Doll Outfit Thoughts

 Yesterday was warmer than it has been with a high of 24.8C and a humidex of 32C. The sun shone though there were cloudy periods during the day. This morning it is 15C and foggy. It is suppose to be another sunny day with a high of 27C (humidex of 32C). We are suppose to have showers overnight. 

Lifestyle

I spent the morning watering most of the lawn and garden. While I was doing that I did some housecleaning that needed to be done as the cleaners come today. 

I zoomed the Alzheimer's support group and it was a good meeting. We meet again on Oct. 17. 

I was tired (or was it sadness or depression) in the afternoon and rested. It could have been the heat and humidity got to me once again as I had to run the a/c. I put dinner on to cook in the oven and returned containers to my neighbor and visited for a half hour. 

I did call for an update on the Spousal Unit. He slept most of Sunday, was awake all Sunday night and yesterday. They are doing what they can with him as they prepare him for long term care. 

Last evening our neighbor came over for a visit and her youngest came over a bit later on. We chatted about school as he is now going to the same private school our grandson is. He's having quite the learning curve -- homework, planning, and keeping his agenda sorted. It will come with some time. One thing he knows is that he loves the food and eats lots. A big chuckle over that. 

Sewing

I didn't go into the sewing room yesterday but did some research on this little outfit. 

It is Samantha's cycling outfit. I have a blouse pattern that looks like this but is plain in the front. I looked at the the video on adding the gathers to the front of the blouse on Pixie Faire's Pattern Academy course. I can use the bodice sloper, make the adjustments, add the seam allowances and then take the pattern I have and add the sleeves and neckband. I have a tan striped fabric I can use. 

There is this pattern by Kindred Spirit for boy's knickers. The pattern which is the same pattern as the one a friend used to make knickers for her doll's bicycle outfit. I may need to buy fabric for it after I look in the stash.

I have the hat and will add a new ribbon and flowers to it to complete the outfit. 

Knitting

I got a few rounds knit on the socks last night. I am almost half done the foot on the 2nd sock. Progress is being made. 

Today

I have to finish getting ready for the cleaners, grocery shop, do a bit of sewing room clean up, and go to grandson's soccer game. I am buying something easy to cook for dinner tonight as we won't be home until 5 pm or later. I do hope to knit tonight. 

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

A Busy Sunday

 Yesterday was another lovely fall day. The sun shone and it got to 25.6C with a humidex of 29C. This morning it is 14C and we are to have about the same temperature, including humidex, as yesterday.

Lifestyle

Yesterday, I went out in the cool of the morning and picked the tomatoes. 

I checked the peppers and there were 2 ready to pick; one had turned red.

I looked at the beans and they are in full bloom. We should be eating beans by the end of the month.

The peas have just started to bloom and we make get peas also. I will be watching the weather and covering plants at the first mention of frost. 

The next job was to clean and bag the garlic. I did that in the shed with the big door open. I cried some as I did it. I was doing as the Spousal Unit asked; getting them ready for our daughter-in-law. I have to say they weren't sad tears but happier ones.

The little bag has tiny garlic that grew on the stems. There were 35 bulbs of garlic in the bag. I will be planting more again this fall. I will do it right after Thanksgiving. 

Son was over after lunch for a quick visit. He had gone to see the Spousal Unit. He said he was tired and fell asleep on him. I didn't call for an update for I'm assuming he slept a lot yesterday. He seems to get days and nights mixed up. 

Daughter-in-law and grandson were over last night. Grandson hurt his ankle and he iced it. Daughter-in-law mowed the lawns. I will begin to water all the lawns as they are crispy in areas. They need a good rain which isn't in the forecast. 

Sewing

I finished the muslin for the Soutache dress. I learned a lot doing a muslin which I am glad I did.

I learned so much about the pattern. The next time I will add 1/4" to the bottom of the bodice so I can lower the embroidery that much. The sleeve band needs to be 1 1/4" wide so you can hem it nicely when done. I cut 3/8" off the center back seam.

I need to measure the skirt once again so I know how long to make it. I want a 1/2" hem on this dress. I am pleased I took the time to make sure the embroidery was on top of the pleats on the front. It was worth it. The only thing I need to read up on is the center back seam of the skirt. I didn't do it correctly.

This is not a dress to be rushed. I had to really think about it as I was trying to get it to look as I had envisioned it. It paid off in the end. In all the embroidery is well digitized and the pattern only needs a few personal tweaks to be the way I want it.

The pink fabric is washed and ready to be pressed. I will be cutting out the pattern next week as the cutting table needs to be cleared off and daughter's quilt sandwiched. 

Knitting

I pulled out the sock and my book and saw I had 35 rows knit. I dug out the 2nd one and started to knit on it. I got 6 rounds done on it last night. I'm starting to knit most nights once again. I will probably start knitting in the basement this winter so I can stream shows from the iPad onto the big TV.

A pattern showed up for testing so I downloaded it and will knit when the socks are done. It is a cute cardigan which I want to knit for Kit. I have an idea for an outfit for her that will have a 1920-30's vibe. 

Today

 I have a few chores to do, a support group meeting at 10:30 a.m., and I want to start tidying up the sewing room. I have to start watering the lawn and garden this morning. 

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

Into The Sewing Room I Went

 Yesterday was a lovely fall day full of sunshine and a high of 23.1C. This morning it was 13C and sunny. It is suppose to get to 27 with a humidex of 32C. We are to have warmer temperatures for a couple of days. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I did some cleaning up and washed some floors. It was difficult as my back and knee were sore and stiff. But I persisted and was happy with what I could do. I'm looking forward to being able to do more as time goes on as I start physiotherapy on Wednesday. 

I bought myself dinner last night as part of my eating out once a month plan. I am going to aim for the middle of the month for this treat. 

I called about the Spousal Unit and the nurse and I had a great chat. She got him up into the special chair for the day. He ate more food and she talks to him a lot about gardening which he enjoys. She asked about two scars he has from surgeries he had and I explained them. I talked about his arm pain he gets due to distress and what caused it. It was great to pass information back and forth. 

Sewing

I did go down to sew but spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out the top tension issue with the machine. I'm going to have to google it. In the process of trying to figure it out, I fixed the needle threader. That took a bit of time but I'm glad it is now working. I also put a new needle into the machine. I have the top tension at -5.0 for glide thread.

I did sew in the 2nd sleeve into the dress and am ready to hand sew the lining around the sleeve opening. 

I will only have to serge the sleeve and sleeve band seams when I do the dress again. Part of the learning curve. 

I did cut the sleeve band 1 1/4" wide for the 2nd sleeve and it was much easier to hand sew it into place neatly. 

Just before I left the sewing room I played a bit with the skirt. Some pressing and adjusting and I'm now ready to attach it to the bodice. 

I am happy that I took the time to have the embroidery on top of the pleats as it is so beautiful. I am looking forward to making this dress in pink with dark pink embroidery. To date it has been worth the time to do a muslin.

I spent time getting all the beads my neighbor gave into baggies and sorted out the bags I am keeping. The rest is ready to go to the little girl I sew doll clothes for as she does crafts. I did some searching for how to make necklaces for dolls and I found this on Oh Sew Kat's blog. I followed this link for a great tutorial. I have everything but the beading thread including super glue. I am putting this on my to do list for October. 

Knitting

I knit on the socks yesterday and did more rounds than I've done since picking it up. I am 5 rounds from stopping and doing the other sock. I will have to start thinking about what doll's sweater I will knit next. I am thinking of something for the Gotz dolls this time. 

Today

I slept in this morning. I have to do a load of laundry and pick tomatoes before it gets hot. I want to sew on the doll's dress during the heat of the day and may wander over to return our neighbor's containers after supper. It is going to be a slow day for me as I still get tired easily. 

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

The Week Ended Well

Yesterday was another lovely day. After the fog burnt off, it was sunny and warm. The high got to 24.2C. This morning it is 13C and we are to have sunshine and 22C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I finished up the expense sheet and it was a great feeling to know I don't have to do it again until the end of the month. I'm ready to keep this up to date as I start to build a new budget. 

I called the hospital administrator and asked to discuss why I can't get updates from the nurses on the Spousal Unit. She got the unit manager to call me and we had a good one hour talk about it. He was so kind and considerate about everything. His explanation gave me the answers I needed. He called me back just as he was leaving for the weekend and gave me the news that I can call the nurses and get detailed updates. I thanked him profusely for his kindness and calling me just as he was leaving. All my issues with the hospital are resolved. 

I also got a call from the hospital care coordinator and she is as nice as the community care coordinator I had. We talked about the process of the Spousal Unit going from one unit to another and then into long term care. She will become more involved once the Spousal Unit is stabilized. The only thing she has to do is called to get the application for subsidy expedited as he will be going from the hospital to long term care not from home. 

I called for an update and the nurse said to ask questions. I was slightly taken back. We had a good chat. The Spousal Unit is on the new medication and it's too early to know if it is working but there have been good spells with some behavior issues. He won't get out of bed; his stubborn side is showing up. He is eating some but not a lot. They can't wait for me to come in and see him. He certainly has improved some but isn't stabilized to go to the next unit.  

The chickens are gone so I don't have to worry about them. I hope the person refrains from buying more next year unless he is prepared to have them in a proper pen or me calling the county office. 

It was a busy day for me and I was exhausted and falling asleep by 7:30 p.m. I was in bed shortly after that. I really needed to sleep as I slept much better last night. 

Sewing

I spent some time starting to put beads my neighbor gave me into plastic bags. I am keeping some and giving some to the little girl I sew for. I have ideas for one batch of beads, others will be come necklaces and bracelets for the dolls. In truth I'm trying to get it cleaned up and off the couch before the cleaners come. 

I decided to have an early lunch and take off to the quilt store. I needed to get out of the house and have a change of scenery. The shop is now run by someone new with the old owner having a classroom in the back. She has a nice selection of fabrics to choose from; not huge like it was and the prices remained like they were. I got the backing, batting, and binding for daughter's quilt. The fabric I bought so much of is discontinued which is sad. It was such a popular blender in our area. 

I also got daughter a piece of fabric and one for Lily, one of my Gotz dolls. 

It is a gorgeous batik and I will be just doing a bit of top stitching on it. I want the batik to shine. I will make Lily a pearl necklace to wear with it. 

I saw this piece of fabric and will be deciding if I want to get it so I can make myself 2 placemats and a couple of potholders. I have some fabric in the stash to use with it. 

I also have to look for fabric and tea towels for daughter-in-law for her Christmas present. She wants them to match her upstairs. 

Next up I have to clean the sewing room and look at all the gifts I made up until April. Then I will begin finishing up my Christmas sewing. 

It felt good to start thinking of sewing once again as my stress level is down and I've got a lot done in the last week. 

Today

I am going to do some cleaning this morning, work more on bagging the beads, and try to sew this afternoon. I am sore but I need to push through and get things ready for the cleaners. I'm trying to get some sort of schedule that I can follow as I take over more of the house and yard work. I can't wait to be well enough to do that. 

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

The Darn Chickens Did Me In

 The weather has cooled off some with mornings being foggy and the days mainly sunny and in the mid 20C. It has been delightful. 

Lifestyle

The Spousal Unit has been put on a new medication that is helping with his behaviors. He asked son if he looked better than when he went in "there" and son said he has. He is in a good mood and is eating better. I am happy to hear about it. 

I did get the expense sheet caught up to date and will be starting a new budget for September though I do have expenses from August showing up to be paid this month. But, I can see what my own expenses will look like for the month. Now I can focus on doing more cleaning and purging in the house. 

I was to see the doctor on Tuesday and am to have physiotherapy on my back to help get rid of the sciatica pain in my back and knee. My goal is to start walking most mornings to rebuild my strength. 

Yesterday I hit the end of my tether. The neighbor has chickens and they run loose everywhere. I chased them out of the yard in the morning while talking to our neighbor. He can't put his dog out on a leash as it would kill the chickens. I called the county and reported them being on the loose. Late in the afternoon, they were in my yard again. They ate and did damage to the cherry tomatoes, were lying in the Early Girl tomato box, and did some damage to the leeks. 

I chased the out after taking the picture and called the county office. The fellow I talk to came out with another person. They saw the chickens in the neighbor's yard, the destruction in my yard and they even got to step in chicken poop. A lady walking with her dog told them her dog killed one of the chickens and explained how they got into her yard 3 houses and a playground up from my house. The owner of the chickens was finally home and the men talked to him. His chickens were locked in the chicken coop. I wait and see what happens. 

I was saddened to hear of the passing of HRM Queen Elizabeth II yesterday. She was such a gracious lady who gave her life to service. She also had a great sense of humor and it really shone when she did the video clip with Paddington Bear to open her Platinum Jubilee. I loved the sketch done by Eleanor Tomlinson and here is how it showed up yesterday on Facebook. 

And another one showed up in my Facebook feed which was touching.

Anyways, everything came to a head last night and I cried. It was all stress related. Also, I was in a lot of pain yesterday which didn't help. I am tired this morning and just sad. I will be fine as I think my emotions had, once again, built up and crying helps me pick myself up and keep moving forward.

Today

I am going up to the quilt shop to look for backing, batting and binding for daughter's quilt. She wants me to look at one piece of fabric for her. I will do some housework this morning as I need to start cleaning up for the cleaners on Tuesday. I'm slow as I have the sciatica pain to deal with while I do things. 

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

All Is Good Here

Though it is still sunny, it has been cooler and less humid. Yesterday the high was 23.4C with a humidex of 25C. Yesterday morning it was 7C and this morning it is 10C. Today is suppose to be sunny and 24C (humidex of 27C).

Lifestyle

Life has been busy. I get a list of things completed and another list pops up to be done. It has been exhausting to say the least. On the go every day doing something. 

The Spousal Unit has stabilized on the dosage changes of his medications. He was eating his breakfast himself yesterday I was told. He is weak and not walking which has to be addressed. He is in his own world though he asked if daughter-in-law and grandson when visiting by their names and told grandson he needed someone with a strong back and a weak mind to do a job for him. One of his sayings.

On the up side, I got 2 months of expenses into the spreadsheet and have 4 more months to go. Starting this month, family and I will be building a new budget for me. I'm going to have to think before I buy anything but I'm not going to deprive myself. I need to figure out what I need. I deprived myself for so long but I can't go overboard on spending.

Elliott is settling down and is doing much better. I am keeping his litter box super clean which helps him stay less stressed. He sleeps with me all night and likes to be near me during the day when I am home. He has gone back to sleeping under his blanket on the bed during the day. 

I have started to think about meal planning. I made 8 mini meat loaves yesterday and they are wrapped individually and in the freezer. Next up will be 2 lasagnas for the freezer. I need to find some chicken meals. I need quick and easy meals to heat up as I hope to be able to go in and feed the Spousal Unit once a day. I'm back to thinking about an Instant Pot.

Sewing

I spent one afternoon in the sewing room and got the bodice done to having one sleeve inserted.

The sleeve band needs to be about 1/4" wider so I can fold it under nicely to hand stitch down. The sleeve goes in nicely and looks great. I am happy with the results. I'm learning as I go and sewing a muslin as been worth it. 

I did clean off a bit of the cutting table the other day and need to do more. It took me 10 minutes to do it and it made me feel better not having so much clutter on the table. 

I have been looking at the family room and will be using it to watch TV this winter. I am going to put away all the puzzles and use that table to photograph dolls on. I'm not sure what else I will use it for but I will figure it out.

I need to go to the quilt store and buy the backing, batting, and binding for daughter's quilt. That will be my big purchase for this month. I also need to buy a half meter of lilac cotton for Lily's dress. 

I found this free pattern for a quilt that uses 10 fat quarters of which I will have to buy 10 half meters for the Spousal Unit's quilt. The printable pattern is here. I will add borders to this quilt to make it bigger.

Today

I'm off to the city with daughter-in-law and our neighbor to shop. We are doing the Costco run and I hope Walmart. It will be my first trip to Costco since May. I'm expecting it to be a long day. 

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

Another Good Day

 Yesterday was another warm day with a high of 25.6C. The humidity made it feel more like 32C. There was a rain storm come in just before 5 pm and we had close to 1" of rain. It was quite windy. This morning it is 17C and calm. The high is to get to 26C with a humidex of 29C.

Lifestyle

Son visited with the Spousal Unit yesterday. He was awake and alert but knows no one. He did talk to our son but mainly things from his world. He had slept most of the morning. It seems as if he is stabilizing which is good. The adjustments to the dosage of his medication is working. 

I was tired yesterday as I slept poorly. The house is too warm with no breeze at night. I did go out and scrubbed the beets ready to give away. 

They are the worst crop of beets we've grown in many, many years. I had thinned them but it just wasn't the year for beets. I did take them over to our neighbors to have for a meal. No beets next year. 

I rested the rest of the morning as the heat got to me while outside. In the afternoon I was out for an appointment and that was 90 minutes long and I have follow up to do. 

Later in the afternoon I visited with our neighbor. We talked about quilting, my sewing machine, and many other things. While visiting it started to rain and the power went off. It was off almost 2 hours. I ate dinner in the dusk and watched the rain fall. 

Sewing 

I didn't have time to sew yesterday. Too tired and too busy. My neighbor gave me more beads which I will keep some and give some to the little girl I sew for. She does crafts and will love the bigger beads. 

I have decided, only this morning, that September will be recoup month for me. The to-do list is small but I can add to it. I also want to clean the room one afternoon a week. It really needs doing. I'm thinking deep cleaning and maybe a bit of reorganizing. 

Knitting

I couldn't knit due to the power outage and then I was too tired. Hopefully it will happen again soon. 

Today

My little to-do list will take most of the morning and then I hope to sew this afternoon. I need to plan dinner and write up a shopping list for tomorrow. A really simple day for me. 

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