

    I have to start again cleaning up the house. I stopped for a few days and am ready to tackle it once again. With some nice days I want to clean windows. They are dirty once again. Some need a good scrubbing, others need wiping down. I will do them as I clean each room. 

    My IBS has been good for about a month and acted up when I ate blueberries. I ate too many at once which is my fault. I do like blueberries and these were Nova Scotia grown ones. 

Today

I am out to get my hair cut first and then I need to buy cottage cheese for the lasagna. I will make it before lunch. After lunch I want to cut piping and start sewing it. Tonight I want to knit on the doll's sweater. 

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

Nearing The End of The Dog Bags

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 27.7C (humidex 36C). This morning it is foggy and 18C. Today is to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 24C (humidex 32C).

Lifestyle

I went and did grocery shopping so I can cook this morning. It was muggy and hot outside. Once home, I put everything away and crashed. The humidity got to me and I felt tired. I allowed myself to rest and cool off. 

I went out just before dinner to pick tomatoes and the deer ate them and the beans once again. I did pick a few larger tomatoes and some grape ones. After dinner, I went out and picked the peppers and cucumbers. 

I kept what I wanted and took the rest over for family to us. Son said there are enough jalapeños to make his salsa and they will cook with the banana peppers. We talked about a fence for the garden next year. 

Sewing

I spent the afternoon sewing on the dog bags. I got the second one done and learned a few tricks using flex foam. When bagging the bottom, I had to really work the fabric so it was smooth or pleats would form. I also realized that using clips along the triangle edges worked like a charm. 

With the two bags finished, I started on the linings. 

The linings were a snap to make as I worked only with fabric. I put one inside the bag to see if I needed to make the lining shorter in length. 

There were wrinkles showing up (not bad) so I trimmed 1/4" off the top of the lining. I repeated the process for the 2nd bag and called it a day. 

I am looking at new iron as mine leaked the other day. I have to handle it with care which is annoying. I am looking at this one from Amazon. 

It isn't a top of the line gravity system but it will do as I am not in the sewing room all day every day. I had thought of a regular iron but I used a system similar to this years ago and loved it. 

Knitting

I worked on the sweater and got a few more rows done. It is growing in length and I will soon be dividing it up to work only on the body. 

Thoughts

    I emptied the rain gauge yesterday and we had 2.25" of rain fall on Monday night. Not unusual at this time of the year to have a heavy rain fall. We broke no records but I am sure we were close. 

    The humidity hit me hard yesterday. I know that part of it is the humid air comes into the house through the air exchange system as I can feel it in the sewing room. Part of it is having no relief as there has been a humidex reading for the past several days. Tonight is suppose to be cooler and I know the windows will be open all night so I can sleep much better. 

    I found out that grandson's team won 2nd in the provincials on Sunday. They tied at the end of the game and during overtime. It went to a kick out and the other team won. Grandson's team played well and grandson almost got 2 goals. He has shown growth in his confidence since training in Sweden. We wait and see what the future brings for him in the world of soccer. 

Today

I am going to make two freezer meals this morning as I will be out of them tonight. I want to finish the bags this afternoon and knit tonight. A busy day for me. 

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