Another senior moment

I don't feel (and hopefully don't act) like a senior. However, how the heck do we expect seniors to act these days? When we were kids - being past 50 meant you were practically an antique and had one foot in the grave. Today - it's like being in your 30s. We can still do so much, and we're still YOUNG! 

I feel strange asking for senior discounts at stores. I am more experienced, but I don't think I'm too like a senior. But I had another chuckle yesterday. I was at the bulk food store to pick up a few staples this time. As usual, I walked there - so I may be a senior, but I'm a mobile senior! 

I didn't buy much, so the senior discount would not have been much. The young girl at the cash counter said she would give me the $5 coupon instead as it would be a better deal. I'm OK with that, and I replied that I need help figuring out when the coupon is available and where to get it. To be honest, I was being lazy! So she responds, "Well, maybe you can get someone to help you find it with Google!" I almost wet my pants laughing (to myself) on that one! 

No worries -- life should be about laughing and enjoying, and there is never an end to the chuckles at my house. 

However, there was a very sad moment, and I felt this one to the core. OK - don't panic - it was nothing serious. 

But this happened. What? An empty table, you say? That's not just an empty table - that's where my Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 2 sat for the last four years. The SUNSET one - the hot pink and orange colored sewing machine! 

An empty table in Studio B

Alas, with the new one (EPIC 3) arriving, I need the space, and I certainly don't need so many top-of-the-line machines. So I sold it. I spent a couple of hours explaining how it worked, and then it got packed up, and it was gone. 

Bye Bye SUNSET Epic 2

I always keep the boxes for the embroidery units and the machines - my cold room under the front step is crammed with stuff, and I need to make room for the new boxes to go. So, the old ones got dug out. Needless to say, it looks terrible downstairs at the moment, but I'm getting rid of boxes and moving boxes, and hopefully, by the end of the weekend, all will be back in order. 

A box explosion

I didn't take a picture of the machine before it went, but in case you don't remember the colors -- these are the exact colors. The front was white, the base was orange, and the back was pink. I was at the dollar store to find something for DH, and this RANDOM set of baskets appeared before my eyes. They were not in the basket section and seemed to be the ONLY set! How could I leave them? It'll be a reminder of my Sunset EPIC 2. YES -- in light of what I'll show you later, I did NOT need these! 

SUNSET colored baskets

The EXIT Game Advent Calendar is right on track. My mind goes blank whenever I read the story page and then open the daily box. How are we going to solve this one? Then I leave and go back, and then you start thinking. Between our two sets of logic, we've done very well. We only needed the help book for the day when the little emoji disk was missing. We don't just whip through it, but we ponder and discuss, and then - VOILA -- there's the answer. 

The escape room of the day!

Then something dreadful happened after dinner. Well, not dreadful -- amazing how words can conjure up visions of doom and gloom. But it was a mess. 

I needed to find something and couldn't put it off any longer. I've been dreading searching for it for the last couple of weeks. Last night was my time to look. I was pretty sure it was on the desk in the office. 

Now, I will rightfully admit that this could look like I'm a hoarder. And while I like things, and YES - I have too much, I'm not a hoarder. I'm trying to GET RID of stuff. I've been through the entire house, except the office, and we've gotten rid of so much stuff. I estimate the first time around, we got rid of a third of what was in the house? No furniture, but stuff! But once this office is done, I'm starting again at the top and working my way down. Watch out, Murphy and Lexi - you could be next! I know that will never happen, but there are days!

So there was a huge pile on this desk, and in reality, I'd like to be able to use the desk to work. For someone who does as much paperwork as I do, I have ZERO room where my computer is to work. It's been the bane of my life for a long time. I can't buy new furniture until the mess is cleaned and I can see what's what. I may NOT need anything new - just rearrange what I have. 

To clear off the table a while back, I piled everything on the desk. I would hate to show you what the table looks like right now. There are a few empty boxes on it. DO NOT yell at me for that - the boxes are there so I can fill them with stuff to donate. 

I forgot to take a picture before I started, but those boxes on the floor were on the desktop. And so the archaeological dig began. 

The site of a modern archaeological dig

Good grief - I found a bulk pack of embroidery needles. Well, I can certainly use those. 

Bulk pack of embroidery needles

A stack of Canadian Quilter Association brochures from Quilt Canada 2016 or 2017. They were in a box, and well, they are now in the recycling. 

Canadian Quilter's Association brochures

My daughter's name tag when she worked at McDonald's MANY years ago. That went in her keepsake box. 

Name badge

Murphy's old dog tag. Yes - she managed to rip the tag open. Meanwhile, Miss Lexi still has her original tag. My sweet girl! I guess we do not need to keep this! 

Murphy's old dog tag

A folder of paper that needs to be filed or recycled. 

Paper to file

DO NOT YELL at me for this one, but another stack of paper on a chair needs to be filed. I'm sure by now that many of those papers could be tossed, but good grief - filing is NOT my forte! However, I think the filing cabinet will need to be cleaned before. There is still room in it, but what's the point of adding crap to crap. So that is a task that I face SOON! 

More paper to file

Several boxes of stuff went into the kitchen, so I can deal with those. There's a box of electric waste and a box of pens and pencils that I will donate to the local school, and that will give some kids some fun sorting through it all. A box that is designated to be dropped at the thrift store. I also found some product boxes from electronic devices that need to be recycled. I was going to complain to the companies that produced them about the waste in packaging, but I didn't. 

Sorting process

HEY -- there is that second pair of earbuds I've wanted to find! The ones I have won't charge past 10%, which is pretty useless, and I want to try this pair. I miss them on my Zoom calls. 

My earbuds!

I found not one but TWO "WINNING" lottery tickets. Let's pray they were not winners because they are past the date of claiming any prizes. Lesson learned - if you buy a lottery ticket - at least put it somewhere where it can be checked. 

Past their prime lottery tickets

So, I could sort and file or toss quite a bit. But then there is the crap in life. Those little things pile up, and you don't know what to do with them. This is the stuff you get as freebies (never PICK up freebies as they have CLUTTER written all over them!)

Stuff!

Good grief - I even found a brand-new set of glass nail files that I bought at Quilt Market in 2017. Never touched. 

Nail files

OK -- I will allow you to say that I have HOARDING tendencies because I'm doing what hoarders do. They acquire things and never use them. It's in my genes, and it's a mental illness, and I'm trying my hardest to not let it take over my life or my home. I'm doing great - I just need to get over the hurdle in the office. I've made HUGE leaps and bounds in this place, so I'm not worried. 

So, I grabbed these paint chips for some reason. But why? I have one person to ask before I toss them. I hate to do that, but what else would I need them for? I think it was some kind of art project. 

Paint chips

I found a large piece of fabric. Why did I buy that? No idea - I don't remember it. 

A piece of fabric

Oh gosh - it gets worse. An IKEA catalogue from July 1, 2015. Why? 

Dated IKEA catalog

Oh - the things I found - a urine sample bottle. There is no need to keep that, as I have since done the urine sample. NO - I do not need to keep it for dead needles or whatever. It's going out!

And then the desktop looked like this, which is alright. But then I kept going because I still hadn't found what I was looking for. HEY -- isn't that a song? Yes, it is - by U2. 

Clean-up in progress

By the time I was done, I had added to the crap on the desktop that needs to be sorted. I know -- I should NOT do that, but I did. The trick now is to nibble away at it every day until it's dealt with, and there will be days, like yesterday when I was at it for several hours. 

The dribs and drabs of life to sort

But if I could manage at least half of that mess at this point, that would be HUGE towards tidying up this place! OK -- I must make a valiant attempt since things are quiet at my house. 

OK -- you want to know if I found what I was looking for? Of course I did! But it was NOT on the desk. 

It was out in plain sight on the bookcase! I got a chuckle out of that. 

Found object!

And yes, those bookcases also need a bit of TLC, but they are in decent shape, so I'm not worried about them. My plan was to get the floor cleared. I did that a while ago. Then, I cleared the tabletop, leaving the desktop to deal with. I may get the desktop done and then just start all over again and pick one piece of furniture at a time in the office to empty, clean, and sort. Let's get through this mess on the desktop first! 

What I need to do is FINISH the bits that are partially sorted. Get rid of anything we don't want,  need, or can be recycled. Then and only then should I attempt to uncover more stuff! 

The bookcases

AHA -- I bet you also want to know about my applique. I didn't get to the sewing machine yesterday, but this morning, I managed to get the final bits of applique done. 

The final applique block

All that remains is to press and trim this piece and sew it into the quilt. 

So I'm in good shape for two of the three classes on Friday and Saturday. The third one? Well, I have all day tomorrow to deal with it. Today, I have plans! Everything popped up as a result of stuff that happened yesterday, and today is now shot! But that's OK. 

And on that note, I'm out of here! I have much to do today, and I must get started.

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!