Off with the shoe!

Time marches on, and so do I! I'm making good progress on my virtual walking tours. Don't worry - I'll let you know when any major milestone happens! I'm going to have to think about my next virtual challenge soon! OK - I'm lying - I'm not going to start a new one until next year. OK - I might change my mind after I finish Route 66 in November. There are some shorter virtual walks, and I might do one of those or several of them until the end of the year. There's another long one that I'll start on January 1, 2021.

Today is, in fact, a milestone in the Walking Across Canada virtual challenge. I started in Victoria and walked through BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and now I've walked across Manitoba as well. That means I'm in Ontario, and  I expect to be in this province for quite some time. I don't know where I'll end the year, but maybe I'll be close to home in Toronto. Then I have all of 2021 to walk to St. John's, Nfld.

I remember cycling across Canada in 2013. At first, the journey seemed impossible, and then all of a sudden, we were closer to the finish line. And then we were at the finish line! That was a bittersweet day - hopefully, the virtual finish lines won't be as hard!

I knew I was in Ontario just by looking at this picture. I expect to see a LOT of rocks, trees, and water over the next couple of months. BUT the highway said ON-17, so I knew I had crossed the border.

Speaking of walking, Nancy sent me a link to this article about two people in the Kitchener area who achieved impressive virtual goals. Have a read - it's pretty remarkable.  If you think I walk a lot of miles, that guy beats me hands down!!!  60 km a day?? Is he mad?

Yesterday was a great day! I was at the long arm machine, and then I was putting bindings on, and well, the two quilts are GONE!! But not before there was a wee bit of panic.

I had received a delivery notice in the morning from UPS. OH - that's my fabric that I've been waiting on. It's so new that it just got air shipped to the warehouse in the US. A few of the fabrics were missing, and could I pick a couple of other fabrics. So I did, and I asked if the fabric could be shipped to arrive this week.

I figured the box would be big, so it would arrive later in the day. Now wouldn't it be nice to the UPS driver if he could drop off and pick up at the same time? So I worked like mad to get my package ready.

About 12:30, the doorbell rang, and I ran to see what it was. OH!!!  It was an overnight shipment from UPS with my three small pieces of substitute fabric that I had chosen. ACK!!!!!  Where's the rest of my fabric? I'm guessing that package went out via ground and hopefully will arrive next week. I did have a great chuckle about it.

My little package of fabric

It was two different UPS trucks, so it didn't matter what time my package was ready!

Have you ever noticed that you've done something, but didn't even realize what you did? For me, it's my shoes. Most of us take one shoe off to sew. Yep - that's me, and now that I'm using the Multi-Function Foot Control, sewing with a barefoot is even more important. I have sewing machine functions programmed into the side wings, and I like being able to feel the wings with no shoes on. So off with the shoe.

The shoe comes off to sew

Depending on the height of the other shoe, you are limping around. Well, at some point, I realized that I was no longer limping around. Hmm - what happened to my other shoe? Oh, there - it is. In the middle of the floor. When did I take that off? Who knows!!!  Another chuckle over that! Oh yes - I did a lot of laughing by myself yesterday!

My other shoe

 And I wasn't always alone. I had to get ready for my presentation last night—another successful presentation. But look at my helper. He's testing out the bags to make sure they are properly made.

Bear, the little helper

Not only that, but he helped set up the cameras as well.

The helper hard at work!

At one point, I had to move my portable design wall to make room for a few people (in my bubble) to come and sew tomorrow. I know I hit the fluorescent light fixture when I did that, but I thought nothing more of it.

While I was testing out the cameras, I heard a crash. WHAT????  Oh my - the plastic covering for the light fell to the floor. Nothing broke. What is hysterical is that when I want to remove those covers to change a light bulb, I can NEVER make it happen, and I usually end up breaking the cover to get it off. Next time, I'll grab the portable design wall and give the light a whack! As a result, there are very few covers on the rest of the light fixtures! Totally insane!!!

The cover for the light fixture

As I shut things down after the presentation last night, I surveyed the room. Oh boy - I think we need an intervention!!  This is stuff on the floor that needs to be addressed.

Stuff that has to be done today

Yes - there are the homework assignments that I need to get written and out to the groups. It's been such a silly week that I haven't had time. Some are written (OK - only one is written), but it needs to be proofed before it goes out.

The cutting table became the dumping ground for everything.

The cutting table last night

Even the ironing board got some of the spillovers.

The ironing board

 And my film studio area was a mess.

Film studio area was a mess

I was a busy little beaver this morning. The filming area is all tidied up!! And ready so I can start to get stuff out for next week. I think I have TWO presentations next week, so I have to be extra diligent about where stuff goes.

The film studio area is now tidy

I made good progress on the cutting table. The critical thing in all this is that EVERYTHING MUST have a home. And I do have a home for everything. Then there's no clutter. Remember - things that do NOT have a home are clutter. Not junk, just clutter.

Improvement on the cutting table

So the goal for today is to get those homework assignments written and out the door. I've got an article to write for a magazine, and then I hope to get that cutting table and the ironing station cleared up. Then, if I still have time, I'll be tackling some of the stuff at the bottom of the stairs.

I'm excited about the schedule for today! I can hardly wait to dive in and get those things off my plate. Plus, there are more books to pick up from the library!

Well, I have to run. I've got to check where the rest of my fabric is so I can start sewing the Quilt-Along quilt with QUILTsocial.

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!