Things around the neighborhood

I've decided that I need 30-hour days to get everything done! I'm not giving up my walking or my sleep! So a few things will be late, and that's just life! I hope to clear off a lot of the computer work this morning. None of this is rocket science, so I'm not worried. Just in case you are waiting for an e-mail from me.  

One of the things I love about walking is you get to see stuff in the neighborhood. And way back in April, a car drove into a house. I'm not sure where the original picture is posted, but the car must have been going at a fair speed as it knocked down a substantial (and new) very high fence, and a tree and then crossed a fair distance to hit this house. 

The house had some damage to windows, the deck, and whatever. I noticed they have started working on the house in the last week. But when I went by yesterday, I was shocked to see the walls were removed! Yep -- you could see clear into the bedroom as the entire wall was gone. 

The corner of the house is exposed

A man was standing in the backyard surveying the workmen, so I asked him if he was the owner, and he was. So Lexi and I stopped to chat for a bit. It turns out that the car also hit the A/C unit, and when someone came to repair that, it created a fire, which I overlooked, but I suspect the fire was electrical and it damaged the inside structure of the house, so they were removing ALL the smoke damaged wood. 

Can you believe that? The poor people who live there, as I don't think they had lived there long, but that street (right in front of the high school) seems to be an accident-prone area. A while back, a girl was killed when the car she was in hit a lamppost and knocked it down. That was basically across the street from this house! 

Do people not respect the speed limits? Nope --- they don't even know they exist. 

We had a speed camera in front of the elementary school for a short while, which got removed. But I see the sign again saying, "speed camera coming soon," so we'll see what that's all about. 

Well, I'm not impressed with my new phone. I had trouble with TWO calls yesterday. And I checked the signal on both calls, and I had a signal of 3 bars. I'm just going to deny anything is wrong and carry on. 

And look at that good girl, Murphy!! I went out to bring the recycling cart in and to get the mail, and she desperately wanted to come. So she came out, and I made her sit on the sidewalk as I crossed the street to get the mail. As I've mentioned, this dog has two speeds -- STOP or fast! 

MOM -- I'm a good girl!

Trust me, I was watching her like a hawk, so she didn't bolt if she saw a squirrel, and I live on a dead-end street, so there's not much traffic to worry about. What a good girl!!

I'm getting ready to go on a quilting retreat (I know! but fewer than last year), and I had to move the stuff yesterday as I needed to cut batting. I then realized I had packed projects to sew but no sewing machine! There is a sewing machine in this pile, but it's sold and needs to go with me on its journey to its new home. So I could have sewn on that one, but I didn't want to. I got everything packed now - it just needs to go in the car. 

Packing for retreat

And I love whenever we have a get-together. I almost always have things to pass along to someone, either that I'm giving away or someone else, and I know I'm getting a few things in return! It's the Pony Express, and it works for me!

I forgot to take a before picture, but those two tubs with the rolls of paper have been sitting here for a while, and it's time to get them out of the way. There is some stuff that I want to keep and lots that I need to contact the Textile school and see if the students can use. I removed a few more things that needed to be put in the garbage, but then I did this with the tubs. 

Where the tubs used to sit!

I found a nice spot for them in the storage room. They are tucked out of the way and out of sight, and since it's not something I'll need often, this is perfect. But I need to contact the school, and I should have done that BEFORE putting them in the storage room. 

A new home for the tubs

 Oh my goodness --- here are the acetates from EVERYTHING I ever screen-printed while I was a student. My big sheets of butterflies! I printed yards of butterflies on lame! It was a fantastic project; I wish I could find a picture of what it looked like when it was hung in the library at the college. But I don't need all this, so it all goes. 

Acetates for screen-printing

More acetates

And then I found this bundle of wood sticks. I planed these all down in the wood shop at college, so they are ½" square and about 2 feet long. I was supposed to build something from them, and I don't remember, but it didn't get done. So what do I do with these??? Does anyone with woodworking skills want them? Yours for free! 

My wooden sticks -- free 

And I have to laugh because I'm mailing stuff off or getting mail - it seems like a daily occurrence. Look what came yesterday. Gorgeous colors of organza that came from Mexico via Ottawa. They were dirt cheap, but the colors are brilliant. I've got plans for those. 

Colored organza

And I dropped off my power tower return to the post office yesterday. And guess what? I got another scam text from the post office, and I didn't buy anything -- -how do they know I was there? That is super scary, and I was at a different post office than the one I was at the other day!

And it was time to fire up the long arm. I've been neglecting it for a while, so I was back at it. I LOVE quilts with white backgrounds as I have to tidy up the dark threads as best I can so they don't shadow through. There's not much one can do about those -- they just happen. 

Picking dark threads off the white background

But the quilt is done, and it looks fantastic! There's another huge one on the agenda for today, so we'll see what happens. I suspect it's going to be a late evening. 

Customer quilt - DONE

 

OH OH OH --- It's retreat weekend. I almost forgot. Here are the links:

Saturday, January 21, from 6: PM EST until whenever

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89254233911?pwd=VGQrTnFybW1HMWpleHA4M2Q2NGVwZz09 Meeting ID: 892 5423 3911 Passcode: 982797

Sunday, January 22, starts at NOON EST until whenever

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86119598156?pwd=ZDFxcElxS0NmeTRjczdSR2FXd3N2Zz09

Meeting ID: 861 1959 8156
Passcode: 053861

Well, I'm off to spin class, so I've run out of time. 

Have a super day and get out there and enjoy this beautiful (OK -- so it's damp) weather, but still, this is much nicer than 30 below and windy! 

Ciao!!!