Learning to drive

I had TWO appointments yesterday. One was to drop some stuff off and pick up another quilt for Quilts of Valour. The other was a porch drop off.

The lady doing the porch drop off was also looking for some solid red fabrics. I dug out what I had. She brought swatches for matching, but it's darn hard. I offered her to take the four different reds home to see which one would work best in her quilt. You got to love it - we're all in this together and we're all here to help each other.

But for me to do the drop-off, I had to get in my car and drive. Drive? What's that? A gear shift? How does one operate that thing? It was very pleasant to be out with little traffic or less than normal. But once everyone is out on the roads? I fear it's going to be downright dangerous to be out. I may continue to stay at home until people get accustomed to the chaos that normally exists on the roads.

I decided to stop at Tim's for a treat. I LOVE the fact that the payment terminal is now on a stick. They put the stick out the window, you tap with your debit/credit card and that's it! Super simple and hopefully other drive-thrus have done the same thing. No need for their employees or me to touch the machine. The cinnamon fog tea was heavenly along with a peanut butter cookie. I know - gasp - all that sugar and calories. I'm allowed! I just don't indulge often.

I could never work for the City or any place that has rules. Cities need rules to prevent chaos and to let people know what they are supposed to do with garbage, parking, etc. Don't get me started on the garbage/recycling. I'm sure my blood pressure is off the charts on most garbage days as I see what and how people have put their garbage/recycling at the curb.

We also have recycling and garbage bins in the parks. Yesterday, I was almost home when I saw a car park on the side of the street close to but not at the entrance to the park which is where the garbage/recycling bins are located. A young person (let's say 20-30) got out of the car and started to walk to the entrance of the park. At first, I thought she was bringing a bag of garbage to place in the containers which people do. Why? We have curbside garbage pickup. Anyway, as I continued toward her, I realized she was taking off a pair of gloves and she proceeded to throw them in the RECYCLING bin.

Seriously????  And then she walked back to her car. I took a slight detour to peek in the recycling bin to see if I really saw what I thought I saw. Yep - there was a mask and a pair of blue gloves in the recycling bin. As I walked around the trees by the bins, I saw her getting a small white dog out of her car and putting the dog on a leash. As I walked by, I couldn't help myself - I told her that she put her GARBAGE in the recycling bin. She gave me a totally blank stare and said "OH - next time, I'll put them in the garbage." 

I don't get it. Who wants to touch her germy gloves? And why was she wearing gloves in the car anyway?? Whatever germs were on her gloves are now all over the car and unless she wiped the car down before she drove away - well.......   I just won't go there. Of course, I don't know the entire story, but some people are just NOT thinking. So now whatever was in the recycling bin is contaminated. But that's not new - most people cannot tell the difference between the bins although one is BLUE and marked with big letters - RECYCLING.

I finished The Hypnotist last night. It certainly took a completely different turn from what I was expecting. I even had to listen to it on my evening walk or I wasn't going to get it finished. That was weird - I hate headphones when I'm walking. But it's done and now onto the next book which is due in three days. It just worked out that way! Thankfully - it's a very short book so that won't be a problem.

I was a busy little bee yesterday. I decided that it was time to clean up the computer desk. While it wasn't in too terrible of a state, there was a lot of junk on it and it hadn't been cleaned (dusted) in a long time.

And there's a wee bit of spillover on the chair beside the desk. But at least that chair isn't piled high with stuff like it normally is.

Computer desk

What I didn't like is the extra extension cord on the work surface because the power bar was full and cords here and there and just a mess. Look at the back of the computer. Just a junky mess of stuff.

Behind the computer

I got busy and unplugged all the electrical stuff and took it off the table. Wow - look at the dust.

A wee bit of dust

Also on the computer desk is a white shelf which obviously hasn't been dusted in a LONG time. Oh boy!!!

A wee bit more dust - cough - cough

I found four E's. I think every time I went to Micheal's, I'd look at the letters and buy a new one. I have a ton of them in Studio B. TONS. I decided that I could live with fewer letter Es. I did keep the pink one - I've never found an orange one. OH - I might keep the gold one as well - I just thought of a good place to put it. The others are in the giveaway box.

Can I buy an E?

And then the desktop was totally clean and dusted. I was tempted to give the desk a 90-degree turn, but there are pictures on the wall and I don't want to move them. So the desk stayed put.

All the surfaces are cleaned off and dusted

Now it was time to rearrange all the computer stuff. I love my computer - it really just looks like a big tablet. It's a touch screen and can go flat like this.

My computer monitor in a flat position

Or like I mostly use it - in the upright position. But I do love that you can tilt it - I should experiment a bit more to see if I can get a better angle on my camera when I do presentations. It's just that it sits high so it looks down on me when I'm sitting on my chair and I can't stand up unless I'm far back.

The computer screen 

Yep - I found the usual bits and bobs of stuff. This is the stuff that we have no idea what to do with it and it accumulates and becomes clutter!!!  I see two remotes. What are they for?? No idea. I'll have a better look today and they'll likely end up in the e-waste bag. This is the stuff that I have to REFUSE to pick up in the future. Just say NO - I don't want that.

Clutter stuff to deal with

I also found this journal. Of course - it wasn't full. Not by a long shot. I used it in 2012 and 2013 for some dates. I found out that it was in 2012 that the Monday sewing group moved from The Hobby Horse. That long ago?? I can't believe it's been that long ago. Anyway, I'll keep it by the computer and perhaps fill in random dates. It's kind of fun to just flip through and see what's going on. Instead of a 5-year record - mine will be more like a 50-year record by the time I would fill all the dates.

A five-year journal

I did keep a few trinkets to put on the shelf. In the back is a crocheted hat that I bought as part of a fundraiser at the CreativeFestival a few years ago. The theme was Alice in Wonderland. (The mad hatter tea party). I should find a mannequin head so that you can see the head better. I did find one in M's room - I might steal it. She'll never know. 

My trinkets

I have an OTT-lite on the desk. It needs a new bulb. They are NOT cheap and I can get it at Micheal's. It hasn't completely gone, but it's on its way out.

The light comes with a HUGE and heavy base or you can use this clamp. I've never used the clamp. I've decided to toss the clamp. Seriously - it's just one more thing to get dusty and clutter up space.

The clamp for the light

After several attempts at fixing up all the cords, this is what it looks like behind the computer. I switched the power bar for a TOWER. A flat power bar is fine, but a lot of those plugs are big and would cover extra slots. Now they all fit around the tower and I have TWO USB slots still available. I also got rid of the radio. I now have an assistant in my office - Alexa is there to help me with my every request. I also tied bundled up all the cords. I love it!!!!

Behind the computer

I don't keep anything on my computer hard disk. It all sits on two external hard disks.


Here's the new space. I have some paperwork to go through that was sitting in my "pending" box. How long does something need to sit there?  So that paperwork needs to be dealt with today.

The new look for the computer desk

Notice my notebook which is doubling as a mouse pad since the mouse goes crazy without it.

I also accomplished a LOT in the sewing department. The sleeve got sewn to this quilt and I hung it up above the "to be quilted" rack in Studio B. It looks awesome and so nice to be able to enjoy it.

The sleeve got handstitched on 

Here are the blocks for our Vintage Christmas sew-along. This one is from the previous week, but the hand embroidery hadn't been done. Now that block is complete.

Skate block from Vintage Christmas

This was one of the blocks that was due yesterday. I had to hand embroider the antlers and the eyes. Those are done! We've now completed 18 blocks of 42. Slow and steady pace. What I'm loving is that I'm totally UP TO DATE.

The deer block from Vintage Christmas

The other day, I came across a laundry basket FILLED with scraps. Seriously??? Like how many scraps does one person need? 

I went through part of it this morning and I found all this yardage. They are going in the community projects bin. These pieces can be grouped together and made into quilt tops. I'm going to need to get down there and get some things organized as I've been putting stuff in the area as kits come back to me or as I find stuff. I doubt it would take more than an hour or so to get things back in tiptop shape. But not on my priority list for the current moment.

A huge stack of yardage to make community project quilts

And I found a huge pile of yellow fabrics. Again - those will be great for backings or kids quilts.

Yellow yardage

I remember going through my stash years ago and pulling out stuff that I would never use. It was supposed to be cut into strips. I did cut some fabric into strips. But a lot of that is still sitting around so cutting into strips is NOT for me. I like to keep it in yardage format and then I have maximum control over how it gets used.

The most important thing is that this stuff is getting sorted and put into useable piles and that's all that counts. I do believe this is the last basket of scraps. If I find more - well - I just hope that I don't. Wait - I know there is one more bucket of scraps in the community projects area. I should dig it out and just deal with them all at the same time. Imagine what's it's going to be like when all this sorting is done. I'll just be able to sew and not worry about sorting and labeling. I can't wait. I'm so close!!

Also in the laundry basket are bags of scraps that will have to be sorted by color and put in the appropriate bag. I found this. I can't believe that I was so desperate for scraps that I BOUGHT a bag of them. Just shoot me!!!!  That's on the worktable in Studio U so I can sort it later today. I want all the scraps sorted by the time we go to retreat at the end of the month. OH - I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I BOUGHT a bag of scraps???

And I found this panel in the laundry basket. I've no idea where it came from. It's for a GIANT Christmas stocking by Mary Engelbreit. That is the width of fabric so you can see how big it is. It's up for grabs for FREE should anyone want it.

Christmas stocking panel

Let's see - I also finished cutting the fabric for the magazine quilt and making good progress on getting the blocks sewn together. And I FOUND a home for that wild and bright fun fur - the green and yellow. It's going to be used for kids fidget quilts. Yeah!!!!  I need to get some boxes of stuff packed up as it's found a home and I need to move it out of the office.

So things are going great. Just plugging away and keeping busy. I'd go stark, raving mad if I didn't.

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!