Follow-up!

In this insane world of ours today, what is the biggest timewaster?

OK -- after social media! 

It's follow-ups! 

It doesn't seem to matter what you do these days, but everything requires follow-up. You can't seem to accomplish a single thing without some form of follow-up, and it can suck up so much time. 

Like my new theatre seating, which came with no trays, but that is all taken care of now. 

Like going to the doctor to renew that prescription and having to follow up because it got sent to the pharmacy, but I wanted to change that pharmacy. 

I'm happy to report that I walked to the pharmacy yesterday and asked them to request that the prescription be transferred to them. It took the lady a few minutes to make the call, and then she had to wait for the transfer. I then popped to the grocery store and the post office, and before I left the grocery store, I got a text saying that my prescription was ready for pick-up. 

That would NEVER happen that quickly at the other pharmacy. I'll go today to pick it up! So that was a positive change, but one more detail that had to be taken care of! 

I bought DH a new chair (gaming chair), and it arrived on our doorstep the other night. No one rang the doorbell to alert us that it was there, but the huge box was sitting on the step when he took Murphy out for a pee (on a leash in the front yard). 

I had the joy of assembling it yesterday. 

Some assembly required

There are a lot of pieces to assemble a chair, and it took me a bit of time to find the instructions. Once the chair was together, it was NOT high enough, so now I have to follow up on that. Either it gets returned, or we are able to get a different part for the stem. Sigh...

Murphy helping to assemble the new chair

And the list goes on and on. 

The other very strange thing that happened yesterday was that I attempted to clear the backlog of class follow-ups. It's almost all done except for two emails. I composed one of them, including some missing information that was very long overdue. 

Then I stared at the screen in horror as the characters disappeared one by one as if someone had their finger on the backspace button. I tried to stop it, but as soon as I let the mouse click go, it continued, and within 30 seconds, the entire message was gone! So, I rewrote half of it and will deal with the other half this morning. 

I keep a pending folder on my desk, and going through that or the emails is a nightmare with follow-up. I'm trying to move any email that requires action into a digital pending folder, and that is helping, but I'm still missing so much. Well, I'll do what I can. But I hate follow-ups. Well, hate is a strong word. Let's just say that it's nice to do something and not have to follow up with it!

Since I finished that audiobook, I decided to try some podcasts. I have one that I've been meaning to listen to for a year! I listened to two episodes yesterday, and it's a nice change from listening to an audiobook. I even moved the app into my library folder on my phone so I would see the icon when I went to find something to read. Sometimes, it's all about how things are stored. Putting that app in the social media folder did nothing for me. But now? I think this is going to work. 

I managed to get more sewing done, which is great, but alas, there is nothing I can share at the moment. I need to start working faster! That's all I can say! 

OH -- more follow-up! That darn TV has caused me a ton of extra work. Ordering chairs, getting those missing tray tables, not to mention all the extra time spent cleaning up! But look at how sweet this girl is, as she rests like a diva on the old sofa! 

Mom - this is so comfy!

Now I have to call to arrange a pick-up of everything we no longer want. I also had to order Lexi a new bed to replace the couch that is going away. She is not going to be happy, but it will look so much better. And I still need to remove all the boxes in the front hallway. Tomorrow! 

So here's the progress on my VIRTUAL walk across the US. I started where the big green sign is and have walked/spin class 1,746 KM so far this year. I'm ahead of my pace (120 km), which is the red marker, but that is OK. It's good to be a bit ahead, as catching up can be challenging. 

Progress on my virtual walk

The spin classes allow me to do such an aggressive walk, and there will be days when I can't get to class, so it should all work out. I have until the end of 2027 to complete this walk. And if, near the end, I'm far enough ahead, I might just move the finish line back to the start line. The goal was to walk through all contiguous land states of the US. Let's say that required a LOT of follow-up as I had to make several attempts before I got the path through all 48 states. 

And on that happy note, I'm out of here! What follow-up can I work on today? Oh yes, there are five emails I MUST get out the door today. I'll also pick up the prescription and a book from the library for DH, and I'm sure something else will pop up! But I do my errands as part of my walk, and everything works out for me! 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!

Why are hospitals like a maze?

That was easy, and I got home about 12 minutes later than I anticipated! Thankfully, the hospital where the MRI was done was only 15 minutes away, and I arrived in plenty of time to find parking. Not that the parking lot was full, but I had no idea where it was (in the back), and then I had to walk around to the front to enter through Emerg since the hospital is locked up at 5 a.m. Then, the big question was how to find the Diagnostic Imaging Department. 

Thankfully, that was a non-issue as it was clearly marked on the big dots on the floor. I didn't even have to ask anyone, which is good because I didn't see a soul, except for a few patients waiting in Emerg. 

A path of dots to direct the way

Even within the DI department, markers were on the floor to indicate where you needed to go for each test.  

More dots on the floor

But it kind of begs the question—why are hospitals like mazes? Can they not have a central hallway, and you walk down one hall to find everything? It's like they started with one building, then added many more, and each one has twists and turns. However, this dot system is brilliant! 

AHA -- Now I get why there is a longer wait for MRIs. If you've ever had one, you know. I got on the bed, and the guy was arranging my feet (he said he was tying my legs down!), and then they put this weighted thing on my stomach. And you get a call button and earplugs. Imagine my shock when he said the test takes 20 - 25 minutes!!!! I didn't remember it being that long the last time I had one, but it's been almost 10 years. WOW! So, if they can only process two patients an hour, that takes a lot of time, and you can see why they don't want anyone to miss their appointment. 

So, off with anything metal, and while changing, I learned something else. Did you know this was a thing? 

Magnetic lashes

It appears I lead a very sheltered life! Well, no worry about removing my magnetic lashes! I'm not claustrophobic and didn't find it a super tight space, although I mostly kept my eyes closed. Although the noise is crazy -- beeps that sound URGENT like an alarm. That alone could set someone off! Towards the end, but I didn't know that at the time, this beeping started again. I decided to count the number of beeps, but I got bored around the 60 mark, and it continued. About that same time, I could feel my throat get dry, and you were not supposed to move. Yikes! 

I didn't want to use the call button. That would be wimpy, so I did what I do whenever I need to get away. I just zoned out. You just relax and drown out any of the noise and discomfort. I've done that with severe asthma attacks, childbirth, and whoever else I've needed it. Our minds are MORE powerful than our bodies, and if we let our minds take over (in a positive way), they can defeat much of the pain and discomfort. And I'm darn good at it now. I think part of it has to do with being patient. 

Anyway, after many beeps, the machine finally shut off, the table moved out, and I was done! There was no waiting, and all was good. I was back in the car and out of the parking lot before 6 a.m. Now, that's how I like medical appointments to go, and if it means going for an MRI in the early morning or even in the middle of the night, I'm in!

The screening said left hip, but I sure hope they got some of the back area so they can see if there is anything wrong. I had to stop in to see my doctor yesterday to get that prescription renewed, and I reminded her I was going today. She said she thought it might be bursitis. NO—I know it is NOT bursitis. That is a very focused pain, and what I have is NOT focused. Hopefully, I'm going to get the information I need. 

Speaking of the prescription, I walked to the doctor's office and got her to give me a year's worth of that bone density medication with one renewal. Yeah! But then she whipped that prescription off to the drug store before I could say boo. I would have the receptionist change the pharmacy, but she was gone for the day. I caught the doctor before she grabbed the next patient, and she said I could get the pharmacies to talk to each other. I hope so. 

This pharmacy that I'm not a fan of takes forever to fill a prescription, but I thought, just in case, I should stop by since it was on my way home. I talked to the pharmacist, who looked up the information. Oh yes -- she says, that one just popped up on my screen. Did that mean, she was about to fill it? I didn't even bother to ask. I told her I'd get the other pharmacy to call them and transfer it. I'm going to do that in person. I don't trust people on the phone! Am I old or what? 

So, all is good in the medical field, and now I have to wait about two weeks for the results. Let's see how bad the damage is and what, if anything, can be done about it. I'm not holding my breath - I think we just have to realize that there is some form of disk degeneration, and not a lot can be done. The discomfort can be eased but not eliminated. Hopefully, my pessimism will pay off, and they might say we have a cure for that! What I'm experiencing now is NOT nearly as bad as it was at Christmas time. I could NOT live with that pain. Although my situation is not right, I could live with this discomfort. 

I had not been down this way in a while, and I see there is some new building going up. This is where a restaurant once resided, but it burned down several years ago. It's nice to see something going up—and not a condo! 

A new restaurant? 

So, there's more good news at the house. The tray tables for the new chairs arrived. Now it's just like at the movies! We have two—his and hers! 

The new chair tables

I got some more sewing done, so that was good, and I got all the sashing strips cut from the fabric. All is good, and I'm not going to share with you what happened to that quilt until after I share it with the group at the beginning of May. 

My sashing strips for Chatsworth

I also need to work on this quilt, which is different from the one I'm working on for Many Blocks. That one is also by Lori Holt, but it's Farm Girl Vintage. This one is Vintage Christmas. 

Vintage Christmas

I'm trying to keep my calendar relatively free and book only one thing each day at the most. So today's appointment/event is already over, so I can move on. There is NOTHING else on the calendar for the day, but that doesn't mean I have nothing to do! There are loads! 

I finished that audiobook yesterday—The Inmate by Freida McFadden. Remember I talked about a twist? Yep, I did not see that one coming! Her books are so creepy from the perspective that someone can have some very evil thoughts! 

We have some crazy weather here, but I've been so lucky. Last week, when I had two back-to-back guild lectures, the first was in person, and the weather was beautiful. The next day, the weather was crap, and the lecture was on Zoom! 

This morning, as I was driving home from the hospital, they said the driving was terrible, and the entire east side of the city was icey. Thankfully, I live on the west side, and it is as dry as a bone! 

And that's it for today! I have an entire day to myself—it's positively dreamy! I hope I don't freeze with no deadline to deal with. Oh, I have deadlines, just no appointments. I need to work better with that!

Have a super day!!! 

Ciao!!!

Switching up quilt projects is a good thing!

Good grief -- I am NOT nervous about this MRI, but it's obviously in my subconscious as I had another dream, and this time, I was headed for surgery. Yesterday afternoon, I got a reminder call from the hospital about the appointment, which is very early tomorrow morning. In my surgery dream, the hospital gowns were see-through? Too much Janet Evanovich (I just finished Now or Never #31), and I seemed to have bathroom issues (I had a conversation with my Mom earlier in the day about that very thing, but it was her, not me!) I love how the brain mixes thoughts together and creates a wild story. 

Perhaps that is how some of these crazy women authors develop their plots. Hmm—I'm listening to a Frieda McFadden book right now, and there is still over one hour left, and the supposed murderer has been caught. Hmmm—there is obviously a big twist coming. I was trying to think of what that could be, and BAM—as I walked into Studio B this morning, the answer came to me. 

Hopefully, I have time this afternoon to finish that book. Let's see if I'm right. 

My internet has been perfect for all of the February and March presentations. I had zero issues. But all of a sudden, it's starting to act up. I was almost finished with my last call on Saturday and my last call on Sunday, and I was kicked out and couldn't get back in. Why is that? I need to call our provider anyway for something else. We have moved the router about four feet to the left and three feet higher than where it was previously, but you can't tell me that's enough to throw it out of whack. 

I'll see how it goes this morning with Monday Sewing. 

I've been working on the 365-day Quilt as part of my Many Blocks project, similar to a UFO finishing class. It's a ton of work, and I don't feel like I'm accomplishing much in the time I spend on it. I could technically stop after any of the rounds. It currently looks like this. Spending time on it is challenging as it's time-consuming and very little to show for many hours of work.  

My 365-day quilt project

Many small 3" (finished) dark green blocks have been made and need to be added to this center block. Two rounds of the 3" blocks will create a 6" border. Some of the next round of blocks (Light 6" blocks) have also been completed. After a discussion with some of the UFO group, I've decided to take a break from that project and pick something easier where I can actually see some progress. 

This is my new project. I actually pulled this out a while ago—remember that I couldn't find the missing box of fabric? 

Farm Girl Vintage

I pulled it out, certain that all I had left to do was sew the blocks together. Hmm—imagine my surprise when I realized that not all the blocks were done. But hey—they are cut out, so that should be easy. 

Blocks are cut out

Not so! I found three blocks cut out, one of which was missing the background fabric, which I now have in my possession. Here is one of those three blocks together, and the second one is almost together. 

One more completed quilt block

Then I continued to look through the book because it's pretty thick with stuff. 

The book with the finished blocks inside

And I found many completed blocks. 

Completed blocks for Farm Girl Vintage

I taught this as a class some years ago (2016) and created a Canadian Flag to replace the American Flag block. 

My Canadian Flag block

Alas, it seems that 16 blocks are neither done nor cut out. But I'm going to own this project and get it done! 

I also found these two blocks in the book. 

Two bonus-size blocks

I think I was planning on making this Quilt. 

The tractor/pinwheel quilt

So the question is, what do I do with those two big blocks? I have loads of fabric that I could use to make this tractor quilt. I could also switch to making log cabin blocks to surround the tractor and lay them out in the fields and furrows setting. 

Hmmm --- what to do with them. 

But I feel much better and more excited about this project. It's not that I do not want to finish the 365-day Quilt. It's a challenge, and I need to keep it in the background, but I need to take a break from it—even a mental break—is good! 

The price of gas has drastically dropped in the last week. It's all a political game, but I'm not complaining. Not that we go through a lot of gas in this household. Moving to one vehicle was definitely the thing to do for us! I think it is working because we sold both our other cars. Even though mine was still good, this car was bought together, and so it's our car. That makes a massive difference in sharing a vehicle with a significant other. A car is not a status symbol for me at all. It's something to get you from one place to another. 

Gas prices have dropped

I managed to get some sewing done in the afternoon, and this was the board holding my Chatsworth pieces. Yes, that means progress was made. These remaining fabrics need to be cut for some sashings, which I hope to do later today. That will clear up a huge spot on the sewing table! 

The board where Chatsworth used to sit

After a two-month hiatus from the EXIT games, we're back! DH has even asked when we were going to start again. This one is a bit different. It's a graphic book, and we need to follow the clues in the book to solve the mystery. The storyline is linear, but the pages are not. You are switching all over the place. 

Our new EXIT Game Challenge

Did you notice the difficulty rating? 

Difficulty rating

They must have made the first puzzle easy to make us feel like champs! So far, so good! 

 It's going to be another action-packed day. There is a lot to do, and I had better organize myself to make it happen. Plus, I have two quilt challenges that I MUST work on every day to complete! 

The blog might be a bit late tomorrow. My appointment is at 5:15 AM, and I imagine they run pretty much on time. But I'm not sure, so I may be late getting back. No need to panic if you don't see it right at 7:30! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

List making is fun!

I love lists! Lists make me feel in control! This little apple did not fall far from the tree. My mom keeps tons of information, but most of it is useless, like tracking the amount that the telethon (they still have those out west) raised over the last 50 years. Now, that's a list I can do without! However, I have to say that having a list like that and keeping track of it for 50 years is a feat! 

My most extensive lists are book-related! 

Back in the day, and I could not find an exact date, there was a website called FictFact. You could keep track of the various book series you were reading and check off the ones you had read. Then, it would spit out a list of the books next in line for each series. It was a beautiful reading list and made knowing what book to read next easy. 

Sadly, that site closed down when the big names started taking over the book world. FictFact also shut down, as I suspect licensing the information from the big guys became too costly. I miss that website terribly, but I printed a list of the next-in-line titles before they went. 

I've hung onto that list for a number of years, but I figured it was time to deal with it. So I started with Page One, checked the books I had read, and crossed them off. I made a list of the next in a series I have not read yet and indicated where the book is located—Hoopla, Libby, my shelf, or to be added to the shopping list for used books. 

And then, because the information was handwritten on that FictFact list, I made another list of the books I own in the various series. 

So now I have three book lists: one for the next-in-line books to read in a series, one for the series books I own, and one for missing books not available at any online library sources. I only own some books in a series because they are no longer available at the library. 

Of course, there are the books I've read, and I have two different websites to track that information. One tracks only novels (my choice), and the other tracks everything. 

I only went through one page of the FictFact list, and there are six more to go! Yes -- I love reading book series! 

Page one of the FictFact list

It did NOT take much time to sort through that, and it will make it much easier to find the next book to read in a series. When I want to find the next book in a series to read, I have to check my read lists to see the last book I read. I read so many series, and I may only read a book from a series once a year or once every two years, so I need a list. Then I check on another website, which is the next book in that series. Then I go to my shelf to see if I have that one. If not, I must check the library resources to see if one is available. It is not an easy process, which is why FictFact was so perfect! 

But there is a workaround for everything. Too much trouble, you say? Nothing is too much trouble if you believe in it and it works for you! When you are passionate about something, nothing is work! So it takes a bit of time, but now that I have my personal list, at least the unread books from the FictFact list, finding a book to read will be easier! 

And yes, once I was finished with that page, I put it in the recycling. There is no need to keep useless paper. Of the 17 books on the first page, there were five I had not yet read, so they are on the new list, along with where to find them. I had better read those quickly, as some books I had marked as in the library are no longer in the library! 

I'm pretty excited, and it's nice to have some downtime to do some "fun" paperwork. No - I did not do any real paperwork yesterday, but I'll try to make that happen today! 

I noticed a tree at the end of our street is in bloom, which seems a bit early. But I guess not, as I see crocuses, tulips, and daffodils pushing up through the ground. Soon, the REAL spring will be here. 

A tree in bloom

Here's a role reversal at our house. I caved and moved that second half of the couch back so Murphy could have a couch bed, just like Lexi. DH says, "I thought you bought the chairs to remove the sofa." I did, but the dogs? They need to be part of the family! 

The girls 

We watched a movie last night, and I LOVE the new chairs. They are pretty comfy with the adjustable positions, and I was as snug as a bug with my quilt. I like action movies, but sadly, this was a disturbing movie, almost an action farce, and I didn't enjoy it. However, I stayed there as promised. Lexi seems excited by the blue lights at the bottom of the chairs! She was hovering around trying to figure out what they are and she is NOT a curious dog. 

Now I know why I don't watch many movies and certainly not TV. What a total waste of time, and if this is called entertainment? I'm speechless. 

We had our Chatsworth class yesterday, and here are my blocks so far. 

There are twelve big blocks and twelve flying geese units. All the big blocks are done! And I think nine or ten of the flying geese units are done. Could I be so bold as to say they will be all done by the end of today? I did some sewing yesterday, and it was fun to get back into it. I needed the inspiration of the class to get moving again. 

I have two more presentations this morning, and the rest of the afternoon is mine! I have 50 pages in a novel to finish, so it can be returned to the library, which I'll do right after the presentations. Then I'll be back at the sewing machine. 

I have my silly pill to take when I take my vitamins later this morning. My doctor thinks I'm going insane as she actually asked me if I "forget" to take the pill, as in losing my memory. Good grief --- NO. I'm just not a pill taker. I called the office to renew the other day, and the receptionist said NO - I needed to come in. 

My MRI is this coming week, and I dreamt last night that I missed the appointment. Good grief - I don't want to miss it! I have good days and bad days with the leg. But I'm not about to let it change my life until I can't handle it any longer. Thankfully, the acute pain is gone, but the dead feeling in that leg is not fun, and I would never trust myself to run as I feel that leg would give out at any time. It's so weird, and hopefully, the MRI will provide an answer. 

I strongly suspect they will find bulging disks, which is not what I want to hear, but at least we would know what the problem is and hopefully how to "cure" it or at least do something to improve it. I will say the increased exercise and stretching have helped enormously with the issue. And my mobility is fantastic! My muscles are still extremely tight—like guitar strings! So I must keep working on that, and I need to stretch more. 

And on that happy note, I'm off to walk the girls! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

The Pony Express in action!

I love our Pony Express! We've shuffled many things around on it, and there's quite a stack at my front door. Granted, some of that is not technically for the Pony Express, but it's waiting for me to make some donation drop-offs. 

And I have to say that having friends who live in other places is a great thing! I was alerted to another amazing user bookstore in Brockville called Book Trader. They have a Facebook page, and I contacted them. Within minutes, I had a reply. I sent my list to them, and within minutes, I got pictures back of six more of the missing books. 

More missing books

That is fantastic service. The books were set aside for my friend, who lives near the store, to pick up. She happened to be out and about yesterday and the books are now in her possession. 

The books in North Bay have now been picked up and are waiting to be delivered to me. 

Books from Allison the Bookman in North Bay

I haven't received an answer from the other two bookstores I contacted, so I guess I know who I'll be doing business with in the future! 

I have another list of books I want, or should I say they are books that DH wants, and I did NOT have them when I started searching. OK - I had the list, but I didn't consult it! I'll wait a while before I start looking for his. Yes, I know it would have been more efficient if I had both done simultaneously. So now - from that list of 23 missing books, I'm down to 6. I will keep looking for those six, but I can continue reading in four more series, which is good. And I must STOP getting books from the library! 

Thanks to everyone who participated in the great missing book caper - Karen, Helen Anne, Carol, and Mary! You guys are the best! Although I think one of them, who shall remain nameless, thought I had scooped some quilt books and she would browse them. Nope - I dare not buy any more quilt books. Only novels that I'll read and then trade in or donate! 

Some authors are very hard to find in specific locations, and it appears that MC Beaton is hard to find anywhere! None of her books were located at those stores. 

Our medical system works in mysterious ways. And this all relates to that silly bone density pill. However, with all the weight training at the gym, I may not need a bone density pill. I got a chuckle yesterday when I was using the weight machines, and I returned to find two guys using one of my machines, which is no big deal. But I had to joke about the piddly 5 lbs (in addition to the machine's weight) on one of the shoulder exercises. This guy was lifting 70. He told me to try 70 next time as it's easier! Right! All in friendly jest, of course! 

Anyway, this bone density pill is to be taken once a week, and I have struggled with that, especially since the first one had to be taken 30 minutes before eating. That got changed to a pill that I have to take with food, and even then, it's just not in my routine. I have now put the container with the vitamins I take once daily, and hopefully, that will work better. 

Don't yet at me; don't offer me suggestions - I am just NOT a pill taker. Thankfully, I've never had to take medication in my life (OK - I did have asthma at one point, but that's different), so the pill-taking thing just doesn't work for me. Hopefully, putting it with the vitamins will help. And my vitamins are chewy ones, in case you think I'm a hypocrite! OK - I am, but that's beside the point!

Anyway, I had issues with the pharmacy with the initial prescription—they had me on autofill, and since I wasn't taking them, it was getting messed up, so they stopped that process. Then I got the new prescription, and that is NOT on autofill. It's long overdue to be renewed (yes—don't yell at me), and now I have to physically visit the doctor to get it filled. 

Again, I am grateful that I have a doctor, but seriously? What is she going to do? She won't run a new bone density test; she will just fill out the renewal prescription and fax it to the pharmacy. What a total waste of time for her and me. I know it's all about billing, but you know the system is wrong when the only legitimate way a doctor can get paid is to have a patient come in. A simple phone call to the pharmacy or a consultation on the phone would be sufficient. Alas -- it's a mess, and now you wonder why I want to get this thing renewed. It's way more hassle! And I could just lift more weights, and I should be good! 

I hate complications and follow-ups, and that's what medication is all about! I will hold off taking any medication for as long as I can. Actually, I should take a look at that bone density test and see what exactly it says! 

I was lazy as a slug yesterday, doing nothing more than reading and sleeping! I think I'm trying to catch up with all the stuff that went on in February and March. I had no Zooms yesterday, and without a deadline or an appointment, I can be as lazy as ever! However, I did work on three presentations for today. Two are ready, and the third is almost complete. 

I managed to sew a block from those 2" squares and 2 by 5" rectangles. It's a scrap quilt with browns, although the browns range from many variations and values. 

A block for my new scrap quilt

I aim to make light and dark blocks as best I can. 

A dark and a light block

Oh my --- I don't know what's got into Murphy these days, but she is very agitated! I know she wasn't a fan of the wind the other day, but this morning? I suspect it's rabbits or something. I've already taken her outside (on a leash) for a pee, but that didn't seem to be the problem. 

Yesterday, this was her while I was reading in the living room. You can see that this is one of her favorite hideaways by the dirt on the wall. She has to squeeze in there, but she does it. Yet, she can't enter the back door when it's partially open? Sigh.

MOM - I'm scared! 

After the restaurant last night, I decided to grab my book and sit in the new chairs. They feel different, to be sure, but with the motorized leg rest, it's easy to find a spot. And if that isn't enough, they have a motorized headrest as well. I was very comfy with my quilt. DH—not so much. Good grief! He will have to like them, or he can share a spot with Lexi on the old couch. 

Lexi is comfy on her old couch

I felt bad for Murphy, so I dragged the other side of the couch beside my chair, and she was quite happy to lie there. 

MOM - I love it here! 

The chairs have cup holders and big storage in the arm, so hopefully, nothing goes missing! 

Let's hope I can get more motivated to work after my three zooms today. There are two more tomorrow, and I need to do some work for those, not just put together a presentation! Maybe that will help me get back on track. 

Well, it's time to get the day started! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!

Out with the old, in with the new

Thanks to everyone, I have half of the books on my list. Well, I found 11 of 23 books at two used bookstores. The best part is that the two stores recommended had fantastic service. Allison the Bookman in North Bay, received my order, gave me a price, and I paid via transfer. The books are being picked up later today. Fast service. 

I had the same speedy service at Bearly Used Book Store in Parry Sound, and three more books were checked off my list. They got picked up yesterday. All of them will be on The Pony Express shortly. That leaves twelve books on my current search list. I emailed a couple of other stores, but there has been no answer so far. Let's see what happens. I love supporting these small, independent bookstores - that's how the owners make a living and how these OLD books are still available. 

I managed to get more paperwork done, but I had other things to focus on yesterday, and one of them was prepping for the Zoom class in the evening. There is so much to learn, but it's all coming together. 

And what about the weather? The day before yesterday, when I walked to the grocery store, there was an incredible wind, two inches of snow on the ground, and ice pellets blowing in my face. It was a nasty day. 

Yesterday, I walked to the grocery store with bare arms in a short-sleeved T-shirt. By the afternoon, there was no snow! 

A beautiful warm day

The weather has just gone crazy! 

The snow didn't last long yesterday, as the temperature soared to 18 degrees! I got a chuckle as I walked down the street. This was how the snow melted off this van. It literally rolled up into a burrito along the windshield. 

The snow rolled off the roof of the van

With all the precipitation, there are many stories of flooding. How much results from building houses where houses shouldn't be built? I look at the little stream in the forest. This water is channeled into the city drain, but how many others aren't? And there is a lot of water in that supposedly dry stream. 

The stream in the forest

And parts of that creek were flowing pretty fast. At this point, it disappears into a culvert under the path. 

The stream in the forest

Our pond is at a crazy level. If it gets this full, it just leaks out one side, thankfully one away from the house. Yesterday, I decided I needed to remove some of the leaves. I then discovered the liner was bulging, meaning there was water underneath. Let's just hope that is because of the high water levels and not because of a leak in the liner. That would be a costly job to replace. 

Mom - that's a lot of leaves! 

So, instead of working yesterday, I had to do this. 

The canine vacuum

It was time to move that sectional, and of course, Murphy was in there as quick as she could because there were bits of dog food under the sofa. Seriously? How does that happen? And, of course, there were years of dirt, grime, and dog hair. 

But first, I needed to figure out how to get those sections unattached. That was a job that required getting down on the floor and understanding the little mechanisms that attached them. Once I figured it out, it was easy to pull them apart. With all the exercises I've been doing, it was a piece of cake to get down and just as easy to get up! That alone was worth the price of doing stand-up/sit-down! I practically leaped up from the floor with joy! It wasn't quite that easy, but it wasn't a big deal. 

Mom -- there are new things to sniff

Do you notice that a certain someone is in EVERY picture? I swear she is so snoopy, and that's another way that these two girls are so different. When Lexi saw her bed being moved around, she went into her kennel in the living room and stayed there the entire day until I made her go outside. Murphy just had to inspect EVERY detail. 

She even got to test out the sections to see if she would like to sleep there. That couch is so dirty from Lexi and DH. It's filthy, and I rarely use that sofa for that reason. We've also had it for many years.  

Mom - look, I blend in! 

Then, I had the joy of cleaning the floor. Yes, I am capable of doing housework when it's necessary. So, I vacuumed and washed the floor. Other than the bits of dog food, there wasn't much else under there—a lighter? And this—one rusty pin that will go into the dead pin box. 

The only treasure under the couch

And now look at how clean that floor is. It desperately needs to be redone. There is one area where DH sits all the time, and the varnish is completely worn away. I should probably buy a mat, or I should have purchased one long ago because that would have protected the floor. 

The floor is nice and clean

And did the sofa go back? Nope! It is still sitting in the family room, but this came instead. What?

Theatre seating

Yes, I decided that we needed theatre seating instead of a sofa! That was a whim purchase, but that sofa looked messy, and DH spent so much time slouching on it. And I never liked the fact that it was very grubby and unappealing to sit on. The only place I would sit is in the lounge area in the far corner, which wasn't easy to get into and off of. The couch was oversized and hard to move around on, and I didn't like it. So I bought theatre seating. His and hers! And don't sit in my seat! 

Those things fully recline, have lights on the bottom along with lighted cup holders, and plenty of storage in those oversized armrests, so no more crap lying on the sofa. It's all part of downsizing. Those chairs should last a while and are half the size of that large sectional! 

However, there is one problem. What to do about Lexi? So I shoved her couch section beside the chairs so she could still lie next to her Dad! You can just see the edge in the photo above. She would NOT come near it during the day, but when I got up this morning, she was back on HER couch. It looks weird, but I think I'm going to leave it. Otherwise, that space seems pretty empty as there is no other furniture except for the chairs!

I wonder if Murphy wants the other long part tucked in that empty corner? Will she sleep on it? She might if we are in that room watching TV. I don't even watch TV, but if I want to spend time in that room, at least there is a nice, clean spot to sit! I might just read there. If anyone wants to nap, there are beds upstairs, or you can sleep in your fully reclined chair. We only have a loveseat in the living room! I nap in bed - it's way more comfortable, and I set an alarm! It works for me!

So, movie night is planned for Saturday, and then we can test the chairs. I thought we were supposed to get trays with the chairs, but I didn't see any, so I will call and see if we can order them. Then, I could get rid of the ugly TV tray in the room. It's all about cleaning up and making things look more inviting instead of crap!


I just checked online, and yes, there are supposed to be tray tables included, as well as USB chargers in the controls. Yep, the USB charger is there! It's just missing those tray tables!

On that happy note, I'm off to the gym to see Brooke. I finished more paperwork, but I didn't get nearly as much done as I would have liked, although I made phone calls. Then I have FIVE sessions to prep for this weekend! Did I get any sewing done? No! I forgot to take a picture of what I made with those squares and rectangles, but I still need to think of the value, so I may change what I did. I'll share that tomorrow. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!