Call Me Monet

FINALLY, I got myself to a paint night. This is my third attempt. I was sick the first two times but this Thursday I managed to get there along with four other No Cook gals and a couple of extra people. It was SO MUCH FUN!! I had absolutely no expectations as to how well I would do. I may very well have been the only person that ever failed totally but I didn't. Inspite of not being able to hear the instructor, (think Charlie Brown's teacher). However through catching the odd word here or there and a lot of careful watching I managed.

We sat down and staring us in the face was this:

A blank canvas, four paint colours, three brushes, one que tip, a glass of water and some paper napkins. A little intimidating for one who has never painted a thing besides a wall and the odd bit of furniture. Grit teeth and prepare to jump in head first. In no time at all I had it looking like this:

Does not look like much yet but at this point I was incredibly please with the look and the blending. Then before you knew it, it was over and done and my first masterpiece was complete:

So happy with the end results. We all did a great job

One of our gang is missing, she was not finished with her painting so we took the picture without her. We all have paintings that are basically the same but very different. Most important, we had a fun filled evening. I have hung mine in the living room.

I am currently at the beginning of a week off. Its heavenly to be on days off. I have a mile long list of things to do of course. Yesterday I had a minion and "we" struck off 7 things on the list. I could not be happier. Things went to the basement (Christmas decor and trees), things came out of the basement (tons of old paint cans), all the garbage and recycling went out to the dumpsters, the old paint went to the actual dump!!  Desi got the matted hair trimmed off his back legs. I cuddled him and The Banker  my minion trimmed him until he got sick of us. She finished filling and priming the crack I put in the stair well wall. While she zipped about and did all this, I continued to work on the kitchen, my biggest enemy. I got a lot done and one more push today will see it finished She chopped ice on the back sidewalk and then we went for coffee and cheesecake,my treat. She took a wooden star home to have her Sweet Baboo trim  it down for me. Things flew off the list.

I bought the star at the big craft sale and at the time I loved how big it was. I thought perfect for the veranda in the winter months after Christmas. I was going to decorate it and it would be lovely. Then the more I thought about it, the more I decided that it was just way too big. So cutting it down will be the ticket and I will have another bit of  veranda decor for the winter months.

Today I am getting a slow start but I will get moving eventually. The fridge is on the hit list. A complete clean out and scrub down. The laundry room floor is going to get a scrubbing while all the stuff is out of there for us to get into the basement. I have groceries to pick up this afternoon and I need to go Shoppers for a couple of things, cat food being the most important. Last thing that shold happen today is pick up some picture reprints. I am not sure what will happen after that. I may do some sewing or I may do some crafty stuff. I could also scrapbook because I will have pictures to scrapbook with.

The world is my oyster as long as it does not require me spending too much money. I was to have gone and had Easter with the family but it just was not something I could manage. So I miss them greatly and am pouting that I could not go but it was not meant to be. I will  make the best of it and hope they send lots of pictures so I feel like I was there.


Happy Easter one and all!!

Toodles
Linda

Scrapbooking Weekend

We had a plan. We being the Sailor, the Banker, KitKat and I were going to a near by town and join  a scrapbooking day. We had it planned for a long time and we were looking foreward. Then Mother Nature stomped back in with "And another thing" and pitched snow and ice all over the place. Saturday found the highways closed and the threat of freezing rain, high winds and flurries.

Semis and cars stacked up on the highway waiting for them to open the gates and ok travel. The Banker and I talked, fussed and then made the decision to stay in town. Travel was just not worth it for this. The Banker picked me up, we went and got breakfast and then headed to her place. Quick texts to the Sailor and KitKat with hearty agreement to the new plan. The Scrapbooking weekend was on, reduced participants, location change but much fun to be had. Everyone seemed to be relieved that we were staying put. 

We had a great day. I worked on an album that I had almost decided not to bother with. Tracing the renovations that have happened in this house from the day I moved in to the last room being done. I am glad I decided to do it anyway. I have forgotten how it looked when I moved in.

Its not fancy, just paper no embellishments. I have zoomed through it but I need to order some pictures. When I thought I would not bother, I stopped ordering reprints. I even  carried on working on it today. We had a lot of fun, We ordered in food and did not call it a day until 9:30. 12 hours of creativity. I so like days like that, time spent with friends, being creative, sharing ideas and teasing one another. My kind of day.

Today has been slow. I did more scrapbooking and I should have been doing other things but I just did not have the will. Yesterday I could keep all the everyday troubles shut up in the back of my mind and not let them out. Today they are out and banging away at my thoughts like tantrum pitching toddlers wanting into the bathroom with Mommy. Apparently they do not know that I have no answers, no solutions and no miracles up my sleeve. So continuously mulling over every little thing is not getting anywhere. Something will work out, one way or the other.

I am sad that I will not be able to get to spend Easter with my family. I just do not feel comfortable taking the car on the highway when it needs work and I just can't get the repairs done in time to go. I have asked them to send lots of pictures. I will stay here and maybe get somethings looked after. As usual I have taken the week after Easter off, I do every year. I have some projects on the list to do. I will divulge what they are, once they are done. I am not setting myself up with running off at the mouth about all I am going to do and then not getting a fraction done. I will brag the heck out of what gets accomplished.

I woke up this morning to the fact that I had no bread. I mentioned it on Facebook because I like to share my troubles.... Princess Diva showed up on my door step on her way to church with this:

Enough bread for breakfast this morning and tomorrow. I honestly know the nicest people. Toast and jam tasted extra sweet this morning.

I did get through some magazines that have been piling up around here. Well I did the best I could. Lucy felt that having a cuddle was much more important.

I got my knee brace and I have been wearing it. Its like a new pair of shoes, on has to get used to the thing. It turns me into a sweaty mess trying to get into the dang thing. 5 straps, super strong velcro and it all has to be done in the right order. I am just pleased that I can actually do it. 

I am hoping its going to make a difference. I find it makes my knee feel more secure and I have actually slept in the thing. The first night I had it I was afraid to take it off and then I could not get it back on. Hence the sleeping in the thing. All that is changed and so time will tell if it makes a change or not in how I walk.

Now there is a new week starting. Month end to get through and then a week off. Hopefully it all goes smoothly.

Toodles

Linda

Snippets

Don't really have anything of great interest to blog about. I have a touch of the flu today but its easing up. The wee hours of the morning until about mid day was the worst. I am now just tired and shivery but feeling much better. So I thought snippets today for a blog post.

not a happy camper this morning

I get my knee brace tomorrow!! I am so excited and deeply hope that this is going to improve my mobility. If nothing else I am hoping for stability. No more walking along and then suddenly feeling like my knee has come apart. I really want to get back to being able to walk and stand for more than 25 minutes at the max. I get this knee under control I am going to look into physio therapy for the discs in my back and see if that can't be improved so the "stabbing my leg with an ice pick" feeling will be a thing of the past. I have high hopes!!

I managed to break a drawer in my fridge on Saturday. That poor fridge is on its last legs as it is and when I was putting apples and lemons in the crisper drawer, the already broken edging gave up the ghost and the drawer dropped to the bottom. Problem is, the door will not shut with the drawer in that position. I found a quick dollar store fix. I had a little plastic basket that fits the space perfectly and I can pull it out like a drawer and still get the fridge door to shut. Rather pleased with myself.

I got my patterned  scrapbook paper sorted, now its all into categories: Halloween, birthday, baby, etc and the stuff that is just pattern is now together by colour. I even made a list of what is in the box. Its a job that I needed to do for some time.

I am going scrapbooking next weekend. My plan is to put the house reno pictures into an album, which will not be a true scrapbook with embellishments and all fancy. Just pictures in a book. I made a stack of all the ugly patterned paper that I know I will not use in a fancy scrapbook. I will use to border the house pictures. The paper will not be wasted and this makes me happy.

I got my handicapped parking pass this week. Its something that I will only use if its really needed but I am very glad to have it. With my limited mobility I have had to leave shopping centers because there are no close parking spaces and I cannot get from the car, into the store and out again with my limited travel time. This pass will help that situation a lot.

I managed to get the four dish cloths that had been ordered all knit up for Hummingbird. That was until I had tea with the Hostess this weekend and she got two of them. I will have to zip up two more. I have the yarn so it won't take long. I am well supervised when I am knitting. The Watchers are usually on guard, either together or on shift.

Teddy Bear stopped in for coffee on Saturday afternoon. In fact she brought the coffee! Plus she brought me a book. Local author, its autographed and I am looking forward to reading it. There had been an article in the paper about it and we had discussed how it sounded like it might be good. A mystery set in Scotland. The author was doing a book signing at the mall, so Teddy Bear stopped and got us a copy. It will live at my house and its autographed to me but we are sharing it. I was thrilled. My friends are very good to me, have I ever mentioned that??

The Banker and her Sweet Baboo are back from another month with his parents. It good to have her home again. She brought me a treat as well. A new pig for the collection. She looks like wood but she is pottery. I love her, she is so funny looking she is cute. The Banker was in a pawn shop and  in the course of getting a lens for her camera, the owner threw in the pig for nothing.

Oh yes I got the baby blanket finished. It was finished a long time ago but I just never got around to posting a picture. Still not sure what I will do with it, save it for Sweet Pea or use it as a gift for someone else, time will tell. I still want to make another in more girly colours. This is lovely yarn to work with.  Speaking of Sweet Pea, The Pilot and the Teacher shared a video of the bump. You can see Sweet Pea moving, wiggling and pushing. No matter how many times I see it happen its still such a miracle. She will be here before we know it. SO EXCITING!!

Work on the craft room as slowed but it is not stopped. I did the last of the scrapbook paper and I have made great progress on it but there is still a long way to go. I will get back to it. The best of all is I am maintaining and keeping up with not sliding back into bad habits and undoing all I have done. Both the kitchen and the craft room have vastly improved.

I did get going on a job I have put off for sometime. I am mending my mattress cover. A tight budget these days dictates that I am not able to just run out and buy new so I am patching. My sewing machine will not sew it so I am doing it by hand. By mending this I can go to the scrapbooking weekend. Its all a trade off these days.

My Mom would be proud. I should have done it sooner. When I washed the thing this last time it rather shredded but its savable.

While I did ramble on and on but not really a lot of stuff to say.  I think I am going to go and lay down for a while. I still feel weak and iffy. I cannot tell you how much this getting sick every other day wears me down. I hate not feeling well and having this happen so often does nothing for my mental well being. Its just so annoying but its not something I can totally control either. Just another frustration.

Toodles
Linda

I don't like March

|I am not fond of the month of March. Both my parents died in March, the weather is unpredictable and its like a waiting room for spring. The time changes and I don't like loosing an hour of my day. March is just not my favourite. Today is the anniversary of the day my Dad died. I was a teenager then and now I am looking retirement in the face. I still miss him and wish he was here no matter that he has been gone for so long. On Friday his only nephew passed away. That entire portion of my Dad's family is gone now. Its seems so sad but that's how life goes.

So my least favourite month came in like a lion. Apparently Mother Nature was having a mood. Thankfully we did not get it as hard as some places but we got enough. Thick heavy wet snow that if you did not have to go out in it was rather pretty

The picture above is a winter's eve, Lovely and quiet but in the morning my back yard looked like this:

Much shoveling was required. I managed it, Bad knees, bad back, pinched nerve and all, I did get it done. Rather proud of myself because it proves I still can if I have to . Its good for me to do this stuff. I took my time and was at work later in the day although I ended up taking a cab after all. The next morning it looked like this

All that work just to get to repeat it the next day. This called for some seriously big swear words! I did get up early because I had heard this may happen. I got the shoveling done. I got my car cleaned off  (with a shovel no less) and got out of the back alley and to work on time. Only to discover the city crews had plowed a ridge in front of the parking lot entrance and the lot had not been cleaned. I did get into the lot via the back alley but getting over the ridge was a problem. Thankfully I work with some very kind people who found the lowest part of the ridge and stomped/kicked a path for me.They offered steadying hands as me and my cane made it over.

Up side of the week, I had made a mistake counting my vacation days and I had an afternoon to take before the end of the month. I promptly took it on Friday. Flew out of work, scooted to Michaels and got some dishcloth yarn as I got an order for four cloths in teal. Then I picked up some Caron Cakes yarn on a whim to make a baby blanket. I got to use two coupons which thrilled me to no end. Love a bargain. I spent the rest of the afternoon happily crocheting and watching TV. There is no doubt in my mind that I am going to like being retired.

I had thought of giving this blanket to the new baby but I am not sure. I may just tuck it away and make another with more girly colours for baby. I have not got a nickname for her yet. Something will come to me. I had seen this on Pinterest some time ago

Loved it and thought of making it at some point. This is the version I started on Friday with the Caron Cake yarn White Truffle I think the colour is, inspired by Pinterest:

It may be a little big for a baby blanket when its done but it will do for a long time. Wrap up the baby or for a child to cuddle under on the couch watching cartoons. Its soft and lovely and I want to make more. I am pleased with the outcome and love the yarn, its self striping in some gorgeous colours.

I took a break from the craft room purge this weekend. I will get back at it in the coming week. I turned my eye to my kitchen and in between crocheting I took a round out of the room that seems to be a perpetual disaster. Probably more crocheting than cleaning took place but the kitchen is much improved.

I sorted out the current paper work and instead of leaving it in a stack, I actually filed it in my lovely file cabinet. So there is progress happening in this house. I have thought up a few new projects for around the house while I was awake at 7:00 am on Saturday and being determined not to get up. Not at that hour, not on a Saturday thank you very much. I will reveal my good ideas in due time.

I finally found a dragon for my scrapbook that I had decided I could live without if I didn't find one.

Perfect for the Game of Thrones Thanksgiving day page .

I cannot think of anything else to ramble on about. I need to sort the patterned paper for my up coming scrapbook day. I need to figure out supper and wash the last of the pots in the kitchen sink. So a nap it is!!

Toodles,
Linda

Keepin' on Keepin on

Ok so I am slow at getting at my weekly blog post because I broke my computer. I was out of commission for a couple of days. Some days I am so much my father's daughter and this weekend I channeled his capacity to be rammy and not do things the way one should.  I was working in the craft room and I did something to the computer. The picture went black and the sound went off. So instead of unplugging the mouse cord from the front of the tower to check the connections at the back I laid it on its face with the mouse still plugged into the front. Long story short I was pushing on the plugs on the back and the something went snap. I bent the plug and the USB port. When I pulled the mouse cord out the USB port came with it. Crap, crap, crapity crap. Just when you think there cannot possibly be anything else  going wrong or needs to be fixed the powers that be say "hold my beer". I tried the other USB ports and nothing. So no mouse no computer. Results in a temper tantrum.

The Banker's daughter heard of my plight because I like to share my misery on facebook. She asked her son to come look at my computer for me. Well I think the universe knows I am close to snapping,  Grandson was able to get me up and running again. The first USB port is kaput but he got the thing to work in another one and I am on the interwebs once again. I am so happy and it did not cost me a dime which makes me even happier. Its nice to know people that know stuff.

This weekend was a continuation of the craft room purge. Remember this?

Well now it looks like this

The best thing is that I know what is in each of these boxes. I have made an inventory, the boxes have been numbered and the contents have been recorded in  this

Cute little book that matches the colours of the craft room. The S initial stands for stuff. Everything is written down in there and so when I want to find something, I will be able to look in the book and find it without ripping the room apart. This is a project I have wanted to do for a long time.

The walking area in the room is growing. Its fabulous but I still have a long way to go.

I will have to admit I had a snit when I broke the computer. Snit/tantrum .... potato/pohtatoo. I had to leave the craft room because I was tempted to smash the computer tower to bits, cause its all its fault not mine of course. So I sat in the living room and instead of just pouting I sorted my scrapbooking embellishments.

I am going to alphabetize them and write out some nice Martha Stewart labels. I found this accordion file when I was purging the room. I thought I had gotten rid but it showed up and now I have put it back to good use.

I made good use of my gift card from Michael's and a super good coupon and got myself some punches.  I wanted heart punches for some time. I also got  some extenders for the album posts. I have needed them for some time.  So happy with a good deal.

I paid less than half of what I would have paid full price. $45.00 worth of stuff for $19.50 sweet!!

So the craft room purge continues. I have finished my 2017 album with this last cute page.

The embellishments are sorting into categories and next I will do the printed papers. I have been knitting as well. I am trying to use up the last of the dishcloth yarn. I have a basket full of dishcloths and I don't need to make any more. I am not doing the craft sale so I don't need a stock pile of them but they are so darn easy and fun to make.

I have enough garbage to fill my dumpster three times, I have three boxes of donation stuff and I still have more to go. It feels so darn good to be getting this done. I just keep plugging along and bit by bit I can see that I am gaining ground. 

Toodels

Linda

The Purge of 2018

Like most people I start the new year with high hopes, new resolve to improve, get healthy, make changes and it all goes to hell about this time of the year. I am happy to say that while I am not doing as well in some aspects of my life, others are ticking along nicely.

The current thing I am most happy about is the great purge. I said that once I got the quilt done I was going to start on the craft room and danged if I didn't. I dove into the cupboard in the corner and went to work shredding documents and clearing out old records that are so outdated it is not even funny. I got started some time last week and I think I will be done tomorrow. Now to be fair, I have a small shredder and it overheats in minutes. Boxes like this

turned onto boxes like this

and bags like this began to show up in the dining room

I only had three bankers boxes full of stuff and believe me I was wishing for a burn barrel. But I have been happily filling bags with shredding since a bonfire in the back yard was not on the agenda and like I said I should be done by some point tomorrow. Then more magic happens. I get to turn this

into a proper organized, inventoried storage area full of things that I need to keep, use and have no real place to put at the moment. I cannot wait to get going on this space. My hope is to get some of the stuff that is taking up space on the floor in my craft room, can be put into this cupboard, out of the way and give me back my walking space.

So far I have found things I forgot I had. Decided there is more that can go and am just feeling so glad that I actually made myself get at this project. The house looks like a horrible mess but its got to get messy to get better. To know that it is headed to ward the getting better is the best.

I also had another little project asked of me. A co-worker has animals and right now his sheep are lambing. Newborn lamb ears are in danger of frostbite in this cold weather. My supervisor suggested to him that I could make something He asked and I thought I could. A little research and I was told lamb heads are about the size of a cat's head. I have cats I could do this. Google offered up no patterns so I went to work on making a pattern of my own.

 I made the first one and went looking for a model who was willing 

Lucy was not all that thrilled with being part of the new adventure. So I moved onto my tried and true partner. Desi to the rescue

He may not be happy about the deal but he tolerates me putting things on his head and I don't fear for my health as I sleep if I use him. Lucy would take you out in a heartbeat. Anyway this was the first trial and I got the top part to high. there is too much space at the top of the head,  it needs to fit tighter to the crown. SO onto prototype number 2.

I got the fit better this time round. Desi is so not happy because I woke him up out of a sound sleep to see the fit and he was a little miffed. A good belly rub and some chin scratches assuaged his snit, all was well with us once again. A 1/2 teaspoon of cheez whiz helped too. The fit was good and little lamb ears will now be warm and cozy.

I am so very pleased that I could help out. I have made him a half dozen so far. Two green, two gold and two black. I am using left over yarn which is great. 

Tomorrow is a holiday so no alarm clock for me on a Monday morning, complete bliss. I have another cold going, Had one over Christmas, now having another one. Ugg. But enough about my bad behavior. Tomorrow I will repeat what I have been doing most of this weekend. Shred, do a load of laundry, knit or crochet, more laundry then shred again. I work around the machine overheating.

This afternoon I took a break and went to see LadyBird with Teddy Bear. We went to the afternoon matinee at the university, then an early supper. She let me stop and pick up some things so I did not have to go out tomorrow if I did not wish to. Eggs and bread for breakfast, I am set. It was a very nice afternoon. I have such good friends and I do like spending time with them. The movie was good, odd but good.

Well I think I will sit and knit for a bit then head to bed. I have a "sleeping in" on the agenda for tomorrow and I can't wait.

Toodles

Linda

Pancakes for Supper

I like pancakes just once in a while and lately I have been craving them so I made pancakes and sausage for supper tonight. I didn't make soup, I didn't make porridge but I made pancakes. They really just are a syrup delivery system aren't they??

I have had a lovely weekend. Teddy Bear, KitKat, and I spent Saturday at the Banker's scrapbooking.

I am trying to finish the 2017 album that I worked on in November at our fun scrapbooking weekend.  I nearly have it finished. We had such a good day. Lots of laughs, lots of creativity. Its so good to have others around for this sort of thing. You exchange ideas, advise and you can show off your pages for approval or improvement suggestions or at times a complete re do because it doesn't look right.

we trade papers and use each others equipment. Its a lot of fun. 

 Today I continued on with the book. I am hoping to get it completely finished. Well at least as much as I can do. I need to get a couple of pictures printed and some embellishments and I am done. I have already started the list for this year's book.

Its just past supper time and I have not started the laundry, and the kitchen is a bit of a mess but the book will be finished by the end of the day. I will at least do one load of laundry before tomorrow. It will be nice to have pants to wear to work.

So that has been my weekend. Good friends and making stuff. I like it.

Now that the quilt is finished, this week I am going to start to purge all the old paper from this house, OId bills, old bank statements old crap that is taking up valuable real estate in my house. I want to find room to get some of the boxes off the floor in the craft room. I'd like to be able to walk in there without the fear of ending up trapped if I trip.This is part of the January purge that I got side tracked on but I am determined to do even if I am late.

So that is my weekend. I am trying not to focus on the fact that it is Monday tomorrow. Why do the weekends go by so fast.??? Aw well. I have next  Friday afternoon off and its a three day weekend  so its all really good.

Toodles
Linda