Learn to use your time wisely!

What can I say -- but yesterday was an AMAZING day!! Yep -- I'm better, and I've got a plan, and I'm motivated, and well, what more could I ask for? 

I know - sleep. Seriously -- can you tell me why one is wide awake at 1:30 (a bit too early to get up, even for me!) and then can't go back to sleep for hours? But is it really worth getting up to do something? Then, when you finally wake up, you're exhausted? Thankfully, that doesn't happen often! And the dreams I had -- good grief -- lots of old stuff stirring around in my head, and I had quite a chuckle when I woke up!

But I've got a plan! So, I started the Many Blocks club last year. I have several of these block quilts that I want to finish, but I chose the 365-Challenge quilt. I believe it first ran in 2016, and I know several people who finished theirs. When I started, I made it to February 19 or something like that, and it got abandoned. I resurrected it, and throughout this year, I made it to March 10, which is NOT an impressive record. 

I "waste" a lot of time when I'm on Zoom during the Virtual Retreat or on Monday as I just can't sew, so I mostly sit and chat. But I'm determined to change that, and I found that I can easily cut fabric and visit, so that's what I did. I made good progress during the Virtual Retreat. This is so exciting -- I no longer feel guilty about hosting those events since I have found a great way to use my time wisely!

This is what my cutting table looked like. The fabrics were originally in a shoe box, but that is too small to rifle through, so I got a bigger container, which works like a charm. As usual, there is NO room on the cutting table for the fabric container, so it's on a stool beside me. Yep -- worked up such a storm that my sweatshirt is abandoned on the floor. 

My cutting area

I continued yesterday at the Monday sewing and got more blocks cut. I got to March 28 by the end of Monday sewing. 

Still cutting at Monday sewing

Then, when I was watching another episode of The Great Canadian Baking Show, I managed to get more cut. I do not have an electrical plug in that area, and I desperately need one as I have no place to plug in my laptop, and it died completely on me during the Virtual Retreat. 

The cutting station is a mess

Here's the basket of greens that I'm working with. It's mostly small pieces, but when the finished blocks are 3", it's easy to find pieces. I do not care if the greens within one block match. This quilt is so busy -- you will see GREEN, not worry if they match what's next to each other. It's time to get it done, not drive myself crazy with matching. I have way more fabric, and occasionally, I pop into the stash to get another small piece to add to this mix. 

My basket of green scraps

When I was done, the blocks from March 11 to March 31 were cut, bagged, labeled, and ready to sew!!!

The fruits of my cutting labor

OK -- I impressed myself. Yes - I realize they now have to be sewn together, but I hope to manage that on my own. 

So, on all future Monday sewing and Virtual Retreats, I had better be cutting more of those blocks, and that means -- I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and cutting at least ONE entire month during those events. I could probably cut two months! OH --- this is amazing!!!

I will no longer be wasting that time, and I'll be getting ahead on one of my projects. I'm pretty excited!

As I was sitting at the sewing table, I noticed some flickering, and it appeared one more light going to go soon. I really need to get an electrician in as I need a plug installed and a new light over the cutting table - the ballast died several years ago, and I'm sure there are a few other things that we need. Hopefully, the pandemic rush for electricians has died down by now. 

A light bulb ready to die

After I finished cutting March, I grabbed the half-square triangles from the leftovers of The Barn Star Sampler, and those were trimmed. There is still a huge stack of them to be sewn. 

Trimmed half-square triangles

And then, I pulled out some orange scraps to cut another project, which I want to start today. I can't finish it just yet, but I hope by the end of this week to have a special "tool" that is required for some of the stitching. And that's all I'll say about that!

Orange scraps

I haven't figured out how far behind I am on my Virtual Challenge, but I'm not that far behind. It was drizzly yesterday and damp, but I dressed and went out anyway. By that time, the drizzle had stopped, and it was actually a pleasant walk. I had loads of errands that need to be done - grocery store, the mall, the dry cleaner, getting my hair cut, and quilts to pick up, and all of it is within walking distance, so I had better myself in gear and get those things done. And let's not forget the thrift shop!

I must also get my bird feeders in order. I saw the birds hanging around yesterday, and I broke one of them, so I must get a new one. Yep -- I can walk to the store to get a new one. 

Birds are getting hungry!

Do you think this house is going to get a new roof? I can't imagine what happened to it that it needs new rafters!! But there are spots of blue plastic in various places, so perhaps it's had a lot of moisture on the inside and has rotted! 

Rafters for a new roof

OK -- so I wish I could share this with a video because it was HILARIOUS. DH and I were sitting at the table chatting last night, and Little Bear was in his bed, all snuggled up. The other two decided they needed to entertain everyone! And they proceeded to have a big "fight" with lots of noise so we couldn't miss them. 

The evening entertainment

Then, at one point, I don't know what got into Murphy, but she wasn't happy with where Bear's bed was, so she grabbed it and started to pull him! Later, she moved her bed to the middle of the floor. Let's say that I took MANY pictures of the entire situation. 

MOM -- let me move him. He's in my way!

Bear is looking a bit miffed as that big dog continues to bother him. 

GRANDMA -- help me!!!!! 

And then he finally jumped out while Murphy continued to snuffle about his bed. By this time, she had already moved her blanket to the far side of the family room. Lexi is just shaking her head. 

MOM -- Bear has been eating treats in his bed!!!!

Then Murphy dropped her ball into Bear's bed and grabbed the edge of it, causing the ball to wildly fling out. It's a good thing Bear had vacated it by then! Let's say that Murphy is a bit jealous, and how dare Little Bear get to sit beside me when that's her spot! 

MOM -- that little trouble is gone, and I have a new spot for my ball

Oh, Muprhy -- -you are such a goof. Actually, all three of them are hilarious to watch, and they definitely have their personalities. 

My reading challenge for the year was 50 books. After I logged a few books that I recently read, I'm at 49, so I should make that goal considering that I have two more on the go and will finish soon. One is an audiobook, and one is an ebook. Yep -- no more paper for me! I doubt that, but just how it worked out right now. 

Have you read Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus? Oh my --- it's not quite what I expected, and it has lows and highs. I see that it's also a TV Minidrama series. It's on Apple TV, so I doubt I'll ever see it, but it looks good. I'll just imagine it all as I listen to the book. But it's about women in the early 60s, and boy, oh boy --- we've come a long way since then. What we need to be careful about is that we NEVER return to that time when women were not valued for what they did. 

Well, I've jabbered on enough -- I said -- things are back to normal, and I'm excited to start the day! 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!