We Have An Apron In The Making

 Yesterday started out cloudy and ended up sunny. The high got to 27C (humidex 34C). This morning it is cloudy but clearing and 18C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high ion 28C (humidex 35C). 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I decided to make brownies. I weighed all the ingredients, sprayed the pan and baked them. I ended up with a first class very rich tasting flop. It would not come out of the pan and it seemed to be undercooked. I cleaned up the mess I had made and moved on. It consumed my morning and I had something worthy for the compost bin. 

I had to water the cucumber plants yesterday earlier than usual as they had wilted in the heat and humidity. They are fine and I will be watering them this morning so they don't wilt again. I do have cucumbers on these plants and the bees are busy getting pollen from the blooms. 

I did pick 2 more tomatoes and have a couple more that will be ready to pick today or tomorrow. 

Sewing

It was a busy day in the sewing room. I took a big breath, measured what I had to cut and started making a piece of fabric for the apron. I was measuring 6 times before I cut. I kept moving forward by sewing together the flying geese first, then attaching the side pieces to them. Finally the border and I took a picture of it. 

I was ready to cut the fabric at the top so it was even with the top of the flying geese. I then measured for the top part of the apron. I cut it out and sewed it on. I could breathe again and realized how tired I was from all the measuring and trying to figure out what I needed. 

I laid the pattern on the fabric and wanted to cry. The pattern has some issues I had to deal with. I figured it out after almost wearing out my tape measure. The pattern is not the same on both sides. All is good when I got that figured out. I cut out the apron very carefully and sewed the outer and lining parts together at the bottom and the sides. I turned it right side out and pressed it well. I was pleased with the results. 

I had a scrap left over from the bottom border so I pressed it to measure the same width as the flying geese. I laid it on at the top of the geese and it was a winner. 

 Daughter loved it so now I have to open the seam and sew the bottom of it to the top of the geese. The remaining part will be top stitched down. 

I was done as my brain had retired for the day. I now have to dig out the instructions so I can finish the apron. 

I did remind my brain to stop doing all this design work but it said nope as it is mulling around ideas for the table runner. It is travelling down a path that is sort of scaring me. 

Knitting

I was too tired to knit last night. 

Thoughts

    We are hoping for cooler weather sometime next week. At least cooler nights. I need to do more weeding but can't when it is warm and humid in the mornings. We will still have this humid air for another month but mornings will be cooler unless something drastic happens like a hurricane. 

    Daughter is in a good place right now with the paperwork she received. It is going to be interesting to see how this goes as she has to do nothing but wait for the court date. There are errors on his part which will go against him in court. 

Today

I am going to go buy a square to replace my blunder. Once home I will fold laundry. This afternoon, I will try to finish the apron so I can focus on finishing the placemats. I will try to knit tonight.  

I just saw a goldfinch land on the power line. I haven't seen many of them this summer. 

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

A Wonderful Tea Party

 Yesterday started out cloudy and ended up sunny. It was quite humid also. The high got to 26C (humidex 33C). This morning it is cloudy and 18C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a chance of showers. The high is to get to 28C (humidex 36C).

Lifestyle

First and foremost, thank you for all the kind words on my bag winning. 

I did a couple of things before leaving for the tea party. I was tired due to the heat and humidity we are experiencing once again. The description of the humidity is akin to walking outside wrapped in a warm wet towel. 

The tea party was fun. I had a couple of belly laughs as one of the staff was looking for me prior to the party. She had a great laugh when she found out it was me. The other ladies didn't know me at all. We introduced ourselves and had a lovely time visiting. I have been invited to join a quilting guild but need more information on the group. 

The winning bags were all equally well done. I was told mine won as people were amazed at how I had combined design, muted colours, and custom details into one item. They had several inquiries if it was for sale. The other ladies used more vibrant colours which is typical here. They were all lovely and well thought out bags. My prize was a box of fat quarters in a beach theme.

They are outside my comfort zone and I may give them away to my friend. The other winners got a charm. We all knew the prizes were going to be small. It was more the fun of taking part in the contest vs the prizes.

Tea was lovely. The owner is from England so we had a British tea with cucumber sandwiches, scones, and other treats along with a lovely blend of tea. 

Everyone is wondering if I will be taking part in the next contest which is a table runner. I said I was thinking about it. We are all being secret about our designs which makes it a lot more fun. My design is forming and I am thinking muted colours. I have looked at fabrics in the store and ideas are running amuck in my head. But more on it when I get the apron made. 

I was out for dinner a family's last night and we had a lot of fun. It was more a wild dream of us moving to Uruguay to live. There are some things holding us back but it was certainly fun to think and talk about it. 

Thoughts

    Marianne, here is hoping you are able to start driving after your hip replacement last week. You are really amazing. Keep up the great work and soon you will be doing everything. 

    Daughter was assigned another lawyer in the firm. He specializes in family violence which he said is what she is experiencing. She has a list of 19 things to do and he has added a couple more that she has to do also. He also warned her that the judge will dismiss the case as it is low priority and set a new trial date 2 to 6 months down the road. It may not even get heard if the judges dismiss it again. He is also going to help her get mediation moving forward so they can complete the separation sooner rather than later. 

    The humidity is draining a lot of people's energy. Those who can handle it are outside doing things while the rest of us are struggling to get anything done. The people who bought our friend's house has been outside in it doing a lot of yard work. My next door neighbour mowed their lawn last night. I am envious at how they do it for a long time when I only last 5 minutes and am over heating. 

Today

I have to bake a brownie and then do some cleaning up. I am going to sew this afternoon and knit tonight. With today being very humid, I plan on staying inside most of the day. 

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

My Bag Won The Contest

 Yesterday was mainly cloudy with a high of 24C (humidex 32C). This morning it is cloudy and 20C (humidex 28C). Today is supposed to be mainly cloudy with a few showers and a high of 25C (humidex 32C). 

Lifestyle

My morning started out with a lot of dings on the phone. Daughter was texting in distress as she was served papers to have the protection order terminated. She couldn't think but gave me enough information so I could do the research. There were many issues with the paper work which was in her favour. With that in mind, she put together a plan. She executed the plan. At 5 pm, she told me she now has legal representation when she goes to court in early September. She is feeling much better.

As I had been setting up to do the balance sheet, I got busy doing it. All was going well until I had to break down the costs from my credit card. l could write a book on that. After a lot of struggling, I got up and went to pick up my prescriptions. I talked to the pharmacy student who is entering her first year in the doctoral program and is a lovely person. I also talked to my friend and had a couple of good laughs. It was what I needed. Once I got home, I figured out the credit card and then finished the balance sheet just before noon. No other issues came up. 

I did put away a few items that were cluttering one area and ate lunch. Later in the afternoon, I made dinner. It wasn't exactly my favourite meal but I'm trying to use up some meat from the freezer. Mixing mild Italian sausage, rice, and an Asian stir fry sauce is not recommended. I had a variety of clashing flavours to deal with. I ate it but won't be doing that again. I did laugh about it. 

Sewing

I did spent the afternoon in the sewing room. I made 16 flying geese for the apron knowing I will have some left over. I have set them aside for now.

I then took the container of scraps out to the garbage as it was over flowing. I also cleaned up the cutting table putting all the fabrics I didn't need away. I also put some scraps on a table as I need to mail them to a friend when I send her the purse. With the table clear, I laid out the apron fabric and pinned on the pattern pieces. I now have the lining and facings cut out. 

At this point I was feeling hot. The humidity was high outside and was coming into the house. I headed upstairs to cool off and drink a lot of fluids. 

I am now ready to cut the pieces for the outer part of the apron. I am going to start with the side piece and then sew the geese to it. Then I will do the other side piece and sew it on. Add the bottom and top pieces. Then I will lay out the pattern and cut the apron out. This is going to take me quite a while as I am going to be measuring several times before I cut the fabric. I am a bit nervous about this part. 

Knitting

I laid out the afghan and it isn't quite long enough. 

I did knit 5 rows last night (it might have been more). I plan on finishing this ball of yarn and then do the border and call it done. 

Thoughts

    We are having another mass of warm humid air from what is called a Bermuda High. Thursday will be the worst day for humidity and then Friday will be cooler. The next round of humidity starts on Saturday. I am hoping I can get outside to dig some more weeds out of the lawn on Friday. In the meantime, I will remain inside where I can stay cool. 

    I just watched a video on Facebook and found out my bag won first prize in the contest at the quilt shop in New Minas. I am still in shock and am stunned. I did it to learn techniques not to win and thought the bag that won 2nd place would win. I find out what I won today. I am expecting they will want me to take part in the next contest which is a fall table runner. 

Today

I have to do a few things this morning and then am off for the tea party at the quilt shop. I have to do a bit of shopping once it is done. I am not sure if I will get to sew or not this afternoon but I do hope to knit tonight. My big goal today is to stay cool. 

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

Four Placemat Tops Completed

 Yesterday was mainly sunny with a high of 25C (humidex 27C). This morning it is cloudy with showers and 19C. Today is supposed to be cloudy with showers. The high is supposed to get to 25C (humidex 30C). 

Lifestyle

I had to go out to pay the water bill and then went to get my prescriptions refilled. The pharmacist and I had a lovely visit. She lives across the street from me. We got caught up on all the news. Her oldest son is at air cadet camp and got to fly a plane this past week. He is going into the Air Force when he graduates in 3 years. 

Once home, I grabbed my gardening tools and was out to pull weeds from the side of the house. This was a harder job as the soil is dry by the house. I had to dig and pull hard to get them out. I slowly worked my way down the side emptying the bin once when it was over full. I kept on going and ended up doing some weeding at the end of the deck. The bin was over flowing when I quit. It was getting warm and I needed something to drink. I was pleased with what I had accomplished in just over an hour. 

Once inside, I had something to drink and sat on the heating pad. I was really sore thanks to the barometric pressuring dropping and some storms floating around. I did rest until noon which was only 30 minutes. 

I also rested later in the afternoon as I was really sore and needed more heat. I cannot figure out where the storms are coming from but they are coming in for sure. 

Sewing

I did push myself downstairs to sew. I had to make 4 flying geese so cut the fabric for them and the ones for the apron. Once I had made the geese for the last placemat, I then started working on the last placemat. I plugged away and got it done by mid afternoon. 

I will sandwich and quilt them when the apron is completed. 

Knitting

I did not knit last night. I had no energy to do much of anything. 

Thoughts

    I have pushed myself weeding and I am tired from it. But I also feel great as I have been outside in the fresh air and can see what I have accomplished. I have 2 more days for sure to get all the weeds out from the front lawn and the back deck area. When the company comes to do weed control I will have them do along the property line really well. 

    Our street has been a hub of activity with people mowing lawns and getting a bunch of yard work done while it was cooler. The people who bought our friend's house has been cleaning up the front yard. It has gone from an au natural look to a more manicured look. I am sure their compost bin is as full as mine is. The pharmacist and her husband have been doing a lot of pruning also which goes into a big pile in their back yard. It is interesting to see what people do in their yards and watch them transform over time. 

    I had to empty the dehumidifier this morning. It is still filling the tank in about 24 hours. I sort of know when it is full as the air feels moist and the house feels warmer than normal. I keep reminding myself we have had a wetter summer this year. 

    My SI joint does not like me weeding as it gets tired and a bit tight. I notice that heat and resting does help it. My muscles are rebelling also but I know they are just getting stronger and will settle down. They get a couple of days rest and then I will be back at it. 

Today

I have to do the balance sheet this morning and then go get my prescriptions. I will do housework if I have time and will sew this afternoon. Tonight I need to measure the afghan and decide if I continue knitting or start the border. A quieter day for me.

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

A Very Busy Sunday

 Yesterday was mainly cloudy with the sun shining some in the morning. The high got to 22C (humidex 24C). This morning it is cloudy and 14C. Today is supposed to be cloudy with a chance of showers late this afternoon. The high is to get to 23C (humidex 27C).

Lifestyle

I had a very busy day yesterday. It started out with me cooking the chicken after I had cooked breakfast. It was cooled and put into the fridge. Then it was out the door to start working on the yard. 

I pulled weeds down one side of the driveway. I got a full tub from there and had to stop as I don't do down into the ditch. It is steep and I may not get out of it. After emptying the tub, I started to pull weeds from the lawn. I got quite a section done and filled the tub once again. At that point, I stopped for the day and took stock of what to do next. 

Once inside, I cut vegetables for dinner. They were put into the fridge. I cleaned up the kitchen and then decided I had enough time to go grocery shopping. I'm glad I did as the store was quiet and I was able to get what I needed quickly and then left for home. The groceries were put away and after lunch I folded the laundry. 

In the late afternoon, I cooked rice and made dinner. I have enough food for dinner tonight which was the plan. I also watered all the vegetables. After cleaning up the kitchen, I crashed on the couch. I was tired. 

Sewing

I worked on the placemats again. I cut back the black borders to 1/4" and then cut out the strips for the new borders. I got them sewn on and added the flying geese. By the time I was ready to leave the sewing room, I had 2 placemats sewn. 

I have to cut out 4 more flying geese for the last placemat and then I can make the last placemat. As I have more to do, it will take me most of the afternoon to make. Then it will be on to making the flying geese for the apron. 

I found a table runner that I quite like. I am thinking how to make it for my house. 

Knitting

I knit 9 rows last night and I am going to measure the afghan as it is getting long. It may be close to being finished. 

Thoughts

    The weeding is coming along nicely. It is desperately needed as they are taking over where the lawn has died. I have decided to weed along the side of the house next and then go back to pulling weeds out of the lawn. Once that is done, I would like to get rid of the dead grass so it is ready for seeding this fall. I saw a man using his hoe to remove the dead grass from his lawn and I know I can do that over time. I will try the regular hoe and the dutch hoe to see which one works the best. 

    I am dealing with some thoughts as it is almost 4 years ago that we admitted the Spousal Unit to the hospital. I am trying not to blame myself for what happened but it creeps into my thoughts in August and September. I am more sad more than anything as he didn't get to have a longer and healthy life. I am healing and find I only have these spells a couple of times a year. 

Today

I have to go and pay my water bill and get refills for my prescriptions. Once home I hope to do some weeding along the house. Once inside, I want to do a bit of cleaning. This afternoon I want to finish placemat #4. Tonight I will measure the afghan and make a decision on if I finish it or do more. 

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

Down Memory Lane

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 24C (humidex 26C). This morning it is mainly clear and 12C. Today is supposed to be mainly sunny with a high of 26C (humidex 29C).

Lifestyle

I went down memory lane yesterday. I had to fix a thumb drive on the lap top downstairs and while waiting for it, I opened up a file called "passport" and took a look. I didn't move for an hour. In it was files on 3 of my uncle's siblings which I thought I had lost on my old laptop. They were Middlemore children who were brought from England to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in 1905 and 1906. Another file I opened was pictures and I found some of my dad and his brother, my brother and I, and others. A third file showed pictures of the places we owned since 2000. 

I pulled myself from the computer to get things done. The thumb drive was still being fixed. It was upstairs to marinate chicken and clean the kitchen. I got it done. Dishes were hand washed and the dishwasher was run. 

I was out to have dinner with family last night and we did Italian. Bruschetta for appetizers, spaghetti and meat sauce for the main, and Tiramisu for dessert. It was delicious. After dinner, daughter-in-law showed me a towel she did cross stitch on. 

She had another one with sunflowers on that she couldn't find the instructions for. So it was downstairs we went. I got to see the demolition of the basement. The drop ceiling is down and son has to sort cables out. An interesting mess to say the least. He knows which ones he installed but the others ????

We then went to look for the book of instructions. It ended up being a trip down memory lane. We looked at baby clothes, a Cabbage Patch doll, stuffed animals, and other items that have been stored in tubs. We got to one that was son's stuff. In it was a stamp collection that belonged to both his grandmothers. We dug deeper and found some pictures that we got a laugh about. Son taken while in college. Then we got into something I hadn't seen for years. Sketches that my dad's oldest brother sent to us when I was a child. They were done by Stewart Cameron in 1951 about the Calgary Stampede. I found this picture of them on Ebay. 

I remember that we would look at them very carefully when growing up. My mom gave them to me when she sold the house back in the early 1990's. Two of the prints have been framed and the rest have been carefully store so they wouldn't bend. 

We also found an old VHS tape and son thinks it is of him riding bulls. I don't know if they will have it digitized and put on a thumb drive or not. In the end, we didn't find the booklet so we came upstairs and I left for home shortly after that. 

Once home, I grabbed the weeding tools and my tub and weeded the front of the house. I also pulled some large weeded from the lawn. With that job done, I was ready to come in and rest. My SI joint had been aching all day. 

Sewing

I sewed yesterday and did some adjusting on the first placemat. I cut the black border back to 1/4" and then added the navy blue border to the 4 sides. Next I added the flying geese to the 4th side. I like it a lot better and it will match the apron. It also allowed me to get them the correct size for placemats. 

I sewed 6 more geese blocks together and am ready to start on the next placemat. 

I will cut back the black on this one and then add the blue borders. Then on to the next one. 

Knitting

I knit 4 rows on the afghan last night as that was all the time I had after getting in from weeding. 

Thoughts

    We still have a lot of moisture in the air. I emptied the dehumidifier yesterday afternoon. I got 2.5 days before emptying it. The air is drier as we haven't had rain since Friday afternoon and the next rain is to come tomorrow night. 

    I picked all the ripe tomatoes yesterday. Three of them split and were tossed into the compost bin. I did end up with 5 ripe ones. More are ripening but it will be a few days before they are ready. I also fertilized the cucumber plants they are growing rapidly now and need the extra food. The jalapeño peppers are growing but won't be ready until September. 

    I took Tylenol last night so I would sleep better. I also rolled my hip an SI joint and had several cracks as everything released. I did have a good sleep which was lovely. My SI joint is a bit sore this morning but it is manageable. 

    I wasn't going to weed yesterday but it was really nice outside last night so I did some. I have between 3 and 4 days left to weed around the house and down the driveway. I also want to dig out the big weeds in the front lawn. Though I don't need to do them it gives me something to do outside. I may even get the hedge tackled before late fall.  

Today

I need to fold the laundry, weed some more, and prep for dinner. I want to sew this afternoon and then knit tonight.

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

Twenty Flying Geese Made

 Yesterday was one of sunshine, wind, and rain. The high got to 23C (humidex 25C). This morning is clear and 14C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a chance of showers this afternoon. The high is to get to 24C (humidex 27C).

Lifestyle

I spent a good hour pruning the shrub at the front door. The deer haven't touched it since winter and it was getting wild. I took 4 Rubbermaid dishpans stuffed full of clippings off it. It is now not on the steps or hanging over onto the lawn. I also pulled the remaining weeds around the shrub and down the little sidewalk. 

Once inside, I went down and starched the fabric and panels for the placemats and apron. I pressed them and then hung them on the drying rack out on the deck. 

As I had put fabric out to finish drying, the wind had to come up and blow the smaller pieces off the rack. I did pull them inside about 45 minutes later as they were dry. 

I took out the recycling to the garage and as I was doing that my knees, SI joint, and muscles started to hurt. It was not fun doing things being so sore but I pushed forward wondering what I had one wrong. It was the air pressure dropping I discovered later when I looked out the window to see it raining hard. I sat on heat to get some relief. 

Family was over to see if I wanted to go to New Minas. I declined as I was sore and had been there the day before. I did talk to them for a few minutes. Daughter-in-law has a nasty summer cold and took the afternoon off work. I don't blame her as she needed to rest and get well. 

Sewing

I did sew even if I was sore. I actually took off the slides I was wearing and stood in my sock feet while making flying geese. I decided to do assembly line sewing. I made 5 blocks and ended up with 20 geese. 

As far as my calculations go, I need 5 per placemat with a small piece of the rust added to the top. I am still thinking of having no black strip around the picture as I am doing navy blue binding. 

I will not be adding a border to them but will just quilt the print and bind them. I am keeping them simple. The club they are going to can either auction them off as a set of 4 or with the apron. 

Knitting

I knit 8 rows on the afghan last night. The ball of yarn is getting smaller and smaller or should I say the hole in the middle is getting larger. 

There is a few more nights of knitting left in this ball and then on to the next one.

Thoughts

    I saw 3 hummingbirds at my neighbour's feeder yesterday morning. I was excited to see them there as I have only seen one or two around us. I may have to put out a feeder next year to see if we can attract more. 

    I was shocked to see it raining yesterday afternoon. It was a good down pour but it didn't last long. It also didn't get dark as there were no thunder clouds in our area. There were in other parts of the province. Everything is green and lush with all the rain we've had in the past 4 days. 

    I ate my first ripe tomato off my plants and it was sweet. I also gave one to family to enjoy. I will be picking more tomorrow to share with them. 

Today

I have to go grocery shopping and then will prep dinner when I get home. I also have to clean up the kitchen. I want to sew on the placemats this afternoon and knit tonight. A day off from weeding unless it is just to pull a few weeds if I have time. 

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

A Morning of Fabric Shopping

 Yestereday's weather included sunshine, clouds, rain, thunder, lightening, and some wind. The high got to 25C (humidex 29C). This morning it is clear and 15C. Today is supposed to be similar to yesterday; sunshine, rain, etc. The high is supposed to get to 23C (humidex 26C).

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I was downstairs early to play with the flying geese on the apron. I sent daughter these ideas to choose from. 

I was then out to buy fabric. My first stop was the quilt shop closest to me. I got the navy blue fabric I wanted for the body of the apron. I really didn't look at the fabrics as I needed to get to the other quilt shop. 

At the second quilt shop, I stopped to talk to one of the ladies who is so nice. She told me my bag has been a hit. Two ladies from Ontario voted for it. Another lady voted for it and took a picture of the sea gull block. I am flattered that people like it but still don't think it will win. 

I found the first piece of fabric I wanted. I knew it was in stock. These are for the main part of the flying geese block.

The second fabric was elusive as I think I bought the last of it a while ago. I have 2 meters in my stash for a quilt. My second choice was this one. 

Once these were cut, I looked at a couple of pieces of fabric that caught my eye. I took pictures of them with the dog print but I am thinking of them for me. This one is Cotton Tale Diamond

I also loved this print which goes with the diamonds.

The other print was this one which has a full line to it. It is called Always At My Side and the lovely shade of blue is included in this one also.

I have to say my brain was churning with ideas not only for dog items but for my house. 

After that wonderful visit, I went to Dollarama to pick up some more treats for daughter's dogs and cat. Their Christmas shopping is done. I wanted to get home before it got too warm outside. 

Once home, I put the fabric into the washer and had lunch. I was going to work on the flying geese blocks but it turned dark and thunder was rumbling. I don't sew when it is dark as my room doesn't have the best lighting. 

I got up to check to see if the street light was on as it was so dark. It wasn't. I sat and listened to the thunder rumbling and saw a few flashes of lightening. A few big fat drops of rain started to fall and suddenly the sky opened up and it poured rain for almost 2 hours and then we had rain for at least another hour after that. There was a lot of thunder and we were under a thunderstorm warning. I did read there was flooding in town which is normal with these types of storms. 

I did knit last night and got 7 rows done. 

I woke at midnight to thunder and got up to close the windows and turn on the a/c. The thunder rolled in on another storm and it rained hard for a good hour. 

Thoughts

    I am slowly pulling out weeds every time I go outside. Yesterday I finished weeding the shrub at the front door and then along the front. I still have to go back along the front to get some weeds in the lawn. I also need to prune the shrub. I am picking away at it as every weed pulled is another weed gone. I will slowly get it done. 

    I tracked the storms yesterday and they are coming from the west and are not tropical storms. The temperature dropped 7C in less than an hour. There was no humidex reading after 1 pm. We have had a lot of rain over the last 2 days and I am assuming the water table is high. Everything is lush and green.

Today

I want to trim the hedge this morning. When done, I will do some cleaning in the house. I want to start sewing flying geese blocks this afternoon. I hope to knit tonight. 

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

More Designing, More Ideas

 Yesterday was sunny and warm with a high of 25C (humidex 28C). This morning it is clear and 14C. Today is supposed to be mainly sunny with a chance of showers late this afternoon. The high is supposed to get to 25C (humidex 30C).

Lifestyle

It was osteopathy day and I was at Sackville for a 10 am appointment. I was perfectly aligned with equal weight on both feet -- a first for me. She found some tight muscles and worked on them. There was pain as expected as they needed to relax.  I am slowly improving which is nice.

Once done, I went into shop in Sackville. My first stop was Dollarama. I walked the aisles looking for items to tuck away for Christmas. I got daughter's dogs and cats some treats and her another towel and some cloths for washing dishes. A good start on Christmas shopping. 

My next, and last, stop was at the grocery store. I got a few groceries and left. It was time to go home. I was starting to feel the effects of osteopathy. 

At home, I had some watermelon and promptly fell asleep on the couch. I wasn't surprised as these treatments can do that to me. I am also still getting over the heat wave we had. 

I did take out the garbage last night and enjoyed the lovely weather. I pulled weeds around the bush by the front door and I need to trim it back. The deer haven't touched it this summer and it has grown a lot. 

I have tomatoes that are ripening and am looking forward to eating them. 

I have more baby cucumbers and am hoping they will grow quickly. 

Sewing

I did go downstairs to work on the apron. I cut out the bottom border print. I sprayed some starch on it and gave it a good pressing. 

The top seam allowance is 1/4" and the bottom is 5/8". 

I then turned my attention to the panel I had dug out and I am going to cut them pieces apart. The 4 outer ones will become placemats and the inner one will be put away for another project. 

Carol, I love your suggestion of running the flying geese vertically. I will be playing with that before I go fabric shopping this morning. Thank you for the suggestion. 

Knitting

I did not knit last night. 

Thoughts

    The sky was gorgeous yesterday. A beautiful blue with puffy white clouds floating around. There was no sign of the humidity haze which was lovely. Though it was quite warm outside, it didn't bother me at all. I enjoyed my time outside when shopping, watering the vegetables, and picking some weeds. 

    I had the windows opened all night and the house is cool and smells really nice. I opened the back door this morning so more cool air can come in. I love these kinds of mornings and have been grateful that we had quite a few of them this summer. 

    My next door neighbour has 2 bird baths in their backyard. I enjoy watching the red winged blackbirds bathing and drinking in them. She has done a lot of work in the backyard this summer as she was off work for a good 6 weeks. It is a lot of maintenance but she is keeping up with it. 

Today

I am going to get the fabrics for the apron and placemats this morning. Once home, I will launder the fabrics and cut out the placemats. If I have time, I will start making the flying geese. I hope to knit tonight. I have to water all the plants due to the heat we are supposed to have. 

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

More Design Work On The Apron

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with one heavy rainfall in the afternoon. The high got to 26C (humidex 33C). This morning it is clear and 17C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 27C (humidex 30C). 

Lifestyle

I started the morning out by putting the sheets into the laundry and then cut up the chicken breast for dinner. It had to marinate in a soya sauce mixture for the day. I then proceeded to clean the kitchen and do the dishes I had used. I also decided to make a bowl of jello with peaches in it. By that time, it was time to put the sheets into the dryer and finish cleaning up. The kitchen looked neat and tidy when I got done. 

My knees started to hurt shortly after lunch. I pushed through the pain but wondered why as I had done nothing out of the ordinary. Just after 4 pm, I knew. It started to rain; a light rain that turned into a down pour. You could hear it coming down inside the house. It was so heavy that water was running down the driveways onto the road and cars were going through deep channels of water. It lasted about 20 minutes and it was done. It certainly made me sore as the storm built up. I also stood in the window and watched the rain fall. 

Sewing

I did spend quite a while in the sewing room working on the apron. I made more flying geese and got them put together. I added an almost square piece to each end and pinned it in place. I kept moving it down as I felt it was too high. 

The dark pieces at each end will be the same colour as the apron body. This was done in scraps to help me figure out what I needed to do with the flying geese border. 

Daughter wanted a second border with the dogs on it. I dug out the fabric and showed her what it would look like. 

Now that we know it will go on to the apron, I will cut it out. I had used a piece of it for something last year and what is left of that piece is the perfect width for the apron. 

Next up was to figure out what fabrics to use for the apron body and the flying geese. For the flying geese, I wanted blue for the sky and threw this orange piece on for the geese. I also put on a piece of tan coloured fabric which we will not be using. We are not sure about the orange piece but it stays for now. 

Next came the body fabrics. The first choice was out the window so I put these two onto the table. 

The plaid is one choice and the print could be the geese though it is quite dull. I then put a piece of dark blue down for the apron body. It is the 2nd choice of which daughter now has to choose. 

With those choices on the table, I then thought about how to make the apron. It is unlined but I will have to line this one. I flipped ideas through my brain and finally decided on how to do it. Easy when you think about it. I will cut out and make the outer apron. The lining will be a plain apron. I will sew it together at the sides and bottom. The top can be done as per instructions and the facings will be added to the upper side sections so the tie can go through them. 

Next on the list is to get what fabric we need, wash it, spray starch it lightly, and then start cutting and sewing the apron. I am not worrying about the flying geese as I only have 10 to make. Better than the 50 to 100 I would have to make for a quilt. 

Knitting

I did knit on the afghan last night. I got 7 rows done and the colour is changing once again. 

Thoughts

    I have 4 or 5 tomatoes almost ripe and I will be picking them soon. They will be shared with family. There are a lot more tomatoes turning a pale green which means they are getting ready to turn red. If they all ripen, it will be a bumper crop for those 2 plants. 

    Our weather is going to cool off at nights which will be nice. I love having the windows open all night and not having to turn the a/c on until noon or a bit later. We can still have another round or 2 of the hot humid weather but it shouldn't last as long as this one did. 

Today

I am out for osteopathy this morning and then will decide if I will do a bit of shopping or not. It depends on how I feel after the treatment. I have to figure out what I want for dinner tonight and I would like to play with the apron some more this afternoon. I will knit tonight. 

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

Designing An Apron

 Yesterday was sunny and hot. The high got to 27C (humidex 33C). This morning it is partly cloudy and 16C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 27C (humidex 32C).

Lifestyle

I got up to do my chores earlier than normal. I folded the laundry and put it away first thing. I wanted the job done and out of the way. 

I decided to clean my bedroom as I haven't done it thoroughly for quite a while. I wiped all the furniture with a damp cloth and it had dust on it. I also wiped the floor where Rosie doesn't go. It was also dusty. The rest of the floor was clean so I left it for Rosie to do after lunch. I also did some other cleaning in the room that needed doing. I was happy to have a nice smelling room when I got done. 

My next job as to clean the kitchen. I did the counters and stove plus washed a few dishes. I left the appliances as I had to switch on the humidity control in the fridge. I had moisture on the edge of one door. I will do the appliances next as they have lots of finger prints on them. 

Later in the afternoon I emptied the dehumidifier. The tank was almost full due to the hot humid weather we had. I have been emptying it every other day due to the high humidity. 

I didn't sleep well last night. I am not sure why but it happened. I was up around 3 am to the bathroom and I opened the windows in the house. It was 18C outside. Time for the a/c to be off and the cool outside air to be inside. 

Sewing

After a battle with myself as I was tired, I went downstairs to find an apron pattern to sew. I found this one in my tiny collection of patterns. 

I traced the blue one onto tracing pellon as it is the easiest one to cut up and add a border to. 

As I was on a roll, I got out some scrap fabric and made flying geese. I used the method I learned last summer and took my time to make these. I do love my flying geese ruler which family gave me a couple of Christmas's ago. 

I carefully sewed them together and started to play. I grabbed some left over piping to help me. My first try was okay. 

Laying them on the pattern helps me visualize what I want to do. I could see what it was going to look like. I then took the flying geese and started them at the center front. 

This really helped me as I now know I have to add one more flying goose to the end plus a piece of the apron fabric. The main fabric will allow me to turn under the hem at the side. 

I will make two more sets of flying geese so I have 12 flying geese. Then I will work on where to place the strip of them on the apron. I am thinking about 2/3rds the way down the front. I may make a few smaller flying geese to put up at the top of the apron. I wait and see on that one. 

Knitting

I did sit and knit 7 rows on the afghan last night. I did enjoy working on it after a short break. 

Thoughts

    I did a quick survey of my lawn this morning. The cinch bug damage is unreal. A quick google states my lawn has had lots of nitrogen for growing which they love. My neighbour and I are the only ones who have well tended lawns and both of us have cinch bug damage. Everyone else doesn't. 

    I have 4 or 5 tomatoes to pick as they are almost ripe. The plants have lots of tomatoes on them and they are turning colour. The jalapeño peppers are growing but I lost some blooms during the heat wave. The cucumber plants have a lot of blooms but not a lot of little cucumbers can be seen. We wait and see about them. 

    The developer is working like crazy every day moving soil from between us and the highway. There is a never ending noise all day long and we have dump trucks parked on our road waiting to back in to be loaded. The developer is also developing an area down closer to the hospital and I was told he is doing all this because of grant money to build more homes. Though he sells the homes for a big price, there are a lot of homes for sale in his development as people are moving out. 

    It is so nice to have the house opened up this morning and cool air coming in. We really needed this coolness after the heat we had. Yesterday was as hot as the previous days but it wasn't muggy when you went outside. It wasn't soupy outside which was nice. 

Today

I am going to finish cleaning the kitchen and launder my sheets. I do have to water the all the plants today. I want to play with the apron pattern so I know where to cut the pattern apart to add the border. Tonight I will knit on the afghan. 

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

The Day Was A Bust

 Yesterday was another sunny humid day with a high of 27C (humidex 35C). This morning it is somewhat cloudy and 20C (humidex 27C, no heat warning). Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 27C (humidex 33C). 

Lifestyle

First - I just heard and saw 5 Canada geese fly over us. Fall must be approaching as we only hear them in the spring and fall. 

Yesterday was a first class bust for me. I was virtually nonfunctional and moved at a snail's pace. I was able to do some research on something that interested me. I had thought about making cookies to sell. I worked on a bit of a plan in which I learned a lot of information. Then I did some googling about selling them in our area and it isn't going to happen. There are 4 places that sell homemade cookies. I put it to bed. I did learn a lot and can use some of that information when I do have to make cookies. 

After I ate lunch, I laid down for a nap. It turned into a 2 hour deep sleep. I did wake up feeling a bit better but not great. I was in no shape to do any sewing or knitting. It was a day of doing nothing but a few odd things I could find to do without having to think too much. 

I did sleep well last night and will be able to do more today but I will have to monitor myself so I don't nap or over do it. I know the heat we will have today will make me tired. 

Today

I want to clean the kitchen up as it needs some love. I have to fold the laundry also. I want to look at my apron patterns and choose one to make so daughter can donate it at a field trial. I hope to knit tonight. It is a day of getting back on track. 

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