Baby - it's cold out there!

I really don't know what makes Outlook sync. I suspect it's some kind of time thing, or perhaps it's related to activity. I haven't really looked into it, but maybe I will. The more one understands something, the more opportunity you have to fix it when things go wrong! OK, I had a quick peek—I didn't understand a thing. I must go back! 

Yesterday was a brutal day physically! And it wasn't a bad day, just brutal. Surprisingly, my shoulders and arms are not sore despite all the upper body stuff we did in my personal training session. I thought I would be in a lot of agony, but no, I feel fine. Let's not forget the stretching on the legs and hips. I'm so tight; I'm like a tightly wound piano string! 

Then I saw Misty for a massage. These are not your la—la—have—a—drink massages; these are deep-tissue massages, and I thought I was going to die on the table. Because of all the stretching and how it relieves the sciatic (I'm going to call it that) issues, I believe that most of my issues are muscle-related. So, I let her work on my legs and glutes. 

I had a Zoom meeting to attend later in the day, and I just couldn't sit. I was OK for the first part, but it became very uncomfortable! I was absolutely exhausted when the meeting was over at 4:30 PM, so I went to bed and slept for two hours! I felt much better and was quite productive for a few hours. Then I went to bed and slept through until it was time to get up! 

I must get into a daily routine of stretching out those hips, hamstrings, and quads. It would be embarrassing if my issue was only related to extremely tight muscles. So, let's work on that and see what happens. And let's hope that we get it fixed before it causes any nerve damage! The tingling down my leg means there's still pressure on the nerve. 

I feel just fine this morning, so it was all worth it. And I must say that my mobility is so much better! I am not running up and down the stairs like I used to, but I can go up and down so much easier, especially first thing in the morning. My mobility does not seem joint-related—it's just stiff muscles. My ultrasound results indicate no bursitis or arthritis in the hip. Let's keep it that way!

Not much else was done besides getting to those three appointments and attending the meeting. However, I got some emails out the door last night, which was good. There's lots on the agenda again today. Will I get it all done before I'm away next week? I sure hope so. DH is now away, and I'm much more productive when he's not here! Don't ask me why, as he's pretty independent! 

Yes -- it's cold here, but it's all relative. It's much colder north of here, so I'm not complaining. Dress for it and try to get outside when the sun is shining. I think people grossly underestimate the power of the sun. It can help people suffering from SAD, but if you walk when the sun is out, the heat of the rays makes an incredible difference to the temperature! It's so much warmer in the sun. 

I love this picture of our area with a temperature guide. I could NOT find the legend to this, but it's cold. That color just makes it look VERY cold. 

It's COLD!

Here's my advice - wear a hat and tightly wound scarf to keep the draft off your neck, as most of your body heat is lost through your head. Some people are not into scarves, but I would be a block of ice without one. I also breathe through the scarf, which helps. And I tuck my shirt in! I hate a draft --- if any part of my body gets a draft when it's cold, then I'm freezing! 

And my recycled pop-bottle coat is warm as anything! I LOVE it. That was a worthwhile investment, although it wasn't that expensive. It's not the best if there's a lot of wind, but it works just fine for morning walks with the dogs. And I'm back to my down sweater in the afternoon. 

I think it's a bit colder today than yesterday, and then it warms up! 

Here's someone who loves this cold weather. Murphy goes outside and immediately drops on her belly in the snow. 

MOM -- it's so HOT in the house!

Or she could be on her belly on the blanket while contemplating what is happening with that ball! 

MOM -- that ball might move! 

I have a lot of things to pick up and drop off in the next couple of days, so I've been making arrangements to make that happen as well. I'm getting through the list, but when I went to send an email last night, I realized that I was missing a book with the information in it! Of course, I am. I've used that book for a class for FIVE years, and it was always in the same spot. Now, it's not to be found when I have one last need for it! I left it out so I could write that email................   What did I do with it? I will look through the stacks of recent paperwork again, but where is that book? 

Well, that's it for me this morning. I'm off to spin class. Wait - that's the other thing that keeps you warm. Get your blood circulating! If you just sit all day, you will be cold, and that's why seniors often have the temperature cranked in their houses. They don't move, their blood doesn't circulate, and they are cold. So do some stand-up/sit-down exercises - do ten of them. Then, take a break and do ten more. Aren't you warmed up? Yep --- circulate that blood! 

Have a super day!!! No, even better than that - EMBRACE the day - do something fun. Or do something you have meant to do for a while, but EMBRACE the day!! 

Here are the links for the Virtual Retreat this weekend. Oh, I'm generating new codes. So here's the one for Saturday, and I'll finish the one for Sunday tomorrow. 

Saturday - January 25 - Starts at 6 PM EST

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82693702241?pwd=QpQkm8Ppppy1XwCPOqva1bcgJCWKdP.1

Meeting ID: 826 9370 2241
Passcode: 795071

Ciao!!!

Upcoming classes for learning

GASP ---- I cannot give up Outlook! As a matter of fact, since I did all that switching of files around, the darn thing has synced just fine. I'm not sure what all that was about. 

Old habits die hard, and I've been using Outlook for years. Yes, I could go directly to the server to get those emails, but I like how Outlook works. Yet, I use Samsung Mail on my phone. It acts differently, so I can never find anything in my phone email, especially if it's in a folder. I hate responding to emails on my phone because it's so tiny. The biggest thing about Outlook for me is the folder system. 

Can I create folders on the server? Without those folders, I'd be lost. I've neglected email for two days, and I'm now in trouble because MANY emails are waiting to be dealt with. I haven't used Outlook much in Windows 11, and it feels very different, so I need to sit down and understand how it works. Perhaps I should use Outlook on my phone so all three inboxes are on the same platform. However, they will look different because the OS is different. 

Thanks for the suggestions about giving it up. When it works, it works like a charm—and it rarely doesn't. It's just the issue of syncing, which sometimes takes a while. I can still access Outlook and that inbox on ALL my computers, so it works! 

A lot happened yesterday, yet I barely have anything to show you. The quilts are trimmed and ready for delivery, and the machine embroidery projects are being trimmed. I hope to finish those today. 

Here's the next customer quilt. 

Customer quilt - DONE

So, everything is going according to plan—just not fast enough! This week's list of things to do is still long, but some items are not time-consuming. I'll do what I can.  

Here's some information about classes that you might be interested in. Please note that all of these classes are NOT about making something. They are about learning tools (software) you have or improving skills to finish your existing projects. That's all keeping my word: not to offer NEW things to make but to help you finish existing things. 

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Crossing the Finish Line (on Zoom) through The Hobby Horse Quilt Shoppe

This class is about finishing your quilt - different binding styles (and there are MANY), labels, and quilt sleeves. This is the second offering of this class, as the first one sold out quickly. It runs from January to June; the first class is this weekend!

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mySewnet Embroidery Software (on Zoom) through Needleworks Studio (Cochrane, Ontario)

This is about learning to digitize and edit in the mySewnet Embroidery Software. The software will work for ALL embroidery machines, as you can select the appropriate file extension when you export the files. You should be familiar with the software's basic tools, and you'll need the Platinum level. 

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Machine Embroidery IN-PERSON workshop

Date: February 21 - 23 

Place: Springhouse REtreat (New Hamburg, Ontario)

Cost: Approximately $300, including two dinners (must work out the details later today)

This will be an excellent opportunity to get hands-on experience with your embroidery machine. We'll be talking stabilizers, and you'll have a chance to experiment with them and learn which ones to use when. Tools to exactly position designs are a huge feature of many embroidery machines, but many people do not know how to use them correctly - you will after this workshop. Project in the hoop, and learning all about embroidery hoops! What's nice is that you'll be using your embroidery machine to do the learning. It's going to be loads of fun!!!!

Only a few spots are left, so let me know if you are interested. 

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And YES, there is a Virtual Retreat this weekend. I don't really have time, but I will make time. Well, I'll be working while on the retreat—that's OK!! The links will be posted later this week. 

And that's it! Today is going to be a ridiculous day. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I have THREE appointments this morning and one this afternoon. So that is going to eat into my work time considerably. But it must be done, so let's start by meeting with Brooke at 6 AM. But it's all a good thing because the more I stretch and the deeper I can stretch out that left leg, the better it feels. It still tingles, but the pain is now down to a dull ache. I feel amazing! 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!

The art of writing

This morning, I made a list of everything that needs to be done this week. Hmm—there's not much time for sleeping, so I'll have to be efficient with my time! However, there are two things that I will not skip: writing the blog and going for that afternoon walk! 

Did you notice that both of those things involve ME time? Yes, even though I might give up some ME time in other areas, these two will always happen—unless there's a significant issue! 

Both of these are for my mental health. And when I say mental health, I don't mean that I have issues - I don't. But to keep it that way, I need to express myself - which I do via the blog. I think it's a way of clearing my mind. I get those thoughts on paper (screen), and then I can let them go! Otherwise, they would build and build, and poof - I'd be in a mess. The walk also helps to clear my mind. I work out MANY frustrations on those walks!

I think the art of writing is becoming a lost art. Who writes letters anymore? If you have no reason to write (work, sending letters to loved ones, school, etc.), why would the average person write? And now, with the Chat-GPT - there is even less reason for someone to write something. What if everyone wrote something - it's easy enough to type it out. You don't have to keep it, but just write. I think it's a very thought-provoking exercise that will definitely keep our brains healthy!

Don't know what to write? Here are some suggestions: 

• Write some interesting stories about your life - your kids and grandkids would love to read them when you're gone!
• Write your family history.
• Write about your frustrations in life - then delete them so no one needs to see that.
• Pick a subject and write down everything you know about that. 
• Write a letter to your best friend or your worst enemy. You don't need to mail either one of them. 
• Write about your favorite quilt.

Anyway, that list could go on and on. I've been writing for years. I have no idea how many emails I've written or how many quilt-related articles I've put together. And the blog has been going strong since 2007 or something like that. 

I checked Grammarly, which has checked many words for me since 2016. 

And the average novel is 80,000 words. You do the math! OK -- I had to do the math - that's the equivalent of 190 novels! I could be as prolific as James Patterson! OK -- so writing a book is a LOT different than writing a series of short essays, which would be the equivalent of writing a blog. It takes a lot more skill to write a novel than an essay. All those plot twists and character development! I don't have to take care of any of that! 

But I'm also lucky that I can crank out a 1,000 + word essay the moment I jump out of bed. 

So this happened yesterday. It was a good day, but I had to chuckle as I was snapping a few photos for this morning. Some people like to work on one thing at a time, but that doesn't happen at my house. 

I finished another customer quilt. Not many are left, and I plan to finish all by the end of this week. 

Customer quilt - DONE

I was working on a quilt that needs to be out the door by the end of this week. This is all I'm going to show you of it. Let's say I'm a bit behind. I need to make two more blocks, and I've started sewing the quilt together. I worked on that while quilting - back and forth between machines. 

Part of my "urgent" quilt

Once the long arm was done, I fired up the embroidery machine to do some embroidering. I was able to finish this project, which made me happy. You won't see more than this until my machine embroidery class sees it. No, I still haven't found that missing file. 

Embroidery project - DONE

It was more of the same—back and forth between machines, but the machine was a bit closer this time. However, I should wear my FitBit one day, just in Studio B. I bet there are days when I can clock many kilometers, walking back and forth between machines. They are not necessarily efficiently placed, and that is good. Stand up/Sit Down—that is good for you!! I can only work one automated machine and sew at a time! 

While piecing those quilt blocks, I worked on my ender/leader project. I completed all the centers of red with the light round, and they were even trimmed as I headed out for the night. 

Trimming the ender/leader project

I've started making the longest logs for the outer round of the dark centers. It's going to take some time to complete them. This is one of the inherited projects from a while back, and while it was all cut, there's still a lot of sewing left. But this is a good way to make it happen. 

The results of ender/leader sewing

In case you're wondering, DH and I arrived on Day 24 of the EXIT Game Advent Calendar last night. Oh boy -- this was a tricky one. We looked at each other and then plunged in with what we thought the answer might be. OK - so step one was done, and it looked like a mess. Then I said, let's take a leap of faith and assume "this," which was correct. A quick look around, and the next thing we knew, there was Door 24. 

Day 24!!!!

We'll finish the game tomorrow. Yep, we're almost a month behind, but with travel and evenings out for DH with clients, we haven't been able to keep on track. We're totally fine with that. Christmas will be here soon, and all will be well. 

As much as I like the games, I must take a break. But I'm away next week, and he might be away all this week, so that would be almost two weeks. I'm good with that. However, I have a lot of evening Zoom sessions coming up in February and March, so there won't be much time. 

Once I was done in Studio B for the night, I came up to read in the living room. Murphy and Lexi are happily sleeping in the family room with DH, but NO - the second I come upstairs, Miss Murphy follows me to the living room. Sigh -- I can't have a peaceful evening to myself! 

However, she is entertaining. She loves to play with the blanket in the dog bed. She pulls the dog bed out from where it's supposed to sit. She loves to "throw" the ball, especially if it goes under the furniture, so I have to get up and get it for her (stand up/sit down—good dog Murphy!). If I don't, she barks! And then this happens from time to time. What is she thinking? 

Dear ball - I LOVE you!!!

You just can't help but want to caption this photo. Is Murphy waiting for the ball to move? Is she admiring it? Admiring the fact that the blanket is out of the bed and the ball is in? Is this her dog god? I don't know, but she is entertaining! 

Tonight, we start the monthly Zoom classes for mySewnet Embroidery Software. If you are interested, you still have time to sign up. This class is hosted by Stitch by Stitch in Kingston. 

I have a list of other machine embroidery lectures and hands-on workshops to share. I'll do that tomorrow. I'm off to spin class this morning. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

The lost art of shoveling a sidewalk

I'm pleased to report that things are going well! 

My leg is not out of the woods, but the X-ray and the ultrasound show everything is OK, as we figured they would. I've requested that I get on the list for an MRI. I was going to see if I could get it done quicker, but since the acute pain is gone (thank goodness), I'm not in too much of a rush. 

I attribute the change in pain level to the stretching Brooke is "making" me do at the gym. I suspect that as I'm aging and well, with a bad posture, that part of my body isn't sitting well, causing compression on a nerve. I don't know - I'm not the doctor. I can function almost pain-free, which makes me very happy. 

Now, it feels like I have a massive Charley Horse in my glut and the back of my leg. And let's not forget the tingling. But, with much more stretching, I think I might be able to clear this up. I also need to work on my posture and many other things. 

After my gym workout the other day, I was shocked to feel like I could almost skip the stairs. I did not, but my knees and legs felt amazing. And what were we doing? Nothing beyond stretching. I'm such an idiot that I let that go. 

The second great thing is that I cleaned up part of Studio B. It didn't take long—a lot is happening at the moment, and I need most of what is out. Don't forget that this is my day job! I even managed to trim two quilts this morning, so all is good! 

I managed to finish another customer quilt. It's a scrap quilt, and I love scrap quilts. This one is beautiful—and it's huge! 

Customer quilt - DONE

The next one is partially loaded, and I'll get to it later today. I don't have many customer quilts in the queue, but I'd like to finish them by next week. 

February and March will be busy, and I won't have as much time to quilt. 

I'll be doing MANY Zoom sessions in February and March and letting you know more about that at some point. February is all about machine embroidery, so those lectures won't be interesting if you don't have an embroidery machine. However, if you are considering getting into machine embroidery, the Introduction to Embroidery would be a good one to sit in on. More on that another day. March will be all about quilting! 

There are many topics and two brands to deal with, so I must start pulling samples, tools, and supplies to organize myself. I've pulled out another table (I've got two more tucked away and may need those). I don't have many empty baskets, so I may just resort to piling! 

My prep station for Zoom lectures

I'll start pulling stuff this afternoon. 

I've "complained" about this several times and at least once every winter. But why do people not understand how to shovel a sidewalk? Here are some crazy common things people do. 

This is a small area in front of the public path into the forest. So let's shovel our driveways, and NO more say the neighbors on each side. With the small snowfalls we've been having, removing that snow would take mere seconds. I get that the public path isn't maintained in winter, but still -- people use this sidewalk, so why not be courteous and shovel that small section? 

That's NOT MY sidewalk

And then you have the people who shovel their driveway, including the sidewalk that's in their driveway. But do they shovel the rest of the sidewalk on their property? The part that cars don't drive on, but people walk on? Nope -- we only care about the vehicles. Again, this would take an extra minute with the minor snowfalls we've been having? 

Keep that driveway clear, but not the sidewalk!

Or what about these people who shovel the sidewalk but leave a heap of snow in the middle of the sidewalk when they get to their property line? Again, it would take no extra time to push the snow off the sidewalk rather than leave it there. 

 

Leave it in a pile for people to step over

Some just get in their cars and drive over the snow, never bothering to shovel any part of their driveway or sidewalk, not even from their vehicle to the front door. With all the freezing and thawing, that is an accident waiting to happen. 

Are people so lazy these days, or do they not know, or do they not care? It stuns me that people are so unaware of their surroundings. Oh my gosh -- sidewalks were made for people to walk on. I bet they think people never walk on them. I'm not alone - the neighborhood has dog walkers, walkers, and runners. But no one sees us! 

NO - these are NOT little old ladies or gentlemen who can't shovel - they are able! 

Anyway, it's just interesting how much people live in their own world and don't care about the environment, their neighborhood, or their neighbors—it's all about me! I'm sad for them! 

As for me, with the low snowfalls, I can quickly clear FIVE sidewalks - mine own and two on either side of the house. And sometimes, the neighbors on either side of us reciprocate. But the two beyond that? Never! 

Yesterday, I had some car errands to accomplish, including removing an entire carload of boxes and bags for donation to the thrift store. Oh my - we actually have room at the front door now. I still have two more drop-offs, and then all the big stuff will be gone from the door. I have things for the Pony Express that I hope to get rid of next week at the quilt retreat. 

Has anyone heard of the Bayou Tapestry? 

Well, have you heard of the Black Gold Tapestry? Yesterday, the paper published a story about its maker. Check it out—what a remarkable work! It's traveling, so I think it would be worthwhile if you get to see it. The tapestry depicts the history of fossil fuel extraction. How cool is that? It's all hand-embroidered!!!

It's funny how some people like Chat-GPT, and some hate it! I've not tried it, but the more I hear, the more intrigued I am to give it an assignment and see how it works. But it scares me. Suppose AI and tools like Chat-GPT grow in magnitude, similar to other technologies (miniaturization of electronics, for instance). What will AI be like in ten years? We'll still be around, and I think it will take away so many "freedoms" in the world. The more it gets misused (people just letting it do the writing for them, without reality checking it), the written word will lose its power! 

I will "fight" with Grammarly to retain MY WORDS and let it do the mundane corrections!!!

I'm excited today! I have a class that I am TAKING, not giving! It's on Zoom, and while I'm waiting for my pattern to be printed (you'll see it in a couple of days), I can listen and get started in my mind. It's going to be fun!!! 

And one last thing - how can anyone say they are bored? Seriously? Or have you heard people say there is NOTHING good to watch on TV? So what's the solution to that? STOP watching TV!! People -- this is not rocket science - take matters into your hands. There is enough streaming of stuff on YouTube (a lot of learning) or other streaming services, or you don't watch anything. I never understood that. I haven't watched TV since 2010. I don't miss it and am NOT at the mercy of someone else for my entertainment. 

There are thousands (OK - millions) of books to read. Don't want to read? Listen to them on headphones or speakers.

Anyway, I could go on and on, but I suspect that the world's bored people have lost their curiosity or are waiting to be "fed" entertainment by someone else. There is so much else to do than watch TV. 

Hmm - maybe they could go and shovel all those sidewalks!!!!

Anyway - there is no chance of boredom in this house. I need MORE time in a day!!

By the way, DH went through his filing cabinet and two file boxes. Now, he needs to tackle two desktops, and he'll be good. But that is huge!!!!! 

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

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Artificial Intelligence

 There are a couple of things to clear before I start on today's topic. 

1. The USB stick --- good grief - this was a challenge, and it was only when someone sent me a picture of how it opened that I got it! DUH!!! There are days when I wonder how I make anything happen, and then there are days when I amaze myself with my creativity! Oh shoot -- I didn't take a picture of how it opens, but the ENTIRE top of that white square turns, causing the connector to pop out. There were little arrows on the side, but I was pushing and twisting, but I didn't do this! Perhaps I should have given it to DH; with our combined puzzle-minded brains, he would have figured it out! Anyway - problem solved! 

The USB works!

2. The stash downsizing. I got several suggestions on who to donate the fabric from Diane's stash to, and I truly appreciate them all as I learned of a couple of new places. However, the message was for YOU to start clearing up your sewing mess. Getting rid of the fabric is easy. You find an organization, and you donate it to them. But what about the patterns? Rulers? Notions? PAPER crap? The UFOs? Who will take care of that? Some people mentioned putting it in their will - great idea, but that lucky person still has to DEAL with the non-fabric crap! 

For the most part, non-quilters would just order up the dumpster or a black garbage bag and toss it all. And that's one way to deal with it, but is that responsible? I don't think so, and I could NOT live with myself if I just put everything in the garbage. Remember - I'm slow and methodical. 

I brought home one carload of Diane's stuff yesterday. Yep - the back of the car was jammed with bags of fabric and a few other things. It'll probably take one if not two, more carloads to get the rest here, as there are two sewing machines and a sewing machine tote. All of those are big. 

The car was packed!

Thankfully, I had an empty shelf in the garage, so I piled all the bags on the shelf. Yes - it smells of smoke, and I don't want it in my house. The garage door opens into the laundry room so I can toss a bag or two of fabric into the washer with that very SMELLY soap. Someone mentioned that sunlight can also eliminate the smoke. We get lots of sun in the front. What would the neighbors say if I strung up some rope and hung fabric across the front? 

My MIL needs company, so I might bring her here so she can iron it all! 

Some of Diane's stuff is in the garage

I had grabbed a couple of binders off a shelf and brought those home to explore. Oh my --- this is the kind of stuff I'm talking about that needs to be dealt with! No charity organization wants to deal with this crap! I reviewed the books, and all of them will be donated to the thrift store except two. 

Some binders and loose papers

Diane was a neat and organized person. WOW -- she had the pattern and the template in a labeled envelope. How many of you can say that? And it was all neatly contained in binders. 

Everything was neat, organized, and LABELED

I found a couple of handouts that I had prepared. 

Handouts that I wrote!

Yes - even in 2009, I was twirling seams!!!

Twirling seams back in 2009!

I found bindings and labels for THREE quilts that I quilted for her in 2020 and 2021. I have no idea where the quilts are, but I'll keep the binding for community projects. I will air them out, and the labels will be placed in the pet mat scrap box. I should ask Jerry, but I can't imagine that Diane would let these quilts sit unfinished. 

Labels and bindings

I found a few bits of paper I'll hang onto, but the rest is either in the garbage, the recycling, or my printer paper box. Gosh, there's an acronym for paper, which is still good on one side, but what exactly is it? GOOS? It doesn't matter, but I went through two binders, and they are gone. I'll explain what I will do with this paper another day. I have a few others like it, and I have a plan! 

Instructions for No Math Flying Geese

Do not yell at me for this next photo, but this is the state of Studio B at the moment. Can you imagine if I didn't come home? Where would anyone even start? I barely even know what to do with all that stuff. I need a lot more time to catch up, let alone start sewing something new. I will have to cut back (but what?) so I can start getting that place under control! 

The state of Studio B this morning

And now for the story of the day—artificial intelligence! It was a glorious day for a walk, and DH needed some things from the drugstore, so I offered to get them. I thought the drugstore had eliminated its magazine section, but I realized it had only been moved. I always look and spotted two magazines on organizing. If I never see another magazine about storage and organizing, it'll be too soon! I know how to do it, and I'm doing it! 

Organizing magazines! 

However, I spotted this magazine. 

OH -- An AI magazine

And so help me god - I bought it! I'm going to sit down later today and read through it. Hey - it says that with Chat GPT, I can cut my workload by HALF! I can get HEALTHIER and stress a LOT less. Hmmm -- so I got sucked in! 

I found it quite ironic that when I went to the cashier with my SEVEN items, everything scanned perfectly, except this magazine! I had a good laugh about that! It went into the system as a sundry item!!

Wait -- there's more to this story. Have you ever been to a restaurant and seen a couple sitting there and not talking to each other? Perhaps they are on their phones? Well, that doesn't happen when we go out. We've had some rip-roaring discussions at the restaurant, although we try to keep it tame. There's no food throwing or anything like that. Not yet! Talking politics in a restaurant is bad news for us, so we don't go there! 

But the conversations can be very animated, and I usually learn something new about my damn phone. DH thinks I'm a loser at technology, and he's right! I have a love/hate relationship with technology. Of course, I sometimes play dumb just to drive him crazy! And he's so easily perturbed! Oh - that's very naughty of me! 

Anyway, the conversation came around to this magazine, and we discussed AI. I told him that I use AI for writing. I do NOT let AI generate the writing -- that's the fun part, but I use Grammarly to correct the text. OH boy --- I got a big story about how he knows AI - he deals with it daily, and Grammarly is NOT AI. This was the conversation: 

DH: Grammarly is strictly a rule-based grammar and punctuation checker. 

ME: No, it is AI. 

DH: NO - it is NOT AI. 

Then he checked on his phone. 

DH: OH. 

Here is what Wikipedia has to say about it. 

Seriously - does he think I'm that much of an idiot that I don't know what AI is? Grammarly used to be a rule-based writing assistant that would check for spelling and grammar. Now, it tries to rewrite some of my sentences, and we have a merry time going back and forth until we can agree on the best wording for the sentence. It still gets things wrong by switching the order of the words, which makes for some hilarious sentences. But I am the "supreme commander," and I can overrule the darn thing. 

So AI is here to stay, and I'm sure we will see giant leaps and bounds in that area in the next ten years. I've already seen considerable changes in how Grammarly works. Do not worry -- it's always ME behind the words, while my writing assistant is helping at least to check the spelling and to put those darn commas where they are supposed to be!!!

By the way, I use Grammarly for everything I write - emails, documents, blog posts, absolutely everything I write. I'm getting my money's worth from that subscription. 

Let's see if I can get AI to help me in other areas!!! I'll let you know if I discover anything of interest. You can be sure of that! 

Now, back to something I understand- these are my two favorite products in the house. One to loosen stuff and one to remove goop! I had a very tight screw on a sewing machine and couldn't change the needle. It would appear the people at the factory wanted to make sure that screw didn't come out! In a few minutes, after a quick spray of WD-40 and the screw was loose! 

My two favorite household products

I have some USBs with sticky residue on them, and I'll get rid of that goop this morning. I will never be without these two products!!!

Sorry, I am very verbose this morning. I have one last thing. 

Yesterday, Murphy and I did our walk, but in reverse. Oh gosh -- she can't handle change and was going crazy. Then, just as we were about to enter the forest, look at who we had spotted!

Who's afraid of the big bad wolf - wait - that's a coyote! 

Here's a better picture. When it saw and heard Murphy (the entire neighborhood heard her), it just lay in the snow and looked at her like she was an idiot!!! 

Hey dog -- you don't scare me! 

We did not go into the forest. We had barely walked any distance on the sidewalk when I noticed an Animal Services van across the street. I asked the driver if they had spotted the coyote. Nope—they were watching Murphy! So they turned around, and I'm sure when they drove up, the coyote went away! 

I'm not frightened of the darn things. One good WHOOP and some frantic arm waving, and I'm sure the thing would flee! If not - I'll charge! Kidding!

Well, that's it for today. Grammarly and I can now discuss the changes to the initial rough draft! Oh, joy! 

Have a SUPER day!!! 

Ciao!!!

Downsizing your quilting stash

Oh boy, so I went to Diane's house yesterday. I had never been in her sewing room before and had no idea what to expect. However, I have known Diane for many years and have learned some of her habits. She always finishes things. I have never heard her talk about a UFO in my life! She was very organized. But having worked in a quilt store for many years, what came home with her? 

It was a quick walk through the forest to her house. The temperature was great, and there were big fluffy flakes of snow, and the walk was beautiful. I was off on an adventure. 

Walking to Diane's

When I arrived, her husband was so happy to see me. I know him from my frequent visits to their home. The sewing room was beautiful as there was so much light from that window, and her furniture was outstanding. Oh my -- it was terrific. 

OK—I snapped a couple of photos when Jerry went downstairs. I would have enjoyed working in this room with all that natural light over the sewing machine. Yes, I could have the same thing in Studio U, but I don't have internet access there, so it doesn't work. 

Diane's sewing room

This was the other end of the room. I suspect Jerry had removed all the fabric from the dresser and perhaps the closet. 

The other side

I know it was overwhelming to him, but to me, it was OK. There was still a lot of fabric, but it wasn't in comparison to what I have. 

After looking at what was on the bed and inside the cupboards and asking a few questions, I told him I would take it all. Shoot me now, but I owe Diane that for everything she did for me. Jerry didn't want to be bothered selling any of it; he just wanted it gone. The only thing he wants to sell is two Brother sewing machines. 

Thankfully, he had lots of bags in the room, so I set to work and filled many bags with fabric and other supplies. After I cleared off the dresser and the bed, he shooed me out of the house. I think it was exhausting for him, so I left. I'm returning today with the car and will bring all of it home (I hope!).

I still have to empty the large cabinet in the corner of the first photo. And some drawers under the desk. I'm taking some IKEA bags with me to make quick work of the packing. 

I have no idea how smokey the fabric smells, as it was hard to tell in the house. Once I get it out, it will be easier to access. For now, I will unload it all into the garage and probably deal with one bag at a time. 

A lot of fabric can be used as backings for the community project quilts that Diane made, which will help enormously! There was a bit of batting, but not tons. 

Here is my takeaway from this. This is the FOURTH time I've rescued someone. 

• The first time was for a friend from our Monday Sewing group who passed away from cancer and was very private about it. While we didn't touch her stash, our group (mostly me) finished many UFOs for her. I offered our services to finish them, and we were inundated with stuff she wanted finished. It was hard to refuse. 
• The second time was for a frequent student in my quilting classes at The Hobby Horse. She was killed in a motorcycle accident, and through a mutual friend, I again offered to finish some of her UFOs. She didn't have many, but it took a while to accomplish that. 
• The third time was for a woman from our Monday Sewing group. She hadn't been in the group for a while, but we stayed in touch. She had stopped sewing, and she was getting rid of all her stuff while she was alive. Bless her—she was super organized. The remaining UFOS (two) are being completed so they can be donated. The rest of the fabric is in the storage room and will be used for community project quilts. 
• And the fourth time was Diane, where I was "in charge" of the entire room. Thankfully, Jerry found someone else to deal with all her knitting stuff. 

What's the moral of this story? Don't call me - I've done my time! 

Just kidding -- here are some tips: 

• Organize EVERYTHING. This will make it easier for someone to figure out what is there
• Put all the bits of a UFO in the box and label it! 
• Anything that you don't like - patterns, books, fabric, rulers, etc -- donate or sell it NOW
• Anything you will never use again - patterns, books, fabric, rulers, etc. --donate or sell it NOW
• STOP BUYING -- NOW
• Stop denying that this will happen to you! It WILL, and if you plan on leaving your messy sewing room for someone else to clean up, I will track your soul down and haunt you! Leaving a mess is not payback to anyone—it is irresponsible. 
• If you are NEW to quilting, do NOT CREATE this mess. Learn from our mistakes! The more you buy, the bigger the mess becomes! DO NOT let that happen to you. You do NOT need all the latest gadgets or fabric. There will always be new stuff! 
• Do NOT lose your mobility. That is just a recipe for allowing clutter to accumulate! 
• If you are not that mobile, HIRE someone to help you! 

If I think of any other tips, I'll add them to this list. And yes, you could say I'm the pot, calling the kettle black. I will not deny that cleaning up my place would be horrible if I didn't come home today. I can't imagine where I would start, let alone anyone else. At least things are organized, but the quantity would bowl anyone over! 

I chuckle when I think of how I plan to bring everything home in one carload. Jerry says it'll be two, and it might since I'm also selling the sewing machines for him, and I'll bring those home with me. I would need a semi-truck to empty my room! And that's not a joke! It's also a harsh reality! Who would absorb all my crap? 

So be warned! Start cleaning up; if you are already cleaning up, you better move faster! Sew faster, donate quicker, or whatever. But you cannot leave this mess to a loved one. I felt bad for Jerry. He was lost and overwhelmed. As sad as he is to see this stuff go, I bet he will feel much better when it's gone. 

I've been very productive these last few days; here are two quilts I got quilted. 

Customer quilt - DONE

Customer quilt - DONE

I have more to share, but no more time this morning. I'm on my way to the gym to see Brooke. 

Have a great day!!

Ciao!!!

The power of the sun

I did it!!! I completed a computer task. All of the USBs were dealt with except the missing one. All the files were moved to OneDrive, and everything was deleted from the USBs except for the locked files. I have no idea how that happens. And what about the two PowerPoint presentations that say they can't be deleted because they are open in PowerPoint? Seriously? 

I will try to delete them again today, but I don't want to waste more time. In the future, USBs will be TEMPORARY storage places, and the files must be deleted once I'm finished with them. 

Now comes the massive job of cleaning out OneDrive. I will use OneDrive for the current year's files or anything I'm working on, and I can access it from any computer. If I can't send the files wirelessly, the USBs will hold the files I need for a digital cutter or an embroidery machine. I also carry a USB backup of my presentations if I can't access OneDrive. 

I've made a considerable start in that clean-up, as most of the 'loose" files have been placed in a folder. Now, folder by folder, stuff will be deleted or moved to my external hard disk. I prefer to delete, of course, and there will be much of that. But it's going to take time. The best part is that if I'm looking for a file, I know where to try and find it. Thank goodness for searching abilities. 

Now I've got to look for that missing embroidery file. How I could have such a mess is beyond me. There were about 15 USBs and jumbled files on them all. 

A mess of USBs

Does anyone know how to access the connector on this one? 

How do you access the connector? 

I rebooted my PC multiple times to clear the memory, as moving all that stuff around was a huge job. So far, so good! 

So, another great thing happened yesterday. Quilt Canada (our big national quilt show in Canada), held in Toronto from June 18 - 21, 2025, always hosts Concurrent Shows to the National Juried Show. A friend encouraged me to apply, and my application was accepted!!! 

However, this concurrent show is NOT about me or my quilts. Nope, it's about the quilts I've taught over the last twenty-plus years. These quilts were taught at The Hobby Horse Quilt Shoppe, Oh Look Fabric, Thimbles and Things, Sew n Serge, Ruti's Needlebed, and Cockadoodle Quilts. The last three shops no longer exist. 

Can you believe that there were (are) over 75 unique quilts that I've taught? These are not just one-and-done sessions but sampler-style quilts that took months. Some were as short as 6 months, and Dear Jane lasted 2½ years! I need to whittle down that list of 75 to 25 patterns and then find a student with a finished quilt for those 25 quilts! Yikes -- that is going to take some doing! 

With the help of my blog and some list-keeping, it should be easy to finish compiling that list of 75 quilts. You can always check this blog post for some of the earlier quilts. 

Oh my -- I'm super excited!!!!

Anyway - back to the pictures from two days ago. 

It's cooler outside these days, but it's NOT cold. I've been walking everywhere (I walked to the doctor's yesterday), and if you are dressed, you are good. I just need my neck to be warm, and I'm OK. 

But here is one thing about the weather: Even after shoveling the little bit of snow from the driveway, it was still covered in snow. 

The driveway is still not clean

But within a very short time, the sun's power melted everything, and it was dry! Gosh - I'm so neighborly that I'm keeping my neighbor's sidewalks clear up to two or three on each side of me. I do one because they mow the little bit of grass in front. One house is empty (it has been for almost two years), and one is lazy. But I see that the guy on the other side of the empty house is now doing it - he has a snow blower, for heaven's sake! Just walk the sidewalk; there is no need to go to the driveway. 

The driveway is now dry!

I'm back at the long arm and working like mad. I have several quilts to get done in the next 10 days, and I should be OK if nothing goes wrong. This was a community project quilt. I've had to set those aside and now working on the few customer quilts I have. 

Community project quilt - DONE

Murphy is pretty sneaky. I put this green bucket on the office floor, which contained stuff I wanted to put in the mail. I found the little red sweater on the floor when I entered the room. What did I see in the bucket? Murphy's ball. What? A red sweater for a white ball? 

Someone has been in the green bucket

Then I spotted this by the front door. It was a Christmas ornament from Peggy's Cove that missed the mail before Christmas. I wonder how it got from the office to the front door? 

Hmm - why is this at the front door?

Oh -- look what the little devil did to it! 

Stormy weather hit Peggy's Cove!

Oh, Murphy! She has two toy boxes of toys, and she has to pick the Christmas ornament! 

But she didn't seem the worse for wear after her attack. That evening, while I attempted to read, she played with the blankets and toys. This dog is definitely an entertainer, and she knows it! Apparently, the dog that attacked her is called Baby. And it's known for being a troublemaker. I didn't report it, but the next time I will. 

Murphy is entertaining herself

I also completed some machine embroidery and made two mug rugs. However, you won't see them until my embroidery club sees them. 

Making mug rugs on the embroidery machine

I love how huge they recommend cutting the pieces. I won't be doing that again. I currently have another set on the embroidery machine, and I'm working on two at a time. Why not? If you're changing threads for one, you might as well do two! 

I was so tired last night, but then I realized that I had done my spin class in the morning and had walked 15 km during the day. Oops. So I went to bed early!

Today's another busy day. I'll be downstairs - no more playing with the computer and no jigsaw puzzles. It's now time to get to real work! 

And I have to get rid of some of these boxes in the house. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!