How Do You Start ???

Ms Minou declined to have a Monday photo today. Madame is not feeling like being photogenic so she has retired to her rooms on the upper floor and is in seclusion.

I said no pictures Mama!!

I am trying to blog more so this will be a quick post before I go and do some finishing touches on some puppets that a co-worker expressed interest in purchasing. I am also doing laundry and trying to keep an eye on Dancing With the Stars, cleaning up from supper and doing the finishing touch ups to the house for book club on Wednesday. Its supper that has me fussing again. I spent another evening trying to figure out what to eat and ended up slapping something together instead of actually making a decent meal.

I am seriously thinking about starting to do a weekly menu plan, or maybe be two weeks. I have been thinking about this for some time.  I am ashamed at the amount of food that gets thrown out of this house. Its a sin and a shame, that is what it is. Not to mention that I am trying to be on a budget, and live a simpler healthier life.

My problem is I am not sure how to start. I rarely know what I want for supper on any given night let alone for six nights in a row. (Friday nights are No Cook ergo No Thought but I cannot eat out every night) I don't know where to start. I have been stewing about this for ages. I really think it will reduce the grocery bill, reduce the waste and reduce the bad eating habits. Perhaps healthier eating will become the easier way of doing things.

What I need to do is take some time, look through the eleventy gagillion cook books I own, find some new recipes and just do it. My goal is a weeks menu plan, with lunches being looked after by the leftovers. If I can get myself to actually sit down and do this, I hope to start this weekend. Its payday and that means groceries. I will start with one week and if I can create this habit, I will move onto two weeks.

Wish me luck as I take a hesitant step toward getting myself started on this. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

Toodles,

Linda

Are You Ready For This, Are You Hanging On The Edge of Your Seat?

Finally finally finally the red bedroom redo is finished and I have some pictures to share. Lets take a spin round the room with before and after pictures shall we.

Ok starting in the right corner and working our way to the right

First stop, here is the before:

Cream coloured furniture and mottled shiny wall paper in which none of the blobs were matched so you could see each panel of paper.

Now we have lovely grey walls and the furniture is painted white. 

100 percent improvement.

Until I saw this picture I did not realize there was WAY to much curtain on the wardrobe thingy. Its a plywood box but I hang winter coats in it and hide boxes in it so its a wardrobe.

I took one panel off and I think it looks much better.

I love this little jelly cupboard. 

I bought it at Eatons years ago and I cannot part with it. 

I have no other space for it but

 the blue and white does not really go with the rest of the room.

It fits in better now.

Here you can see the cream trim that I did not want to paint but I had to. 

Against the grey paint it looked peach and just had to go.

White trim looks a million times better. 

Even the light switch got a slap of white paint.

Cross stitched family portraits that I made for my Mom years ago.

Actually a lot of things in this room cam from my Mother's house. 

They look so much better on a freshly painted wall. 

So there it is, all done and dusted. I am beat but I am ticked pink to have it 

all finished and back in order.

My bedroom is next on the list to be done.

That will only leave the entry and upstairs hallway the only space that is how the house 

was when I bought it 6 years ago.

Time for lunch and time for a nap!!

Then on with the rest of the "to do" list.

Toodles,

Linda

Nothing Lights a Fire Under Your Butt Like Company Coming

Well I think I mentioned that I was going to get a handle on things around here and do it with a positive thought. Trust me after today, I have and I did. I'm thinking that, in the spirit of all honesty though, it was more the fact that I am going to have a house full of people this coming Wednesday that got me cleaning like a fiend than any new agey, positive thinking self improvement shenanigans. My book club is coming!!! ACK!!! To my house!! ACK!!! EEK!!! I totally forgot I had said we could use my place for the upcoming meeting and now I am firmly up to my you-know-what in deep do-do. Crap. These ladies cannot see what a mess I can create in my home and ignore for days, weeks even. This will never do.

What was I saying about a change of attitude and a positive thought? It's coming back to me. Every cloud has a silver lining and so on. With a deadline looming, I cannot put anything off, things must be done, stock must be taken, plans and lists must be made. So keeping in mind that when folk come to visit they like to have a place to sit, room to move and possibly access to a bathroom that you could use without cringing I formulated a plan and kicked it into gear this morning.

Some things were routine.  I woke when my body said it was time to get up, ( a perk of the weekend I most enjoy and do not give up easily), I ate breakfast and then got going. First order of business was finishing the painting in the red bedroom. The back of the door, the inside of the window frame and the last couple of base boards needed doing. So slap, slap, slappity, slap and the first coat of paint on and left drying.

I then moved some of the stuff back into the room, hung a few pictures and shelves, admired my work briefly before descended to the lower level to commence cleaning the main floor. I started in the laundry room and worked my way out to the kitchen, polishing, purging and organizing my way to the dining room and beyond. The paint required four hours to dry between coats and that is how long I took to get those three rooms looking like they should. I have some stuff to move to the shed that is currently in the dining room but that can wait until tomorrow. I have to make space in the shed first. ( Have I ever mentioned I live in a big jig saw puzzle? Well I do). I did take a short break to have a breather but mostly I worked. I started the living room but did not finish it. Plain and simple I ran out of steam. I still have some daylight left but I am tired so not much may happen.  I am glad to say that so many things that have been sitting untouched for months have now been sorted, put away and or dealt with. Mom would be proud.

Where was I? Oh yes, cleaning, cleaning and umm more cleaning.  Four hours later, I hiked back upstairs and painted the last coat on the trim. moved a few more things back into their places, cleaned up some of the painting tools. At sat down on the bed once again to admire my handy work. The room looks fantastic in my opinion. I love the grey paint, the white trim looks so crisp and clean. I painted the furniture white at the suggestion of the Hostess and she was right, it looks good. By tomorrow I should have the room back in order and I will be able to post before and after pictures of the whole deal. It will be lovely to get the room back in order. I am already eyeing up my room and plotting the reno on it.

Tomorrow I will finish the downstairs cleaning and do the laundry. I will put the red room back together and take pictures. I would like to plant some marigold seeds tomorrow and at least clean up the front yard. I could almost mow the lawn already!!. Its April for crying out loud. Oh yes I have some donation stuff that I am going to deal with tomorrow and then I may just pass out. This old broad is not used to all this working. I also need to clean the drain in the shower and patch paint my stairway. I have bashed the heck out the paint on the stairs hauling things up and down. Then I plan to reward myself with a nap or several. After I make soup, and sweep the veranda and wash the front window and...........where did I put that bottle of wine???

Hope your weekend is going well.

Toodles, Linda

What Does This Tell You

Ok so tonight I was working away at the king sized quilt I am making. I was happily sewing the side panels that I will be adding to the center section to make it big enough. Minou was in the kitchen having a snack and doing whatever she does. She meandered into the sewing room and up onto the sewing table as she is wont to do. I had anticipated this because if she is downstairs when I am sewing she likes to come and snoop. So I quickly grabbed a piece of polar fleece thinking its soft plushy goodness would tempt her royal butt and she would park herself on it instead of my quilt patches. Its grey, the kitty hair will not show, it should be a very tempting bed.  Ok so think about it, soft squishy polar fleece or thin cotton scraps.
Where would you want to park yourself???

Lets see which one Madam choose shall we:

Well you pick the place that is going to be the most annoying to the person sewing, that's what you do. Daft Cat!! What does this say about this silly old kitty of mine. That she loves me so much she would give up her own comfort to be just that much nearer to me, or that she knows this is annoying and she enjoys bugging me? I find it so amusing. No matter how much I think I can out think her, she get me every time. Well in-spite of her I managed to get all four sides sewn up and now I can attach them, quilt them and at last get this quilt delivered to the lady who has been patiently waiting for it.

Minou update: I am no longer sewing so she has left the craft room and is on the chair in the living room having yet another nap. Oiy.

I am in a much better mood today. Partly by choice and partly because I have the best friends ever and they make me snap out of a funk in-spite of myself. So I am choosing to be happy, I am choosing to get on with the million and one things that need to be done around here. I will finish the bedroom painting on Saturday, I will get this quilt done, I will do some yard work and I will get a handle on things once again. I will also do it all with a positive thought. Everything else will take care of itself.

Now its time for a nice cup of tea, and some tv then to bed to read. Life is good.

Toodles, Linda

Got My Crank On

Does it still count as healthy eating if you take your gluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free, vegan approved crackers and slather them with apple cranberry cream cheese? No???? Somehow I did not thing so but I have to say it makes a yummy snack. I do like the crackers on their own but the cream cheese is a bonus cause as far as I am concerned most everything tastes better with either cheese or chocolate on it. I had no chocolate in the house, so cream cheese it was. Somewhere along the line I need to figure out what to eat for supper but for now, its a snack attack.

I started out this week cranky, had a mild reprieve yesterday and today I have my crank on good and proper. What is up with me? I was supposed to go for drinks tonight with my co-workers but I just was not feeling up to being social and pleasant. I wanted to be home and sleep and ignore the fact that I am not in a good mood. I feel bad but I just could not push myself to play to the crowd. So I sent an email to the guest of honour and stayed home with my cranky self. When you feel like a toddler on the verge of a tantrum, best to keep it to yourself.

Why am I feeling this way? No clue?? No reason just the way it is.

I have been home for several hours and I have done nothing. I have not even managed to make some supper. I have eaten crackers and cream cheese and had a brief nap. This is not going to continue. I do not like being this way, so I am giving my head a proverbial shake, kicking my own butt and getting out of this funk. No one likes a gloomy person and only I can control my attitude. Growing up and trying to be the best person you are meant to be is uphill work sometimes.

So I think I need to get off the 'puter and go do something. Take a flying tackle at the mess in this house. Sew on the quilt, do the dishes, something, anything!!! I am sure the cat would be thrilled out of her little mind  if I cleaned the litter box.

New attitude coming up!!!  Tomorrow I promise!!!

Toodles, Linda

Rewarding Bad Behaviour

So since I was totally cranky all day yesterday I rewarded myself with homemade Hungarian Mushroom Soup tonight. Is that rewarding bad behaviour or is it a reward for not being cranky today. You figure it out for yourself whilst I slurp up a gallon of my most favourite soup ever. Goodness I love this stuff and it turned out so much better tonight when I actually followed the recipe instead of winging it like last time. AT LAST I have something to take to work for lunch. Buying lunch each day is far too expensive.

Tonight I am off to see The Lucky One with a couple of the No Cook Gals. I am hoping it will be good. Nicholas Sparks is usually good for a tear jerker. I shall go armed with kleenex. Then tomorrow night its drinks for a retirement party. I am thinking then I should be able to be at home and maybe get some things done. The mountainous mess in my house just keeps growing.

So maybe I should go and snag a small nap before the movie. I could use it, its month end at my work and its like being pecked to death by ducks to say the least. It can suck the life right out of you!!

Toodles, Linda

Monday Moment with Minou

Its ok Mama, I love even though you're not a cat.

Stiff and Sore Sunday

Apparently crawling around on the floor painting trim boards make me stiff and sore. I found that out this morning when I woke up and just to prove the point, I did it all over again today and now tonight I am stiff and sore once again. Ah well, its the joys of being me. My red bedroom is slowly getting to look lovely and I cannot wait to get it all back together and post the final pictures.

I cannot get on my knees, its just too painful so to do things on the ground level means either bending over at the waste and having all the blood rush to my head or I have to get flat on my belly. This method works well but then I am lifting my upper body, up off the floor with muscles that usually are allowed to lay dormant and ignored. They are not amused to be used. Really I should do more of this sort of thing, its good for me. Painful but good.

I just have the back of the door to do, and the two pieces of trim behind the door and its done. I love the grey colour. Its soft and warm, not cold and severe as grey can be at times. The white trim looks wonderfully crisp and clean. The furniture looks nice white as well. I was sad to see the cream go, I like that shade but it just did not work.

No yard work done, the quilt is still waiting to be worked on. This week will be soon enough to get at that stuff. Now the room is nearly complete, that quilt is my top priority!! Its so close to finish, I can taste it. I have two other quilts that need my attention, no wait, make that 4 quilts. I need to get stitching!!!

Right now all I want to do is watch the Bronson Pinchot Project and knit while my back  does these little twitchy things.

Toodles, Linda

When the Heck did it Turn Into Saturday

Man, I blinked and suddenly its Saturday. I intend to try and blog once a day but when the week zooms by like a demented squirrel, these things don't happen. I continue to pave the highways and byways in hell with my good intentions.

I am still painting on the spare bedroom. It was the plan to complete the trim this day but that has not happened. I did get the primer on most of the room but that was it for the trim. The headboard is completely repainted and so is the little night table. I have a second coat of red paint on the jelly cabinet but because its red, it will need at least four coats. I have lots of touch ups to do in that room.

Plain and simple, I am a-scared of heights. I do not like to climb a ladder, it turns me into a puddle of blubbering jello. So I tend to  stand on a little stool which means I am not high enough to really see what I am doing and I miss some spots. SO because I have nothing but time to redo what I should have done correctly in the first place I scratched my head and thought and considered, then I found a chair that I can stand on. This way with my little stool I can get up on to the chair and be high enough to fix my flubs whilst tricking myself into not thinking I am that high off the floor.  Problem solves so now this will be the plan for tomorrow, flub fixin' and trim paintin'. I want to get my room back together and not have to be dancing around furniture all over the upstairs.

The mess in my house is reaching critical mass and needs to be dealt with before my head blows off and I end up in little bits all over the crap explosion that used to be my home. I seem to be constantly cleaning but I think all I am really doing is moving the mess from one room to the next and back again.:-) I will learn, one day I will learn. Its so much fun trying to be all grown up and responsible.

I managed to help a friend with some sewing tonight in trade for a pizza supper. It was yummy and we got four banner made for her son's play. I was happy to be able to help. I also managed to get the curtains for her son's room cut off and hemmed for her. We had a nice visit while I bound banners and she made tassells. I thing they will make the play, I really do.

I hear my knitting calling me so I am going to go and knit while I finish the mountain of laundry I have. I have not washed clothes for a couple of weeks and it does pile up. Thank goodness for automatic machines.

Toodles,

Linda

Monday Moment with Minou

I said "you will get the quilt back when I see the tuna in my bowl!!"

DIY FYI

So I have managed to complete a couple of other projects while I am working on the red bedroom. First of all I managed to recover the cushions on my couch today,

First the before pic:

I like the size but I do not like the material, its too bold, too modern and I have never warmed to it

Now the after:

This material is not perfect, its more copper than red but I love it and now the cushions blend into the couch. They are like a sigh now not a scream for attention.

I also reframed a picture
The before:

Nice picture but sadly/badly framed. It has no presence and looks lost on the wall.

Now for the after:

Thrift store frame and the picture looks much better. You notice it now on the wall it is not lost and lonely anymore.

Toodles, Linda

Grateful for a Gloomy Day

When I went to bed last night, I had resigned myself to getting some yard work done today. I did no clean up last fall so the place is a bit of a mess. I had decided to at least get at the front yard, the one people see the most and get it looking respectable. So with that planned I went to sleep, well I did after I watched the last of season two of Downton Abbey. I am so sad I have watched it all, I want more!!! It was a lovely series, full of suprises.

I awoke this morning late as I like to on Sundays, decended to the main floor, fed Minou and then myself with a proper big Sunday morning breakfast, and then did a secret happy dance as it is rather gloomy and chilly out there this morning. I think its chilly, it looks chilly from in here and I am wont to keep my nose indoors and not bust that myth. So the yard work can wait to another day, I am staying inside today.

So far I have started to paint the furniture for the red room. I have the first coat on the night table, the head board, and the jelly cupboard. They are looking rather nice with their new white and red coats against the grey of the walls. I have also found some primer in my paint stash so I can get going on the base boards, but I may do that next weekend. I am not feeling like crawling around the room on my belly today.

I got some material yesterday to recover the throw cushions on my couch, its not quite right but I love it so much more than what is on there, So I am going to recover the cushions today.  Doing laundry and bagging up the garbage to take out tomorrow morning are all that are on my list to get done today. I will fill in the rest of the day with knitting and tv watching. I may even work a nap in there sometime. Tonight I am going to see the Artist with some friends.

Its back to work tomorrow and I am trying not to make a big sad deal out of it. Its not the end of the world, I do like my job and the people I work with, I just love my free time. Oh well, my cushions are calling me and I want to get at them. I will post pictures later.

Toodles
Linda

Rainy Friday Thoughts

Its a dull, dreary, rainy Friday and its one of those types of days that I do not mind. Its a curl up on the couch with a book and a cup of tea and read away the afternoon. I could do that today but I think I may knit for awhile and watch some tv.

I was up early this morning and cooking. How the heck did that happen??? Well we were having a farewell pot luck lunch today for one of my co-workers so I was up and making Faux tatoes, or Twice Cooked Cauliflower. Its super easy, super good and does well in the crock pot. So I was up early after a crappy nights sleep and had that in the crock pot by 9:30 this morning. The I lazed about, drinking tea, eating breakfast and having a shower. Next thing I knew it was time to hit out for the lunch.

We have some fabulous cooks on our floor and our pot lucks are delicious. Loads of food, lots of fun and laughs. Its great. I am glad I went. I was tempted to stay home because I can be a bit of a hermit if I don't give myself a push now and then. I am glad I pushed myself. Once I was fed and watered, I treated myself to a trip to two thrift stores. I think I got a picture frame for a picture in my living room that sadly needs a bigger frame.  A few knitting needles and a basket and I am home again. I forgot to get lottery tickets. Crap.

Now I have No Cook Friday to look foreward to. The Banker and I are headed to the big city tomorrow for material shopping and a Costco run. Then Sunday and my holidays are done and its back to work.

I have decided that the furniture in the Red room will be painted white. So I have to check my paint supply and see if I have any oil based primer left over and any white paint. Then maybe I can get going on the furniture and trim for that room. Its gonna look so good when its done. The little basket I bought today is going to get painted red and it will be a storage basket for that room. The blue and white jelly cupboard that is in there is going to get a slap of red paint over the blue so it will fit in better. Then get the new quilt made and I can move onto planning up my bedroom.

So much to do!!!

I love it

Toodles, Linda

progress update

Right now I am killing time waiting for the hours to pass so I can put the final coat of colour on the red bedroom. Its gone from mottled mauve/grey shiny wallpaper to a soft gray paint. It needs 6 hours to dry so I am puttering until I can slap that last coat on and the walls will be done. I am an impatient soul so I will give you a sneak peek

This is the before, whoever put up this wallpaper did not match the blotches so you can see every strip of paper in person. I had high hopes that the cream trim would be ok to go with the new paint because I do not like to paint trim. The writing was on the wall when I started to move the furniture out of there, it needed to be painted. It was badly chipped in several places. I ignored it and carried on singing lalalalala with my fingers in my ears so I could not hear it yelling at me that it needed painting as well.

Well I can't ignore it any more. Here is the room with just one coat of paint and it looks blotchy but that is because its not totally dry. The soft cream trim now looks a horrid peach colour and I see trim painting in my future. A nice crisp white will look fabulous!! I have run out of primer so the project will be delayed until pay day comes around and I can get some primer. Unless I can find some left overs but I really think I have used it all.

Now I have to figure out what to paint the headboard, night table and wardrobe. All of which are a pale cream and may look funny with the gray. White maybe, a very pale pale version of the wall colour. I have no idea. I know I won't use black or red because that may just be too much. Maybe the night table could be black, no, I don't like that idea. ARRRGH!!!! I need to call in some other opinions, I cannot make this one come together in my mind.

Moving on. I managed to get the center portion of the kingsized quilt finished. I quilted inbetween coats of paint yesterday. No I just have to add the sections onto it to make it king sized. I am going to be so glad to get this done.

I have managed to get the kitchen tidied up and right now I am in mid tidy of the craft room. I took a wee break to blog. The biggest problem in my craft room is my amazing ability to not put things away when I am done with them. I have had this talent since childhood, if my Mom was alive she could tell you all about it. So things stack and pile until there is two square inches of work space left, then I have at it an clear the stuff away. I am also astounded at how quickly the magazines can pile up in this house. I have a zillion of them and I thought I was on top of them. I need to get looking at them and then move them on.

Well I really should get back at it. I have one more counter to clean off and then I can declare this room tidied. Once that is done I can sit and knit until its time to paint again. Oh yes and I can reward myself with a nice cup of tea. I really do like being at home.

Toodles, Linda

Moving on

Whilst yesterday I felt like I was expected to hemorrhage money, today I have set those concerns aside and I have moved on to things I can deal with and control with little to no financial outlay. That would be because I have already put out the cash for the things I need. I have finally started to paint the spare bedroom or the "red" room.

This morning so far I have managed to move all the furniture out of the room except for the bed. My little crowded house has limited space and there is no where to put the bed so it will stay in the room and I will just have to work around it. There is a lot of stuff in that room, like every room in my house but amazingly it took less than an hour to yank the stuff out and stow it in the "green" room ( my room is blue, ain't I fancy???).

I am still struggling with the trim. The fact is I don't want to paint it, I do not like to paint trim but now that I have pulled the furniture away from the walls I can see how much it needs to be done. The sensible thing to do is to paint it now while all things are out of the room. I am thinking white will look best. Little Miss Crankypants, (who is one of my personalities), does not want to deal with it, wants to forget it and just do the walls. I am thinking that Miss Get On With It and Get Over It will win this argument and I will be painting the trim. Sigh. I hate painting trim. Its not like you see a lot of it anyway but it really does need to be done. Crap.

I am already plotting out the quilt I will make to use as new bed spread in there. The quilt that is on there now belonged to my Mom. I made it for her many years ago, it still looks nice but I want a change. Something lighter and brighter but still within the colour scheme of the room.

I am going to go quilt for an hour then I am headed back upstairs to start the painting.

Toodles, Linda

some days its hard to stay positive.

So I went to the dentist today to get my tooth looked at, its cracked and needs to be fixed. Root canal apparently which is still costly in spite of the fact that I have insurance. So I trotted out of there with a prescription and three future appointments which will take a healthy bite out of my pay cheque.The bathroom tape upstairs is drip drip dripping. I don't know how to replace it my self so that means finding a plumber, $$$$$. I want to replace the tapes upstairs anyway so there we go more $$$$. I need a new cord for the tv to make it work like it should and that is $20.00. I have plans to go to Winnipeg this weekend and I am not giving that up because the  universe has decided to nickel and dime me into oblivion. Not to mention my employer has decided that my years of service do not count for the additional raise they are offering other employees. The years of service counted when our jobs migrated over 8 years ago but now suddenly they have changed their minds. Sigh, we got a piddly little raise and now they don' want to give the second little piddley bit. I have a headache.

In hindsight I should not have bought the paint for the bedroom, or as much as it pains me to say it the mixer but that is done now and I am not able to go backwards. This too shall pass, it will all get paid for, life will go on and things will get done. Its just sometimes when it all stacks up on you it feels like too much.

I am going to go and quilt for the afternoon. I have no oomph to start the bedroom. Maybe I will go and get the tv cord and get my tv working like it should be. Who know????

All I can say is thank goodness for Ibuprofen

Toodles, Linda

I Quilt Therefore I Am

Its been a lovely day here on the homestead, I spent the majority of it quilting on the Square Dance quilt. I finally got material for the backing and managed to get it going today. I have almost half the center section quilted. The center section is queen sized then I will be adding bits on to make the whole deal king sized. I do not have the frames not the room to do a king sized quilt in one big piece. So its a sectional quilt.

I was up and about in decent time today. I made the all important trip to get cat food and litter. Seeing to Madam's creature comforts is of the utmost importance in this house. I stopped at Home Depot and got the paint for the red bedroom. I will be posting pictures as it goes along. When I asked the man at Home Depot for oil based primer, he asked what I was painting over. I replied wallpaper, he said wallpaper? I said yes then he asked me if it was indoor or outdoor. Did I miss the memo where outdoor wallpaper became the fashion.???? I said indoor and he nodded wisely then trotted off to get my primer.

I am in agony over the trim colour. Right now its cream and I thought that would work with the grey walls. Now I am thinking its not going to. Three pieces of furniture in there are cream as well so if it does not work I will be painting a lot more than the walls. The trim could go white, a nice crisp white, that would look fab with the grey. Then what the heck to I paint the night stand, head board and wardrobe thingy?? ( calling it a wardrobe is really glorifying it beyond all proportions but calling a big tall wooden box seems a tad harsh. It is what I hammered together to hang clothes in when I lived in my previous place. Old house no closets) So do I use black, a darker shade of grey?? I have no clue. Red ........... no that would be too much. I could go white and then think about it later. I have no idea, its making my head ache. The room will be grey, black and red on the whole. I may have to consult some of my more stylish friends on this matter. Maybe the cream will be alright but I have a sinking feeling that its not the right shade.

So with my tooth aching, my head pounding I am going to head for bed and watch Dowton Abbey. Blessedly I have a dentists appointment tomorrow.

Toodles Linda

More Changes of Plans

While I had planned to spend the day quilting, it never happened. I did not lift a needle. Well I lifted knitting needles but not a quilting needle. I just could not get in the groove to do it so I didn't try. If I had most likely things would have gone badly. Tomorrow is another day!!. Today was spent knitting and watching tv. Do you notice a pattern developing here???

I had my usual lovely Sunday morning, slept late, big breakfast, I did go out and run a couple of errands. I needed batteries, its horrible when the remote will not work no matter how many times you push the buttons. I also popped in on the Hostess. She is not feeling well. It's no fun to be not feeling well and be on your own. I did not stay long so she could rest.

I came home, started the mountain of laundry that I had waiting to be dealt with. Sheets, towels and dishcloths, clothes and some other odds and ends. I actually really like to do laundry. Its gratifying, you get quick results. You sort, wash, dry, fold and put away. It gives you a sense that you have actually done something. You see the results of your work.

While the washing sloshed and chugged in the machine, I knit away on another scrap afghan for donation. I also managed to get the personal grooming pouches sewn up. I have 15 of them ready to had their cords attached and be filled with stuff. Then Minou and I napped on the couch for awhile.

Seeing as today is Easter Sunday, I indulged in the traditional meal of ham and scalloped potatoes. It was yummy. There will be greek yogurt and strawberries for desert later with a nice cup of tea. The evening will be rounded off with me snuggled in my new sheets watching some Downton Abbey. Not a bad day if you ask me. I still am missing my family but that is how I am.

Tomorrow I will get the paint for the spare bedroom and I have to go to Walmart for cat food. Plus we have some babies coming at the office and I need to get some supplies to make a couple of blankets. I now know the colours I want to use for one of them. Thank goodness women talk, I found out what I needed to know with out having to ask too many questions.

Time to go fold sheets.

Toodles, Linda

Change of Plans

Originally I was going to be in Speedy Creek this weekend, spending time with the relatives and enjoying the Easter weekend. HOWEVER, my car had other plans, the brakes need to be fixed and while my greatly trusted garage man said it would probably be ok to go, I figured I would have a nervous breakdown every time I stepped on the brakes.  I opted to stay put. So my family is whooping it up without me and I am here. So far I have managed to do little to nothing for the last couple of days. Feeling a tad sorry for myself, yes, but its not the end of the world and I am ok with my choice.

Today was the usual running about like a demented chicken, running errands and getting groceries. Then an afternoon of knitting and finally catching up on all the episodes of Coronation Street that I have taped but never get watched. No I am sitting here blogging stuffing my little face with mini eggs. (My Easter treat). The dryer is thumping away, drying my brand new sheets. I am rather excited about them.

When I got my new bed I bought 360 thread count sateen sheets on a very good sale. $25.00 for a set with two sets of pillow cases. I thought I had a perfect deal. I hate them. They slip and slide and skid off the bed and in general make me nuts. I tend to roll like a twitchy puppy at night so these are not working for me. Zellers is having sales right now so I zipped up there this morning to get some good old 180 percale sheets. Buy one get one free. They are in the dryer as we speak!! This makes me happy. I have high hopes they will stay put.

I tried to get a leaf mower/vacuum today, Canadian Tire $49.99  but true to form they only had a couple and they sold them on Thursday. So I used my Canadian Tire money to get myself a new frying pan and patch paint for the stairs instead. Its fun to get stuff with Canadian Tire money. Its like getting free stuff. It ticks off the people in the line behind you because you have a wad of money that would choke a horse and they have to count it. That's why I go early so the place is not overly busy. I did annoy the cashier though, I could tell from all the subtle eye rolling and sighing he did.  

Tomorrow I am going to start quilting on the Square Dance quilt. I am looking foreward to it. Quilting is one of my top 10 favourite things to do, and having an entire Sunday to devote to it will be nice.  Tonight I am think I am going to sew pouches. These pouches will be filled with personal grooming items for people who are traveling through our fair city and are down on their luck. I am trying to decide if I should line them or just use a heavier material.

On Monday I am going to get the paint to do the red bedroom. I am off this next week and I always like to do some DIY on my Easter vacation. I also need to do some yard work. Not only to I have leaves and flower beds to clean off I have have the neighbourhood's garbage blowing around my poor little yard. Ugh.
So Monday its Home Depot, then clean up the yard. The tulips and daffodils are already up, they deserve a clean yard to be born into.

Well I have snarfed down my frozen pizza, munched up the mini eggs, and I have run out of things to say, its time to get sewing!!

Toodles Linda

Monday Moment with Minou

Sure, these dudes buy Mama new tv's and kitchen aid mixers, and all I get is a lousy back rub. Hmmph!!

Sunday Lazy Sunday

I had a lazy day today, the Hostess popped over after 11:00 am and I had not even managed to have breakfast yet. We chatted and then she scooted off to parts unknown doing errands and being productive. I made breakfast and lazed about until just after 12:00 pm then I decided to do at least one or two productive things.

I did laundry, fixed the curtain on the pantry cupboard, (it was too much curtain, too many ruffles), emptied the dishwasher, loaded the dishwasher and knit for most of the afternoon. Then I got my preshuzz new toy out of the box and made this, a Paula Deen Sour Cream Pound Cake. Its yummy.

I will be taking it to work tomorrow because if it stays in the house I will consume the entire thing and I do not need all that Paula Deen butter taking root on my butt. I have taste tested it and I will be definitely making this cake again. Quick easy and yummy. Three of my favourite things. I have to admit I felt very Martha Stewartish as I had my mixer whirring away and I was adding ingredients and it all came out lovely. I love to bake and having this machine makes it all the more fun.

I also see the machine has attachments that you can purchase like a pasta maker. Oh this could be a whole new world!! I cannot keep calling it "the machine" its so much more than that. I will call her Martha!! Oh the things we will make and joy we will bring.

One four day week to work and then I am off again for 10 days. Easter will be spent with Miss Mouse and the Farmer. Its been a while since I have been to their house so I am looking foreward to it. I will travel up on Friday and head back here on Monday. The Pilot is going to be there too as well as Busy and the Carpenter. The usual crowd. The Historian and his gang will be doing their own thing as per usual.

Have a good week!!

Toodles,
Linda