Saturday, September 26, 2026

An unventful travel day!

As I sit surrounded by junk in the office, I remind myself of the list I put together yesterday. I don't have time to deal with any of it today, but I'll keep plugging away at it. I just might have more incentive now. 

OH—there is one thing I need to add to that list, and this is NOT new. 

USE the good things NOW!!!! I don't care if this is your favorite china, crystal, or the FABRIC that is too good to cut. If you don't use it now, someone is going to take your precious china and dump it unceremoniously outside a thrift store drop box. That good fabric? It might go on the back of a community project quilt or be chopped into tiny pieces. If you don't use it now and enjoy what you bought, then someone else will do with it as they wish. 

It's like my china tea mugs. I bought them, put them in the cupboard for a special day. Then about ten years ago- no, make that eight years ago, as I bought them ten years ago- I started using them. EVERY DAY! I put them in the dishwasher even though it fades the paint. I DON'T CARE. I have two, and one day I use one and the next day it's the other. I am enjoying them - I get a wee thrill every time I pull them from the cupboard. When I'm gone - those mugs can go in the trash. I'm not kidding about the thrill - I LOVE those mugs, and using them makes me feel special - they have bicycles all over both of them, and they are fun! 

When I am gone, M might say, "I want one of those tea mugs because it was Mom's favorite." And they are my favorites because I USE them whenever I am at home. And only for tea and never in the microwave. Something doesn't become special when it's stored in a box in the back of the cupboard.  

Thankfully, I never got into the china-and-crystal thing. I have NOTHING exceptional in the dish department, EXCEPT for those two mugs. 

LOL --- I just checked my email, and I see that I've been upgraded in advance for my next flight in a couple of days, which is only an hour-long flight. It doesn't matter -- I'll take the upgrade when I can. But I never seem to get upgraded for the long flights. 

Yep—I'm back home, and I'm tired, but I'm off to work today. I'll be doing some demos of the PFAFF creative icon 3 at Sew Productive, in Acton. One session starts at 9 AM and the second one is at 2 PM. It's free, so if you are around and want to see what all the hype is about, come and check it out.


As far as travel days go, it was uneventful, which is just how I like it. I zipped over to my parents' in the morning, chatted for over an hour, and tried to tidy up some last-minute details. Only the bank is giving us grief, and I need to call them because there is one transaction we can't do online, and I'm not sure why. 

I know people drive through Saskatchewan and say it is so boring. People say the same about the Meseta part of the Camino in Spain. People ---- you get to see for miles, and the vistas do not disappoint. As many times as I have seen those wide-open spaces, I never tire of it. It's some of the most beautiful country in the world. The next time you want to drive across the country, please do NOT bypass Saskatchewan. It's beautiful in a different way than the mountains. 


Gassed up the car and dropped off the rental car. Since it was NOT at the airport location, they gave me a lift, so that was good. Then I filled up my water bottle at the refillable water station. And yes—that is my Booster Juice shake. I was running out of hands to hold everything. I didn't have to wait too long, and we were ready to board the plane. 

Refillable water station


I have no idea why I was so exhausted, but I was asleep before the plane even took off! The next thing I know, we have been in the air for almost an hour! I didn't do anything physical, but it was exhausting mentally. I went to bed early, and I could probably still be asleep if I had time. But that's OK. 


Thankfully, I had all my samples sitting on a table in Studio B, so all I needed to do was grab a small suitcase and throw them in. 


I LOVE these logic puzzle books. I'm speeding right along in this one, and I'm somewhere in the 30s. There are 50 in the book, so ONLY after I finish this one will I allow myself to start a new one. Some are quick; a couple of them have given me grief, but it all keeps the brain active. I will do whatever I can to keep my mental faculties working. Dementia seems to run in my family (sigh), so I have to try to prevent it from attacking my brain cells. At least it hits (if it's going to) in the 80s, so I still have time! 


Logic puzzles


Before bed, I tidied up a few things in Studio B. A small gift from someone at the retreat. Two crocheted dishcloths and a scrub pad. You can never have too many dishcloths.

New dishcloths and a scrubby




Those scrub pads are crocheted, and this is what they are made of. The one above isn't sparkly, but this ball that I purchased is. I had thrown it in my bag to work on at retreat. Alas, that wasn't to be this time. 


Yarn to make a scrubby


I also acquired a new puzzle from someone, so it is now added to the pile, and this one isn't going to be easy!!!! I won't have time for a couple of weeks to work on a puzzle, but I'll do what I can. Maybe I can get the next one sorted, and that would be great. It's a good activity for the evening when your brain is dead. 


A new jigsaw puzzle


And darn those new food labels. I wondered if anything would be classified with all three "bad" items, and yes—I spotted this on the kitchen counter this morning. DH bought half a pumpkin pie because you can't live for fall without one. 


The warning label on the pumpkin pie




The trick is to LIMIT, but not eliminate foods with those warnings! I tried—I really tried — to eat better on this past trip, but I wasn't always successful. It is what it is. 

I have to run because I need to walk the girls. They were so excited to see me last night, but I think all they wanted was a walk, and I was tired. So now I will have to walk them together this morning because of time, and they are going to be wild! Slow and steady. 

It will be a WONDERFUL day!!!!!!

Ciao!!!!








4 comments:

  1. We visited my son and his girlfriend this summer and their home is absolutely lovely. They seem to have everything they need. They treated us to a weekend of experiences. Goat yoga — it is so hilarious. Then a trip to a local farmer’s market and a walk around the village. Then there was a beverage at a local small craft brewery. We sat out on the lawn chatting and taking in the hops pasture, the cows and the mountains. It was an amazing weekend of unforgettable experiences. We spoke with them recently and they talked about their trip to a local spa and how much they enjoyed it. Their home is beautiful and does not appear to be missing a thing. So at Christmas and birthdays they will be gifted more spa experiences and not crystal or china. We WILL NOT clutter their lives. Jackie

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  2. Just this week, a neighbour dropped off a homemade cherry pie to thank my husband for helping them. I brought out the good wedgewood china for dinner that we inherited from mother in law. We use the good china I was gifted for my hope chest as a teen everyday.

    Still working on husband to let me unpack the crystal glasses and use them everyday, he says we can’t put them in the dishwasher. My response watch me.

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  3. My good stuff story: We married at 19. No interest in china/crystal. So, we'd been married 17y and hubster said "let's go order china/crystal. (he did not grow up with it). I said "whatever we are having for dinner the night it arrives, we are using it"! Well, Mom, sis/family were coming for burgers and potato salad. The kids were 2 and 4yo. Yup, the table was set. They got white wine (milk) in crystal glasses and we used that china. Mom was shocked and sis was scared ;-) Break it. I don't care and I promise to laugh! My oldest sister has broken 2 wine glasses-she is mortified. I laugh at her for caring. We don't drink wine so we can still set a table for 8!

    Tammy: I would ask him how he would feel if I die tomorrow and never got to use them because he said no. That happened to a woman I worked with back in the 80s. Married 43y-never used it and now Alvin was gone. THAT is when I learned to use the good stuff right now. I think I was 24yo. Life lessons.

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  4. 3 cheers for Booster Juice. It’s a regular stop for the 2 grandsons on Badminton and/or Fencing days.

    Elaine, maybe you already added the Booster Juice App to your phone, but if not, take a peek at it.

    Points each time your order is scanned that then add up to a worthwhile discount on a future order.

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