Get ruthless!

Despite the fact that I had that Facebook Live yesterday and things had to get organized for that, I took time to clean out a drawer in the filing cabinet. OK, so I didn't finish, but I made a good effort. 

I was only going to pull a few files and then decided to take them all out. 

The empty drawer

There are four drawers, and I picked one. The files got scattered onto the kitchen table. 

The kitchen table as the sorting station

I went through them one by one. OH!!! I know there are folders for some of the same stuff in another drawer. That's the problem with my filing system. I've got the space, I've got the hanging things, and I've got folders, but the actual filing could have been better. 

I started sorting them by creating piles on the kitchen counter. Having space to work makes this process a whole lot easier. Even if I had the space in the office, it's so dark here. I really must think about repainting the walls in a MUCH lighter color! 

The sorting station

And I got rid of manuals for things we no longer own and haven't for a long time! I got rid of bills and other paper crap that just accumulated. I was running out of time, so I had to put the stuff back in the drawer, but it's a lot lighter than it was. 

Some of the crap back in the drawer

While it doesn't look like I took a lot out, there are about 3 inches at the front where there was only a little space before. A significant section is filled with EMPTY file hangers, and I didn't get a chance to go through the messy part in the front. 

Then, the folders will need to be relabeled and organized by category. Yes, I know it should have been done before, but it wasn't. I'm dealing with it now. Once those four drawers are done, I have two huge containers of filing to do. But as mentioned, I bet that most of that filing can be tossed. 

Some of our bills are now 100% online, but a few still come in the mail, so I must convert those to online only. Then, I must go through what's left and throw out all the utility bills. I mean, one doesn't really need to keep them. The only thing of interest is to see how little you were paying 20 years ago, but seriously? I can live without knowing that! 

I think I still have some maintenance bills for my old car. I certainly do not need those, so I have more work to do, but I made a start. And if that cabinet could be cleaned out and the filing dealt with, that would clear up some visual clutter in this room. Hmm—I'm going away for a couple of days, but I hope I'm still motivated when I get back. I NEED to be motivated. 

Now, I need to find a good site with suggestions about what paperwork to keep and what to toss. 

Good grief—I found the bill for our current TV. We bought it in 2008—it's a 46" TV. Can you believe how much we paid for it? 

We are keeping the TV, not the bill or the manual. Gone!! I know DH would like a new one, but this one is just fine for the time he watches. 

But we had an issue—we had a house sitter last week, and they messed up the cables on the TV. I called our provider to see what the problem was. OH—we are missing a cable on the receiver, but which cable? So we sort of got that sorted out, but it's still not working. I called the provider a second time to get some help. All I needed was someone to confirm which slots the cables went into—a simple request. 

The "support" person on the other end spent so long trying to confirm my account, and then she tried to go through a diagnosis. NO- we did an online and already had a ticket opened, but she couldn't grasp what we were saying to her. She had to be brand new and was following a script, but OH MY GOSH -- this was the worst support person ever. She finally got frustrated and hung up on us after about 40 minutes on the call still trying to confirm and diagnose when we just wanted a simple answer. 

I walked to the TV, checked the back of the receiver and the router, and switched one thing, and it worked. I guess I should have done that first, but I'm not into TV things—I have no idea what does what as far as cables go. 

Anyway, it's fixed, and DH is happy. He asked for a credit because of the crazy support person, and they gave us one month free and told her to listen to the recorded call to see that this girl did not listen to what we were telling her—not one bit! And I thought we were EXTREMELY patient under the circumstances!

The Facebook Live went well -- I forgot to show a couple of my samples! I ran out of time, so it's good I didn't make a ton more samples! But this was my set-up when I was done. I'll post the link when it becomes available. 

The aftermath of the Zoom call

Michael's has many online classes you can watch live or recordings afterward. Be sure to check that out; you'll find way more on the US site than you do on the Canadian site. 

Here's one of the spots on the forest path that were fixed yesterday. Let's see how well this holds up. I don't think they ever did all of those low-lying spots, so this should help whenever it rains. 

Repairs on the forest path

I unpacked my suitcase from my last trip, and there are my Studio B mascots. They were peeking at me in the background on the call! Those sneaky dogs!

Studio B mascots

Well, I'm packed for the retreat, but I don't feel ready. There's been too much going on, so I may end up at the retreat and do absolutely nothing today. I'll see how it goes!!

I will remind you daily to find some area of your house to tidy up! Grab a drawer - maybe the kitchen junk drawer, a bathroom drawer, or a filing cabinet. It could be a dresser drawer, but pick a drawer and be RUTHLESS. 

On that note, I'm out of here!!

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!

Using a serger to benefit your quilt making

Thanks for your comments about the Facebook Live. OH GOSH -- I wondered if anyone could hear Murphy barking! No one else was home, and I could do nothing - the show must go on! Next time, I'll find a hidey hole for her with NO WINDOWS. I imagine she was barking at the squirrels in the backyard. What a silly girl!!! Thankfully, she didn't go into her full-blown ballistic mode!

For those who missed the session, you can watch it at this link. Knowing when the link went live was challenging, and I was trying to watch the laptop screen at the beginning! Next time, I'll start looking directly at the primary camera a few seconds before!  

If you want a WRITTEN copy of most of what I said, there are two ways to get that!! I know!!!

The first is to go to QUILTsocial and check out these links. These posts were written in May 2023. 

Day One -- Getting to Know the Husqvarna Viking Amber Air s600 Serger

Day Two - Piecing a quilt top on the serger

Day Three - NINE ways to use the serger for quilting

Day Four - Why a Coverstitch is handy!

Day Five - Troubleshooting when things go wrong!

The second way to get some of that information is via the QUILTsocial magazine - Issue 28. It was a free download in January 2024, but now you have to pay ($4.95) if you want to download it. It's free to view online. All five of the blog posts are in the magazine. 

I can't say enough about how valuable a tool QUILTsocial.com is. I've made so many tutorials or reviews of projects and techniques. When teaching a class, I often send the links to my groups because there is so much exciting material, and it's already done! I have lists for many topics!!!

And while I'm far from finishing decluttering my hard drive, the little bit I've done already makes a huge difference in finding things. 

 Another successful Zoom is under the belt! I used to do a lot with slides in a presentation, but for some of these, it's just as easy to do with the real things, and that's what I did last night. 

I got everything prepped; it didn't take long, and I was all set. I LOVE those little orange stools. They are so handy for the tight spots I have to sit in for a presentation. 

The "before" of the Zoom call

See how neatly everything is stacked in the appropriate pile. 

And then when it was over? Yikes -- things just got thrown onto the floor! It's a mess, and I need to tidy it up later today. 

The "after"

And there's another class you can sign up for. The first session was supposed to be this weekend, but we goofed on getting ourselves organized, so the new dates are March 23 and April 20. You can sign up for it through Thimbles and Things. If you already have a Class Pass, all you have to do is send me an e-mail with your pass number to get signed up!!! These dragons are super cute!! Should I make them in Harry Potter colors? Chinese Fireball, Hungarian Horntail, etc. 

New class in March and April

My calm January and somewhat calm February were fun. March will be stupid, and it's time to start booking travel for the year! Yikes!! There goes the peace and quiet! 

My massage was awful. At one point, I almost called "uncle" and was going to beg her to stop! Yes - my shoulders were so tight, I knew it wasn't going to be pleasant, but I needed her to get the tissue moving. I can blame NO ONE but myself for not stretching more and not standing up straighter. I'm better at the posture thing (OK - so that's probably all in my head), but the stretching? What's stretching? I NEED to do it. 

Today, there is nothing on the agenda! I mean as far as appointments or meetings. Lots of stuff on the TO-DO list, though, and I'll spend the morning doing paperwork to clear some of it. And I just dumped a bunch of things on the floor beside my chair that I need to deal with today. I MUST do that. 

I've got to start writing again soon, and well, it's going to be busy! It's March, which will be busy - I still have one week of peace and quiet! 

Remember, it's Virtual Retreat on Saturday and Sunday. Here are the links. 

Saturday, February 24 - starting at 6 PM

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89816483795?pwd=Mjc3M3pvVmZPdjdsQzlHS3Zhck52dz09

Meeting ID: 898 1648 3795
Passcode: 248667

Sunday, February 25, Starting at NOON

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82983517671?pwd=ODdsa1FJenQwdFNaQWFTNGd4bEhPZz09

Meeting ID: 829 8351 7671
Passcode: 117636

Oh, one last thing -- I spotted this video I posted on my YouTube channel a while back. I always tell people they should use a STILETTO (Quilter's Awl) instead of pins. Check it out.

OK -- time to get the girls and the boy sorted out for their walks, and I can figure out how to spend my "free" day!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

The aftermath

Phew -- so doing that Facebook Live was quite an adventure! I didn't go back and watch it, but I know a few areas where I could do things differently. But I'm OK with that. What am I always telling people? It'll never be perfect the first time -- gosh -- it'll probably never be perfect! However, one learns from experience, and I spent the morning walking through the presentation, moving from chair to chair, standing up to hold the quilts, and prepping fabric or whatever I needed as I did the walk-through. 

I had an agenda on a small whiteboard to help me along, and I'm happy with the results. 

Needless to say, I had help while I was working. First, Murphy was there as Little Bear was upstairs. 

Why is the gaffer asleep on the floor?

Then Little Bear wanted to be downstairs, so he got moved. 

The replacement is no better than the original!

Then, they were both there to help out. Lexi? She would NEVER come downstairs. That's beneath a Princess to take the stairs. 

MOM -- we want to be TALENT, not behind-the-scenes stuff!

During the actual presentation, Little Bear stayed on the floor. I could hear Murphy barking at one point, but nothing I could do about it!! 

I was messing around taking pictures, and here's the view from my primary camera. 

The view from the primary camera

And this is what my table looked like. 

Behind the scenes

My tiny little set-up gives you some appreciation for what happens in a real filming studio. It reminded me of the day when the Property Brothers (Drew and Linda) descended upon Studio B to film a segment for their show. I could see myself on the laptop screen, but I was not using the laptop camera, which was unnerving. I was looking into a camera about 10 feet away. Yet all the questions came on the laptop. Oh well -- it was OK, but remember to look at the camera, NOT the computer!

In case you're wondering, this is what my screen looked like. 

What I saw! 

I had to laugh because, after the presentation, this is what the floor looked like. 

Everything got tossed to the floor

Everything got tossed to the floor. There was no time to tidy it up, and that's OK!!!

Anyway, I had a blast! So help me, but I volunteered to do it again! Hey -- if I went to all that trouble to make this happen, I should at least get to do it again! 

Someone asked about my jacket (not during the presentation, but after). Here's a picture of the back. 

My jacket

This was the first time I wore it. Where did it come from? I wish I could say I made it, but I did not. When M was in Turkey in the fall, she was browsing some of the local markets and spotted a shop selling this kind of work. It is called Kashmiri Embroidery. 

The shop she was in had hundreds of brilliantly colored items, so I went shopping through her phone. We settled on this one. When it came to size, she tried on one, and we went one size larger. Anyway, I got the jacket when she stopped in on her way home. I tried it on, and it fits like a glove! It's beautiful. 

I suspect this type of embroidery is similar to the MOLAS from the Panama Canal area. Do they make "cheap knock-offs" for tourists? I don't know what the story is, but it's beautiful! I'm not sure how much she paid. I should ask her if she remembers. 

When I finished yesterday, I was EXHAUSTED. My brain and body protested that I needed a break, so I did. The girls, the boy, and I cuddled up in the living room and had a long nap. But only after they all entertained me!

My entertainment after the show

I went downstairs this morning to start tidying everything up. It was a disaster, to be sure! I got all the samples put away. The extension cords (I had THREE different power bars) got put away. And I returned the big mic to DH's office. Shoot -- I bought that for me, and then I was using earbuds, so I gave the mic to him. Thankfully, he wasn't home yesterday, so I stole the mic from his office. It worked like a charm! My earbuds haven't been working well for quite some time, so I've been using the mic on the laptop, which is crap! I have a new set of earbuds, and I'll try them for the virtual retreat this weekend. 

Mostly tidied up except for the technology

I need to do some significant labeling before I put everything away. Cords must be labeled; I might pack them with the appropriate camera. That way, when I grab a camera, all its cords are in one place. So I'll work on that later today - bit by bit, but the worst part is done.

Speaking of cameras, I was tidying up the remaining mess on the kitchen table, and imagine my surprise when I realized that TWO of the three cameras were FILM, not digital. I delicately opened it (although that doesn't make a difference if there is an open film in the back) and found a roll that needed to be developed. I suspect this camera belonged to M. Do I even dare get that developed? I may not want to see any of the photos. Perhaps I should give it to her and let her decide. 

An undeveloped film?

This is the second camera, which did not have any film inside. I dug the manual out of the recycling for this camera, as it's a decent camera. The other one is very cheap. This is a Nikon. I have a few rolls of film -- does anyone have a budding photographer in their family who would love to mess with film? Otherwise, it's going to get donated. 

Another film camera

I was sorting through the CDs that I found. Good grief -- I've bought a few Canon products in my time. Notice the version of the software that came with each!! I can download it online, so I don't need these. I don't think anyone uses CDs for multi-media or any other purpose, but I best keep those pouches!!! I have to deal with those today. 

Old CDs for cameras

As part of my cleaning process this morning, I was swiftering around getting rid of dust and decided to move the portable design wall. I simply folded it in on itself. Imagine my surprise when I spotted this block on the back! That's the MISSING block from Barn Star Sampler. I swear I had made all the pinwheels but couldn't find one. So I remade it!!! I got a chuckle!!!

My MISSING block from the Barn Start Sampler quilt

If you wonder why I called my sewing spaces STUDIOs, not sewing rooms, read this quote. It's from a book on organizing your sewing space. I must have read the book years ago, or I just decided that what I do sounds better in a studio than in a sewing room. 

We DESERVE STUDIOS!!!

To add to the circus which is my house, two nights ago, the doorbell rang at 7 PM, and this box was on my step. Good grief -- CanPar was working late!!! Anyway, I've opened the box, and it's filled with goodies that I get to play with for the next blog posts for QUILTsocial. I can't wait!!!! 

A box of goodies!! 

And I think that's enough excitement to last for a while. However, I'm back to work today as I have a presentation on Husqvarna Viking Accessories tonight. It won't take long to assemble, and I'll only use one camera. However, I might use one of my Handi-cams to show off the accessories. And I have a massage booked. Thank goodness, as I can feel how tight my shoulders are, and I've not had a chance to do much about it. She is going to HURT me today - I can already feel it. 

Almost all of our snow is gone. The weather was so warm yesterday, but when I finished at 4:30, I was too tired to go for that second walk. But it's still warm this morning and will get warmer as the day progresses, so it'll be nice to walk the girls and the boy. 

Here are the links for the Virtual Retreat this weekend. 

Saturday, February 24 -- Starts at 6 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89816483795?pwd=Mjc3M3pvVmZPdjdsQzlHS3Zhck52dz09

Meeting ID: 898 1648 3795
Passcode: 248667

Sunday, February 25 - Starts at NOON

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82983517671?pwd=ODdsa1FJenQwdFNaQWFTNGd4bEhPZz09

Meeting ID: 829 8351 7671
Passcode: 117636

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Lexi and the squirrels

Things are coming together; I have one last group to finish the admin work. That HAS to happen today as I'm away this coming week, and I'd like it off my plate. Hopefully, it will take minimal time as I have two Zoom sessions this morning and right into the Virtual Retreat - see the link at the bottom of the post.  

I discovered something yesterday as I was tidying up my Facebook groups. I actually DELETED one group - it was from a specific project about three years ago. No need to keep that one around. 

Deleting a Facebook group

It's a silly way to delete a group. You have to remove ALL the members, and then you have to leave the group. Since you are the last one leaving, you're asked if you want to delete the group. Why not just be able to delete the group and all the people in it? I don't mean their profiles, but their link to that group. I manage TWENTY-TWO groups, and some I no longer use, so those ones can disappear. 

And if the group is PRIVATE,  you can remove members. If the group is PUBLIC, you have to BAN them. That is NOT the same thing, and BAN sounds so harsh. I'm making all my groups private so I can REMOVE people, not ban them, even if my goal is to delete the group. 

While I was working on my laptop, I noticed this. Are you kidding me? Yep -- that says the hard disk is almost full. Well -- that's insane, but I bet what's happening is that OneDrive is linked directly to that computer, and I'll find all the files there. 

The laptop hard disk is almost full!

So far, so good with it - I don't have time today to deal with it. 

I got the address for the item on the kitchen counter, and the box is GONE. One last item needs to be hung outside; I may need some wire to help with that. But otherwise, the kitchen is mostly cleaned up. DH is home, and he's not necessarily on the same tidy kick that I am. But it's alright. 

At the post office 

While having dinner before heading to the Virtual Retreat, I sat down to see if I could figure out the next clue with the Exit Game. Soon, DH was there, and well, we finished the game! 

Puzzle central

We only had to look at one clue out of the ten puzzles. He was on the right track with his logic, but we got stuck in a particular direction and could NOT get out of that rut. Even when reading the clue -- it took a while for my brain to grasp it. But I see the logic, but I KNOW I would never have got that one alone. Not in a million years. 

I'm all about cutting up everything with the games now. I even cut this part out of the box, although I didn't need to. But when it came time to use what I cut out -- I was ready! No worries that we're done -- I've got more! I won't dig one out since I won't be here next week 

Nothing is sacred in an Exit Game

I managed to quilt a small customer quilt and hope to get the next one on the frame later today. I have to make the backing first, and I have some embroidery, so I know it won't get quilted. But when I'm back from the retreat next week, my priority is getting those last few quilts out of the house. 

Customer quilt - DONE

There's a lot of water lying around, and here's that big puddle where I almost "fell" through the ice last week. I didn't have my rainboots on -- only if it's really raining. Lexi and I managed to ford that puddle without getting wet! 

The BIG puddle

Oh my gosh -- Lexi loves chasing squirrels, and she can hear them inside the trees. 

Let's check out the other side?

Let's circle the tree to see if we can find him on the outside. 

MOM -- he's in there! 

Well, let's LOOK inside the tree. 

MOM -- I can hear those squirrels

I can get him!!!!

MOM -- I see them! I see them! 

She's so cute!! 

Little Bear was a trooper yesterday, but at one point, he got cold. That little paw went up in the air (that's the signal), so he got a walk home. I had only put his jacket on, not his sweater AND jacket, and he got cold without his hair to keep him warm. But he still went pretty far. You can't see in the photos, but we have matching jackets - how cool is that?

Grandma -- I'm FREEZING! 

The quotes in the Happiness Project journal are a bit uncanny. This one relates to me as I'm trying to fix my posture and gait, among other things. And yes -- there's no time to "fix" other people - I have my hands full with my issues. Nor should we try to fix the people -- they'll get to it on their own schedule. 

I know this is the placebo effect, but with the bit of exercising that I've done, and trust me - it hasn't been loads, and by no means is it strenuous, but I feel better already. Minimal issues with walking yesterday. I'm down to less than 11 KM to finish my virtual challenge, and I WILL make that happen today. 

OK -- so I have a note for that Sunday pill, but I only remembered it as I was getting breakfast ready, so it looks like I'll aim for Tuesday again this week. I might have to set a reminder for Sunday morning, as I can't remember to take that thing at least 30 minutes before eating! 

But I am remembering to take the Vitamin D, so that's a positive!

Loads of stuff happening; I just don't have much time this morning. Everything is prepped and ready to go, but I must finish the blog and walk the girls. Then, right into the Zoom sessions. 

Here's the link to the Virtual Retreat today. Sunday, January 28 - We start at NOON. 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82983517671?pwd=ODdsa1FJenQwdFNaQWFTNGd4bEhPZz09

Meeting ID: 829 8351 7671
Passcode: 117636

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!! 

Is that a waist pouch? A belt bag?

Oh my -- I think Facebook is broken! I have a love/hate relationship with that app. I received many birthday wishes on August 27 -- the day of my birthday. But since then, I have received about 4 or 5 new ones daily! They were generated on August 27, but I guess Facebook thought it was too much to handle if I received them all on the same day! 

And then the friend requests. Like all of you, I'm sure you get friend requests from people who are already your friends. Can they not create a rule for that and eliminate the trolls? And what about the friend requests from people who don't even exist. The AI friends -- good grief -- you would think that Facebook could also create a rule for that. 

I like Facebook, but mainly for a forum for my classes or to stay in touch with widespread friends if I'm away. But day to day? No one needs to see me sleeping in the gazebo, what I'm eating, or where I happen to be shopping that day! 

So I'll suck it up and ignore most of what comes in! OH -- and how much time could one waste with those click baits and the reels. The click-bait leads nowhere, or if they do reach a point, it takes a half hour to get there. STOP reading them!!! If you feel your finger hovering -- just STOP!!! The same goes for the reels. I get that some cute reels are online, especially the doggie ones. But how many of them are stupid -- there is NO POINT to most of the reels. They don't show anything exciting and are just a waste of time!!!!

I could go on and on about how to make your posts more interesting (if you are going to post), but I won't. 

I have nothing I can share with you for what I made yesterday, but I made giant leaps and bounds in my article writing. There is nothing so exciting as going to write an article to find that you've already written it, and it just needs some editing! So that was great, and it's pretty much ready to go, but I didn't send it yet. I wrote a second one, and it's pretty much ready to go, but after some work this morning, I have to adjust some wording slightly. All is good!!!

I'm almost ready to write the third one! The problem with this writing is that you need to do more than sit and write -- you have to do the work, take the pictures, and THEN you get to write. So number four should be done today, as I've almost finished the work and taken all the photos! The last part shouldn't take too long, so I'm in good shape. 

I did nothing on the sample front, but I have everything pulled and hope to finish some samples today while we have Monday Sewing! Yes -- even though it's a holiday, those ladies will sew any day. Heck - they'd sew on Christmas Day if I let them!

The girls and I spent some time in the gazebo, and it was a perfect day. There was a fair amount of wind, so both wind chimes were merrily tinkling or chiming away, and well, yes -- it lulled me to sleep! 

MOM -- trying to get some sleep here! 

At one point, I saw Murphy's toys gathered in one spot. She LOVES her toys, while Lexi doesn't even know what a toy is. There's a teddy bear beneath the ball. So, while we try to have indoor and outdoor toys, that only sometimes happens! 

The gathering of the toys

And here's Miss Murphy sitting like a goof in the kitchen!!!

MOM -- just trying to trip you! 

So here's a thing about pouches - the kind you wear. I now have quite a collection, and I LOVE them all. 

First, there is the question of what to call these things. We used to call them fanny packs, but in Britain, fanny is slang for a lady's private parts. OH! Because our worlds are getting smaller, we will have to make up new words so we don't offend anyone! 

Some people call them a bum pack, but seriously? I don't want a bum pack! 

LuLu Lemon calls them this, and I think it's perfect. 

Label from the Mini Belt Bag

A belt bag --- that's perfect because, in most cases, that's what it is and how we wear it. 

This is the first one I bought just before my trip last summer. 

Belt bag number one

I believe it came from CAA, and while it's small and flat, it's just a bit too small. It had RFID pockets, so great for the credit card and the passport, and if that's all you want to put in it, this is perfect. It's so slim it can fit under your shirt, and no one would know you're wearing it. My issue is that while my phone fit into it, it was tight, and I was worried I would break the zipper with all the times I opened and closed it. I solved that problem this year by putting my phone in my pocket. And the pilgrim passport was too big to fit in this belt bag. 

Then I found this one last summer as well and left it behind. I did NOT need two bags; this one has only one pocket, while the one above had two. Europe is very cash-focused, at least where I was in Spain, and there was no place to put coins (big in Europe). 

So, with this one having only one pocket and a little pouch, it wouldn't work. HOWEVER, this is the belt bag I wear to walk the dogs, especially in the summer when I have no pockets. There's a place to put my phone and a little pocket for the poop bags. It's perfect!

Belt bag number two

I was going to make one this year, but that didn't happen, so I found this one online. While it's good, it also has its faults. I know - if I want the perfect thing, I must make it!!!

This has two handy pockets and a little pouch. The large one in the back worked for my passport and pilgrim passport. The front one worked for credit cards and cash bills. The little pouch worked like a charm for an elastic for my hair and the coins. There was also room to put my phone in the big pocket if I wanted, but as I said, I kept it handy in my pocket. OH -- I also found this one too long or would that be wide? While it looks the same width as the one above, it's pretty rigid as the one pocket goes the entire length, so the zipper made it rigid. I'm not that wide and flat! 

Belt bag number three

And then I got this belt bag for my birthday! Yep -- it's orange!! All the previous ones are flat, so you can't put much more in them than documents, which is perfect for travel. Who wants to walk around with a heavy bag flapping around your waist? Not me!!! 

This one is thicker, so you can put keys or other small items in it. 

Belt bag number four

Now, here's the big thing --- should one wear it around your waist, or is it a cross-body bag? The cross-body bag has become a HUGE fashion statement, and it just means that instead of attaching it around your waist, you sling it over one shoulder and under your arm. OK -- I "stole" this picture from the internet. 

A "cross-body" bag

None of the above are cross-body bags. Why? Some don't have a long enough strap to make that happen - trust me, no one wants the bag sitting directly on your boob. And none of them have angled straps as they enter the bag. Trust me -- it makes a difference!!! Look at the picture - you can see how the strap is sort of twisted as it exits the bag.

I like this little one as a cross-body bag, but I may modify how the straps are sewn so they lie flat as I wear it cross-body. A slight angle and this would look nicer. Oh gosh -- am I picky or what? It doesn't look this neat in person! 

There is a divider in the middle of this one, so it helps to keep things organized. 

I have never been a big purse person and prefer to carry a few things with me -- keys, card holder, and phone. That's it -- all I need to do anything. So I like the idea of these little bags. But, like anything, you should check them out and see what works for you. 

In an ideal world, there would be a space for the passport (and a pilgrim passport - of course!), cash and credit cards, a place for coins, and that damn phone! Preferably in separate pockets, not too wide, and flat! Oh -- I could just suck it up and use what I have!!! 

I will say they are the handiest things in the world and so perfect for travel! 

On that note, it's time to get moving! Loads to do today!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

How many friends do you have?

 I worked very hard and was extremely focused, and I basically have NOTHING to show for it! 

I'm teaching some classes at Thimbles and Things in the fall, and the registration is being done by e-mail. I received MANY e-mails, and it was a tad confusing to deal with it all. Especially when the e-mail said, "sign me up for all." And then people decide they didn't want all after all. People -- this is a LOT of administration!!!! 

I had to make seven distributions lists, and each list has approximately 40 people on it. If their e-mail wasn't on my contact list, I had to make that happen! 

Then I had to write a comprehensive e-mail introducing the first group to the class format, so I wouldn't get inundated with questions. I moved pictures around to help the students pick colors for their upcoming project starting in September. I made new Facebook groups, set up polls, etc. 

Let's just say that I accomplished a LOT. One e-mail introduction (of three) was sent out. The second one is almost ready to go later this morning, and the third one will hopefully go tomorrow. I still need to double-check the distribution lists associated with that one. I do not have n e-mail service, so I have to be careful how many names go in one list, or I become spam! 

So if you signed up for the Long Time Gone class and did NOT receive an e-mail from me, let me know. Everything else should be coming soon. 

All my classes are FULL, except Long Time Gone. One or two spots may be left in Boho Heart and Gypsy Wife, depending on whether someone drops out when I confirm their registration. 

I am reluctant to do this, but I must. The original pattern was called Gypsy Wife. The name has been changed to Wanderer's Wife. I was going to continue to call it Gypsy Wife; however, when I searched Pinterest, it says "no --- we don't use that kind of language on our site," or something similar to that. So Wanderer's Wife it is. 

I came across something funny when I was in and out of Facebook yesterday. I happened to notice the number of friends I have. 

The number of Facebook friends 

What's this all about? I got a chuckle from that, but I've moved on! In case you don't know, 666 is supposed to be a sign of the devil!

I did sort through a bit more paperwork. OK -- so part of me falls within the parameters of my mother. I still have SOME of M's schoolwork. I'm not sure why it didn't all get dealt with before, but it didn't. There wasn't much in this folder. And here's the sad part -- I hate to throw away this folder. However, would you want to get that folder if you were going to school? Already written on by someone else? If we lived in different times and locations, this would be valuable, but here? I put it in the recycling. 

Poetry folder

I went for a massage and am happy to report that my neck is coming along just fine, but don't touch those insect bites!! I was fine until I was in the car on the way home and they started to itch like mad! They are smaller this morning but still look pretty angry. At least the largest one. The other one is not bad. 

Here's the thing about going to the massage person - and it's not just him - it's the physiotherapist, the chiropractor, or any practitioner dealing with the body. If you could ONLY improve your posture. I know  - my posture is bad. I try to correct it - I really do, but then I forget. So I've got to remind myself to stand up straighter ALL THE TIME. Amazing how we get into some of these bad habits, and it feels better to slouch! I don't want to be that hunchbacked little old lady when I'm older. 

And I know that it'll help my neck! 

I had to fix the dishwasher again! What's with this issue coming up twice within a couple of months? I didn't find anything in the little drain gizmo, but the filter was pretty disgusting. So I cleaned it all out, and it seems to be working just fine. Make sure you clean that dishwasher filter regularly!!!

Then it was date night! Yep -- DH and I headed off to the movies. I told him I would only go on Tuesday when the prices were lower. So we were off to see Free Guy. It was pretty funny and sweet. 

And yes -- I had a medium bag of popcorn (no butter) for dinner. I was also bad and had a medium pop. That was an adventure itself. How to make the darn machine work. Oh well - I did get that figured out. 

The theatre was fairly empty, so social distancing was a breeze, and when we exited the theater at 7 PM, the lobby was the fullest I've seen in quite a while. I did go to a movie last year during a period when we were semi-open. 

As promised, here are the Zoom links for the Virtual Retreat this weekend. And not to freak anyone out, but if someone clicks on those links before the date - I get an e-mail! But that's OK -- I know some people are new to Zoom and need to see how it works. 

Saturday - August 21 from 6 PM - 9 PM

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

Sunday - August 22 from 10 AM - 8 PM

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87246635892?pwd=VGY1cUUyLzRaRi9VUVV2ZWFINXc2dz09 Meeting ID: 872 4663 5892 Passcode: 440473

Well, that's it for me this morning. I'm off to spin class! Who said going to the gym was exciting? I'm OK once I get there - I just have to build up my new routine!

I'll be back at the computer for a wee bit this morning. I need to get that second e-mail out, and then I had better hit Studio B - I don't think I even went downstairs yesterday! The last e-mail will go out tomorrow. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!