Laundry is Complete

I finally finished the 9 zillion loads of laundry that I tackled this last week. Its a good thing because I am back to work on Monday. (moment of silence please) I am trying not to get myself into a knot about it all. It is what it is. Enough about that

I have been quilting, watching British crime dramas on Netflix and that is my happy place. My idea of fun fun fun. I do the odd household chore when I need a break and the rest of the time I am needle pulling thread. I should have this one done shortly. I have four more quilt tops waiting to be quilted and I have two others planned up in my head. Guess what I am gong to be doing the first while I am retired|??

I am dong the next facebook quilt project, Its row by row quilt as you go and each row comes out once a month. The first one is out and I had such a hard time to figure out the material. I thought about buying lovely co-ordinated material but I dismissed that rather sharply. Honestly my first impulse it to always BUY SOMETHING. I have loads of material in this house I do not need to buy more. So then do I do totally scrappy or do I pick a colour and use scraps from that? After much back and forth, I decided on blue with a touch of pale yellow.

Out came the totes and this is what I rooted out. I think it will make a decent quilt in the end. I sat down today and got the first row sewn up. Not sure yet how the quilt as you go thing works but I will figure it out or I will just make the top and quilt it at the end.

Only a portion of the row, and the usual bad lighting but you get the idea. I will find a way to take a picture of the whole thing and with better lighting and I will post that another time.

I have not got the textile recycling taken to the bins yet but it is all bagged up and ready to go. I have all the ;laundry folded and am transporting it upstairs as I can. Once it is up there I am actually putting it away. This is a big deal in this house. I have some issues with follow through and completion. I could use another week off. (Soon this will not be a problem). I will have to find other things to complain about.

I never went out this morning like I usually do on a Saturday. I stayed home because I had nothing that I really HAD to get. Breakfast is much better at home and cheaper too. So I did that. I made the coffee, cooked the food and stayed in my house. I plan to repeat this performance tomorrow as well.

Really I have not been out and about very much this entire last week. I have hunkered down, strapped myself to the washing machine and quilted to my hearts content. Its been wonderful. I never even went to the secondhand stores. Nothing I desperately need and I am getting better at not just buying everything that I think I want.  I have been making plans for being retired. I know I need to get on a schedule. It will not be good if I don't. I also need to be a little tighter with the funds. BUDGET!! its a word I need to embrace.

Not much else going on as usual. Its quiet and that's not a bad thing. I like it.

Toodles
Linda

Rockin' the Staycation

Last week went by in an exhausted blur. Last week before a week off, super busy at work, I was too pooped to pop by the time I got home.  Blogging was not high on the list. This week is much better. I am using up some of my last vacation days and am having a staycation. I would love to go somewhere but money is an object.  PLEASE do not get me wrong, staying home is one of my most favourite things to do. So I am not having a pity party, I am a happy bunny. I like being at home and I like being on my own schedule. I think I have mentioned that several thousand times.

Honestly its lovely to get up, do the things you choose to do. When the wind chill is -41 you can stay onside. Its fabulous. If you want to go out you can, during the day and not after work when everything is so busy.

Believe me I have been rockin' the staycation. It seems that I have done nothing but laundry. I started it on Monday and I am still working on it today. I am washing all the bedding on two beds from mattress covers to bed spreads, I am doing towels, cleaning rags and every item of clothing I think I own. I am sorting clothes to go to recycle and being the daughter of my dear Mom, I am washing it all first. My little dryer takes forever to dry big things so that is slowing down the process but its getting done and that is the best thing.

I made a list of things to do while I was off this week but I seriously over estimated my energy level so needless to say I have not even accomplished half of it. Some has been done, some will be done and some will keep til a later date.

On this last weekend I was so stiff and sore. I felt like someone had been using my legs and back for batting practice. I did not do a lot of moving around but I did knit I worked on my donation project.

I now have five hats and five scarves knit up. I have not even dented my yarn stash but its fun to do and keeps me busy. The Safe and Warm shelter will  be glad of them as well.

I managed to get to Fabric land and got the material for the back of my quilt. I got that washed and yesterday I settled in to  begin to quilt it.

The next Facebook quilt project came out on Tuesday and since I think I will do it as well, I need to get this one finished. Quilting is a most beloved pass time. Find a Netflix series to binge watch and I am as content as can be.

Other than this not much is happening around here. Crafty things, lots of laundry and the odd bit of housework. Same old same old.

Toodles,
Linda

Scraptastic Weekend

I was getting my scrap on this Saturday with KitKat and The Sailor. The Banker was to be with us but sadly her father-in law passed away and she had to go with her Sweet Baboo to tend to family things. Its what you do for the ones you love. We missed her. We had a fun weekend.

Road trips with friends mostly always a good time. When you are spending the day doing something you all enjoy its a win win situation. Thankfully I have friends that will help me haul my stuff. Scrapbbooking is not a very easily transported hobby. I got my stuff pared down as much as I possibly could and it was still a ton of stuff. Last weekend I picked out all my paper, tried to take a little as possible but it was still two Ikea bags, and three other smaller containers. Its just so much fun though. We went from 10:00 am to 9:30 pm. Its $35.00 for the day and you get snacks and lunch with coffee provided.We buy are own supper but really is a pretty reasonable price for an entire day of entertainment.

But as I said I am blessed and the other two helped haul my stuff and I could be part of the fun. I would not trade this circle for anything. In no time at all they had us all in and we were set up and ready to scrap. I usually bring some snacks of my own and I was very proud on myself that I finally got smart and went the healthy route. Grape tomatoes, baby carrots, and cheese. I usually ingest far too much sugar at these events. I have decided to knock that off. I feel so much better today for not having eaten my body weight in sweet things.

I almost got my 2019 album finished. I have to print out a few pictures and get some embellishments and I will be done. I have already started to gather stuff for my 2020 album. I will get it the last of 2019 all done when I am off on vacation this month. I have a number of crafty projects to tend to on the week away from work.

BIG BIG NEWS for me!!! I gave my official retirement date this last week. Its terrifying and exciting all at the same time. I cannot wrap my head around not having to go to work each day. I have worked steady since I was 18 and I am so looking forward to being in charge of my own time. I just hope I can afford to continue to stay at home. Time will tell.

So I have a countdown app activated on my phone and I take great joy in checking it out everyday. So many things I think "oh I have to book that day off work" or I have to figure out when I want vacation and I don't have to do that anymore. I can go to visit my family in the middle of the week if I wish. Its all a learning curve. The habits of a lifetime are being changed.

Not much else is happening around here. The usual, work, out for suppers twice a week, once with KitKat and once with the No Cooks. Errands, housework, crafty stuff, you know the usual. One thing that is a positive, I am at long last purging the closet and bagging up the clothes that are no longer fit for public usage to be sent to the textile recycling program. I have two bags so far and more to come. Its long past being needed to be done and it feels good to be getting this stuff out of the house.

I have five quilt tops that need to be turned into quilts. I thought it was only three but there are more. I have lots of yarn that needs to be turned into warm things for donation to the safe and warm program. I have an entire house that needs a serious cleaning so I expect I will manage to keep myself busy.

I am looking forward to my upcoming week of staycation but then when am I not looking foreward to not be working? Soon soon soon that is all gonna change. Squeee

Well I hear the couch calling my name for my regular Sunday afternoon nap. Oh I love a good nap.

Toodles
Linda