Almost a disaster with the Cherrywood Challenge

I had a thought when I was out walking yesterday, and Tammy confirmed it with her comment. If you were a doctor and you wanted to help your patient, wouldn't it be great to see their sleep history? Or see their heart rate history? And other trends? 

I totally get that different brands track things differently. That was evident when I had the Galaxy Watch for a while, and I hated how it tracked steps slightly differently from the Fitbit. But it's all relative if you only look at your data! 

Speaking of data, I did NOT get a good sleep score last night. I didn't get much sleep. It was one of those nights where I was fast asleep, and then I wasn't. I'm not sure why, but my brain would not turn off for hours. I contemplated getting up many times, and I did once, but well, I think it's going to be a nap day today! And I'm OK with that. I almost got up a second time, but had a wave of vertigo, so I quickly lay back down and decided I didn't need to get up!

I think part of the issue with my getting back to sleep was my Cherrywood Challenge. Oh -- I accomplished all the quilting, but didn't trust myself to trim it last night. And it looks amazing, or does it? You see, I did a very bad thing. I had to use chalk to mark the quilting lines, and then, before I removed the lines that remained, I gave it a press FROM THE BACK - thankfully. 

So those lines were not easy to remove. I tried a wet cloth, which usually works, but I think the heat of the iron sort of made some of that chalk permanent. That has never happened before, and I don't typically use Cherrywood fabric either. I went to bed a bit disheartened and would deal with it in the morning. 

However, my subconscious woke me up and said, "Get down there and fix that problem." I used a kitchen scrub brush to remove the chalk, then a baby wipe. Most of it is gone and very hard to see, but I'll repeat that exercise one more time today.  

Aside from the chalk removal, all that remains is to trim and bind it, then take pictures. The due date is tomorrow, and with nothing else on my plate, I should be able to accomplish that. However, I will probably forever see those chalk lines on that quilt!

Speaking of the to-do lists and, in particular, my visual one, I have a category called "Quilts for Others." It happens to be the largest category, with seven projects. 

Quilts for Others category on the Visual To-Do list

This is a bit of an agonizing category for me because there are some quilts in that category that are long overdue, and I need to get them done, which is why I put them on this list. I may or may not tell you the details about them. Yes—it's embarrassing, and I might need some help. 

Well, do you remember that day in Hawaii last year when we ran into M, and it was totally an accident? All because we made a very definite decision to walk down that aisle in the market. That happened to me yesterday at the grocery store. 

I do not typically go down the aisles in the grocery store, but only along the perimeter, but yesterday, I had to look at something, and when I got to the end of the aisle. I turned the corner, and there was Marla, the mother of a girl M had gone to elementary school with. OH MY GOD!!

You see, many years ago, I made a quilt for Marla's mom, and although faded, it still hangs in her mom's house. It was a photo-transfer quilt featuring pictures of all the grandchildren. She had wanted me to make a family tree quilt for her stepfather. 

Well, that got started and then abandoned. And it's been sitting in Studio B for many years, and surprisingly, I had it on the Visual To-Do list. 

Marla's quilt on the Visual To-Do list

And here is the box where the quilt pieces reside; it was UNDER that newly cleaned-off table. There is a small stack of things I haven't found a home for, so it wasn't hard to find, although it should have been on the current projects table. I knew exactly where it was. I have moved the box to the top of the table and will look at it next week.

The box containing the bits for Marla's quilt

I promised Marla that I would contact her next week, after reviewing the box, and see what can be done. Whether we abandon the project or, hopefully, make something much smaller than her initial desire, it would be nice to get it done. I'm going to do it for free as I feel guilty as heck about that whole thing. 

There are two more projects similar to that on the Visual To-Do list, actually three, and I'm going to have to dig deep to confess the details and how the quilting projects can be resolved. 

Do not judge me -- I get it --- totally irresponsible for taking on a project and then abandoning it. Stuff happens, and I just couldn't wrap my head around it, and I was too "weak" to talk to the owner about it. Meeting her in the store was a sign to get one of those "quilts for others" done! 

I have one of those large ironing boards, and I had to flip it upside down to see what the heck was happening. I swear it had a definite slant to it. What is up with that? After checking, it appears that one of those bars with cutouts isn't sitting properly. I tried to position it correctly and then hold it in place while putting the ironing board back on its feet, but it seems the support bar between those wave-like ones is bent. 

Hmm -- we have a problem with the ironing board.

Plus, these little bits came out. It still seems pretty sturdy, so I hope it doesn't collapse on me! I'll check again next week to see if I can pull that bar straight so it seats into those cutouts properly. At least, it's straight now!

Little bits from the ironing board

I decided to tackle that little box of half-square triangles when I needed a break from the Cherrywood Challenge. I got quite a few trimmed, and there is a stack of ones that need trimming. I even found little squares that weren't sewn together yet, so I moved them to the tray beside the sewing machine. And I made a ton of half-square triangles for the pink-and-green border. Sewn, but not pressed or trimmed until I know which direction. 

Working on half-square triangles

I think I have a rhythm for making those pink-and-green blocks, so I must continue while it is still in my head. It makes it super easy to keep the adjoining one beside me while I make the new one. Thank goodness for mini design boards, as I can carry this border from the ironing board to the cutting table to the sewing machine.  

I'm thinking of making a "fancy" two-color binding for the Cherrywood Challenge, and I'll decide later this morning. 

Even with the melting from the sun we had yesterday, no water came in through the window. That doesn't mean it isn't dripping behind the walls, but not through the window. So that is good, and we'll see what happens. I've put the bug in DH's ear that this may be a lengthy, costly fix. Let's hope I can find someone to help fix the problem, then we can get to the cosmetics in the house. 

As the snow melts, the girls seem fascinated by the pond. We have a heater in it, so a small part of it is open. But as you can see, there are many tracks on it! 

MOM -- there's something here!!!

I spotted Murphy standing on it yesterday, but didn't get the camera in time to get a picture. Hopefully, they are smart enough to stay off when that ice softens. I do not want to be rescuing a dog from a fall through the ice! And if a rescue is necessary, it will be with Murphy for sure!

MOM - I'm guarding the pond!

I think I mentioned this a while back, but that big quilt used to be on the living room floor, and the girls loved sleeping there. There was also a dog bed in that spot. Then I moved the quilt and the dog bed to the family room, where no one slept on it, and Murphy was happy to have her ball rolled up in the blankets. 

The quilt is now back in the living room, and this spot belongs to Lexi, although Murphy hijacks it from time to time. And now Murphy sleeps in the big bed in the family room. What is that? 

MOM -- this spot is MINE!

But the two of them are having fun chasing each other in the back yard, and when they've had enough, they come to the door to beg to be let in. I even spotted Lexi doing laps in the backyard - something she rarely does because she's so lazy! But she doesn't have an ounce of fat on her, so I'm not going to yell at her! They are very entertaining to say the least. 

MOM - we're exhausted - can we come in now?

I don't know what's with the weather, but we had snow last night. Not much, so it won't take long to shovel, so I'm good with that. But all the sidewalks and the driveway were clean and dry, and now they are not! I won't complain - the temperature is decent! I see we have a potentially significant snowfall later this week. No worries, I have lots to do in Studio B, and I don't need to go anywhere. 

Yep -- as soon as I'm done with the Cherrywood Challenge, I need to get to work on my UFOs for next weekend (yes -- there was an issue with the date in my calendar), and I have two classes next weekend as well. Having all this time to work on things at my pace is amazing!!!!

As I was standing at the front window admiring the then-clean and dry driveway, something big flew overhead. A hawk! And it landed on the street light. It may not look so big in the photo, but when they are flying, they are huge! Good thing Little Bear isn't here! 

The neighborhood hawk

Well, I must go and send a couple of emails this morning, then I'm downstairs to work on that Cherrywood Challenge. I'm so close, and I can do this!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

It's a half-square triangle day!

Here's an update on several situations. After a few messages back and forth with M, it seems that if I read her text correctly, the designer will make the veil; it's my job to embroider it!! OK -- I think I can handle that. Thanks for the tips from everyone. Now I just need to find out the timing --- and she's in BC, and I'm here! But that's no issue!

As for the house? We didn't have any leaks yesterday, even though the sun was out. My towel stayed dry all day. I spoke to the insurance company, and OH MY—was that interesting. I started by speaking to the broker because at this point, it's not an emergency. I left a message, and she called back very quickly, so that was a positive. She said I need to contact the Claims Department and open a claim. Well, my first thought was—was this even a claim? That's why I called the broker. 

She gave me a phone number to call, and I was good to go. Or so I thought. The number turned out to be a fax line, so I found the Claims number in my insurance documents, which I was sorting at the time. I called Claims, and they explained that the broker's job is to review our insurance file and ensure a claim is even possible. Apparently, it is quite common for the broker to just pass the buck to the Claims department. The lady in Claims was quite nice and suggested I get a quote from an independent contractor before we open a claim. 

I have contacted an engineering firm to assess the issue. You see, I could easily have insurance come in and fix the wall inside the house, but that is NOT fixing the problem, and what's the point of fixing the walls when it will happen again? Nope—I want the problem solved, and then I can repair the damage. 

I don't know whether this engineering company will help, since the person who answered the phone at the firm asked whether there was an attic. In that part of the house, there is NOT, and that is part of the problem. I enticed them with the beam issue in the house and sent lots of pictures, including the other two houses on our street with the same roofline and the same issue. They're doing their reviews next week, so let's keep our fingers crossed that they are intrigued to at least talk to us. 

Here are the other two houses with the same roofline as ours. The problem doesn't seem too bad here, but the ice is actually accumulating between the eavestrough and the house.  

This house doesn't look too bad, but it still has an ice dam

But look at this one. It seems to get worse by the day. And you can see that large tree in front, shading it from the sun for a good part of the day. I'm surprised the weight isn't pulling the eavestrough off. 

A HUGE ice dam

Ours doesn't look so bad, but it's still an issue. 

I'm almost afraid to proceed with anything on this project, because I know it is going to grow. When that wall/ceiling is repaired and the beam is fixed (if we go there), those areas will need repainting. The living room is very open to the central hallway. That will be a huge job. And if they are repainting, why not remove the popcorn ceilings? The ceilings in the kitchen/family room area also have popcorn ceilings and damage that needs to be repainted. Why not get the wood floors refinished? And I hate the ceramic floor on the main level, so why not pull that up? And then that means the kitchen and the powder room will need to be redone. And -- OH NO!!!!! So, like you, I'll wait and see what happens, and in the meantime, I'm keeping an eye on my towel to make sure the drips don't splash everywhere on the floor!

Brooke was cruel yesterday, and my upper body was exhausted by the time I was done. While I'm not sore this morning, I can still feel that workout, so it was a good one! Now that my upper back is being slowly released through all my stretching, we need to strengthen it, so it doesn't hunch back on itself again. It's all fun and games, but I can't say enough about how these changes and that stretching have changed my life. 

My legs feel STRONG when I go for a walk, and standing and sitting are zero issues. Stairs are becoming a no-brainer as well, although I refuse to throw caution to the wind and ALWAYS use the handrail. And all it took was a little bit of discipline on my part. All the stuff I was doing was great, but since I wasn't stretching enough, I was probably doing more damage! All is good now. 

Speaking of handrails, we just heard that a friend of ours (my old boss) fell down the stairs while wrestling a suitcase. He and his wife were on their way to the airport for a two-week trip to Mexico. Now with a broken knee, he's not going anywhere fast. So there are two lessons in that story. First - why would you need a huge (and likely heavy) suitcase to go anywhere for two weeks, and hold the darn handrail!

I got this in the mail yesterday. Tick tock!!!!! 

Count down!!!!!

Again, I finished what I set out to accomplish yesterday. I find that sometimes, if I go too quickly on a project, I start making mistakes, and I've already made enough. So a good deal of quilting got done, and it looks amazing. The texture is something else, and sometimes less is more! I need to finish the quilting today and make the binding. Then tomorrow will be all about the binding and submitting it. I'm on track, and it feels good. Will it get accepted? Who knows, and quite frankly, I don't care, although it would be a bonus. But the planning and execution of this piece has been a wild journey! I'll keep you posted on that as well. 

Remember that little stack of half-square triangles? Well, I got my act together and trimmed them all. 

Trimming half-square triangles

I need to make some adjustments on the ironing board - more on that tomorrow, and this little container, that sits on the end of the ironing board, still has many half-square triangles in it that need to be pressed and trimmed. 

Container with half-square triangles

So I grabbed a handful this morning and trimmed them. Hmm -- I don't think I took a picture after they were trimmed, but trust me - they are trimmed!!!

More half-square triangles to trim

And speaking of half-square triangles, this entire project is based on half-square triangles, and it's a challenge. I think there are two different 9-patches in this sequence, but my brain isn't wrapping around it well. I want the seams to all twirl on the back, so I'm assembling it one nine-patch at a time, checking the seams, and then sewing them together. I have four done, and I need 16!!! 

Working on my half-square triangle border

To save time, I stitched a bunch of half-square triangles together and cut them apart, but they haven't been pressed or trimmed. I'll only press them when I need them, so I know which direction to press. 

So lots of progress is being made, and I'm loving the even more open and calm space than I had before. That table of projects doesn't bother me in the least. I totally ignore it until I need to find something on it. A friend of mine had a large stack of quilts that needed to be bound, and they kept speaking to her, so she covered them with a quilt, which I thought was hilarious (in a good way!). I'm just ignoring that pile, and it works for me. 

To keep my day well-rounded, I was back at the physical paperwork. Remember, a while back, when I pulled a bunch of folders from the filing cabinet? They were still sitting on the floor in the office. So I grabbed a couple and am going through them. 

One of them was marked "to sort," and it was filled with all kinds of ridiculous things that no one needed to keep EVER!!!!! 

More paper files to sort

It's all about slow and steady and not letting things get forgotten, which we seem to be very good at. Something new and shiny comes along and POOF -- we are off and running in a new direction. Well, I am trying to stop doing that because I just don't want to be pulled in a new direction. I want to stay the course! 

I am not a fan of apps on my phone. Half the time, they don't work for me, or they need a password, and I can't get in, and it literally drives me mad! 

But I'm trying to learn a bit more about my FitBit app. Who knew that this tiny device on my wrist was collecting so much data about me? 

The one metric that seems to have become a big deal in our house is the amount and type of sleep you have. In particular, the deep sleep. Did you know that you have all this information in your FitBit app? This is just the tip of the iceberg!!!

One night of sleep data

Deep sleep is very good for you, and I seem to do very well with it, getting at least one hour almost every night. That is the sleep that helps your body recover, improve your immune system, get rid of the garbage in your brain, etc. By the sounds of it, I'm lucky in this house! And probably why I'm as healthy as I am. 

DH reads The Economist, and if something is mentioned there, it's worth knowing about! He's such a snob. Anyway, a new sign of fitness is called Heart Rate Variability, and he spotted that in an article in the magazine. Anything like that lands at my place at the kitchen table. I glanced at it and didn't understand a word the article said. Then I found the metric in my app, and OH—now it makes sense. 

This shows how much your heart rate varies in a day and how quickly you recover. OK -- that's not quite the correct explanation, but if your heart rate varies, that is a good thing, meaning that you can cope better with stress. So when it needs to be up, your heart can handle it, and when it needs to be down, it can handle that as well. Mine is at 19 ms, which I think is quite low, but the app seems to think I'm good for my age!!!!

OK -- I like my Monday sewing friends a lot, but they can be trouble! They keep posting the titles of good books on our app - yep - another app. And then I have to add those books to my list. Actually, I put them on hold since most are popular and I can't get them immediately. I need to stop that! There is a spot to tag "books I want to read" instead of putting them on hold!! But I've expanded my genres and reading scope hugely by reading their recommendations. So while they can be bothersome at times, they really are a good bunch of ladies!!!! I've also got lots of recommendations from you!!! Thanks!!!

Well, there is much to do today - more sorting to start with. I am stunned at how "easy" it's been to go through that filing cabinet. I'm not done yet, but two drawers (of four) are almost done! That's unheard of! I thought it would take forever. Then I can move on to something else. The quilting on the Cherrywood Challenge MUST be completed by tonight, and the piece must be trimmed. and then anything else that gets done is a bonus!! I like variety in my day! WAIT -- I have two emails that MUST go out today, so that must be done as well. 

Remember that most of us, especially at our age, are turtles. We get things done in our way and in our time. That's OK - just be sure that if you stop along the way to admire the flowers (or take a nap), you get back on track. 

On that happy note, have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

I'm on a ROLL!!!!!

 OH MY GOSH --- someone else calls that fabric FORTREL!!!! They must be from the west, but what a great idea to make quilts for the homeless. That fabric cannot be destroyed. And now I have two boxes to deal with! But at least I know what to do with it! 

You are going to start saying that I sound like a broken record, but this new system of mine is working like a charm. As the number of projects in that blue box diminishes, I am so tempted to walk to the current projects table and pick up a couple more things. I have even grazed the table with my eyes, spotting what can be pulled next. BUT I am resisting!

The point of this entire exercise is to train myself not to start something "new" until what I am working on is complete. Now there will be times when I have to take a break to work on my writing assignments, and that's OK. But I MUST finish what's in that blue bucket before moving on. And I also have to contend with the long arm simultaneously, as I have several customer quilts and some more community project quilts to finish before the end of the year. 

I counted -- OH GOSH - I couldn't help myself, but there are still six projects in that blue box and I NEED to get them done. One of them is a brand-new small wall hanging that I just purchased the pattern for, and I might treat myself to a NEW project once the UFOS in the box are done. The pattern is in the box. I've pulled two small things to work on today. And I still need to purchase that white flannel. 

So I am learning, but it's hard! But it's so worth it, and here are a couple of reasons why. 

I needed to lay out some fabric for a quilt backing. This UFO was in the blue box and had been languishing on those current project tables for a couple of years. All I had to do was place the blue box onto the floor, and the cutting table was clear. Now, is there anything more satisfying than having a clear, LARGE work surface in two seconds? Absollutely NOT!. That's what I keep telling myself: do not add to that blue box until it's empty. It's going to be a huge reward to go to the current project tables and select the next handful of projects to work on. And it's going to happen soon! 

Lots of room to work on the cutting table

And here's another reason why having a clear cutting table is glorious. I had some quilts to trim, and it was a snap with all that space. 

Trimming quilts on the cutting table

So, I'm going to keep resisting and keep my three main workspaces (cutting table, sewing table, and ironing station) neat and tidy, only containing what I am actually working on. The rest of the stuff? It's on the tables. If you don't have that luxury, large tubs will work just as well. Trust me, when I'm done with those tables, there are a few tubs that can easily refill the table. But I plan to keep the UFOs in the tubs out of the way. 

I'm happy to announce that the quilt backing and binding are made for that quilt. The reason it didn't get done before was that I had to sew more than one seam to make the backing large enough. How long did that take me? I'm tired of my own silliness for setting aside simple things. No more! 

Backing, top, and binding

The second quilt for that backing that was on the long arm was completed, and I pulled both quilts off the long arm. 

Dog quilt - Number One

Dog quilt - Number Two

Both are super cute, and I used the same paw print quilting design for both. 

Paw print quilting design

But not before I had to join a piece of batting to complete the second quilt. I knew I would have to do that as the batting was 108" wide and the quilts were approximately 58" each. I happened to have a long, narrow piece of batting (it pays to keep all those cut-offs), and soon I was on my way again. I have a system for joining batting on the long arm. 

Joining batting on the long arm

I use a small, portable pressing surface that I can place between the bars. Then, I have my black fusible interfacing strips precut, and I lay the two pieces of batting together and press them with the iron. It's awkward, but it works like a charm. 

Both quilts are trimmed, and I need to determine what to use for the binding. I did NOT make binding for any of those eight quilts. I was thinking of using the leftover backing strips for two of them. It's busy, but that's OK. 

I need to figure that out today, so guess what's on my cutting table this morning? 

The work for today!

Yes - the two quilts have joined the mix and see - if I had a lot of other crap on that table, this would just look like a nightmare. Instead, it's welcoming! The next quilt is loaded on the long arm, but I need to piece some batting bits together. I may just go ahead and make the batting for the remaining six. I'll see how it goes, but I need to sort the batting by size to make this a bit easier. I have a feeling it's going to be a wild mess in Studio B later today! And the batting closet may be empty!

I also finished cutting all the sashing and cornerstones for my quilt. Yeah!!! Now to find some time to piece! 

Sashing and cornerstones are cut!

Not only do I have to piece the battings for those remaining six dog quilts, but the backings need to be made as well. The fabric is pulled, but the backings are not made. I suppose that will be my project for next week, and I would love to have all eight done by next weekend. I don't think that is realistic based on a couple of things in my schedule, but we'll see how it goes. I'm going to push to get them done! 

It was a windy, blustery day, and this leaf got stuck to the kitchen window! The backyard, which was relatively clear of leaves in the morning, is now covered in leaves! I won't touch them until all the leaves are down. And there are still loads to go. 

This leaf wants in!

Look at this beautiful girl! I signed up for a course on using the camera on my phone, so be on the lookout for new and creative photos. But I haven't had a chance to start yet. However, even taking a picture from a different angle can be significantly more interesting than a straight-on view. 

MOM - I am NOT impressed!

She loves that dog bed now. Wait -- someone asked me for the name of the bed, and I took a picture, which I don't think I ever posted. Well, that was silly of me. Here's the link to the dog bed - it's on sale! I think it took her some time to get used to it because the bottom is canvas, so it's not solid, but she loves it now! Why does she have that face? I told her she had to share her bed with company, and she was NOT pleased! She will be happy when he gets here! 

Since Lexi is a snuggler, but only to furniture, she loves the side rails on that bed. If it were open, I don't think she would sleep there. 

Well, I did it again! I bought a new fitness tracker, and this time I went back to my old standby (FitBit), even though I realize that it may be discontinued soon. The entire line (brand) might be wiped out, but I didn't like the Samsung watch. WAIT --- it worked perfectly fine - absolutely nothing wrong with it, except it logs steps, not KMS. I know -- a ridiculous thing, but I like to see those KMS. So I wore both yesterday and will wear them together today to see how they compare. Then I need to set up the FitBit with KMs showing, and then I'm good. 

What happens to the old one? DH wanted something to track his sleep, so he will get the Samsung! I wasn't going to buy a new one unless I had a home for the old one. 

TWO fitness trackers

There are days when I wonder how I am still alive. I seem to struggle with taking health matters seriously. But I'm trying. I got a letter from the government yesterday saying that I was due for a FIT test instead of a colonoscopy. OK - the test is much easier than the procedure, so I called my doctor to order one. Then the receptionist said, 'We have the flu shot.' I don't want the flu shot! 

But I did say I needed the shingles shot. So I went in yesterday afternoon to get that. I wonder about my doctor because I can call in the morning and get an appointment in the afternoon. She must not have many patients. Anyway, when I got there, she said I had already had TWO shots for shingles. Seriously? Apparently, she gave me one two years ago, and I got one from the travel doctor this summer. That can't be right - I told that travel doctor I didn't want a shingles shot from him. 

He was giving me so many needles that day that I have no idea what he gave me. And I forgot my yellow vaccination record at home yesterday. Well, I got a third one, so that is it -- NO more shots for shingles! And while they tried to persuade me to get the high-dose flu shot, I refused. If I were prone to getting ill, then in a heartbeat I would. But until I reach that point (I know --- you are saying I could avoid getting to that point), I don't want a flu shot! 

I still have loads of pictures to share, but I don't have the time or space this morning. But here are two. When I was at my parents', I was helping Dad get some of their income tax paperwork squared away, which meant going into the closet to pull the folders off the shelf. One of the sharp-edged folders fell right on my nose, and it bruised! I didn't even notice that until I got home! And I almost have the start of two black eyes! Good grief!! It wasn't a hard hit, but it was direct! It's all gone now! 

A bruise on my nose!

I was recently in a place where I heard a presenter discuss threads and the reluctance of people to purchase multiple colors of thread, particularly in the machine embroidery world. What? That is next to impossible, as everyone loves to buy, and the more threads you have, the better. 

This is my cotton and polyester thread drawer, which I use for sewing, not machine embroidery. You can't just have ONE blue - you need many blues! 

My cotton and polyester blue thread collection

And now that all my threads are organized by type and colors, I can find anything in a flash! 

I think that having my sewing things organized, where I can readily find them, has helped me to get my brain organized. I am determined to make the most of my sewing time, and this week, I'm on a roll! 

What kills me on the paperwork is the follow-up. I have two pending calls and am waiting for an answer! 

On that note, I have a list of paperwork items to accomplish this morning, and then I'll be back in Studio B this afternoon to see what I can get done. If I keep this dedicated, I might even take the weekend off! Well, I have an adventure tomorrow and two sessions on Sunday morning, so I won't get much done on Sunday afternoon, and that's OK. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Canada, EH?

The countdown is on for this trip, and I'm pretty much organized. I packed my small backpack yesterday - the important one with my protein bars, all the medication, and a few other things, like three pairs of glasses! I have a few other small things to pack, but it should easily be under 10 lbs. 

I got a chuckle as we've heard many times about small planes that you need to get from one destination to another, which we have to take for parts of this trip. I believe the maximum weight per passenger is 20 KG, and the agent was EXTREMELY clear that DH needed to talk to his wife to ensure that I was within the weight limit. His response? "I don't think that will be an issue! I'll be under 20 LBS, let alone 20 KG. 

And there's a weight restriction on how much luggage you can take into the national park for the climb. So, carrying less is a big deal, and no hard-sided suitcases as they don't fit well on the smaller planes. 

I'm not an expert on adventure trips, but I have taken many of them, including a 10-week bicycle trip across Canada, as well as at least four other three-week bicycle trips. Semi-backpacking (not hiking) in Europe and Mexico on several occasions, as well as three years of hiking in Spain. OK - I guess I have enough experience to talk about it, but I'm not an expert. You are on vacation. This is not about carrying all the luggage you have at home. Taking less is one of the most freeing things in the world. You not only left the worries of home behind you, but your LUGGAGE (literally) as well. 

I lead a simple, uncomplicated life at home (except for that darn calendar). I don't need a ton of clothes - I need one to wear and one to wash, which makes for some calm vacations. You can turn on a dime if you need to make alternate travel arrangements. I can't understand how people need so much stuff. 

I'll try to get everything packed later today, so that I have a couple of days to remember any other items I need to pack. I'm still looking for my toque, but where have I put it? I have two different places to look, and I had better find it because where am I going to get an athletic toque on such short notice?

I finally found this extra battery bank that I can use to charge my cell phone on the mountain if needed. It was in the office somewhere! But it's found and charged!

Charging the power bank

I charged my keyboard, but I must remember to pair it with my new phone before I pack it. 

Charging the keyboard

Here's my small backpack that will carry all the essential things. When we move around, I'll have this one on my front and the larger one on my back. 

Carry-on backpack

Someone asked where I got my waist pouch, which will carry all the essential stuff, like passport, money, and phone. It has two zipper openings and a velcroed pouch. I use the velcro pouch to store my hair supplies, such as elastics and clips. It could also be used for coins, but I HATE having coins, or it could be used to hold half a protein bar. 

The small zipper section is long enough to hold money (bills) and my three cards - debit, credit, and travel insurance. And the top one is tall enough for the passport and my phone. It's a bit wide, but honestly, I would NEVER travel without it. It is flat and sits under my shirt or under the straps of my larger backpack. If someone even knows it's there and attempts to remove it, then they deserve to have it! Plus, all the essential stuff that you need at the border, airport, security, etc, is right in front of you. Because there is little in there, it's easy to find anything. Hands-free!!! 

My travel waist pouch

I found it on my favorite online store, and there are many different styles to choose from. I get the slim one that is very SLIM! It's as wide as whatever you put in it, so mine is as wide as my cell phone. 

I went to the bank and the mall on my errand run. I found a new store at the mall. It's probably not new, but I don't usually go on the upper level. Speaking of bears - look at these guys. This store is filled with Canadian stuff!!!! It's called Eh Canada. 

Bears at the mall

Are you looking for those iconic red Canadian mittens? They are here! And yes - they have toques, but that is NOT the kind I want. I want one made of a tight-knit fabric that the wind won't penetrate. 

Iconic Canadian mittens

Look what followed me home. A red and white shoe for Canada to add to my mini shoe collection. It's a soccer shoe, but better than nothing. And I found a small keychain with a two-sided Canadian flag. 

My Canadiana collection

We all went out to dinner last night and discussed some of the details. Oh boy --- this is going to be an adventure. I don't think DH is quite prepared for this kind of travel, but we'll just keep an open mind. He's used to business travel where the concierge does everything, or he travels with his rolling suitcase. No concept of adventuring in his vocabulary, although this is not a "roughing it" vacation, at least for him, but a lot of moving around. 

I bought the flag because people in other countries tend to be very friendly to Canadians, and it's fun to identify your nationality when abroad. He thinks it's silly. I don't care! 

When I was working downstairs, I found something. An ultra mini shoe as the zipper pull on my pencil case! I forgot that was there. I've had that thing for years and have no idea where it came from. But I love that it has mini laces!!!

My ultra-mini running shoe

The Pony Express works! Another item was delivered to Sudbury from here! That's so exciting to see things go to the right place with just a little creativity and a bit of asking questions! It all works! I got a chuckle the other day when someone else started sending things around through friend connections rather than in the mail. They said not to tell me in case I charged them franchise fees!!! That was hilarious! 

Speaking of which, my staging area is getting pretty empty. Actually, at one point yesterday, it was this empty, with only a few things on the ledge on the left. 

The Pony Express is almost empty

I had to add this quilt to the area, and it'll get picked up this coming week. It's much neater than it has been for a long time! 

The start of the next batch of deliveries!

The other day, we were chatting about the type of craft books you can find at the bookstore. There are few quilting or mixed-media/scrapbooking books. I don't even think anyone is publishing them. BUT if you are into quilling - that seems to be a big thing! There were six books about quilling!!

Books on quilling

I see the quilting magazines have been moved to the front of the magazine rack, which is good! Maybe that will entice some new quilters to take up the hobby. 

The quilting magazine section

And if you have not tried the towel on your ironing board, you need to!!! I was pressing some fabric that I had washed, and looked at the mess. 

Tough wrinkles from the dryer

I used steam and the towel, and this is what it looked like after a quick swipe with the iron. Even the back was nice and crisp!! 

Wrinkles are gone! 

We asked the owner of the retreat why she put a towel on he ironing surface, and it was basically to keep it somewhat clean! Well, it's fantastic and I won't press without one. The large, inexpensive beach towels work best, and one that covers the entire surface. Do not use white - it'll pick up all the discoloration from the iron. And don't use one with a decorative band on it! I love it and it's easy to clean. I'm going to add some kind of tie or elastic on the corners so mine won't roll when I press large things. 

At one point in the day, I checked my two fitness trackers to see how in sync they are. Hmmm -- that's pretty darn close. 8,707 versus 8,743. 

Monitoring the fitness trackers

Those girls of ours are pretty funny and very particular! Spoiled? Oh yes - they are spoiled. 

Miss Murphy and I discovered a bench near one of the entrances to the forest. I guess it's not ready to be used yet. 

MOM - Can I sit up there?

And her ball and the blankets. I wrap her toy in three blankets and leave it for her to unravel when she needs something to do. She won't touch it when I'm away because there is no one to put it back. But when I'm home, she attacks those blankets to find the ball. It's hilarious to watch. I think I do it more for my entertainment than hers! 

MOM - I'm savoring the anticipation before I attack it!

MOM -- I got the ball!!!!

And that Princess Lexi - well, she's a diva for sure. She has her new nice dog bed with several blankets in it, but it's been a while since she slept in it. I threw all her stuff in the washing machine and then spread it all out like a princess' bed would look. 

When DH sat down to watch TV, guess who jumped into her bed? 

MOM - I HATE dirty sheets!

And this says it all!!! 

MOM - I'm so comfy - thanks! 

I completed the next writing assignment. A quick last read through after walking the dogs, and it'll be gone! Remember - when writing these assignments, I actually have to do the work before I can write. I won't be around to alert you when those posts go live, so you'll just have to watch QUILTsocial all month. I think it'll be the third week of August, but I'm not sure. If you are going to take one of my classes this fall, you'll be very interested in these posts, and that's all I'll say. 

I have two more posts to write, which should be easy enough. Time is very tight, but it'll all work out. 

And on that note, I'm out of here! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!