Quilting as usual!

I'm back! Drinking water to rehydrate - I'm sure some would say it's still not enough, but I'm working on it. NO naps required, which was great! I did a slow, puttering pace all day, and that worked just fine for me. Did I make progress? Well, I didn't turn on any sewing machine; however, I'm working through that pile of stuff on the cutting table. 

Here's the cutting table in the morning before I started. YES - I remembered to take a before picture! So much stuff to deal with. 

The cutting table before

The work tables are a mess, and I didn't get a chance to touch them. Hopefully later today. 

The work tables are a mess

The ironing board had crap on it as well. More on that in a minute. 

The ironing surface is a disaster

Here are a couple of pictures from before Quilt Canada that I didn't get a chance to post, but since they involve decluttering and organizing, they fit right in for today. All the yardage in the storage room slated for backings for the community project quilts has now been measured and labeled. The pile on the left is quilt backings that are already made. They are labelled, and I suppose it would be more efficient if I folded them so the labels faced outward! And yet another small organizing task to do! This is why you don't want a lot of stuff - you spend forever sorting and organizing it. 

Yardage for quilt backings is measured and labelled

I took my green folding wagon to Quilt Canada, and when I opened it up, look what I found! A spool of bobbin weight thread and a needle. Hmmm -- that would have been used at the last show in Toronto, in 2017. Yikes!!!! Well, it's nice to find something I didn't even know was missing. 

A cone of black bobbin weight thread

There is just one wee issue. The drawer with all my bobbin thread supplies is jam-packed. I know - why have some bobbin weight thread when you can have lots? I must confess that this is primarily black and white - the actual spools of colored bobbin weight thread are located in another area. But that's OK - I know where it is and that's all that counts. After some Tetris moves, I managed to make it fit. 

The cone of thread won't fit! 

I mentioned that Diane's fabrics are all gone. What a relief, but I sorted through them and picked out all the smaller bits and scraps. They are now stored in this giant tote, and I'll cut them up into squares and make an ender/leader quilt. A box like this can last a long, long time and is perfect for sewing at retreats. Scraps also take up a lot less space than yardage. OK - that's a lie, but I can dream! 

A box of Diane's scraps

These were the three fabrics I purchased while at the retreat. The bottom one is measured and resides with my quilt backings. The middle one is in the beige fabric basket, and the top one is on the table, as I'm trying to get an inspiration for a quilt I have to make. 

Three new fabrics added to the stash

Thank you to everyone who brought me a little something while at Quilt Canada. It was so unnecessary, yet each gift was so thoughtful! 

Thank yous from Quilt Canada

As I distribute them, I'll share more. They are now on my kitchen counter waiting to be put to use. Thank you so much!!!! 

Oh dear - I found another virtual challenge medal! I did this short one a while back because they were retiring the medal. I thought they were retiring the challenge. Nope - it came back with a new medal. I'm not redoing it. It's like a large company that retired its VHS movies into the vault. And then POOF - they were back out again. 

Another virtual challenge medal

Let's take a look at the ironing board. My cover is pretty disgusting. I should try to wash it, and it amazes me how water can stain so badly. I guess it's technically not water, but the crap in the iron. 

My stained ironing board cover

While we were at the retreat, I noticed something about the ironing boards. Both were covered with a fresh towel. Hmmmm -- I don't think I'm going to like this. It's going to shift and move, and it's going to be a pain. And you know what? I LOVE it! At the end of the retreat, the owner can toss the towel in the laundry - yes, the towel has marks on it from the iron! It kind of reminds me of homes that used to put plastic on the furniture to keep it clean.

This morning, I found a jazzy towel in the linen closet, and it fits my ironing surface perfectly! I'm looking forward to ironing something later today to see how it works! My towel is not quite as fluffy as the one at the retreat, but that's OK. I'm excited, and my ironing board looks fantastic. I have a second towel just like this one!  

A new cover for the ironing board

Nothing beats pressing fusible products onto fabric like a steam press. Yes - I was pressing the fusible fleece onto the back of the panels I made for the Midi Bag. I think it's the Midi, rather than the Mondo. Same design - different size. And all was working just fine until I had a wee incident. An operator error incident, of course. It doesn't work so well when you put the fusible directly on the ironing surface! Crap! 

Fusing the fusible fleece to the lining sections

And now that I think of it, a towel would be perfect for this surface as well, to protect it. I need to find a new towel! And I have to cut a new piece of fusible fleece! I cut the fabric for the handles this morning, along with the Decor-Bond for the interfacing, and I'll fuse the bits this afternoon. Then I'll trim everything, and it's ready for the final touches. I don't have the pattern, or maybe I do. I'm searching through my external hard drive to see if it's there. I know I don't have a physical copy of it. This bag will get done! 

As someone said at the retreat, I may like the inside better than the outside, and it's not too late to switch them! That's hilarious! I'm not a fan of this fabric, but this scrappy version looks awesome! 

I've trimmed a couple of quilts, and they are all ready for pickup. It was nice to have some room on the cutting table to actually work. The Mondo/Midi bag is spread out on the left, and I need to continue working on the other items. That table must be clear! 

Progress made on the cutting table

Here's a customer quilt I quilted before Quilt Canada, but didn't get a chance to share with you. There was a minor incident with this quilt - again, not with the quilt, but with the operator. I'll share that story tomorrow. I have a couple of other quilts I quilted before Quilt Canada, and I'll share those tomorrow as well. 

Customer quilt - DONE

This is the quilt I quilted yesterday. I quilted it with an edge-to-edge design, and it looks fantastic! It has a flowery pattern indicative of Hawaiian quilts. It needs to be trimmed today. The next quilt is loaded on the long arm. 

Customer quilt - DONE

I have received some additional customer quilts, so I believe there are now ten in the queue. I've decided that any more quilts that come in will be done in September. I have some quilts to quilt for myself, and I want to finish the batch of community project quilts that I've had sitting around for a while. I also want to have some downtime! I also need to perform some maintenance on the long arm, including replacing the leaders and reattaching all the screws. 

I was outside in the gazebo, aiming for some peace and quiet, but Miss Murphy had other plans. She just sits there and insists on barking when she wants you to play with her. It was hot - I didn't want her running around in the heat. I scolded her and told her she was a "bad" dog. She didn't like that and went and sulked in the bushes beside the gazebo. 

MOM - don't yell at me - I'm a good dog! 

Poor thing, but seriously? The neighbors and I don't want to listen to a barking dog on a lovely afternoon! 

As for that massive To-do list, I got more things checked off yesterday. I hate making the lists, but when there are too many things to do, it's so easy to forget something. So I have a list! I also swept everything off the desktop onto the floor. It was becoming a real mess. I don't know how this happens. Everything is neat and tidy, and then it's not! Where does all the paper come from? 

We had a grand time at the Virtual Retreat last night. There's another one later today, so be sure to pop on and say hi! We saw some new faces and got to catch up on all things Quilt Canada, vacations, school, and so much more!!

Here's the link. Please note that the link starts at 3 PM. The attendance was a bit low at the beginning of last month, and I have a lot of things to do, so a later start time seems to work better for everyone.

Sunday - June 29 --- STARTS AT 3 PM. 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81073536036?pwd=uxRqMnK1aSKrmrcSO78w8QQs5g44eA.1

Meeting ID: 810 7353 6036
Passcode: 596838




And on that happy note, I'm out of here! I have a lot to get done today, and I need to start with an hour of paperwork. 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!

The art of learning and staying connected in the quilt world

It's time for a reality check! I did say that there was NOTHING in July; however, that is false. I have a LOT of writing to do in July. I love writing, and I can do it on my time—even in the middle of the night if I want. So yes, I will be busy in July; there just won't be classes. That's why we have editors—they remind us of our commitments and keep us on track! 

Today is going to be a traumatic day for our house. Miss Lexi has to get some dental work done. In preparation for her surgery today, I had to administer a mild sedative last night - well, two meds and then she gets two more this morning before they call for her. She gets so freaked out that they are calling us 20 minutes before they need her, so she can go directly into surgery upon arrival. Now - I didn't think she was that hyper - it's only when they try to stick needles into her. 

I had to walk down to the pet store last night to get pill pockets for her to make it easier for her to take her meds. She loved the pill pockets and gobbled the pills down. One fell out as she ate, and because it now tasted like peanut butter, she grabbed the pill and ate it! Oh, Lexi! The poor thing. She just got up and is wobbly! She's confused, so she needs some extra love before she goes! 

All should be OK, but it's still a worry. Miss Murphy will be beyond herself as she will be home alone—well, not alone, as DH and I are here, but without Lexi. 

As Murphy and I passed the roadkill, I spotted the turkey vulture on a nearby roof. It's big and ugly! But it sure wants the rest of that rabbit. By the end of the day, there wasn't much left. 

The turkey vulture is still there! 

On a prettier side, Miss Lexi and I spotted an iris! It was so pretty, and this one was HUGE!!! 

A giant iris

We had Monday sewing, which is always fun and a way to celebrate our successes and support each other with our problems. Yesterday, I wondered why some people sign up for classes or clubs and never participate. Attending the Monday sewing is better than a class or club because it's a wide-open forum. People just chat or listen, and there is NO GUILT attached. You can let Zoom be on in the background, or you can participate in all the conversations. We also have a show and tell of our work, or stuff I find online. 

It's a super forum for people who want to connect with others. Let's face it - many people are alone, and being at home alone can be lonely. I am often alone at home, which I used to find boring, but with the girls and so much to do, that's not an issue. Still, I look forward to the Monday sewing group, as it's the ONLY time I connect with my friends. Many members of the group do not live close to me! 

There is also the Virtual Retreat once a month. That happens on a Saturday and a Sunday, and again -- it's open. There is no cost; you only have to grab the link from my blog. I try to keep the conversation going so there's constant chatter. People can come and go as they wish, you can stay in the background, or you can participate. But the best part? There is NO HOMEWORK, no purchases necessary (fabric or pattern), no commitment, you can ask questions and ALWAYS get an answer, and there is zero guilt. 

If anyone is looking for a social outlet via Zoom, both options are much better than signing up for a class and not participating. That's my personal thought. However, if you sign up because you think you'll do something, that's OK. There is so much FOMO (fear of missing out); seriously, FOMO leads to guilt, and you remember what I said about the bad side of quilting for our mental health. 

If you want to see what it's all about, come to the Virtual Retreat (June 28 and 29). We don't bite, we are friendly, and if you have a quilting question or issue, we can help! Then, if you think you like the concept, let me know, and I can send you an invite to the Monday Sewing, which happens once a week. 

You do not have to be part of everything. Life is too short to fill your calendar and claim you are busy. I'd rather have a long, lazy day ahead of me. Having zero time restrictions is the best day ever!!! That is a prize-winning day for me. I still want things to do, but on my time! 

I've been binge-listening and watching a YouTube/Patreon/IG/TikTok content creator. I'm almost caught up, and as I listen to her and her partner, I've come to a realization. First, you can make a ton of money if you are good. I don't want to monetize anything I do, which is why I keep my blog ad-free. 

Anyway, I realize I wear many hats, but if I had to choose a title for what I do, I would call myself a content creator! I should improve at creating a site that links to everything I've done because some content may be hard to find. Maybe I can work on that in July as I continue to create new content for various sources!!! 

Here's a mystery that, if anyone can solve, I'd pay money to learn. Why does everything seem to take forever to do? I have several projects on the go, and I'm sewing, which is a treat! But at the end of the day, I only see this when I look at what I did. 

My sewing for the day

There are four blocks in each grouping, and I made a few flying geese, but that was the extent of my sewing. Seriously? That doesn't seem like a lot! But then I forgot I had to cut everything before I could sew it. I trimmed two quilts. And I went for a walk, and it all takes time! 

I'm not upset about it—all I can say is that I made progress on my project, which makes me happy. This should be a wake-up call to remind me that with all the UFOs I have, it will take years to complete them or get them to the "to be quilted" stage. That is why I am significantly reducing the number of projects I start or teach. There's just too much to be done. 

I know people who cull their UFOs because they don't like the fabric or the project. That is NOT the case with me. I picked good fabric, and I want to finish these things. I'm working on it, and that's progress in a positive way. I'm happy! 

I also got another customer quilt quilted, and the next one is loaded to work on later today. 

Customer quilt - DONE

It was a good day, but you think you are going to have loads to show, and it's often not much. The long arm takes more time than I think. But all is good! 

I spotted this quote the other day, and I think it sums up what I'm trying to say about my technique clubs. I want everyone to think about this as they evaluate their work daily.

Reading the manual to learn a new sewing/embroidery machine is not enough. It's about sitting in front of it and pushing all the buttons. What does this do? How does this work? Oops—I made a mistake. YIPPPEEEEEE!!! I know never to do that again, or guess what? Now I can write that down and ask when I attend a class or see someone I know who can help me! There is a delete button on most things. 

And here's the other thing I hear from people: I don't want to make samples because it's wasteful. ACK!!!!!! I just cringe when I hear that. Let me ask you a question. Did you send your children to university or college? How much did that tuition cost? How much did the materials or textbooks cost? When you make samples, you are LEARNING—that is your education. 

Remember this about your quilting. While you may pay a class fee, you are not paying anywhere near what a university/college tuition is. And the textbooks or lab fees? That is your material, stabilizer, etc. And I will bet that each of you has some excess fabric in your stash, or cardstock for a digital cutter, etc. You can't take it with you --- did you hear me? YOU CANNOT TAKE THIS STUFF WITH YOU!!!! Pretend you are returning to school, because that is what you do every time you take a class. 

• Do not be afraid!!! Make mistakes - that is the ONLY way we learn! 
• Get hands-on!! While you may retain about 10% (if you are lucky) when you listen, did you know that you retain about 75 - 90% when you do? That's an incredible difference in learning and retention! 
• Realize that everything you attempt may not be to your liking. If so, don't be afraid to give it away, throw it away, or find a home for it outside your house. Do NOT keep it because you are weighing yourself down with guilt. Yes, you spent a lot of money on it—get over that and move on! 

I'm unsure where that came from, but it's important to get a grip on it. This is YOUR life we are talking about. Take charge of it—only you can do that and make changes so you enjoy each and every day that we have. It's amazing how fast time flies, and then we are too ill or physically or mentally incapacitated to enjoy it. USE THE GOOD DISHES TODAY!!!! 

I now have a list of things I'm searching for in Studio B. And it involves these pattern boxes. Oh boy --- I need to cull as I sift through those patterns. Why did I buy so many? I felt I needed to rescue them if I saw them on sale. What the heck was I thinking? There are hundreds of patterns, and while I've made a lot, I've probably touched less than 10%. The big question now is what to do with them? YES -- I am getting ready to purge books and patterns. Well, maybe not 100% ready, but mentally, I'm purging. It's now a question of how to go about making it happen. 

Sorting through the pattern boxes

Speaking of successes, I thought I'd share my walking journey so far this year. Here's my map of my virtual walk through the US. The plan is to finish this in 3 years. If I planned everything correctly, I'll be walking through every one of the contiguous states. 

My virtual walk

In addition to my daily walking, I'm adding my spin class distances, as the total distance of 15,432 KM is too much for me to walk in three years. I'm a little ahead, as you can see, but I won't be doing many spin classes this summer, so that'll likely put me on par. 

It's fun to track my steps, and seeing the distance I've walked so far this year makes me smile. I mean walking, and spin class distances - from Detroit to somewhere in Montana! 

On that happy note, I'm out of here. This morning, I must address a few "urgent" emails, drive Miss Lexi to the vet, have a follow-up doctor's appointment, make phone calls, and finish a quilt. I doubt I'll get any sewing done. 

Have a super day!!! 

Ciao!!!!

I love technology and I know how to make it work!

I can cross the Facebook Live event off the list! All the prep paid off, and the technology worked like a charm, except for that brand-new camera. I could NOT figure out how to focus. Guess what? I'm returning it and will buy the more expensive one. It was a cheap camera, and I understand it doesn't have the bells and whistles, but it was a hassle to set up. All the settings had to be reset each time I turned it on. I'm prepared to bite the bullet to have an idiotproof camera. The cheap one was not! 

Here's the link to watch the Facebook Live. I don't usually watch, but I watched it last night. OK—at the end, I called a few things the wrong name. What's with the SO? How does one stop saying that? 

By being aware! I think I mentioned this once before, but I used to say "hit that button," which technically would be a bad thing on your expensive sewing machine. It was pointed out to me, and I've tried extremely hard to correct that. I do not think I said HIT once yesterday. I now use touch or select. It sounds less violent!

Now it's time to eliminate SO from my vocabulary. But it's a challenge; I often use that word when writing. So, (pun intended), I must correct that habit! 

Thanks to everyone for the great feedback. There were many inspirations and samples, and I got excited watching the video! 

This morning was the aftermath of cleaning up. 

Here's the setup before the Facebook Live.  

The calm before the storm

Miss Murphy was there while I was setting up, but left while I live-streamed. It was too dull. 

Mom - if you need help, I'm here! 

I had to put a little hood on one of the cameras so it would not appear in the primary camera. 

The "hood" on my video camera

I need to work on eliminating all the lettering around the periphery of the camera screen. I've tried to figure it out, taken the camera to the camera shop, and nothing! I can't eliminate that stuff—even on the more expensive cameras. Hmmmm—there has to be a way. I guess I had better Google that and try to find the answer. 

I tossed the samples aside as I finished them. You can hear some of them clumping on the floor! 

Samples tossed on the floor!

Here's the little box that makes the magic happen! I can connect four cameras to the box and switch views as easily as touching a button. It's incredible what we can do in our homes! This switch box is small, but it is the same style they use in film studios. And all those cables are physically connected to a camera, the laptop, or power. And each device is also connected to power - I do not trust batteries. That reminds me of the movie, True Lies. I swear this was the movie's best scene, and I didn't want any of that, so everything is connected to power. 

The magic switch box

The trick is to have all those devices connected and not have the devices or the cables showing. I succeeded, which required a lot of looking at camera angles, then back to the computer, then back to the camera, etc. I only had to put a hood on that one camera to cover the screen that was showing up in my primary camera. 

I think I did very well. While I may be a dolt with technology at times, I know how to make it work—for the most part! I still need to figure out those video camera screens. 

All cables are neatly coiled, bound, and packed until next time. The Zooms I'm currently running are all presented on PowerPoint, which is a breeze. I take pictures of what I sew and put them in PowerPoint. I have no "live" samples to share. It's so easy compared to "live" events. 

The box of cables to run the show

And here's what the space looks like now. The stuff on the table is samples that I need to pretty up or stitch-outs that I need to do something with. I also need to rejig those tables, and I have to figure out how to do that. I have a lot of machine embroidery to do, and I still want to sew, so I will devise a plan later today. It took several hours to get everything neatly packed away!

The space now

When Murphy and I opened the front door for our walk, I spotted a package on my front step. Hmm - what could this be? 

A package

Oh yes -- it's my medal for finishing The Great Barrier Reef virtual challenge. Oh great - another strap that I have to fix! 

My Virtual Challenge medal

We had cool weather until yesterday. What? It was 31 degrees, feeling like 36. Where did that come from? Today, it's cool and cloudy. I swear, there is no "summer" anymore. You just don't know how to dress. 

Now that I had completed the "stressful" event, it was time to relax. I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things, and then I sat in the backyard and enjoyed my afternoon snack! It's not that Facebook Live or a Zoom call is stressful. But I have to consider many things: Will the technology work? Facebook Live involves a lot of technology, so a lot could go wrong. 

My afternoon snack

The gardener came yesterday, and now my backyard looks amazing again. I was trying to keep on top of it, but with a few deadlines, that was impossible. He comes three times a year, and I do the maintenance in between. It looks stunning. I still need to put my new mulch down and will probably add more. If today isn't too hot, I might just make that happen. 

The backyard is beautiful again! 

Wow - what am I going to do with all my free time? ROTFLOL!!!!!  

I now have to focus on Quilt Canada, and there are two things to deal with. Making a new sample or two, or at least sorting and packing for what to display at the show in the SVP booths. The second thing is to finish all the work for my concurrent show, Celebrating 25 years of teaching quiltmaking! I saw the floor plan, and I've seen the banner! But I need to complete some display material as well. I'll be rooting through my stuff for hours to collect it all. If you are one of my students whose quilt is going in the show, expect an email today from me with more details on what to expect before, during, and after the show. 

Plus, there are three more Zooms this week and an in-person event, all of which require prep. I was thinking about this yesterday. I was chatting with the person who "drives" the Facebook Live. She's behind the scenes checking comments and whatever. She's impressed at how organized I am, and that got me thinking about vacations and planning. 

I mentioned this before, but I spend a good part of my day planning and prepping for my classes (hundreds, probably thousands, since 2000) and the hundreds of Zoom calls, so it all looks seamless. That is my forte as a Virgo. I love structure and being prepared. I barely have time to sew these days with all the planning I do. 

But I just let it all hang out when I go on vacation. I have no plans or deadlines, and if something goes wrong, it's so easy to recover because there is no plan. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a total idiot on vacation - I have my personal guidelines, but I just can't bear the thought of having a structured vacation. To me, that's not a vacation. Again, we all have different ways of living our lives, and most people would NEVER want to travel with me since I don't plan much. I'm OK with that - I love solo travel. 

Speaking of travel, look at Murphy! We spotted this e-scooter (for rent) on the path near the forest. I tried to show her that e-scooters are OK. She couldn't care less—it wasn't moving. The second it moves, she wants to chase it! Sigh.

MOM - make it move, so I can chase it! 

I have been lax in my 60-minute-or-less challenge and quilting customer quilts in the last couple of days. I'm OK with that. If I miss a day, the world will not end. I am so fired up today—I can't wait to get started downstairs and try to tackle some of those things that have been hanging around forever! We will make this happen!!! But first, I'll be at the computer this morning! 

And on that happy note, I'm out of here! 

Have a super day! It's going to be a great day! 

Ciao!!!

What was that all about?

It was one of those interesting days. OK -- so all days are interesting at my house. It's all in how you look at it. Is it just another day, or is every day special because we get to live? Maybe I learn something, maybe I don't. Maybe it's a good day, and perhaps it's not. But you have to appreciate each and every day because it's a gift! 

It wasn't one of my better days, but I'll get there. 

I had a super productive morning and managed to get more writing done. Dare I say the hard stuff is over, and the rest of the writing assignment will be easy? Oh, farce! You know how it is—everything takes twice as long as we envision, and I'm sure I'll spend hours completing that task! 

I attended a meeting on Teams, which is not my platform of choice, but when someone else is hosting the meeting, you have no choice. Usually, my camera doesn't work, but this time, the camera worked just fine. BUT my mic would not work. I switched mics, connected an external one to a different port, and NOTHING. So I was relegated to typing if I wanted to say anything. Well, that's OK. I didn't need to say much and just listened. That probably shortened the meeting by a lot! 

But it was a tad frustrating, to say the least. It was some setting, to be sure, but what? I have no clue! And NO—my microphone was not muted! 

I had lunch, and then I started to feel like crap. It was just a general malaise that I couldn't really identify. My stomach didn't feel great, but I wasn't sick. So I thought going for a walk might make me feel better. Nope—I couldn't wait to get home. I didn't even have my after-walk snack, but I went to bed. I had my typical 30-minute nap, but when I woke up, I still felt awful. I just went back to sleep! 

When I woke up two hours later, I felt better but had no desire to eat anything, so we didn't go out! Then DH and I curled up in our chairs with QUILTS because it was still cold and watched a movie! The girls were quite happy to curl up with us—on the floor, of course! Lexi was in her bed, and Murphy sprawled everywhere as normal. 

And then I went to bed! Thankfully, I feel much better this morning, as I have homework to prep for two classes today. Thankfully, they don't start until 11 a.m., or I would be in trouble. 

When I tried to work on the samples yesterday, my brain just couldn't compute the words in the book—nothing! This morning, it all made sense. Funny how that is! 

After walking the girls, I have one more sample to make, and then a million pictures to put into the presentation. They're all sorted, so hopefully that will go quickly. Since I don't have a lot to say this morning, I just spent a few minutes putting pictures into the presentations, and it's going well. I'm really getting the hang of it, and I can't tell you how nice it is to have my filing system. I call it my stock photos, so it's easy to find when I want something! Not all of it is like that, but I'm getting better! 

If you wanted a specific picture of a step in putting on almost any kind of binding, I could find it in less than 30 seconds! Yep—it's that good! 

I love making samples and want to make one of everything in the book! But I don't have time, and I don't really need to. But it's fun knowing what the possibilities are. So, maybe as I find a small project that needs to be finished, I can try one of these different styles of binding. 

I need to get myself focused on the next couple of events, but that will happen starting Monday. The great quilt round-up is currently happening. I need to collect the quilts for the Concurrent Show at Quilt Canada (Celebrating 25 years of teaching). They are being picked up, dropped off, or whatever method gets them to me. One more was dropped over bright and early this morning. 

I was sitting at the computer, and the girls, both of them, were making a very unusual noise. I ran to the front, and there was someone dropping off a quilt! Thanks—you know who you are! 

However, some things did get done yesterday, including my less-than-60-minute challenge. YES—the last of the medals that were pulled apart are now back together again. Notice the date on that one? 2023! Yes, it's been hanging around a long time, and now it's done. 

My less-than-60-minute project

The medals are even hanging on the wall. These are all the ones I've earned, except for the five for The Lord of the Rings, which I'm not sure what to do with. And, of course, there is one in the mail. 

Virtual Challenge medals

About five more very small things are sitting by the sewing machine, and my goal is to get them done this coming week, one at a time, slow and steady. Then, I can dig out some others that may need several days to complete. I do not care how long it takes. I know my brain feels happy knowing that I'm making progress, even if it's at a snail's pace. 

Miss Muprhy loves her new game. I wrap the ball up in the blankets, and when she's bored, she'll walk over and try to figure it out. I've stumped her by wrapping the big quilt around the other ones instead of putting it on top, but that's good—she's figuring it out. 

Yesterday, her bear's head got stuck in the quilt. 

MOMO -- the bear is stuck in the quilt!

Soon she had it out! 

MOM - no problem - I got it! 

What a girl. They do not favor sleeping in that bed since it's now tucked in the corner. NO opportunity to show off! But I'm trying to teach Murphy that it's still a safe place to sleep. 

Remember those leaves in the forest? This photo was taken on May 7. 

Leaves on May 7

And here we are - the leaves are fully open on May 24, although they have likely been like that for a while now. The wonders of nature! 

Same leaves on May 24

I laugh as I look at the presentations I make—and I make lots. Do I have enough content to fill one hour? In most cases, I have just enough. How does that work out? Does my brain talk enough to fill the space? Oh, wait—I forgot. Remember Tim's words of wisdom from yesterday—It's all luck!!! I believe it! 

There is a virtual retreat this weekend, and here are the links.

Saturday - May 24 - Starts at 6 p.m.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82693702241?pwd=QpQkm8Ppppy1XwCPOqva1bcgJCWKdP.1

Meeting ID: 826 9370 2241
Passcode: 795071

Sunday - May 25 - Starts at Noon

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81073536036?pwd=uxRqMnK1aSKrmrcSO78w8QQs5g44eA.1

Meeting ID: 810 7353 6036
Passcode: 596838

See you later tonight!!!

Have a great day!!

Ciao!!

Caught red-handed!

YES—absolutely YES—you can break down a longer task into 60-minute or less segments. I'm going to do that once I finish the smaller tasks. It's just all about getting something done that has been sitting around for a long time. 

And on that note, this happened yesterday. 

I will be honest about it. All day yesterday, I knew I had a small project to do for my 60-minute or less challenge. Hmm - let's call that a goal, not a challenge. Anyway, it was only when I woke up this morning that I realized that I did NOT do the small task. ACK!!! That can't do! And before you yell at me for beating myself up - I'm not. I rarely do that any longer! I don't have the time or the mental bandwidth!

So I went to the gym this morning, and Brooke didn't show. Hmm—hopefully, she's OK, or I missed something. That meant that I could sneak out a few minutes early. When I got home, before I sat down at the computer, I went downstairs and did the task. You are going to roll over when you see it. It's so small, it almost doesn't count!

Every time I complete a virtual challenge, I receive a medal from The Conquer Challenges. I'm not sure what I'll do with them, as they can quickly add up, which is why I'm doing all the long ones—the ones that take a year or more to do. Well, I received the medal for my virtual walk of 4,500 km for 2024 in January of 2025. The way the lanyard is stitched together, the medal won't fit nicely on my medal rack. 

I took the seam apart MONTHS ago, and it's been hanging around on the sewing table ever since. So quickly, this morning, I grabbed some bobbins with thread on them and found one that worked for the top and bobbin. Still, with my RUNNING SHOE on, I stitched the seam. OK -- that is challenging. I could NEVER sew with my shoes on! And here's the seam - that took less than ONE MINUTE. 

The seam on my virtual challenge medal!

I was excited, and I was going to sneak that into the blog without saying anything. And look how pretty they all look. There's only one problem. Keep in mind that the ones on the left are the long-haul ones—Route 66 (3,669 KM), Pacific Crest Trail (4,000 KM), and the Appalachian Trail (3,343 KM). All of those were done concurrently with the annual ones, which are on the left. Starting from the right - 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024. 

My Conquer medal collection

Yes --- that was NOT a typo. It would appear that the 2023 medal is still on the sewing table with the lanyard needing some stitching! Good grief!!! And the Great Wall of China (3,513 km) is also missing from the left. I know what I'll do as my 60-minute or less challenge later today! But this time, I'll do both of the missing ones! 

Where is 2023?

Let's not forget the Great Barrier Reef (2,119 KM) I just finished two days ago. That medal is coming in the mail. Then there's the Hobbit series (five medals—2,920 KM). I don't know what to do with those. They are still in the boxes downstairs. 

Since I had completed The Great Barrier Reef, it's time to start a new one, and as usual, I picked a long one. This time it's The Silk Road (4,828 KM), so it will take until next July to complete. 

My virtual bib for The Silk Road

Phew—all of that virtual walking is making me tired! OK, so the challenges are virtual, the walking is not! Keep in mind—I'm double-dipping in a way, but it works for me. The yearly challenges allow me to have an annual goal (from Jan 1 to Dec 31); the others happen whenever. 

Speaking of walking, it's so pretty in the forest, with everything amazingly green from all the rain! And the girls couldn't care less about the rain. I just put on my rain jacket, and away I go—sometimes with an umbrella, and sometimes not! 

Miss Lexi and I on her walk

I managed to get a lot of writing done. Instead of all the pictures, I made some videos. Taking videos is the hardest. Try taking a video of something you do on your sewing machine and explain what you are doing. What is your "bad" word? Mine is SO, NOW, AND. I hate saying them, and I'm a little too wordy. No AI to cut my words out when they come directly from my lips! I must be more aware of saying those words! Once you are aware, it's easier to break the habit. 

I used to say, "Just hit that button on the sewing machine." Well, hit isn't really the correct word, yet everyone says it. Say, "Select" instead! I've almost broken that habit. 

Then I had a ton of videos to go through and delete the crap. But I managed to get five done, and it was a good day. I'm not sure what's more challenging—writing or doing videos! 

I also finished another customer quilt, so that is good! So --- DO YOU SEE HOW MANY TIMES I WRITE THAT? And I eliminate many of them! 

Custmoer quilt - DONE

So -- kidding! 

Have you ever wanted to write a note to your future self to tell you something important? Or perhaps, as mature people, we wish someone had told us these life lessons when we were younger. But would we listen? 

Someone sent me a video clip - it was Tim Minchin (an Aussie comedian) giving a speech at a grad ceremony. Here are his nine life lessons: 

1. You don't have to have a dream

2. Don't seek happiness

3. Remember, it's all luck

4. Exercise

5. Be hard on your opinions

6. Be a teacher

7. Define yourself by what you love

8. Respect people with less power than you

9. Don't rush

You should listen to the entire speech. It's well worth listening to, as he elaborates on each point. 


I would like to say that I live by many of those philosophies. I didn't always follow some of them, but I do many today, and I think life is much better because of it! 

If I had to choose just one, what would it be? There are so many good ones. But think about No. 4. That one deals with your physical independence. I almost let myself fall into the trap of getting old ungracefully. I almost said, My body is falling apart, and there's nothing I can do about it. Yes - I was walking and doing spin class, but without any strength training or stretching, I was probably doing more damage than good to my body. Thankfully, I had a wake-up call, and I've been able to reverse many of the issues I had. While my muscles are still tight, the amount of flexibility I have recovered is incredible! 

The key here is not letting myself revert! Stretching is a lifelong thing. Everyone should be doing it! EVERYONE! You don't need to be a yoga pretzel - just stretch! From your chair, your bed. It will hurt, but you'll be so happy once things loosen up. Putting on shoes, getting out of bed, sitting in a chair or the toilet, getting in and out of the car are simple tasks, and they should be simple tasks even if I'm 100. But I was letting myself go, and I struggled with them! Now - no issues! 

Anyway, think about those nine things - you'll get a better perspective after listening to the speech. 

Here are the links for the Virtual Retreat this weekend. I almost forgot them!

Saturday, May 24 - starts at 6 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82693702241?pwd=QpQkm8Ppppy1XwCPOqva1bcgJCWKdP.1

Meeting ID: 826 9370 2241
Passcode: 795071

Sunday, May 25 - starts at NOON

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81073536036?pwd=uxRqMnK1aSKrmrcSO78w8QQs5g44eA.1

Meeting ID: 810 7353 6036
Passcode: 596838

And on that happy note, I'm out of here! The girls are waiting, and it's not raining at the moment! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!