And the Cleaning Continues.

It was so nice to come home tonight to a clean (yeah I said it!!) clean kitchen. I got busy on the weekend and took a ride on the happiness train that was created by a clean dining room. I tackled the kitchen and a portion of the laundry room. It made a world of difference to my mood when I walked in that door tonight. Once again my scrap of remaining pride prohibits the the sharing of the before pictures but I will share one. The laundry room

An over abundance of stuff that needs to go back to where it lives or be gone. Here is the after picture:

I am happy I found a purpose for the little wire bin that is on the top of the cabinet. It holds my plastic grocery bags. I know I should not use them but I do pass them onto a group that uses them to crochet sleeping mats for homeless people. That makes me feel a bit better about them. Once I figure out how to use cloth grocery bags with click and collect, these will end and I will use the bin for something else. I also am happy that the wicker box on the deep freeze has a new purpose. It used to hold cassette tapes but now it hides some clutter that I have no where to put. It makes the place look neater. Now I have to figure out what to do with the laundry basket that used to be there. I have a hard time parting with a basket. The newel post is going to be painted and made into a wreath hanger one of these days. Stay tuned!!!

Here is my not yet perfect but oh so much cleaner kitchen

There is usually a big old pile of things in front of this poor hutch. Things to be donated, things to go to the recycle, the dump, to work etc. Now there is just this little stool thing that I have not found a place for yet or a purpose but I will. I love the look of it and it has potential, I just have to find a use for it. Now you can just see mostly floor. Its a proud moment.

I am still working on the quilt and I am so happy to say it will be finished this week. Then I can move onto the next one. So excited.

The living room is next on the clean up hit list. I am going to keep going as long as the mood is with me. The weekend is going to include  a good clean of the upstairs. Its a disaster but only because things need to go back into the closet and  soooooo many magazines need to be purged.

Mama Bug and I may get together on Saturday and have a card making session. I think it will be super fun. We have not had a visit in a while and its always fun getting crafty with a like minded friend. I hope we manage it.

So that's about it. Work, cleaning, quilting and the no cook thing. Its my life at the moment and I have to say its ok by me. I so want to get this initial cleaning done, then the trick will be to keep it up.

Toodles,
Linda

Quiet

It has been quiet around the house, not that the cats were loud or big talkers but their absence brings a strange quiet to the place. Its a new normal that I am adjusting too. I am slowly getting their bits and pieces cleaned up and put away, or thrown away as needs be. Teddy Bear and I took Desi to the vet on Saturday to have him cremated. Its done and I am glad to have this nearly last deed taken care of. Getting the ashes back and placing them in a final resting place will be the last step and somehow one of the easier for me.

So I am organizing myself and getting myself back to this new normal. I started on another quilt.

The pattern is called Celtic Twist. Its super easy and I do like the look of it. It reminds me a bit of a new play on a wedding ring quilt. It sewed up quick enough and now I am quilting.

Feels rather odd to be able to quilt without having to wrestle the cats for the quilt. I have high hopes that this one will work up as quickly as the top was sewn up. I am doing it as a wedding social prize for a friend. I just hope she likes it. She had no say in what I was making. Its a not so surprise gift.

I finally finally finally got the dining room back in order. It was a major mess for longer than I should admit to. I am not showing the before picture because I do have a scrap of pride left but here is the after:

I will carry on and work at each room until I get it back to where the house should be. No more letting things slide, its been happening for far too long.

Other than that not much is happening around here. Housework, work and No Cook Fridays. that's my life in a nutshell, with some crafty stuff thrown in now and then.

Toodles,
Linda

Sharks Can Make You Cry

Who knew the sight of a shark shaped bed could make a person cry but it can. I was headed up the stairs the other night and came eye to eye with Lucy's shark and I burst into tears. There were no little green eyes peering out at me and there never would be again. July 11th, 2018 was a sucktastic day at my house.

Both of my babies took their leave of me, left this life together and moved on to the next, leaving me behind, heartbroken but comforted that they are together. They arrived together, stayed together, had spent many many years together so it makes sense that they would move on together.

Desi had not been himself for a while, not eating much, drinking very little and sleeping on the floor. I thought it maybe the heat, or a virus or a mood, I was not sure. I hoped he would perk up and I tried to do what I could to make him feel cooler and know that he had someone who was watching him. I trimmed his incredible fur and made sure I gave him some extra love and attention for which I was rewarded with that magnificent purr. Lucy had been showing her age lately. Having trouble to jump up, sort of hobbling when she got up, not too steady on her pins. I'm the same way so I just figured we are aging.

On Wednesday morning when I got downstairs I found her on the floor in the doorway at the base of the stairs. She could not get herself up and when I picked her up she was soaked on the one side. Poor little thing had peed and then was laying in it. I grabbed a towel, wrapped her up and put her on the work table I have in the living room

I put my left hand under her head to keep her head up and then dried her off with my right hand. She wrapped her little paw around my wrist and literally clung to me.

 Little heart going a mile a minute, obviously scared because she did not know what was going on and why her body would not do what she wanted it to. I did not know if she was dying, having a seizure of some sort or what. So I wrapped her up like a baby, laid her on my chest and we snuggled for about an hour and a half while I tried to decide what to do.She calmed right down and purred but still every once in a while trying to move.

I always promised them that I would not see them suffer. I looked for Desi and he looked like he was sleeping on the floor in the kitchen. He is a pretty content, laid back cat and does not startle easy unless you are thunder. So I quietly gathered Lucy up and and we headed out the front door to the Vet.

My feisty little princess hissed at the nurse and tried to pull away from the Dr during her examination. She was always grouchy with others but not with me. With me she was super sweet and loving, could never get enough pets and snuggles. Spunky to the end she let them know she did not want them touching her. She was once again scared and stressed, struggling to be her old self. I have to say it is a powerful feeling to know that it is your touch, and your voice that has the power to sooth, comfort and calm. Poor little girl, but as I stroked her head, and talked to her she calmed and relaxed.

The Vet felt she had had a stoke and that it was time to say good bye. I had already known that would be the outcome. So we let her go. I stayed with her to the very end. I wanted her last minutes to be as calm as could be and I wanted her to know she was loved. We said our good bye and I came home alone.

When I came in the back door Desi was still on the kitchen floor, all stretched out and peaceful looking. I informed him that he had better perk up because I was not prepared to do this again so soon. I leaned down to give him some love, fully expecting that big purr but he was already stiff and cold. He must have passed at some point in the night. Two at once, My heart could not stand it but stand it I must, I had no choice.

My beautiful gentle giant, my big man with the best purr in the world was gone. Not more naps together on the couch,

no more getting yelled at in the morning because breakfast was not already in his bowl before he thought he needed it. no more loving looks from the couch while I sit in my chair.

No more head butts for attention, No more being greeted by two furry little faces after work and then fussing over them as they jockey for attention. No more fighting to work on a quilt as these two knuckleheads sprawl all over it.

 No more unconditional love and endless entertainment. Only a wealth of memories and comfort that they are together.

Lucy always slept upstairs with me. but while Desi was feeling not himself she would come up but after a few minutes, leave me and head back down to be near him. I think she knew something was up. I also think that when he died, she tried to come upstairs to me but had her stroke before she could get there.  While they were not complete love bugs with each other, they had been together for a long time.

I will miss these two so very much. Desi, with his big size, his beautiful face and massive paws.

I loved those starfish feet!!

 His beautiful orange fur that coated every inch of this house.

 I will regret forever I never got his Viking helmet made. He would have been so cute in Viking horns

 I will miss him at nap time on the couch and for a million other reasons.

I will miss Lucy, petite, sleek and black as coal with those beautiful green eyes.

I will miss her demands for attention, that tiny paw reaching out for me. Look at me Mama, stop knitting and love ME!!

Her never being able to have enough love or attention. For the way she would drape herself over my head after I had my hair done. That girl loved herself some hair product!!

I will even miss her penchant for shoving her little bum in my face when I tried to sleep. The way she could steal most of the bed inspite of her tiny size. Her ability to let me know when I have stepped over the line of her tolerance with just a look

The heartbreak I feel now is payment for the happiness I have had. So much love and joy in the years I had them. They were frustrating and maddening too but the good out weighs the bad. It was all worth it to have had them in my life. I did the best I could for them, to give them a good life and make them content. They paid me back ten times over. I will miss them more than I can say.


Toodles,
Linda

I Have Ice Ice Baby

Thanks to the help of the Banker I have a new fridge. I found one in a flyer and she went to look at it. Then, because she is fabulous and things i flyers are often not as cheap as they seem, she went looking about for a better deal for me AND found one. Most of the brand new ones you might as well add on $200.00 more to the price for delivery, removal and to change the door. Long story short I have one that is two years old, old one gone, door opens the right way, its a Frigidaire and it was less money to boot. Its lovely. My bad legs limit my shopping abilities so she is my eyes often when I need something.

Yesterday went like this. I got up and started to clear a path for them to get the fridge into the house and to clean out the old one.Takes a while to peel off the magnets, get the stuff off the top and what little there was in it, out. Then I moved it out of its place and out of the way so they could get the new one in.

Because the local appliance store I got it from is just at the end of my block, the owner and his grandson literally walked the new one down to my place. On the hottest day of the year no less.

In no time at all it was in the house and the old one was out and on its way back up the block. Bye bye old fridge!!

So I hope with all my heart that this one works for a long time. Its so nice to have things cold once again and to be able to have ice cubes!! Heaven

Yeah its not going to be that naked for long. Those magnets need somewhere to live!! I wasted no time in getting it filled up again

So happy to be able to put things on the door. The old fridge was mostly held together with duct tape so door shelves and drawers did not function as they should.

And later that day I had ICE ICE BABY. I am soooooo happy

Now I have said over and over I have the most wonderful friends and I do. I don't know why I deserve them but I am over the top grateful I have them. This arrived on my door step on Friday night. The picture is a tad dark but its a portable air conditioner. 

The Banker and her Sweet Baboo gave it to me. They have had central air put in and no longer need it. I was blown away. As this summer heats up I was wondering how I would manage to get one. I really can't afford to change my mind thanks to the taxes, the water heater and the fridge. This was just such a blessing. She even carried it upstairs for me. I can get it set up and not have to worry about sleeping upstairs, which can be a real oven throughout the summer if its hot outside. 

The downstairs one will work for one more year I hope but I am going to have to replace it soon. I had hoped to do a portable one there too but from an inspection of the window, I think its going to have to be another window one. I think the window is so painted that its not going to go up or down no matter what I think should happen. Oh well I hope I can get the old one out and the new one in when the time comes.

For now I am happy and cool, and grateful for the good people I know.

So many blessings!!

Toodles

Linda

Second Blog Post in Two Days ....Yikes

Back to work tomorrow. I wish I had taken this week off. I am actually getting stuff done. But that's ok, I will bask in the glory of my small triumphs and move on. I almost think that until I get myself into some sort of shape again, I can be productive one day, rest a little the next then be productive again.

I did not do much on Sunday. Today I got going again. This morning started with unexpected breakfast out with friends. |(Which I always enjoy). We all headed back home at around noon, I was determined to get something done. I put in some more wine bottles. I used the garden weasel to loosen the soil and they went in like butter!!. If I had had the labels off all the bottles I could have easily finished it today. So many weeds!! ACK!!

So I added these bottles, brought the next batch into the house for de-labeling. I washed dishes, I finished the laundry, I hung some of it out on the clothes line to dry. I am slowly moving things back into the laundry room. Sorting as I go to be sure its stuff I actually need to keep. I bagged up the garbage and the recycling to be taken out. Some of it went and some will go tomorrow when I head to work. I cooked supper and am hoping to get my tomorrow lunch ready tonight. Doing it in the morning is just stupid. Takes too much time.

When I say I finished the laundry I mean I actually folded the stuff that was dry and will get it upstairs tonight. Its not sitting in the dryer like I tend to do. I even hung stuff in the closet. Something I have avoided doing for some time now.

I had a good weekend. Friday night no cook after a day off. Saturday night KitKat and I took in Jurassic World and then coffee. Sunday was restful and today breakfast out then things accomplished. I still have to get a picture of my new quilt on my bed but all in all its been a good weekend.

I finished some things for Sweet Pea, I need to get them wrapped and into the mail before the girl graduated high school. Me and my postal issues!

Toodles
Linda

Oh My

So the water heater is in, the dryer is out, the washing machine is back in place and back in use. Things are looking up. Not only is the dryer out it is gone to the dump with a number of other bits and pieces that needed to go. Its good to have it all gone.  I am working on getting things out back together and getting the house back to being presentable. The four boxes of donation things have been whisked off to the local charity shop. Today I am working on getting the laundry done for once and all.

Another thing is my quilt is finally finished. I completed the work on Friday. I took the day off so I would have an extra long weekend and put it to good use. I did some errands and then I quilted to completion.

It too, is being given a bath and will have a portrait taken in situ and be posted here at some point. I will shortly move onto the next quilt now this one is finished.

I. at long last. threw out the last of the carpet that was removed from my bedroom. Its been trapped in the shed for some time and a finally made it to the dumpster. My neighbour is, at last, beginning to remove the trees between our two properties. They are planted far to close together and are going to cause problems with the power lines. For my part I am staying out of his way and letting him use my green bin for the clippings.

This is a bad picture but remember this? The wine bottle boarder I was putting around the flower bed. Yes the one I started back in 2016. Well there has been a miracle. I finally got going on it once again.
I did not do much but I got going again. 15 bottles are what I can put in at at a time, before my knees stop me. Slow and steady and it will get done.

I have rounded the corner and headed to the home stretch. It raining now so I may or may not add another 15 bottles today, time will tell. I had hoped for 15 today then again tomorrow and that would bring me very close to completion. I will need to soak some labels off bottles after that. I also want to do a bit of weeding as there are more weeds than hostas in the flower bed at the moment. The yard is coming along nicely this year. I just need to keep up the Banker's good works.

I put the July 1st decorations out yesterday and I have my red and white hanging flower basket. So I am as festive as I can be at the moment.

The water heater is paid for and the taxes are mostly paid for. I have enough left over at the moment to replace the fridge. So many things required large chunks of money lately, makes my head spin. I am living on borrowed time with the fridge. Had I paid all the taxes, the fridge would not happen and I am not clever enough to live without a fridge. So hopefully the next week or so will see that new appliance in this house.

After this I hope things take a break for the moment. I cannot handle anymore financial hits, I really can't.

My beautiful birthday flowers thanks to the lovely Bug family.

Toodles
Linda