An Evening Out

Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 16C. This morning it is windy and raining. It is 14C. Today is supposed to be wet and windy with a high of 20C. 

Lifestyle

I started out the morning fall cleaning the kitchen. My usual spot to start is under the kitchen sink. I pulled everything out and am embarrassed to say I have move cleaners than I need. I did put almost empty bottles into fuller bottles but I still have too many cleaners. I need to work through them all and then only have what I need. 

With that sorted out, I kept out two cleaners and started to clean the bottom cupboards. The insides were cleaned with a cleaner I am trying to use up. The outsides were cleaned with a degreaser. The first cupboard was easy. Clean and put everything back in as I do use those items. The lazy Susan cupboard was decluttered. The top shelf had nothing to go as it has my pots and pans on it. The bottom has plastic containers I use when I make meals. I went through them all and tossed a lot of them out (recycle). What I kept will be tossed eventually but I need to find glass replacements. 

The bank of small drawers was next. I started from the bottom and worked up. I don't need to buy plastic wrap, tin foil, etc. for a while. I do use them all the time but have a good stock on hand. I did the tea towel drawer. Ditto for it. Cooking utensils had one item tossed and I need to replace one item. The top drawer has my measuring spoons, small knives, and scale. All kept. 

I did wash down and shine the dishwasher and then cleaned and did the front of the stove. I was done at that point as my body was rebelling. When I go back to cleaning, I will pull out the stove and clean the sides which I do frequently. 

I was out last night to a quilter's guild meeting. It was one long meeting but the group is very nice. I am helping with their constitution next week. I am also going to make pillow cases which goes to a charity. In the process of cleaning up and setting a date for the constitution, I lost the instructions for the pillow case and my name card holder. They were left behind on a table as someone separated them thinking the pillow case kits were hers. I will get it sorted out next month. I was exhausted when I got home but couldn't settle down to sleep. Hence, I am tired today. 

Sewing

I spent the afternoon working on the green leaves. Cutting the squares bigger made trimming them easier. I got 2 leaf blocks made and sewn onto the red ones. 

I have no pictures today as blogger won't upload them for some unknown reason. 

I sewed the green blocks to the red as each green one is pressed to nest into the red one. I can undo them when I go to sew the outer band onto the table runner. 

The quilters guild is very busy. They have challenges and classes once a month. This month is a witch which I won't attend as I don't decorate for Halloween. I am hoping that the lady who showed the spicy swirling bargello table runner will do the it as a class and I will definitely take it. The challenge for December is to make a placemat to bring for the pot luck luncheon. I will do that. One lady asked me if I would partner with her to do a bag class. I have some plans in place for that. 

Thoughts

    I woke at about 4:30 am to the wind blowing in my bedroom window. I got up and closed all the windows as I knew the rain would be arriving in the next hour. I also realized that I will be putting on the extra blanket soon as we are going to have some cooler nights. Fall is definitely here and I want to be warm while having the windows open at night. 

    It was nice to get out and be with a group of ladies. I do know a few and met a few more. I will try to be active in the group and support them. There are quite a few quilter's groups in the area and this one is trying their best to have classes, challenges, and other fun things to do. They do pay people to come in and do classes and if they ask me, I know I will do it free of charge. 

Today

It is rest day for me as I slept poorly last night. I will do what I can but I won't do complicated projects like the table runner. I don't know if I will knit tonight or if I will be awake enough to do that. It is a wait and see day for me. 

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

Learning While I Sew

 Yesterday was a mix of sun, clouds, and rain. The high got to 18C. This morning it is partly cloudy and 8C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 16C. 

Lifestyle

It was osteopathy first thing. The drive down was nice with nothing spectacular happening. I had a treatment that was different from the others. She focused on my right shoulder, ribcage, and hip/thigh as I was standing straight and was fully balanced. I just had a bunch of tight muscles that needed to be dealt with. 

When I left osteopathy, it was raining a bit. I went to get some groceries and when I parked you could see two police cars at the front of the store. A little boy made perfect siren noises which had several of us chuckling. As we walked inside, the police were escorting a man in handcuffs out to the car. The rest of my shopping was boring after that. I got what I needed and left for home. 

Once home I put away the groceries and had lunch. I promptly fell asleep on the couch for about 45 minutes. Though I was sore, my muscles had relaxed and it left me tired. It does happen occasionally after osteopathy. 

Sewing

I cut out the rest of the solid red squares and started to sew the blocks. I am going to say I was a bit frustrated with the half squares as they seemed to be a tiny bit wonky. I pushed through ripping seams apart to make sure everything was done well. I got the 4 leaf blocks done.  

When done, I went to look at how to make 8 half triangles at a time and found more information on half triangles. The pattern has you cut 1 7/8" squares and make 1.5" half-triangle squares. The information I found suggested you cut the squares to 2.5" and trim a bit more off them for more accurate squares. I didn't look at how to do 8 at a time as I want to try cutting larger squares to make the half triangles. 

I found another tote pattern like the one I wrote about yesterday. This one is lined which I like better. It has the front pocket of which you can do one on each side. She uses webbing for the straps but you can use fabric or you can cover the webbing with fabric. She also has separate videos on how to do a zipper inside, snap closure, and zipper at the top. Both of the bags are perfect and which one you make depends on if you want lined or unlined. If I make bags for donations I like them lined. 

Knitting

I knit 4 rows on the afghan last night. Not a lot but I got some done. 

I keep saying to myself that each 4 rows knit is another inch done. 

Thoughts

    The jalapeño peppers are starting to turn red. There are 6 that are red and I will take them to family on Friday. They have done well considering the cold spring and wet weather we have had. 

    I will have to spend a bit of time outside pulling weeds and put the flower pots back into the shed. I would like to empty all the pots this year and start next year with fresh soil. 

Today

I am going to start fall cleaning the kitchen starting in the cupboards. I want to cut out the pieces for the green leaves for the table runner. Tonight I am out to see if I want to join a quilting guild. 

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

A Maple Leaf Block Laid Out

 Yesterday was mainly cloudy with some wind. The high got to 17C. This morning it is minaly clear and 14C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with some showers. The high is to get to 18C. 

Lifestyle

I got the bathroom done. I scrubbed the shower and used a bleach product on the shower curtain and base of the shower to make sure no pink mould would grow. Then I tackled the toilet. When they were cleaned, I started to wipe down the walls. I used a mop as I can't get to a lot of the areas using a ladder. The walls weren't that dirty, mainly dusty. I did the floor last doing part on my hands and knees and part with the mop. It is now officially cleaned and I am happy to have that room done. 

I did get side tracked a bit. I want two cleaners and the toilet bowl cleaner in the bathroom. I had watched a video on shopping at Dollarama and the person said that the difference between a cleaner and a disinfectant is one has a DIN number (EPA in the US). I wanted one of each in the bathroom. I do have one of each in the bathroom now. I also know that finding the DIN number on the bottle is difficult to find as it is in such small printing. I am going to confess that I have a lot of cleaners under the kitchen sink once again. I have pledged to use them up and stream line them once again. 

My shoulder has been hurting since taking the afghan apart and winding the yarn into balls. I wondered if I had irritated it and some muscles were sore. I rotated it last night and it cracked really good. Pain is virtually gone. I am monitoring it to make sure I don't over do it when knitting. 

Sewing

The first job of the afternoon was to starch the remaining fabric so I can cut leaves and border pieces. My iron gummed up with the starch left on the ironing board. I had to clean it so it wouldn't mark the fabric. 

I started to make the leaves for the corner blocks of the table runner. I cut small squares and made half triangles. I sewed, trimmed, and pressed these little pieces to make sure they were perfect. I realized when I was almost done that I could make them 8 at a time using a 5.25" square of fabric. I also did the stem square. I did finish cutting out the pieces for one square and called it a day. 

I do have the half triangle squares and the stems for the other 3 blocks done in the red. I want to cut out the solid blocks and sew them all at once. The worst is done for this colour. 

Knitting

I did knit last night and did my shoulder hurt a lot. It was after I had done 8 rows that I stretched and rotated it. 

I do like the feel of the afghan using these needles. Dense enough to keep me warm but loose enough to feel soft. 

With 300 stitches and 10 balls of yarn to knit, I will be busy for a while. 

Thoughts

    I watched a video by Pin Cut Sew yesterday and she was making her version of the Trader Joe bag. I am thinking I will make a couple of these this winter and call. them "Breeder Survival Bags" and donate them to field trials. I can add some dog treats, poop bags, a few snacks and a bottle of wine. The pocket can be the focal point of the bag. 

    Daughter let me know last night that she had to go to emergency as she was in a lot of pain. She has a rotor cuff injury and is wearing a brace to help keep it still. I am sure the cause is from the dogs pulling on their leashes. She will get over it and people are going to help her at the next field trial. They will take the dogs out and bring them back in during the competition. On the up side of the weekend, Ruger now gets a name change as he has enough points to achieve his FTCH (field trial champion). The hard work she had done has paid off. 

Today

I am out for osteopathy this morning. I need to get a few groceries afterwards. Once home, I want to work on the maple leaf squares with hopes of having all 4 sewn together. Tonight I will knit on the afghan. The beginning of a busy week for me. 

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

Starting the Afghan Again

 Yesterday was wet, windy and the high got to 14C. This morning it is cloudy and 11C. Today is supposed be cloudy with showers and a high of 17C.

Lifestyle

I started the morning out doing the balance sheet. No problems or issues with it and I was done in about 40 minutes. I put it away and then folded laundry. Not a hard job to do and I was glad to have it done. 

As I was sitting watching it rain and thinking of the heavy rainfall in Cape Breton, a car backed into the driveway. I put the laundry into the bedroom and headed out to talk to the people. They had come to buy the antique desk.

I thought the man was buying the desk but it was his son. The young man loves antiques and when he saw it on Facebook Marketplace, he wanted it to do his writing at. His dad called him an "old soul". At that moment, I knew the desk was going to a good home as it would be loved and used. We had used it over the years and loved it. 

Mid afternoon I went to Dartmouth with family. Daughter-in-law and I went to Costco and Walmart so she could get a few things. I got coffee, slippers, and Halloween candy. After that was done, we headed to have dinner. We went to The Naan Factory for Indian food. We had rice, 3 curries, and naan. It was delicious. Two of the curries were mild and the third one had a bite to it. All had chicken in them. The naan were the best I have eaten. 

After dinner, we walked down the strip mall to an Asian food store. It was different to the other asian food stores we go to. More spices than you could ever imagine. Daughter-in-law found a date paste she uses when cooking Thai food. We wandered the whole store looking at everything. From there we headed for home. October is going to be Thai food and after that they will look for other ethnic restaurants. It is going to be our once a month out for dinner. 

Sewing

I did not sew yesterday. I need to starch fabric and let it dry while I cut out and sew the 4 red maple leaf blocks. 

Knitting

I ripped out the 6 rows I had knit on the afghan, changed the needle size and cast on 300 stitches in the afternoon. I knit 6 rows last night and am ready to start on the pattern. I do like the feel of the knitting on the larger needles. 

Thoughts

    It rained a lot yesterday. The storm swirled back on to us which they forecasted. Most of the time, the rain came down heavy but it did ease at times. The wind blew a lot and was still blowing good at 10 pm. By then the rain had stopped. Everything is soaking wet which is great. 

    Daughter let me know that her dog, Ruger, won the field trial again yesterday. I will find out more today. 

Today

I am back to cleaning the bathroom this morning and hope to starch the rest of the table runner fabric. I want to cut and start sewing the red maple leaves. Tonight I will knit on the afghan. Today is a quiet day for me as most stores are closed on Labour Day Monday. 

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

Center of Table Runner Done

Yesterday was mainly rainy until late afternoon. The high got to 16C. This morning it is cloudy and 13C. Today is supposed to have rain and a high of 14C.

Lifestyle

The storm we had on Friday looped back and gave us more rain. It wasn't a heavy rain, just steady. Nova Scotia declared a state of emergency as 3 counties in Cape Breton had between 8 - 10" of rain. There was flooding, roads washed out, and no electricity. They got the worst of the storm both days and are still under a rainfall warning. 

I spent the morning doing more cleaning in the bathroom. The linen closet was first and I got rid of 4 items. More to go after I shop at Ikea later this month. I then cleaned the shelves and the floor. The linen closet and main doors were scrubbed clean. Next was the lights and mirrors. And finally I did the tub and the tiles around it. I was going to do the window but chickened out. I didn't want to stand on 8" of ledge to do it as it and the window ledge were wet and I was scared of slipping. I have the shower and toilet left to scrub and then I can do the walls. It isn't a dirty room but it collects dust from the toilet paper. A small room that seems to take forever to fall clean. 

Daughter-in-law let me know that the antique corner desk in the sewing room sold. I had to empty it as it leaves this morning. I am not sad to see it go as it wasn't being used. We got many years of use out of it and it is time for someone else to enjoy it. 

I haven't run the heat pump for 3 days and turned off the bedroom fans. The house was nice until yesterday when it started to feel really damp. A trip to the portable dehumidifier showed it was full and the humidity was 55%. I emptied the tank and will check it today as it had a lot of moisture to remove from the air. Without the heat pump on dehumidify, the portable one has a lot of extra moisture to remove. 

Sewing

I spent a couple of hours sewing on the table runner. There were less pieces to cut and sew but it still took a lot of time. Lining up the seams requires accuracy and it took me a couple of tries to get block 7 sewn accurately to block 6. Block 8 was easy as no seams matched. I ended up pressing all the seams connecting the blocks together open for less bulk. 

I measured it and it is exactly the right size. Now to starch more fabric so I can make the maple leaves. I have 12 of them to make in 3 colours. 

I did a lot of trimming when making the center part. It certainly helped put the blocks together. Making sure each part measured the correct finished size also helped when putting parts together. The only time I didn't measure I had to redo that piece. The hardest block was the block with the cat's tail. It had a lot of pieces in it and the black ones got me a bit confused at one point. It was the block where I didn't measure one piece and had to remake it. 

Knitting

I cast on 300 stitches using a different cast on method. I knit 2 rows and ripped it out. I didn't like how the cast on method looked. I cast on using the long tail method. I have knit 7 rows.

I am now considering ripping it out and starting again on larger needles as I may have to go from a 4.5 mm to a 5.5 mm needle. I will let it sit until tomorrow night. At the moment it feels too tight and stiff for an afghan. 

Thoughts

    It seems as if fall came quickly this year. No frost but cooler temperatures. It was the drastic change from hot and humid to cool and wet which arrived almost overnight. I am sure we will have some lovely warm days with lots of sunshine.

    Daughter was at a field trial yesterday and the middle dog, Ruger, won the whole thing. That wasn't a big surprise as he loves field work. He hates the "beauty pageant" part but he does do it. The puppy, Clark, was in the puppy class and did a decent job for his first time out. It was a learning curve for both her and him. Her hard work over the summer has paid off and she should be proud of herself. A year ago she wasn't even working the dogs. 

Today

I have to be home as the desk will be picked up mid morning. I will do a bit of cleaning in the bathroom. I would like to starch fabric after lunch. Family and I are going shopping later this afternoon and out for Indian food tonight. I don't think I will get a lot of extra things done today.

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

Ready To Start The Afghan Again

 Yesterday started out with rain and ended up with sunshine. The high got to 22C (humidex 30C). This morning it is cloudy, windy, and 16C. Today is supposed to have periods of rain with a high of 16C. 

Lifestyle

I was out to make sandwiches yesterday morning. We had some good discussions on a lot of topics. One of the ladies had fallen on Monday and had a black eye and was really sore. My heart went out for her as she has some medical conditions that could be causing this. 

Once home, I sat down wondering why I was feeling so tired. My eyes were running and itchy. I was having an allergenic reaction to something environmental. Was it pollen? Shouldn't have been as it was raining or was it some perfume or cleaner I encountered at the hall. It lasted until last evening but I'm not quite over it yet. 

I did start cleaning the bathroom. I cleaned and scrubbed the vanity. I found old cold medications and tossed them. The top and sinks were scrubbed and each cupboard and the drawers were cleaned out well. I am happy with how it looks. 

After lunch I was out to take daughter-n-law's basket of containers home. They are what she makes the sandwich filling in. I had a short visit with son and then came home to do nothing but rest. 

Daughter-in-law brought me a bowl of soup that she had made after dinner and we had a good visit. She picked a couple of jalapeño peppers for their dinner tonight. 

Sewing

I didn't sew yesterday as my eyes were itchy and running from the allergies. I will have to say it was frustrating as I wanted to get the pumpkins done. 

Knitting

I started to unravel the afghan last evening. I had a bunch unravelled when daughter-in-law arrived. She unravelled 2 balls. By 9 pm I had the afghan unravelled and my should was telling me how it didn't like the job. 

I now have to put a long cord onto the needles I will use and see if my calculations of how many stitches I need are right. I can then cast on the stitches and start knitting again. 

Thoughts

    The rain storm we were to get wasn't nearly as bad as they had thought. It did rain but it came and went until mid afternoon when it cleared off. I am wondering where the rain is coming from for today and tomorrow. The wind is from the north and seems to be bringing in a new system with showers already this morning.  

    I had wondered if the place I get my car detailed had closed but found out it has moved to a new location. I will be going there next week to make an appointment to have it done later this month. I missed last year because of the water restrictions we had and then I was rushing around getting ready for our trip to Uruguay. 

    I am going to start pulling the tomatoes off the plants and empty the pots. I can do the flower pots after that. It is time to start preparing for the fall and winter. I will try to do a little bit each day after the Labour Day weekend. 

Today

I have to do a few small chores, mop the floors I have scrubbed, and continue on cleaning the bathroom. I want to sew the last 2 blocks of the table runner this afternoon and start knitting the afghan once again. 

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

Block # 6 Was Difficult

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 20C (humidex 24C). This morning it is raining and 18C. Today is supposed to be wet with a high of 19C. 

Lifestyle

My job yesterday morning was to clean the hall. It isn't a big space. I took down the pictures and cleaned them. I removed the small table and cleaned the items on it. Then I started washing the walls. Up the ladder to do the top half of the walls. Down the ladder to do the bottom half. I moved around the space cleaning all the trim and 3 doors. When they were done, I got down on my hands and knees and washed the trim and the floor. The water was dirty but not filthy. I put the pictures back up on the wall and cleaned the table and put it back. I am pleased with the results. 

Just before lunch, I took the bread for sandwiches to the community hall and was home 10 minutes later. I did see another lavatera yesterday. This one was a young bush with two solid pink flowers on it. 

Sewing

I worked on block #6 yesterday and it was the hardest block yet. I made a few mistakes because it was hard to see the cutting lines on the cat. I had to remake one piece as it wasn't lining up properly. Pressing had to be redone so seams could nest. It took me 2 hours to make the block and I am proud of it. 

Blocks 7 and 8 are the same as blocks 1 and 2 so I am hoping they will only take a day to make. Then it will be on to making 12 maple leaves. I have to remind myself it is one step at a time as this table runner has a lot of pieces in it. 

Knitting

I did not do any unravelling of the afghan last night. 

Thoughts

    The storm that was to give us a lot of rain has not really materialized like they thought. The concern is more for Halifax and eastern Nova Scotia. We could still see an inch of rain but not the 2+" of rain they had predicted. The worst of the storm will be gone by tomorrow morning. 

    I am working on a lot of ideas on how to keep the house cleaner. I know Rosie does a horrible job of mopping the floors. When I clean, I do a big clean and then leave it until the next time. I know it is one reason clutter starts to accumulate and areas look dirty. As I work through each area/room I am trying to figure out how to keep each area tidy and clean. The hall is easy. Vacuum and mop every two days. The same for the landing. The challenge will come when I get into the bigger areas. At the moment, I am working on what I have cleaned and how I can fit it in to keep it clean and tidy. So far, no clutter has appeared and the spaces are clean. 

    I was tired yesterday as I came down from daughter's court day. She is still safe and he has to follow the protection order. She has gone away for a holiday so she can recharge her batteries. She still has a lot of stress ahead of her. 

Today

I am out this morning to make sandwiches at the community hall. Once home, I want to start cleaning the bathroom. I am hoping to make the last 2 pumpkin blocks this afternoon and I should start unravelling the afghan. 

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

The Table Runner is Growing

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a surprise shower mixed in to the works. The high got to 23C (humidex 25C). This morning it was foggy when I got up but clearing off now. The temperature was 13C. Today is supposed to be mix of sun and clouds with a high of 20C. Rain is coming tonight.

Lifestyle

I had a lovely drive to Bedford yesterday morning. The sky was a light blue with huge puffy clouds floating in it. Everything is green and lush with a few signs of fall starting to show. 

I decided to stop at Michaels to look at their fabric. This is what I saw. 

They are just starting to do the layout. I did some snoop shopping and bought some one-sided velcro which I do like. If I have to use velcro on doll clothes this is not as hard on their hair as the regular velcro. 

My next stop was Walmart. I did both my grocery shopping and that for the hall. I didn't do a lot of snoop shopping as I wanted to be home by noon. The person I had at the till was amazing. He was kind and very polite. I thanked him for his excellent service. 

I decided to do a bit of banking while in Bedford. When I entered the bank, the layout was not the usual layout in most banks. The tellers are at tables spread around the space. Same service, different layout. I was in and out quickly. It was time to go home. 

When I got home, I saw that my lawn was mowed and it looks great. I can't see the weeds so have to leave it until after the storm goes through and then pull the weeds that have survived the spraying. 

Inside, I put away my groceries and prepped the chicken for dinner. I sat down as I was sore and needed something to drink. I had a good morning. 

Sewing

My first job yesterday was to remake block 1. I cut the large piece and the small squares. I sewed the squares onto the corners and then proceeded to replace the old square. An easy job that took about 20 minutes to do. 

I then started to cut out block #5. I chose the light grey colour as I am mixing up the order of colours for the 2nd half of the centre part of the table runner. I was careful to cut only the pieces I needed for each small section. When sewing each section together I was careful to make sure the seams were pressed correctly so they would nest together. I had to repress a few seams. I actually enjoyed watching the cat come together when I sewed the final seam. 

The next block will finish the cat and I have to spend a lot of time cutting the small pieces and putting them together. The last two blocks will be easy; just pumpkins like block #1 and #2. Then it will be on to the leaves. 

Knitting

I ripped out the side borders and started to crochet a border. Not happy with it as it is rippling. I am considering this project as a semi flop caused by me and will start over again. I have lots of time on my hands so will work on it for the next few months. 

Thoughts

    We seem to be getting the storm from Ontario. It caused a lot of damage in Toronto and is moving happily over to see if it can drop the last of its moisture on us. They are predicting 24 hours of rain. 

    I was a bit stressed as yesterday was court day for daughter and her ex-spouse. Her lawyer let him ramble on and the judge had to remind him several times that he was off topic and what the protection order meant. The judge set a date for him and he has to follow it. Then it's on to the next part which I am not exactly certain about or its process. She is still under the protection order which is what is important. I realized the stress was more about "what's next" and not about trying to fix something outside of my control. 

    I was surprised to see children wearing backpacks walking up the street this morning. The bus arrived on time and school has started a day or 2 before Labour Day weekend. The fall routines have started and the street will be noisy in the mornings once again. It brings up memories of when I was teaching. Good memories. 

Today

I am going to wash the walls in my hall this morning and stop before noon so I can deliver bread to the community hall for sandwiches. After lunch I want to sew block 6 and possibly block 7. Tonight I will start ravelling the afghan so I can start again knitting it later this week. 

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

Two More Blocks Sewn

 Yesterday started out cloudy and then was sunny and calm. The high got to 23C (humidex 24C). This morning it is foggy and 11C. Today is mainly sunny with a high of 22C. 

Lifestyle

I paid bills on line and then went to pay the property taxes. There were 4 people ahead of me and about 5 behind me. The computer system wasn't working which made it slow going as we had to get hand written receipts. My next stop was the bank to get money for the person who mows my lawns. Hopefully he will be here today or tomorrow as we are under a rain warning starting tomorrow night for 2 days. 

Once home, I started cleaning. I moved the server and then washed the items on it. The picture was removed from the wall and cleaned. I then washed the wall, baseboard, floor, the crocks and wooden cat. When dry I put everything back into its place. 

I then moved into the hall and washed the wall which has the closet for the washer and dryer. I also washed the doors inside and out. Next up was cleaning the washer and dryer which weren't too dirty. I did throw out one item -- a box that had some borax in it which was rock solid. I stopped as it was enough for one morning. 

As I rested, I folded laundry and then put it away. I also emptied the dishwasher and loaded it while I made lunch. I had done my to-do list for the morning even if I did have to push myself. 

Sewing

I did 2 more blocks yesterday. Block 3 went together well. Block 4 was more difficult. I cut out pieces and had to recut them. I cut out the wrong colour and had to recut them in the right colour. I had a panic attack when one piece looked wrong but when I thought about it, it was correct. I got the block together. The center part is half done. 

I have decided to redo the blue part of block 1 as the lines are annoying me. 

The parcel with the apron and placemats arrived in Saskatchewan. The people opened it as they couldn't wait until the auction. They loved it and the husband has a $100.00 bid on the placemats already. Doing items for hunting dog people is a real niche market. I'm happy to supply something for them once a year for an auction. They are hungry to see what I will make next. 

Knitting

I did a bit of casting off on the afghan and then stopped. It looks like the sides are pulling inwards and I am not happy with that. I have two options -- unravel the whole afghan and start again or unravel the side border and either do a row of single crochet down each side. I am thinking on it at the moment. 

Thoughts

    I have been wondering why my right leg has been so sore. It is muscle soreness which means there is rebelling going on. It may be that I am walking and standing more evenly on both feet. The muscles don't like it and want me to go back to the old way of standing and walking. This happened a few times before and I know I have to train them to accept the new way. 

    I checked the lawn yesterday to see how the weed control was doing. I may have a few weeds to dig out and will try to do that tomorrow morning so the job is done. The over seeding is to be done this month so I need to be ready. 

    Our weather has a more fall feeling to it. The mornings are quite crisp and the afternoon warm. I really enjoy this season though I do know we can have hotter weather, humidity, rain, hurricanes, and what ever Mother Nature decides to fling at us. It is still my favourite season as I can open the windows, be outside without overheating, and sleep in a cool room. 

Today

I am going to go shopping this morning and do a couple of other things for daughter-in-law. I want to sew on the table runner this afternoon and make a decision on the afghan tonight. 

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

A Day Of Pain

 Yesterday was warm with a high of 21C (humidex 23C). This morning it is cloudy (pink clouds) and 12C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with the possibility of a late afternoon shower. The high is to get to 23C.

Lifestyle

I had an early physio appointment. The assessment showed I was in alignment but the SI joint was sore. She did a good 15 minutes of work on me to get the SI joint released and to get my leg to lay flat on the bed. My knee did crack when she started so something released. I did the gym exercises and then the heat and current therapy. The person who put the current pads on me put all 8 on and it was what I needed. I go again in 5 weeks. 

When I got home, the company was there spraying weeds on the lawn. He was putting on a good coat of spray. We chatted where I wanted a bit of extra spray put and I left him to it. I will only have a few to dig out before the lawn is reseeded. 

Once inside, I had a cup of coffee and put heat on my sore muscles and SI joint. I was told I would be very sore yesterday. I was and struggled all day with it. My first job was to finish the balance sheet and do the little bit of month end I had to do. 

I did clean the server. Every thing was removed from it, the spaces wiped down and then everything put back in a more organized way. I had some recycling to get rid of. I wiped the outside down well. It was dirty as I have only dusted it. I did not wipe down the wall that was designated as I was very sore and tired. 

After lunch, I laid down and had a good nap for almost an hour. I woke up feeling a bit more rested but was still very sore. I did prep for dinner (cut and marinade meat and cut vegetables). I decided to take out the recycling and that was one big job. I struggled down the stairs but got it done. I did it but all I can say is that it really hurt. 

Sewing

I did not sew yesterday as I would have made one mistakes when cutting fabric. I did sit at the downstairs computer and looked at the embroidery files I have looking for something I don't have. It was fun to go through them. I found a couple of projects that I might make this winter. 

I also looked on line for an embroidery file for the embroidered table runner but the ones I found are all to big. I have found one this morning that I may buy. I am thinking on it for a bit. 

Knitting

I did not knit last night. 

Thoughts

    The physiotherapist told me I would be sore yesterday and she was spot on. It was muscle and tendons that were rebelling from the treatment. I did push through the pain and put a lot of heat on them until bedtime. I am much better this morning. On the up side, when I stood for my post assessment, I was standing with equal weight on both feet. Normally I have a bit more weight on my left foot. 

    I did not run the a/c yesterday and had the windows open all day. It was lovely having fresh air coming in. The bonus was the wind was cool which made it so nice to stand outside. The air had a bit of an autumn smell to it. I have the house wide open this morning enjoying the coolness. 

    I tracked my food again yesterday. Portion control and lots of vegetables. I have been eating cucumbers and tomatoes from my plants but it has been a poor year for them. Spring was so late that they are now producing. This is about 3 weeks later than normal. My weight is up a little bit from the beginning of August but about the same as it was near the end of July. 

Today

I have to pay a bunch of bills online and in person. I want to wash some walls and fold laundry I did yesterday. I hope to sew on the table runner this afternoon and knit tonight. 

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

A Fall Table Runner Starting

 Yesterday was quite sunny with a high of 25C (humidex 27C). This morning it is clearing off from rain last night and 14C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 23C. 

Lifestyle

I made a list of things I needed to do yesterday and set about doing it. I started off with a few easy jobs: take out the garbage, fold the laundry, and launder the sheets. Then I set about fall cleaning. The closet was tackled first. Everything was moved and it was dusted, wiped down and the floor washed. 

While everything was out, I organized the winter basket and tossed a pair of worn out gloves. Next was the trolley that I have cleaning items on. I tossed 7 or 8 worn out cleaning rags and replaced them with new ones. I tidied up the mess and put it all away. Books were taken out of a basket and all but 2 were put into a pile to be taken to a little library in our area. 

I picked up all the recycling and put it out into the garage. My break was changing Rosie's filter and emptying her dust bin. I also filled her tank with water. 

I washed the door inside and out and then started washing walls in that area. I made sure they were spotless and then did the baseboards. I wiped the refrigerator down and then washed the floor. 

While the floor was drying, I took the books to the little library and once home I put everything back in its place and put the sheets into the dryer. 

In the afternoon, I watered all the plants and picked the cucumbers and tomatoes. The earwigs are eating the tomatoes so I am going to start picking them before they are ripe. I also made my bed and while dinner was warming up, I emptied the dishwasher and loaded it up again. After dinner, I did my usual clean up so the kitchen is clean in the morning. 

Sewing

I started the table runner. I pressed and cut the pieces for block #1. I carefully sewed the pieces together doing a lot of measuring after each row. I was successful. 

I used the herpa marker to mark the lines where I will the outline stitch so these pumpkins have some curves to them. 

I am deciding if I will embroider the now or after I sandwich the 3 layers together. 

Knitting

I knit 4 rows on the afghan border and had to stop when casting off. My hands started to cramp. 

Thoughts

    I am happy that I got the first area cleaned. I was surprised that I had a lot of items to go out to the trash or recycling from the closet. I am happy all the books are gone. I kept one to read as it is about the Acadians in a community near us (fictional based on truth). The author is from that community. It will go to the little library when I have read it. 

    I ate well and tracked all my food. I was hungry in the afternoon as lunch wasn't big. But I didn't snack. I was a bit short on fluids which was one reason my hands cramped. The other reason was handling the small bits of fabric when making block #1. 

    Daughter spent Saturday and yesterday at a class so she could get her Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL). She was nervous about doing it. Saturday was class and the room was overly warm and stuffy. The a/c hadn't been put on. Yesterday was the practical side of it plus the written and hands on test. She got 96% on the written test and 100% on the hands on test. She was tired when done and had been out of the house over 9 hours yesterday. She has to submit the paper work and wait for her certificate to be sent to her. 

    I slept poorly last night. Don't know why. I woke up around 1 am really hot. I had to get up and lower the temperature on the a/c. I know I will have a nap after lunch as I will be tired. I hate it when I sleep poorly as it slows me down during the day. 

Today

I have physio early this morning. Once home, I have to prep chicken for dinner and then start more fall cleaning. I have to do a load of laundry. I will nap after lunch and I hope I can start work on block #2. If I have the energy, I will finish casting off the afghan. I am going to push myself to get my to-do list done. 

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

More Embroidering Done

 Yesterday was mainly sunny with some wind. The high got to 22C. This morning it is a mix of sun and clouds and 12C. Today is supposed to be mainly sunny with a high of 26C (humidex 29C). 

Lifestyle

Sandwiches were done in good time yesterday with extra people helping. I was home in good time and was sitting drinking water and making my plans when daughter-in-law invited me to come along with her to Bedford. 

We only went to Walmart as she needed to get the lenses replaced in a pair of glasses. We did some shopping and headed for home. The traffic was heavy as people were going down the valley to enjoy the lovely weather at wineries and other fun destinations. We got home at 11:30 am. 

Once home, I decided I should do the balance sheet. I got it done by noon without any problems. I do like it when I can get it done quickly and easily. 

Sewing

I spent the afternoon in the sewing room having a bit of fun. My first job was to starch the fabric for the table runners. I did the pumpkins and background fabric. The pattern starts with those. 

Next up I decided to see what the maple leaf design looked like when it was double and played with on the software program. It took a while to stitch out but I did a few things while I waited. 

One thing I did was look up the sample I had done way back when. I have a binder that I have kept some designs in. I had done it on red faux suede. The stitching was done in gold with a hint of red where I have the cream. It brought back a lot of happy memories as I really enjoyed embroidering the design down the fronts of a vest. 

I cut down the single piece of embroidery to 4.5" square and sewed it to a piece of the fabric I want to use. 

This design could be 4 squares wide by 6 to 8 squares long. A smaller table runner as the embroidery is dense and takes time. I need to buy a spool of glide thread and two pieces of fabric. I had to stop as it was time to make dinner. 

Knitting

I cast off the afghan and then picked up the stitches along one side. I have 3 rows knit on it. 

The picture is horrible and you can barely see the border. I am planning on doing 6 or 8 rows down each side. 

Thoughts

    I had a better day food wise. I did not snack at all and ate well. I made salads using up the ripe tomatoes and cucumbers from the plants on the deck. I had portion control. Overall I felt better watching what I ate. 

    Grandson has let family know he and his girlfriend are moving from Spain to Alberta. We are not surprised as many questions have been asked by his girlfriend. It isn't going to be easy and they have to figure out what they need to do. We don't know when they arrive and we don't know when they will talk to us again. 

    It started out somewhat humid yesterday and the wind came up and move the humidity out of the area/province late in the afternoon. I opened the house up around 8 pm and the windows are still open at this time. The forecast still shows a humidex but it is not like it was. Will be have more of those ugly hot humid days? We can until late September. But they don't last as long unless there is a major storm coming. 

Today

I am going to start fall cleaning. The area I am working on is the closet and top landing. Walls, doors, trim, floors. I will be going through tubs to see what I can let go of. This afternoon I want to start cutting out and sewing block 1 of the table runner. Tonight I want to knit on the afghan. It is cooler and I want to get things done. 

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

Fabric Bought For A Table Runner

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with one tiny shower. The high got to 27C (humidex 34C). This morning it is cloudy and 19C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 23C (humidex 26C). 

Lifestyle

Prior to leaving for New Minas, I went down to the basement. It was overly warm down there. I checked the dehumidifier and it said the house humidity was 50%. I emptied the container even though it only 3/4 full. I turned on heat pump to dehumidify and hoped it would cool off. It worked as it was almost cold down there mid afternoon.

The trip to New Minas was warm and muggy. I got my bag from the quilt shop and did buy some fabric. I went to Walmart to buy groceries as it is cheaper than buying them locally. By the time I was done there, it was time to go home. I was tired and it felt ugly outside. 

Once home, I put the groceries away and crawled into bed. I hadn't slept well and the humidity is bothering me once again. I had a good nap and felt much better when I woke up almost an hour later. 

I was out to family's last night. Daughter-in-law and I took the containers of sandwich filling to the community hall to put in the fridge. We didn't stay long and went home for dinner. It was hot dogs and chips. After dinner we had to go back to the hall and do the cookie trays. Once back at their place we watched YouTube videos on British Indian cooking. I learned a few new things that I didn't know about curries. 

Sewing

I spent about an hour at the quilt shop buying the fabrics for the table runner. It was a lot of fun as several people hung around to help me. I chose mainly solids with two of the fabrics having subtle prints and the backing and binding being a soft print. 

I was going to go to Michaels to look at their fabric. I didn't as I was too tired and will save it for another trip. The only fabric I am interested in is their solids as it is a good brand name. The others will be of interest for doll clothes and some small craft projects. 

After my nap, I decided to play around with an embroidery design. I haven't stitched it out in about 15 years when I used it on a vest I did for a rodeo queen. I got out the colours I had put into the design and had a bit of fun on a piece of fabric. 

I am thinking of using this idea for another table runner. I need a different fabric for the embroidery plus more of the print. I may be back at the quilt shop on Tuesday for fabric and thread. Glide thread is wonderful to use in embroidery projects. 

Knitting

None done last night as I got home late. 

Thoughts

    The humid weather is not going away like we had hoped it would. It has stuck around and is keeping us all inside trying to stay cool. I popped my head outside this morning and it is humid even though we don't have a humidex reading. It must be close. I keep reminding myself cooler weather will arrive sometime in September. 

    I was going to start fall cleaning mid September but have decided to start doing some each day right now. If I can't get outside to do things, I can wash walls, etc. slowly over the next few weeks. Windows can wait until it cools down. It will keep me busy in the mornings. 

Today

I am out shortly to make sandwiches. Once home, I want to start fall cleaning. This afternoon I hope to prep the fabrics for the table runner. Tonight I hope to knit. 

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

    

A Day Of Tidying Up

 Yesterday started out sunny and then was a mix of sun and clouds. The high got to 25C (humidex 31C). This morning it is cloudy and 17C. Today is supposed to be clear then cloudy with a high of 26C (humidex 33C). We have rain coming during the night. 

Lifestyle

It was reset day for part of the house. I put away items that have been lying around for weeks and a few item that have been a lot longer than that. The kitchen was tidied up as it had some clutter that I moved to the dining room table. 

The dining room table was then cleaned off and the clutter was put away. I scrubbed the table good and have a couple of things to tidy up again this morning. 

I also did some tidying up in the living room area and then swept down the stairs and the front door landing. Everything looks much better than it did and I only have a couple of things to take out. 

I had to stop and deal with the corn on my bunion. It was making my toe really sore. I was able to remove another small seed from it and get rid of more dead skin. The pain left right away and I moved on with what I was doing. 

After lunch, I moved downstairs. I hauled everything that needed to be put away down there and got it in its right spots. I vacuumed the floors of all the threads that have accumulated from both machine and hand sewing. I even emptied the dehumidifier tank which was almost full. 

Sewing

I did spent some time in the sewing room. I sewed a button back on to a hand towel topper and put it away in the kitchen. The only sewing I did and it took about 3 minutes. 

I put away the left over fabric from the apron as there is enough to make the Gotz dolls a pair of jeans and a vest from it. I put away some other fabric I had left in the family room. It is for the dolls and was left out when I was doing the Acadian outfits. I had thought I would do one more outfit but decided against it.

I did look online at fabric ideas for the table runner. I know what I want and now need to look at my choices. I think this will be a study in plain fabrics in soft colours. It may not depending if I find a pattern I like better. At the moment I don't see anything but who knows. 

Knitting

I didn't knit last night. 

Thoughts

    I got the first layer of cleaning done and will do more over the next while. Cleaning up items I had dropped really helped. I will slowly go around and clean more and more so I can finish up the fall cleaning on time. 

    I did some more work on the family tree late yesterday afternoon. I did find some more information on my great aunt's children. I'm still stuck on one as I can't find anything on her. She died when she was 4 months old. The archives here in Nova Scotia have nothing on her but the date of birth and death from a piece of paper I got from my aunt. That may be because they haven't digitized birth's and death's for that time. 

    I was wondering if Lake Ontario's name could be changed unilaterally and it can't. If a country wants to change the name, it can for that country only. Lake Ontario was named prior to the 1600's by the Huron people. The province of Ontario was named after the lake. I learned a little bit more about the history of how some place or body of water was named. I find it interesting. 

    I mailed the parcel on Wednesday afternoon and put the tracking number into the Canada post app. I know it has been processed in Halifax but nothing else has come up. It is supposed to be delivered on Monday and I am a bit worried. Hopefully there will be an update today to say it is in Saskatchewan. 

Today

I am going to New Minas this morning to pick up my bag and to look at fabrics. Then it will be grocery shopping and maybe to Michaels to look at their fabric. It just came in. Once home I will rest as I am tired though I may do the balance sheet. I am out for dinner tonight at family's. Once home I will be in bed early as I have to be up early tomorrow. I may knit if I have the energy. 

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

Finished, Done, Completed, Tired But Happy

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with one good shower early in the afternoon. The high got to 25C (humidex 30C). This morning it is foggy and it seems to have rained during the night. It is 14C. Today is supposed to be mainly sunny with a high of 28C (humidex 34C). 

Lifestyle

Yesterday was busy in a different kind of way. I did a few little chores in the morning and spent the rest of the morning sewing. At noon, I was out to have lunch with daughter-in-law as it was her 50th birthday. After lunch it was back downstairs to sew. 

Late in the afternoon, I was out to mail the parcel of sewing and I had a nice visit with the lady at the post office. Once I was done there, I went to get flowers for daughter-in-law and delivered them. Talked to son for a bit and then home. I was tired so dinner was ice cream. 

On my way to the post office, I was able to take a picture of the shrub at one house. I was so impressed with the huge blooms on it. 

A bit of google searching and I found out it is a "hardy hibiscus" or Lavatera. It is the first one I have seen here though people do grow regular hibiscus outdoors here. 

The humidex was gone by 9 pm and I opened up the house for the night. I even stood out on the deck for a few minutes enjoying the cooler air. 

When I went to bed it was clear and the moon was shining. I thought it was a full moon but it doesn't happen until tomorrow night. I could see it from bed and drifted off to sleep looking at it. 

Sewing

It was another sewing marathon yesterday. Placemat #3 was finished by 11:30 am and pressed it carefully. 

After lunch I finished the placemat #4 and celebrated. 

I was exhausted as I had pushed myself to get them done. I have sore muscles from all the hand sewing. But, I got it done. 

Now I have to spend an afternoon cleaning up the sewing and family rooms. 

Knitting

None done last night as I was tired and somewhat sore. 

Thoughts

    I am hoping I don't have to do another marathon sewing spree for a while. This one had pressure on it as I didn't know the deadline and it was sooner rather than later. The person I shipped it to will get it Monday or Tuesday. I am tracking it so daughter can let the person know when it arrives at their post office. 

    I made a list of everything I need to do over the next few days. It is extensive but most of it means resetting the house now so I can focus on doing fall cleaning later in September. I am hoping I can have enough done inside so I can spent some time next week pulling weeds. 

Today

I am focusing on resetting upstairs and doing 2 loads of laundry. This afternoon I will focus on cleaning up the sewing room from all the sewing I have done. Tonight I hope to knit on the afghan. 

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