It's all about the books

 When I look back at the pictures that I've taken the previous day, sometimes I'm amazed at the quantity. Yikes!! No wonder my phone runs out of space from time to time. I guess it's going to be time soon to download the photos and I really need to go through them and delete those that are not necessary. Which is most of them since they are mostly taken so I can write the blog or a homework assignment!

The day started off with my workshop with a local guild. The Etobicoke Quilter's Guild. They have embraced the virtual meeting/workshop/sewing days with gusto. It's refreshing to see that they barely skipped a beat since other guilds are still wondering what to do. 

There were a lot of people on the call and it was my first time running a virtual workshop. I have to confess that the workshop ended up being more of a lecture and my apologies to the group for that! There were so many questions, that it was hard for them to get to work. But honestly, I love getting the questions because that means that people want to learn! And sometimes, it takes a couple of times through the stuff before it clicks. That happens to me all the time. 

I promised them a handout of the work. As I was busy making the new samples yesterday morning, I was snapping photos so it'll be easy to upload them to a Word document and get them ready. I need those handouts for other upcoming things so I did have an ulterior motive in doing that. 

I think I have things pretty much worked out with the technology, except that I do have to watch my microphone - one of them is a bit weak and I know how to fix it so I must get that organized. 

I have to share with you the space after I was finished the class. The desktop was a disaster! As I said, I kept getting questions so I had to go back and find supplies that kept getting buried under all the stuff. I got asked questions about things that I hadn't planned to chat about, but it was mostly basic stuff and I just so happened to have those things at the ready on the table behind the computer! 

The desk after the workshop

And there was stuff on the ironing surface as well. Yep - it was quite the mess. 

Stuff on the ironing board

In case you want to know what it looks like, behind the scenes, I snapped these photos just after the class. Notice that the overhead lights are off and I've got my two softbox lights on. Plus the ring light in front of the computer. That's supposed to make me look better on camera!! Gosh - I see that Murphy even came down and was under the table behind me. That silly girl!!!

The film studio

And then everything got put away! I have to be very diligent about keeping this area clear as I prep for the next presentation and stuff that I'll need has to go onto this surface. Wednesday is the next presentation. I've got three presentations this coming week and a workshop and the Virtual Retreat (more on that at the end of the blog post). 

The table is cleared for the next session

I walked to the grocery store later in the afternoon. Yep - I could take the car, but why? It's so easy to walk to the store and I get more exercise. It's not like I need a ton of things so I walk. While I was in the store, I had a lady come up and ask where I got my backpack as she thought it was a GREAT idea to walk to the grocery store. I told her it came from Longo's where we were shopping. She was going to buy one on her way out! 

See -- as an individual, you CAN influence others to change their habits. Note - I said influence. I didn't tell her to walk. 

On my way home, I was chatting with one of my neighbors at the end of the street. We were chatting about that darn Rose of Sharon bush which is across the street from her house. She thinks it's actually two bushes in one spot. That could very well be as it's only the very top of the bush where the bright pink flowers are! Thanks, Rhonda!! I'm going to be getting some bushes or roots from a couple of friends and I have a spot in the backyard to plant one. The others will go in the front yard along with other stuff for next spring. 

I decided that I deserved a break and went to the Used Book Sale for the Mississauga Symphony. I knew it was going to be much smaller than usual, but that's OK. It really was a whole lot smaller and it was contained in a vacant space in Sheridan Mall. It's on today and next weekend as well. I went later in the day so I didn't have to wait in any lines. I had to wait for maybe two minutes. I'm good with less of a selection than the craziness of a line. 

 I was looking for a book by Dean Koontz called The Eyes of Darkness. The book was published in 1981 and he mentions a virus created in China and specifically mentions Wuhan. Yes - I wanted to read the book. I had found an electronic copy at the library and put it on hold in March. 

A LONG waitlist

It's been "over 6 months" ever since I put the book on hold. I see that there are copies you can download online?? 

Within 2 minutes, I had scored BIG TIME. I found a copy of the book!!! If I didn't find anything else, I'd have been happy!!! I paid $2 for the book! 

The Eyes of Darkness by Dean Koontz

There were no craft books, no puzzles and the number of novels was small compared to previous years. But that was OK. I also found this novel which I thought was fitting in the light of the pandemic so I bought that one as well. It's a novel so not sure what it's about. 

Another book from the book sale

And I bought this one. Yes - a novel about Roman England - not my thing at all! But one of the upcoming virtual challenges that I'll be doing is called Hadrian's Wall. I have NO CLUE what this is all about so I thought a novel would help me out! 

Then when I was reading my physical book last night, I came across this reference to Tony Hillerman's book called The Blessing Way. Do you know how hard it was to find that book?? I read the book a while back and just took it to The Book Review (Used book store in Orillia). I searched high and low for that darn book, but I did find it somewhere at a sale or in a store somewhere. It wasn't my favorite book, but that's OK. It was first published in 1970. I hate to think about what I was doing in 1970! Anyway, it fun to see references to books that you've read and in particular because this one required a long search to get it. The book I'm reading is Dreadfulwater by Thomas King. It's OK and an easy read. 

A reference in a book about a book that I read

I'm listening to The Wives by Tarryn Fisher on the audiobook and all morning, I hear "recharge headset". Can it just hold on until I'm finished for the morning? Nope - a ½ hour before I was finished the headset died. It's now recharging. The Wives? it's another psychological thriller. Not sure where it's going but a bit weird to be reading it so soon after The Other Mrs by Mary Kubica. 

Noise-canceling headphones

When I'm finished reading a book, I like to log it into Goodreads and my own database to keep track. Remember on Goodreads, that they have a reading challenge each year? I said I would read ONE book a week. Look where I am! Now how did that happen????

Shoot -- I did get a lot of sewing done yesterday. I just don't have time this morning to share it with you so that'll have to wait until tomorrow. 

Today is all about the computer. I have a LOT of writing to do and I need to get it done today because there's a ton of stuff to prep for the coming week. 

Next weekend is the Virtual Retreat. It's going to take place on Saturday and Sunday as per usual. The start of Saturday is LATE. I can't start before 2:30 PM because of stuff booked in the morning, but Sunday will be from 9 AM to 8 PM. Watch for the links later this week. 

On that note, I'm out of here!!!

Have a great day! 

Ciao!!!!