I Caved

I was trying to hang in there until October 1 but Saturday morning I could not take it anymore. I folded like a house of cards and gave in. I turned the furnace on. This cold damp weather is too much for my old bones. I got out of bed and I was reminded of growing up in the railroad housing that my Dad got with his job. Ice cold everything so on went the heat. I don't have it cranked up but its on enough to take the chill off.

We have had rain, rain and more rain but at least its not snow, not yet anyway. Thank goodness for that. Staying on the weather theme in a way I have finally got the air conditioner out of the dining room window. The Banker and her Sweet Baboo came, removed it and got the window to shut. I am doing a total happy dance

It was in the window when I bought the house. It was old then, one of those super heavy wood panel things. It gave me ten fits to the square inch to turn it on. You could see sparks at the plug in. But now its gone and I can get a portable one for next year. I am amazed at how much more light there is in that room. The thing did not take up that much space I thought. They came, took it out, took it to the dump and except for the fact that the thing is no longer in the window, you would not know they were here. Once again my friends are too good to me.

I got an order for a single bed quilt for a friends father. She picked a simple pattern and I got the top sewn up in no time at all. Today I started to quilt it.

Its a brighter green and a brighter blue than the picture shows. I am not sure why it does not show up in a picture. Its more like the colours of my 52 blocks 52 weeks project

I am caught up again with them. Waiting patiently for next Tuesday for the next new pattern. I have so enjoyed this project

I was also pleased just recently, I had someone comment on my blog!! Thank you Janice. I have had someone comment before but its been so long I cannot remember when. I mostly write this blog for myself. I do know a few people read it but mostly its just an outlet for me to write out the things I want to remember, share and vent about. It was lovely to have someone take the time to read and to remark.

Of course this week when I would really like to be spectacular and entertaining I got nothing!!. I went to Downton Abbey the Movie twice. yes twice, because I cannot convince my friends to go all that the same time. I ate out three times and hardly poked my nose out of the door all weekend. I was sewing and quilting and that is my happy place.

Toodles
Linda

All Done

So I baked enough potatoes so I will have fried ones all week. I love fried potatoes. I cooked chicken breasts so I have sandwich meat for the week. I have bagels for breakfasts and I have a pork tenderloin roast taken out to cook at some point this week. I am rather proud, I have the food issue locked down for the first week back to work. This is something I struggle with at times. I would rather have someone else make the meals. I am a tad lazy in that area. When I say "tad" I mean I am totally lazy about meal planning.

So its back to work tomorrow. I did not get everything done that I had planned but I did get somethings done that I had not planned. It all balances out.

Busy's slippers are done

KitKat's slippers are done: they look grey but they are a dusty blue

I got the top put together for the Safe and Warm Raffle quilt

I got an order for a single bed quilt. I am happy about that. Its a simple pattern and I think its going to be very nice when I get it finished.

I crocheted a baby doll blanket:

And I started another one. I have not taken a picture of it yet.

I never did get the material to cover the kitchen chairs. I have to wait on that, the budget does not stretch to it this time. The funds had to be used for other things.

The Banker and I went for high tea

There were two lovely scones on the bottom plate but we devoured them before I thought to take a picture. They were delicious.

My hair did not get cut, I did not do any more purging and  there are a number of things that are still on the list. They will be dealt with in good time. I did get rid two of my old wooden chairs. The Banker's granddaughter decided she would take two of them. I am so very happy about that. I just have two left to do something with. The kitchen is still relatively tidy and I did get to a couple of appointments that I was glad to get done while I did not have to leave the office to do them. I did not forget to put the dumpsters out again this week. I forgot last week and they were full!!

I cannot and will not ever recover from how quickly these last two weeks have gone. I cannot talk about it. Its childish but I would rather just be at home. Its the same old song, we all know the words and the music. No need for me to keep harping on and on about it.

The Banker and Sweet Baboo are going to take the old air conditioner out of the dining room window at some point in time. He looked at it when they installed the light fixture and he feels he can get it out and get the window to shut. (That makes me happy). Next year I will look into getting a portable one for that room.

Some things are falling into place and somethings are falling apart. Life is normal. One day at a time and one foot in front of the other. Its all we can do.

Toodles
Linda

And With the Speed of Light

Ok I am already half way through my vacation, Its not fair!!! Yes, I am having a childish temper tantrum. A work week takes forever to move along but vacation time goes at warp speed. Yeesh. I am determined to make the best of the rest of the time I have.

So far its been lovely. I got to spend a few days with Busy and the Carpenter. Miss Mouse and Tater Tot came for supper and I got to give him his sign for his chicken coop. The Farmer is up to his neck in harvesting, it was not unexpected that he did not make it in.  I am please to say that Tater Tot loved his sign, made him fall over laughing.

I am not sure if it was the word "butt" or the word "nuggets" both he found super funny and that is what I was going or.

I had a great visit with the family. It was short but good. I actually don't mind the drive,yes its a long one but the roads are good and there are lots of places to stop.  It was so nice to get the quilt delivered to its forever home, to catch up on the news and spend some time together. The quilt looks good in its new home and they are both happy with it. That is all that matters.

I talk like I did the whole thing, don't I but I did not.  All I did was quilt it, Busy choose the colours and she did all the putting together of the top. She is good with picking out colours, that girl.

The Little Entertainer was going to come and stay with me for awhile on Saturday afternoon while the Nurse caught up on some paper work. That plan did not work out so I had to come up with a new schedule for the day. I did get my groceries earlier and had my breakfast on the veranda. (I am doing that as much as I can because the days are limited for that short of thing now.) I did not have thought as to what I would do with myself.

So I decided I would get at some more purging. I have a list of things that need to be purged and I felt that this was a good chance to  dip my toe in the water again. The kitchen hutch had had a going over, all but the three drawers. Good place to start so  I dove in head first and did them. Here are the obligatory before and after pictures.

The two small drawers:

So much stuff crammed into two tiny spaces! I truly do wonder why I keep these things. There was so much crap in the one you could not open it. I had to work, wiggle, shuffle, empty and swear a little to get that sucker out. Ok here is the after party:

I threw out an entire grocery bag of junk. Sooooo  nice to have that done. Next I moved onto the bigger drawer. Before:

I have not cleared out these drawers for probably 12 years. It was long past due. This space looks so much better now.

I found my old cigarette case and lighter. I have not smoked since 1995. No surprise to any one that knows me but I did not get rid of them. I kept them for fun. I always felt so so sophisticated when I would pull a cigarette out of that case. Its a habit I am proud and pleased to have beat.

Once I was done with them I parked myself in front of Netflix and I finished knitting the slippers for Busy. Not in time to get them to her on this trip but they will get delivered next time.

Today I got going on the ones that KitKat wants. I like the colour and she seems pleased with it. I like having a small project to work on while I have bigger things on the go. So between washing towels and clearing up after breakfast, I knit.

I need to get going on the Safe and Warm raffle quilt. I was looking today for a pattern. I had thought about buying material but I have so much material here, I think I am going to make a scrap quilt instead. 

KitKat dropped in for a visit and to show off her outfit that she got for a wedding she is going to . I love having company and chatting away on the veranda We spent a good couple of hours chitting and chatting. 

I had a lovely surprise when I got home on Thursday. Sweet Baboo and The Banker had installed my new dining room light. He had said he would do it and she has permission to go into my house if I am not home. I was so excited about it being up I took a picture of it in the worst possible light and then I tried to lighten it on the phone. Its not a good picture but you get the idea.

I love it, I love love love the Edison bulbs. Yes they are expensive but I really like the look and I really like the look of it with the clock. I am going to try an get a better picture but I was too excited to wait. I needed a picture to text to people RIGHT AWAY!!!!

I suppose I should get myself to bed. I have about had all the quality television I can take for the night. 

Toodles,

Linda

And its Fall

No gentle fading of summer this year, that bitch packed her bags and bolted out of here. Its FALL!!, I am not sad, fall is my favourite time of the year. It was just a very sudden change. I do hope that this season hangs around for a long time. Drags it all out so we do not have to deal with the white stuff too soon.

This has been a busy weekend,. I have been wishing I could be in two places at once but that never works out at all. Oh well we do what we can.

My lilacs bushes are GONE, the bed has been dug and now I just have to maintain it. Wish me luck with that.

Projects are being knocked off the list, left right and center. I finished KitKat' table runners. Two snowman runners done, dusted and delivered, Now I can get at working on the slippers that she wants and also a pair for Busy.

Next!! I did not take pictures of the whole gang together because Teddy Bear stopped in and I gave them to her before I had a chance. Trust me there were 5 of these and she was thrilled with them. If she wasn't she gave a very good performance. There were squeals, giggles and much gratitude.

I still am going to make one of these for myself. The complete one with the four buffalo on it. I was happy to have them finished so she has them to give away to her other friends in September. 

I have been sewing as well, doing mending for other people. My supervisor at work had one of her dogs eat two duvets and a duvet cover. SO I patched them up a good as I could for her.Man those little feathers get everywhere  Sewed up some seams in pant legs and applied patches to other assorted garments. I am sad to admit but this has become my new best friend when I am sewing.

I can no longer get the dang needle threaded without much cursing and sweating. This little do-dad saves me from all that. This getting older is just no fun in so many ways.

I had a lovely visit with the Nurse and the Little Entertainer. The Little Entertainer is not so little any more, she is 12 and turning into a gorgeous young lady. They made my Saturday. I love that they make a point of visiting when they can.

What else have I done over the last two weeks?? I have started to work on getting the craft room in order. Its a slow go but I am seeing progress. So here are a few before pictures

.And here are some afters:

Not totally perfect but progress!! I have done more but do not have the picture proof. You can actually walk from the door to the computer without taking your life in your hands. I also found homes for a ton of little things and put put all the embroidery thread in one place instead of being in all sorts of bags and boxes in eleventy million places. A lady on YouTube who resells stuff says "its not hoarding if you store it in a pretty box". Its my new motto. Pretty boxes here I come.

I finished up the little afghan that I made with yarn I got from Princess Diva's Mom. I think it will go to the women's shelter. I was thinking it was for a baby but its bigger than I anticipated. More a toddler or lap blanket'

I finally made it to Michael's. I have put off that trip for at least four weeks but I managed it this week.  I got some scrapbooking supplies, slipper yarn and because I have no control and it was buy one get one, I bought these. I LOVE fall stuff.

I cannot wait to get some mini pumpkins and fill up that wooden bowl. I think they will look adorable. There was so much stuff there I could have bought. For some reason I love pumpkins. I have already got too many pumpkins but I could so easily buy more. I restrained myself.

Anyone notice I did not mention cleaning the kitchen??? Well that is because its clean!! The table and counters are cleared off, the floor could use a wash but other than that its good. No garbage, no recycling, its a miracle!!

Not sure what I will do with the rest of my day. I have done some things on the computer that I have been putting off. I have had breakfast and I have done the blog post. I guess I should start the slippers.

Oh the best part of the week is I found my black handled fork. I have had this fork all my adult life. Mom got it on a bottle of dish liquid years ago. She got a fork and one spoon with this tapered handle. The Carpenter always claimed them as his. He left home and left them behind. I claimed them. I have found a knife, salad fork and another tiny spoon in thrift stores. I had an entire place setting and then I lost the dinner fork. It was missing for some time. I was brokenhearted. Then in the course of cleaning in the craft room  I FOUND IT!!!

SO HAPPY. Now if I could just find my project book and about a dozen other things that are missing in this house.

I hope are having a fun weekend

Toodles
Linda

.