Pain Problem Solved

 Yesterday was cloudy and damp with a mist falling most of the day. The high got to 9C. This morning it is cloudy and 6C. Today is supposed to have some rain with a high of 10C. 

Lifestyle

I was out the door for an 8 am physio appointment. I got there a bit early so did the gym exercises first. They were hard as I was sore. When done the therapist did an evaluation and I was stiff and tight. My SI joint was locked tight which was giving me all the pain I was having. She worked on me for about 20 minutes and left me doing one exercise. I had 3 cracks while holding the position for 3 minutes. I had the TENS machine and heat for 15 minutes. 

Once home, I sat on heat for the SI joint and then got up to move while waiting for daughter-in-law to pick me up. We were off to New Minas to shop. Our first stop was the thrift store where she unloaded some stuff. Then we went to Home Depot. I got light bulbs, filler for small holes in the walls, sanding block and 2 tomato plants. 

I need to get some soil so I can plant them into bigger pots. 

Our next stop was Dollarama. I was looking for small bins to hold thread. I couldn't find the ones I wanted but found some that should do the job. We wandered over to Home Sense and looked around. We got our osteopathy therapist's baby clothes for her first birthday.

Walmart was our last stop before lunch and we got groceries there. We then went to Wolfville for lunch. Wolfville is a university town which has lots of historical attractions. It was first settled by the Acadians and then became a seaport where apples were exported to England for many years. 

We had lunch and then daughter-in-law went for her appointment. Once done we headed home. I put away all my groceries but still have a few things to put away this morning. I sat on the couch as I was sore from walking and physio and fell asleep. I slept for an hour. 

While dinner was heating up, I did the exercise to make sure my SI joint was locking up again. No cracking which told me it was fine. The long length makes sure everything is stretched so the SI joint can seat itself correctly. 

Sewing

I did none yesterday. 

Knitting

I knit on sock #2 and got a lot done on it. 

At the rate I am moving, they should be done either tonight or tomorrow night. 

Thoughts

    I was sore yesterday after physio which I was told I would be. It was more muscle soreness which I had expected. My gait was much better than I had thought it would be though I was slow when walking. I noticed the improvement when I took the recycling to the curb late in the afternoon. No soreness when walking down the driveway. I did it twice as I had a lot of recycling to go. Going down hill/stairs is hard for me as it stretches the area around the SI joint which gives me pain. It is good for me to do it as it allows the SI joint to unlock. 

    I looked across the street to see how the daffodils were doing. They are up and some buds are visible. It will be nice to see them in bloom as there are lots of them at the front of the house. They always mean spring is here. Next I will be watching for the magnolias to bloom. 

Today

I have to make cookies this morning. I also have to get the lamps that sold upstairs for pick up. I would like to start sewing on a shirt for the Edwardian outfit and knit on the socks tonight. I also need to do my exercises. 

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

I Did It Again -- Back Pain

 Yesterday started out cloudy and ended up sunny. The high got to 15C. This morning it is raining and 8C. Today is supposed to be cloudy with showers. The high is to get to 10C.

Lifestyle

I started the morning out taking some western pieces downstairs and arranging them on a small cube. The nesting cows were a present and the other ones were ones the Spousal Unit and I bought on a holiday. The picture is of our children when they came home from college (circa 1997). 

I have since moved the nesting cows to another spot and rearrange the items left. I still need to try another fabric on the top to see if it will work. 

Next I did some cleaning in the storage room. I focused on the shelving unit in there. I cleaned off the top and put those items in the pile for the garage sale. I then put empty boxes and small tubs on the shelf. While doing that I really over extended my reach and my back rebelled. 

My next job was to sort through two tubs of doll clothes. I made outfits as I went. The modern clothes went in one tub and the historical clothes in another. I had very few orphans. I went in and cleaned the spots on the cube where they went and put everything away. I was really sore at this point. 

I walked out on the deck yesterday to enjoy the sunshine. I always do some stretching while out there. I had a small crack in my back and a bit of relief. My next relief came when I woke up in bed, rolled over. As I rolled over, I had cracking and as I rolled my hip and back, I had many, many cracks. The pain was gone. This morning I have a bit of pain in my back and a sore glute. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday but had to stop and walk around so I didn't stiffen up. I hand sewed the binding on the pad I had made the day before. 

I then took the last of the print and made another pad. This time I put the fusible fleece on the backing and then used something similar to Wonder Under to fuse the top fabric to the fleece. I bound it and hand sewed the binding down on it. 

I have a tiny bit of the blue fabric left for something I will work on in May. The print was used up except for a small scrap. I did clean up the cutting table and put everything away from this project. 

My next project is the shirt for the Edwardian wardrobe. 

Knitting

I knit on sock #1 and it is ready for me to do the kitchener stitch to close the toe up. It was an easy knit last night. 

I should be done these socks by the weekend. 

Thoughts

    I was really upset when I realized I had over extended my reach and flared up my back and hip/thigh. I forced myself to relax to see if it would stop but to no avail. I walked to see if that would help but to no avail. When it cracked on the deck I knew I would have to have to stretch a lot to get what ever was tight to release. I also knew it would happen when it was ready. I didn't expect it to happen during the night. I thought it would happen at physio this morning. 

    Daughter-in-law put three items for sale yesterday. Two sold and one will probably have to have the price reduced. She does an excellent job of selling items on line. I have to have one item ready for pick up tomorrow morning.

Today

I am out to physio in an hour and then home for a bit. I am heading to New Minas with daughter-in-law to do some shopping and then to her appointment after lunch. Once home I would like to set up the next sewing project. Tonight I will knit on sock #2. 

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

A Day of Being Busy

 Yesterday was a wet day with a high of 7C at 5 pm and 10C at midnight. This morning it is cloudy and 10C. Today will be a mix of sun, clouds, and showers. The high will be 11C. 

Lifestyle

I was busy yesterday morning doing a few small chores before my friend arrived with coffee. She is moving to Ontario at the end of July and wanted me to see pictures of her condo and help with furniture layout. She is going to be living in a 500 sq. ft. space that is spotlessly clean and freshly painted. She has done a great job of figuring out her furniture arrangement so she can sew in the living room. She is moving to be closer to her sisters and their children. I will certainly miss her when she moves but in the meantime we will be visiting lots. 

Daughter-in-law arrived just after lunch with some fabric tubs for me. They do not fit in the yarn cube -- too big. Can't put Ikea tubs into a Home Depot cube. I will sell the cube and get an Ikea one on legs. 

While here, she took pictures of the corner desk in the sewing room and will put it on Facebook to sell. She also looked at the old gramophone and if they don't take it, she will put it up for sale. We also talked about the yard sale (I have us registered to be put on the map) and she will be bringing her stuff to sell soon to put in the shed. We are making our plans for that as the garage needs to be cleaned and I need to sort items for sale in the shed. My wagon is going to be busy moving stuff around. 

Sewing

I got the placemats done. It took me about 20 minutes to finish up the 2nd one as I sew very slowly when doing stitch in the ditch. They do add some colour in the dining room.

I am ready to hand sew the binding down on a 12" square. I am not sure I like it but I will use it on the table. I think I should have made the blue part smaller. 

I have one piece of the print left and I am going to sandwich, quilt and put blue binding around it. It will also be on the table. I will have a bit of the blue fabric left for another project. 

Knitting

I finished the gusset on sock #2 with no issues. The mistakes I thought I had made were only caused by me being very tired. 

I picked up sock #1 and knit half of the foot on it. 

Thoughts

    Spring seems to have arrived in the past couple of days. The nights have been above freezing which is our first sign. I am sure the trees will have leaves and the spring flowers will be blooming soon. 

    I had a good day mentally yesterday. I was busy all day. I had company and I moved a lot more than normal. I also had very little pain. I know that I need to be out more and amongst people in an environment that I enjoy. I am thinking on that and wonder what I could do to have a day out a few times a week. 

Today

I am going to do a bit of housework upstairs and then work downstairs getting more areas cleaned up. I want to hand sew the binding down on the square and maybe start the last one. Tonight I will knit on the socks. I want to be busy today. 

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

New Placemats Almost Done

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 10C. This morning it is cloudy and 3C. Today is supposed to be rainy with a high of 8C. 

Lifestyle

I started the morning out doing the balance sheet. I had to get myself oriented as the print out had amounts added between the last two amounts I had entered last week. All was good until it didn't balance. I hunted and looked and found out I had made a mistake when doing my subtraction. I did my little bit of statistics and put everything away for another week. 

Next up I folded the laundry. It was 2 loads and it took a bit longer than usual. All was put away and I declared that job done. I then put Rosie to work vacuuming and mopping and I escaped to the basement. I took down a couple of western items to put on top of the cube. 

I didn't take pictures of the items on the cube. I had put a piece of fabric on it and it was too dark. I need something lighter. It is just one dark piece of monotony. I did grab the blanket and pillow case off the chair in the sewing room and laundered it. It was full of Elliott's fur. It is now folded and put away to sell or give away at the yard sale. 

Sewing

I spent the afternoon sewing the placemats. I have one done and the second one needs me to stitch in the ditch. 

I used the Inside Out Placemat pattern that I had bought a few years ago. 

I am struggling if I like the pattern or not. It was easy to make and I like how it allows you to showcase a lovely print. I think what I am struggling with is no binding around the outside edge. I did top stitch it almost 3/8" from the edge to get that look. 

I have cut out a 6.5" square of the pink fabric and will add navy blue borders to it so it is about 12" square. It will be used on the dining table. I still have navy fabric left along with the other pink fabric I used in the quilt. I am thinking of making a table runner for the little buffet out of it. I want to use up as much of the fabric as possible. I am not buying any more fabric for this project. 

I have some fabric in the stash that I will buy fabric to go with it and make a set of placemats and what ever else I can to use up that fabric. It will be a present for her. 

Knitting

I knit on the gusset of the 2nd sock last night and am about half done it. 

These socks are not being cooperative. I am struggling with the pattern when knitting the gusset. I am doing it correctly but my brain doesn't think so. It is probably because I am knitting them for the 2nd time.  

Thoughts

    I did look at what to clean next in the sewing room. I am thinking the doll's clothing to see what I need to make for outfits. I know that some of the Gotz doll outfits will be simple patterns and I may go that route with the 18" American Girl dolls. I will need to make a list of what is needed and start using scraps for those items. These will be on the list when I finish the Edwardian wardrobe. 

    I have had a bit of pain with the weather systems going through but nothing like I had. That was one of the worst flare ups I have experienced. I am still recovering from it as it left me exhausted. I am making myself move more as I want to sit and rest. That does not help the joints and muscles. 

    My front lawn looks sad. I think it needs to be reseeded. I am going to have to do that this week as the nights are going to be warmer now. I will do where the vegetable boxes were and  a few spots that are dead as can be. I hope we don't have a bad drought again this summer. 

Today

I have a few small things to do this morning before my friend comes over to visit. This afternoon I will finish the place mat and work on the square. When that is done, I will put the fabric away and work on it only when I have time. Tonight I will knit on the socks. 

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

Family Room Cleaned, Placemats Started

Yesterday was either cloudy or rainy. The high got to 8C. This morning it is clear and 1C. Today could be sunny and windy with a high of 9C. 

Lifestyle

With the rain coming in, I was a bit sore yesterday. It wasn't too bad so I kept going all day. My first job was to finish cleaning the family room. I did a lot of sorting and moving items in that area. I cleaned the baseboards, vacuumed the floor and mopped it. It was done and I was happy. 

The cube hold items for the printer and paper shredder. It was full of cubes that were empty. I have it down to 2 cubes at the bottom. The other ones are now in the sewing room with yarn in them. I have to find a picture to put on top of the cube. 

Sewing

With the cape done, I put away the left over fabric for other small projects. I got out the fabrics for 2 place mats and started to cut them out. I was short the dark blue fabric so went to the quilt shop and bought a meter of it plus a new rotary blade for my cutter. I didn't snoop shop as I wanted to get home and work on the placemats. 

Once home, I starched the fabric and it is ready to press and cut today. I then did a bit more cutting of fabric, pressed the trim piece, and sewed it onto the border pieces. I laid out the first place mat to see what it will look like. 

I now need to cut fusible fleece and the backing plus one border strip and I can finish these up. They are not done in the traditional sense as the edge pieces are sewn onto the back of the placemat and folded towards the front and then stitched down. 

There was no video on Making Space To Make this week. It is her scheduled week off. With the family room cleaned, I will putter in the sewing room doing small things that need to be done. 

This month, Sewing With Cinnamon is about harmony. We are to make a 2-3 piece capsule focusing on what we have learned so far. I am going to use pieces from the Edwardian wardrobe as I have lots of pieces to choose from. 

Knitting

The four black tubs I took out of the cube in the family room are now housing some of my yarn in the sewing room. I have to buy 5 more at Ikea. The lime green ones are being folded up and will be sold at the garage sale. 

I knit on the sock last night and finished the gusset on sock #1. I did have some moments when knitting last night as I thought I had screwed up the pattern. I didn't. I was just over tired from lack of sleep. 

Now to do sock #2's gusset. 

Thoughts

    Though I was sore yesterday, it wasn't like before. Just mild soreness that was annoying. I kept moving around resting while I waited for the floor to dry. I wasn't going to let it stop me from working. 

    There are two scams going on in our area right now. One is a text message about working remotely which means the scammers want to have access to your computer and data. They targeted me twice yesterday. I deleted them and reported it. The other is scammers phoning as police officers. They targeted daughter-in-law. She called our local police and found out more about it. After months of nothing, the scammers are targeting us once again. 

    Our community yard sale is on May 16. I will have to sign us up and then spend a day cleaning the garage. I have a lot of stuff to move around in preparation for it. I will have to park my car outside while I get things organized. 

Today

I have to do the balance sheet, fold laundry, and do a quick tidy upstairs. I want to spend time sewing the place mats and I may even cut out some reindeer and work on them. I want to knit tonight. 

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

No Pain Means Lots Got Done

Yesterday started out sunny and then became a mix of sun and clouds. The high got to 17C. This morning it is cloudy and 7C. Today is supposed to have showers with a high of 9C. 

Lifestyle

I was out to get groceries. I was going to go to New Minas and then decided to shop locally. I was glad I did as the local grocery store wasn't busy and I was able to shop without crowds. Once home, I got the groceries put away. 

My next job was to sit and work on my knee. I did about 10 minutes and it is really helping. The outside part of my knee cap hurts which I will enquire about at physio. I had very little pain in my hip, back and knees all day. I think I had inflammation which caused everything to be so sore. I have a bit of pain this morning due to the rain coming but it is not affecting my walking, etc. 

Once the knee was dealt with, I was downstairs to do more cleaning in the family room. I worked on the area where I sit and do hand sewing. I moved furniture, cleaned, wiped, dusted, vacuumed and mopped everything in that area. I took out the recycling and have more to go out today. I am pleased with how it looks. 

While cleaning the coffee table I found a lot of Command picture hangers in one of the drawers. I had forgot I had bought them a couple of years ago. They will come in handy when I hang more pictures. 

The box on one chair has to be mailed to daughter. I am done putting items into it and just need to add a layer of batting to the top. 

I have one more part to do in this room. I did do a tiny bit on it. I now need to pull it apart and do the deep cleaning. It will be nice to have this area cleaned up. 

Sewing

I spent the afternoon finishing up the cape for the rabbit. After giving it a good press, I hand sewed the turning hole closed and then did the arm and ear openings. I added a hook and eye at the neck. 

I did clean up after myself as I am working on good habits to keep the family room clean. 

I have the fabric out on the table to start making placemats using up the left over fabric from the quilt. I will probably have to buy fabric for it as I think I am short of the darker blue. I am looking forward to making them. 

Knitting

I knit on the socks last night and got the gusset stitches picked up on both socks. Sock #1 has 15 rounds done on the gusset. I am about half done the gusset. 

Thoughts

    I am certain my shoes are not the main problem for my soreness. I wear expensive running shoes and alternate between 2 pairs. I will be buying new shoes in the fall as I only wear them for a year and then replace them. For the pain to disappear overnight means I had inflammation due to stress and weather. What was surprising was how long it lasted. I've never had this happen for so long.

    I was thrilled at how much I did in the family room yesterday. With little to no pain, I was able to do things quicker and easier. The space left will take me less than an hour to do. Once done, I will move on to cleaning the rest of the basement. I do want it clean and tidy. 

    I think the robins are back. I am sure I saw one on a neighbour's lawn.  

Today

I have to do my stretching exercises and work on my knee. Once that is done, I will be downstairs to finish cleaning the family room. This afternoon I want to start cutting out the placemats and see if I need to go and buy more of the dark blue fabric. I do have to make dinner tonight so I have a couple of meals in the fridge. I will knit on the socks tonight. 

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

A Busy Day Volunteering

Yesterday was sunny and 11C. This morning it is clear and 2C. Today is supposed to be sunny and 16C. 

Lifestyle

I was out the door before 8 am to the community hall to make sandwiches. Daughter-in-law finished mixing the fillings while I made the cucumber sandwiches. I got them made, cut, and on the tray before anyone else arrived. Once they arrived, we made 17 more trays of sandwiches. We cleaned up and headed home.

At home, I sat on heat as my hip and knees were sore. I am not sure why they were aching but they ached. I keep thinking they are worn out but other times I wonder if my muscles are acting up. I did do the rubbing around and behind my right knee. It seems to be helping it bend much better. 

I was back at the hall at 1 pm to help serve at the celebration of life. Daughter-in-law and I served coffee and then did the clean up. The people were wonderful bringing most of the dirty dishes to the kitchen. We were done by 4:15 pm and I was home by 4:30 pm. I did another session on my knee and ate dinner. 

I did not sew or knit yesterday. 

Thoughts

    It seems like spring has arrived. Though the temperature did not drop below 0C last night, there is frost on the roofs and cars. We will have frost for a while but it disappears quickly. Frosts can occur until mid to late May. 

    I have had a bad spell with my knees and hips. I am sure that part is stress and part is the weather. I also wonder if my muscles are acting up though most of the pain is in the joints. I had thought maybe the pain was from sleeping poorly but it isn't that. I am getting enough restorative sleep. I am puzzled as to why this has gone on for so long. This morning I do feel less pain but who knows if it will get sorer as the day goes on. 

Today

I need to grocery shop and once home I want to do a few things in the basement. I also want to sew and knit today. I also need to make sure I do the massage on my knee twice so it does not stiffen up. 

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

Tidying Up The Thread Before Sewing

 Yesterday was sunny with a north wind. The high got to 5C. This morning it is clear and -4C (windchill -7C). Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 11C. 

Lifestyle

I got the sheets into the washer and did a bit of tidying up. I then did my exercises. I can feel the difference when doing them even if I missed 2 days. When done, I sat on the couch and massaged my knee. I used my knuckles to rub outwards from the knee cap and went around it several times. I also rubbed behind my knee at the joint. I was trying to break up scar tissue. I sat with heat on my knee afterwards as it was a bit sore. 

I got the sheets into the dryer and while they dried, I did a bit of research on my family tree. I am doing a bit on my mother's maternal line. I do know some about them but when I went back a bit further than before I found out they lived in Switzerland before moving to France. 

After I put out the bag of garbage for pick up late in the afternoon, I sat and did my knee again. I am going to have to do it once or twice a day for several months if I want to get the scar tissue broke up and my knee bending like normal. 

Sewing

My first job when I went into the sewing room was to sort through the threads in the tall set of drawers. I did the Glide thread first and made sure all the loose ends were caught in the base. I have thread that still has the plastic wrap on it. I am buying no more of it for a while as I have a good variety of colours. 

The next drawer was the thread I use more often for sewing. It was a bigger mess so I made sure all the ends were secure. I have a small tub that has the silk and cotton threads in it. The rest are rolling around in the drawer. I need a few tubs to contain them. I have lots of black, white, navy, grey, and cream thread in big spools. They are my go to when I sew. I have enough spools of coloured thread that I can match to fabric in the stash. I will buy the small ones when I need to match thread. 

I worked on the cape and got the seams on the plaid part ripped apart and sewn with the right seam width. I struggled with the hood but got it on. I then put the plaid and the lining pieces together and sewed them shut leaving a turning hole at the center back. Once I turned it, I rolled the edges and pinned them in place. It is ready for me to hand baste and then press. 

It will be reversible which is nice. 

I have to hand sew the opening at the back along with the arm and ear openings. A hook and eye needs to be added to the front. 

Knitting

I knit last night and got the heel flap done and the heel turned on sock #1. I then worked on heel flap #2 and got a lot done on it. 

I haven't knit socks in this manner for a long time and am enjoying watching the pair grow at the same time. 

Thoughts

    I was surprised at how cool it was outside yesterday. The wind was from the north and went through you. Hopefully it will be nicer as they are forecasting warmer temperatures. I need to plant grass seed where the vegetable boxes were. 

    I am thinking about what I will plant in tubs on the deck this summer. I have a pot I could plant a bit of lettuce in for salads. I would like to do tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers again. I do enjoy having the fresh vegetables during the summer. I will do some flowers at the shed but probably none on the deck. I will decide when the time comes. 

    I looked up to find out when the town's garage sale is going to be. Nothing yet so I will have to keep looking. I will be spending a morning in the garage cleaning it up before the sale. I know I will have a lot of work to do in there after ignoring it all winter. I also have items to bring down from the shed for the sale. Family has their items to bring. 

Today

I am out shortly to make a double batch of sandwiches at the community hall. We also have to set up the hall for a celebration of life. I will have a bit of time at home before I go to help serve tea and coffee. I don't think I will have time to sew this afternoon but will knit tonight. 

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

A Day of Being Busy

 Yesterday's weather was a mix of sun and clouds with a bit of snow blown in for good measure. The high got to 6C. This morning it is clear and -1C (windchill -3C). Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 5C. 

Lifestyle

I had to make a double batch of cookies yesterday. I started out early so I could get them done in good time. The first batch went into the compost bin. I forgot to put the leavening agents into it. The second batch was made and done by 11 am. I was out the door to get flour and margarine so I could make the last batch of cookies. I had them done by 1:30 pm. I made about 6.5 dozen cookies. 

Daughter-in-law called shortly after I had cleaned up and asked if I would like to go to the city. I said sure and off we went. We went to Bayer's Lake which is just outside Halifax. Our first stop was the Asian store to find bone broth for son. I do like looking at all the different Asian foods in that store. Once done, we headed to Costco. 

At Costco we got all the items to make sandwiches tomorrow. We have to make them for 2 funerals. Costco was busy as usual. I buy a few items there but not a lot Most is too much for one person. I did get myself stuffed peppers for dinner and ground pepper as I was almost out of it. We got into the line up and was out of there in fairly good time. 

We got home about 5 pm and I was tired. I cooked the peppers and had a late dinner. 

Sewing

None again yesterday. I didn't even look in the sewing room. 

Knitting

I did knit last night. I finished the leg on sock #2. I started the heel flap on sock #1 and as I was finishing row 12 I saw I had a dropped stitch in the heel flap. I unknit to the dropped stitch row, picked it up and knit until I had 20 rows done. 

Thoughts

    We were supposed to get up to 2" of snow last night and we got a skiff. Not enough to make anything white. It was nice the storm missed us. Hopefully this was the last snow for us this spring. 

    I walked a bit of my property yesterday and picked up a downspout that had blown off. I am hoping I can get out and pick up stuff off the lawn. I want to see if I have to reseed my lawn this spring. It isn't look very good at the moment. Did last summer's drought do more damage than I had thought. 

    I looked across at the house that has a lot of daffodils planted in the front. The leaves are up so we can expect to see blooms in the next few weeks. I will have to check the plants at family's and see if they are coming up and will be blooming soon. 

Today

I am planning on being at home all day today. I have to do some laundry, some house work, and my exercises. I want to sew this afternoon, take a small walk in the yard, and knit tonight. 

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

More Done On The Socks

 Yesterday was cool, windy, and cloudy with a high of 7C. This morning it is cloudy and 0C (windchill -3C). Today is supposed to be mainly sunny and windy with a high of 5C. We could have showers. 

Lifestyle

I spent part of the morning using a fluffy pad and dry mopping the floors. I did my bedroom, the living room and down the stairs to the basement. There was a few small bits of dirt and a small amount of fluff. I was pleased with that. 

I did a bit of genealogy on one family member. I was able to find a bit of information on her and have since started researching another person. It is interesting what you find out when you read the information on wedding and death certificates. 

I was out to get my Covid vaccine and the line up was about 8 people. I was early and patiently waited for my turn. This round of vaccine is for a specific group of people and isn't as busy as the fall session when it is open to everyone. 

Once home, I had lunch and then promptly fell asleep for almost 2 hours. When I woke up, I wondered why I do this after I get needles. My arm wasn't sore and I felt fine. I know I have anxiety about needles and am tense. Once it is over, I relax and am exhausted from the anxiety and tension. I allowed myself the grace of doing nothing all afternoon but rest. I am fine this morning. 

Sewing

I did look in the sewing room but didn't sew. I am okay with that. 

Knitting

I did knit last night and got a lot done. I am now 20 rounds from finishing the leg on sock #2. 

Though you can't see the pattern, they do have a textured look to them. 

Thoughts

    We have snow in the forecast for tonight. They say 2" and I am hoping it will be less. We are to get warmer days after that which will be nice. I am looking forward to having the heat turned off for the afternoon and the windows open to air the house out. 

    The snaps I ordered a long time ago are once again delayed. I will wait for them as they are the brand I like the best and I can't buy them here. 

Today

I have to make a double batch of cookies today. If I don't get them done today, I will finish them tomorrow. If time, I would like to sew and get the cape done for the rabbit. Tonight I will knit on the socks. It is a stay at home day for me. 

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

Making A Cape For A Rabbit

 Yesterday was wet, windy, and cloudy. The temperature rose all day until it was 11C at 9 pm. This morning it is cloudy, calm and 5C. Today is supposed otherwise be a mix of showers and clouds with a high of 8C. 

Lifestyle

I spent quite a bit of time trying to get my Fitbit to sync with my phone. I restarted my phone and to no avail. I put the phone on the charger and did a reset that way. Did not work. I finally had to swipe the clock down and do a reset. It worked. Saturday and Sunday's sleep graphs are either non existent or a graph I have never seen. It is back to normal today. I charged the Fitbit and moved on with my day. 

Next up I did the balance sheet and had no issues with it. Only 3 entries. I then paid my bills and put it all away. Job done in record time. 

I added pictures to my To Do tab which was a bit behind. With computer work done, I did my exercises. I had a couple of cracks while doing them. I was stiff but knew that was due to the weather system coming in. I got it done making sure I did each exercise carefully so my muscles were fully stretched. 

The last job of the morning was to fold laundry and put it away. I was caught up on all the jobs I had wanted to do. 

I made myself a simple meal for Easter dinner. I had fish and potato wedges cooked in the oven and steamed vegetables. I really enjoyed it. 

Sewing

I sewed on the Winter Cape for Anika the rabbit. I did find a video to help me as some parts were confusing. I was irritated watching her sew as she did not press one seam. I got the lining for the cape done with only one mistake on my part. I thought one seam was 1/2" where it was 3/8". Thank goodness it was a seam that wasn't curved and clipped. 

The plaid is done to me fixing the two seams that I sewed to 1/2" I can then attach the hood and clip the neckline seam on both parts. 

The pattern is cute. I love how there are openings in the hood for her ears. The same for the opening in the sides for her arms. I am hoping to take care when finishing it so it can be reversible. 

Knitting

I did a lot of knitting last night. Sock #1 is done with 2 rows done on the heel flap. Sock #2 has 24 rounds done on the leg. 

I am knitting a lot each night to keep my hands busy or I would be snacking. 

Thoughts

    I did text grandson to wish him a happy Easter but he didn't read it. It was what I expected though I am keeping the door open for him to communicate with me. He has not communicated with anyone for almost a week. It is hardest for me at night when I have time to think but I am slowly getting to the point where I am content knowing he is in a safe place. 

    I was sore yesterday thanks to our weather. The wind blew in from the south and it always jars my nerves when it hits the house in strong gusts. The wind finally calmed down around 5 pm and it was raining hard by then. The barometric pressure was bouncing making me sore but not like it had been. The exercises are helping with that. 

    By accident I found out that the Covid vaccine is available for me this spring. I booked an appointment for it this morning and then booked an appointment for blood collection later this month. Those appointments are done for 6 months. 

Today

I am going to dry mop the floors this morning and try to do some dusting. It is time to get the areas the robot vacuum cleaner can't get to. I am out to get my covid vaccine and once home I hope I can sew this afternoon and knit tonight. I know I will be tired from the vaccine so am not going to push myself. 

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

Happy Easter

Happy Easter

Yesterday was a mix of sun, clouds, wind, snow, and whatever else Mother Nature could throw at us. The temperature at 5 pm was 3C which was cooler than at 6 am. This morning it is cloudy and -1C (windchill -4C). Today is going to be a mix of freezing rain and rain with a high of 10C. 

Lifestyle

 Daughter-in-law and I left for the city at about 9:30 am. We went to Cole Harbour (home of Sidney Crosby) to drop off a bag of son's suits and dress shirts. The store is known for helping people who need to find work. From there, we went to Ikea. 

One should kick us in the butt for going to Ikea on a Saturday and kick us twice for going on a holiday weekend. The place was super busy. We did scoot around the crowds and looked at storage for family's laundry room. We also found a table that would be perfect in the in-law suite. We had lunch at Ikea which was fun. We haven't done that for about a year. 

Our next stop was at Home Depot. Daughter-in-law needed paint to finish the in-law suite. I looked at paint brushes and rollers but didn't buy anything. I need to do inventory once it is warmer. 

Our last stop of the day was Walmart. We did our grocery shopping. I got everything I needed as did daughter-in-law. Once done we were on our way home. 

Sewing

I was down to the sewing room before going to the city. I cut out the last of the snowman fabric into 2 - 10" squares and got them sandwiched and prepped to sew if I had time when I got home. 

Once home, I was able to cross hatch the squares. I cut the binding for it and got it sewn on. I sat in the family room and hand sewed it down. The project is now done. 

I am very pleased with how this set turned out. I have more winter fabric that I can make more if I want to. 

I laid out the next project on the cutting table. It is a cape for the rabbit, Anika. I am looking forward to working on it and getting it done. 

It should be a fairly easy sew. At least I hope it is. 

Knitting

Sock #1 is 10 rounds short of having the leg done. 

Once I have it done, I will knit the leg on sock #2. I am enjoying these socks but will be happy to have them done. Knitting them twice was not on the to-do list. 

A quick look at the spreadsheet, I have 9 more pairs of socks to knit this year. It seems as if I will be knitting a pair a month. 

Thoughts

    Daughter-in-law and I talked about their surprise when wanting to get their oil heat removed from the house and use their ductless heat pump along with their fireplace. A ductless heat pump is not classified as a primary source. You can't get insurance if you use it only. I am not sure why these are pushed in our province as ducted ones are available when houses are built. There are grants for both of them. I now know why I have baseboard heaters in my house. If we don't go electric, our choices are propane or oil. There are no natural gas lines in most of the province and natural gas has to be hauled in. They are now researching for a primary heating source which will use propane.

    The weather was not very nice yesterday. When walking outside it was cold and windy. We even walked in a snow squall. The wind went right through you. The sun did shine late yesterday afternoon but it was still cold outside. I was happy to have worn my extra heavy fleece pullover for outside but I was too hot wearing it in the stores. 

    I was in less pain yesterday. I am still working on my posture as it does help my back pain. My knees hurt from the weather but the muscles in my thighs were barely sore. I didn't do my exercises yesterday as it was a rest day but will be back to doing them today. 

Today

I am doing my exercises and then will take out the garbage and recycling to the garage. I have a bit of cleaning to do and then will spend quite a bit of time sewing and crafting today. Dinner will be simple - oven baked fish and potato wedges. I will also cook a vegetable. It will be a quiet day for me. 

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

A Delicious Birthday Dinner

 Yesterday was cloudy with rain and some freezing rain. The high got to 2C. This morning it is cloudy and 5C (was 6C earlier). Today is supposed to be clear off, be windy and sunny with the temperature dropping to 2C. 

Lifestyle

I had another busy morning. I got a load of laundry on and cleaned the bathroom. Once that was done, I put the laundry into the dryer and did my exercises. 

The exercises are getting easier to do. I am still stiff when I start but do loosen up as do the exercises. I had a lot of cracking yesterday as everything is starting to go back into position. My muscles are sore which I think is from all the stretching and other things I am doing. 

I am also working on my posture. I was starting to slump when sitting and I realized that was causing some of the back pain. I am working on sitting straight when I sit on a chair or the couch. I have to keep reminding myself. 

I was out to family's for my birthday dinner last night. Our friend picked me up and took me. I had asked for smash burgers and they were delicious. Daughter-in-law made fresh hamburger buns. I will say that these hamburgers were better than the best ones we had in Montevideo. 

The evening was spent laughing over crazy things. Son is learning how to make ramen noodles and we had to learn about his experiences making his first batch. He did get enough noodles for them to have ramen for a couple of days. 

Family gave me a new lock for my front door. I was excited to get that as a gift. Now I can come and go without having to use a key when my hands are full. 

Sewing

I did some cleaning in the sewing room yesterday morning. I decided to clean the open shelves where the dolls are. They were dusty. I did take out one of the tubs which holds the Gotz doll's clothes. I sorted through them and put together items that I had made -- leggings and tops, dresses and sweaters. I now have a small pile of orphans that I need to sew or knit items to go with them. I can add them to my list of what I want to make this year. 

I also looked at a tower of drawers. It is well organized and the bottom drawer is empty. I pulled it out and found a dead hornet behind it. I vacuumed the floor and cleaned the baseboards. A start in that area of the sewing room. 

I sewed after lunch. I got the binding on the table runner and hand sewed it down. 

I looked at the scraps of fabric and have two pieces that are just over 10" square and I am going to quilt them together and bind it for a hot pad. When that is done, the remaining small scraps will go into the trash. There will be nothing worth keeping or donating. 

I remembered I had made a doll's cape a few years ago and I put it on the doll over the sacque back dress. Though an Acadian woman would probably have worn a blue cape of a shorter length, this shows how she could have looked in the winter. 

Knitting

I was able to knit on the socks last night and got 19 rounds done. 

I have figured out the pattern so I can knit while watching tv. I am disappointed that the pattern doesn't show up much due to the yarn being multi coloured. 

Thoughts

    It rained hard several times yesterday. We certainly need the rain after last year's drought. Everything is soggy right now which is good. Once it warms up the grass and plants will grow quickly. It is trying to snow one moment and have the sun shine a few minutes later. 

    I had a lot of thoughts go through my head when I was sorting through the Gotz doll's clothes. I don't sew for them on a regular basis. I need to do more sewing for them and finish off the orphan pieces. This will include finding the patterns I have in my collection and buying a few more. I love these dolls but it seems like very few people I know have these dolls. I need to include them in the sewing and knitting plans. 

Today

I am heading out to shop with daughter-in-law. We are going to have a fun time looking upstairs in Ikea and I can get groceries at Walmart. Once home, I will decide on what I want and can do though I do know I will be knitting tonight. 

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

A Day of Busyness

 Yesterday was cool and cloudy with a high of 2C. This morning it is cloudy and -1C (windchill -4C). Today is supposed to have freezing pellets changing to rain. The high is to get to 2C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I put the sheets into the washer and cleaned the kitchen. It was time for it to have a good wipe down. When I wiped one counter, it was black and I freaked out. First thought -- black mould. When I calmed down I realized it was spores from the ferns in the bouquet of flowers. I wiped it all up and then dealt with the flowers. Hopefully no more black spores on the counter. 

While the sheets were in the dryer, I did my exercises. They are getting easier to do though I am still sore in my back. I do 10 exercises and I had cracks while doing 5 or 6 of them. My muscles are loosening up a tiny bit which is nice. My back is still sore and that is more annoying than the muscles. 

When done the exercises, I headed downstairs to do more work in the family room. The area I did is the same size as my living room. I took the table cloth off the table and saw some damage to the finish on the table. Not overly worried as it has lots of other damage to the finish. I did scrub it and organized everything when I put it back on. The floor area was vacuumed and mopped and I did a bit more floor in the rest of the room. 

I am ready to tackle other parts of the room once I spend a few days cleaning the sewing room. I am alternating between the two rooms. 

I forced myself to make dinner last night. I cut up 2 peppers, an onion, and some mushrooms and cooked them in a hot frying pan. I added some cooked chicken, teriyaki sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. I put it over rice. I had enough for dinner tomorrow night. It was nice to have a home cooked dinner which I enjoyed very much. 

Sewing

I worked on the two mug rugs and got the binding sewn on them. I sat in the family room hand stitching the binding down. 

I do not usually do a contrasting/darker binding. I like the binding to blend in. This binding's colours are in the print fabric which is why I chose it and allowed it to frame the mug rugs. 

I played with the doll's dress trying to figure out how an Acadian rural lady would wear it when dressing up. I know they wore a scarf (fischu) at the neck of their clothing so I found the one I had made when I had sewn the Isla Lass outfit. I tucked it down the front of the stomacher. 

The outfit is complete. 

Knitting

I played with the yarn and got it wound into cakes. I had to do one cake twice as it didn't wind all that well the first time. 

After dinner, I knit the cuffs on both socks. I am now ready to do the leg in a simple pattern. 

The yarn looks like it had a spiral perm but it isn't hard to work with. 

Thoughts

    We are no longer under a freezing rain warning. I am sure that if it happens it will disappear when it rains. If there is none, then it could be snow which will also disappear when it warms up and rains. 

    I have been working on not being stressed. I am still parking emotions and try not to let both situations make me feel overwhelmed. I know that some of the soreness I have is from stress hence why I am working on parking my emotions. 

    I am back to struggling with decorating the bathroom. I need to do a mood board with ideas I want and see what I can find. My bathroom just won't talk to me and I am not sure why. It didn't seem to talk to the previous owners either as it was not decorated when we viewed the house. 

Today

I have to clean the bathroom first thing while another load of laundry is done. Then I want do a bit more cleaning downstairs. I do want to bind the small table runner this afternoon. I am going to family's for my birthday dinner tonight so may not get a lot of knitting done. 

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