Busy Times

 Its been some busy times these last few days. Its a bit of a change from the Covid routine. Sort of dipping a toe back into the life that was. Lets start with last Friday shall we? 

My scrapbooking weekend this past weekend. I wait all year for this weekend as it is something I really enjoy and I really like the people that I spend the time with. We could get into our room at noon so five of us (the no cooks) went for breakfast first. It was so much fun to go out for breakfast with some other people. My going out for breakfast for the last year and a half has been zipping through the McDonald's drive thru and heading home to eat in front of the Ipad.

We ate, giggled and then Teddy Bear left us as she does not scrapbook. The rest of the gang headed to our room and a weekend of fun fun fun.

We were a small group this time around. The Banker, The Sailor, KitKat and I. The Banker's sister and sister-in-law rounded out the group. Pre Covid we used to have 42 happy scrappers but the times have changed. There should have been two more of us but it just didn't work out. I managed to get 57 pages scrapbooked which took me from January to June 2021. Thank goodness for the kids, they are great scrapbooking fodder. If I had to depend on just me I could have knocked it out the first day.

This year I am trying to make some of my embellishments rather than buy them. So often I cannot find what I want. Stickers are wildly expensive as well. The Banker's sister does her own and she makes some really cute, lovely things. For example:

Not sure why the picture is sideways but moving on. I managed to make some things, I have a long way to go until I'm as good as she is but I am working on  it. It actually adds to the fun of the whole business, only if you like that sort of thing of course. Pinterest is a gold mine of embellishment ideas. 

We had three days of scrapbooking, ending with  the traditional Chinese food supper and then all home again. I really have to say I am so blessed to have good friends who are willing to help haul my stuff. Thanks to them I can participate. Scrapbooking is not for the weak, paper and the supplies are super heavy. I could do it myself but it would take me all weekend to get it out to the car. 

I did not do a lot on Monday, I actually had planned it that way.  Teddy Bear was over in the morning for coffee and a visit, The Banker came for our weekly date to watch Call the Midwife. Needless to say that took the biggest part of the day. My scrapbooking stuff is still sitting in the living room but I am starting to get it back to where it all belongs. I have some organizing to do before it all goes away.  The paper is in a terrible state and needs to get back in its proper places. 

Today I am getting off my lazy butt and starting to do things. Big morning this morning. I went for gas, I got breakfast, picked up my grocery order and got a Michaels order. Big DAY!! I am allowed to get breakfast out on the days that I go for a grocery pick up. Its something I love to do but its too costly and not exactly healthy but I do like the treat. I indulged an awful lot when I worked but now I have restricted myself.

I took out the garbage and the compost before I ran my errands. Post breakfast  I ran the dishwasher and washed up the extra dishes. gave the kitchen a bit of a tidy. Things had gotten out of control over the weekend as I just sort of was only in there to mess it up but not long enough to tidy up. I've had a chitchat with KitKat and now am blogging.  have some things to do in the yard but I will get at those tomorrow, not to mention the dreaded trip to the basement. Furnace filter needs to be tended to as the furnace is now kicking on. Yes its that time of year again.

Last weeks Christmas quilt block:

Its called a cup of coffee but I think hot chocolate would be more suited to a Christmas quilt. Oh my word I made a pig's ear of this block. I did so many things wrong that I finally ended up piecing tow narrow strips on either side to make it square. It was no fault of the pattern I just was having one of those days where nothing would  go correctly. I have decided I need to get a proper 1/4 inch presser foot for my machine. It would make things much better I think. I hope.

So today I got groceries and I had a mental moment when I realized something. My freezer is full, my pantry is full and the fridge is full. This is a blessing, its a good thing and I am so lucky that I am able to have this. So why do I have nothing to eat most of the time?? Well the thing is I have lots of ingredients, plenty of Mom food, but it all has some assembly required. I have to up my cooking game and get a grip on this situation. Does all this sound familiar? It probably does because I have been droning on and on about it for some time now.  What I wish is to somehow get a meal plan, magically, with little to no effort on my part and then I might stand a chance. The struggle is real people!! First world problems if there ever were any.

Toodles

Linda