Where has the customer service gone?

Well, I'm here! And I'm feeling pretty good this morning, which is a miracle! It's been a couple of tough days, and I finally have some time to share the story. First—everyone is OK—we're just getting older. 

You'll remember me telling you that our vet retired last year, and we were very sad because they had served us well through various dog family members - Badger, Sparky, and Sammy. And then, of course, our current two crazy girls - Murphy and Lexi. I made eight dog-themed quilts for the staff as I was so happy with them and their service. 

When looking for a replacement vet, I "wisely" chose the one nearest our house so I could walk the girls there for appointments instead of taking the car. The first time I went, last year, I wasn't overly impressed because when they went to take blood work so we could renew Murphy's medication for her weak bladder, instead of taking the blood work in the same room, they whisked her to the back, where I heard her squeak. She is never one for liking needles. It's in those traumatic moments that I think the pet is happier when they can see Mom. 

I had asked multiple times to set up an appointment for Lexi, whose records had been transferred at the same time. That appointment has never happened. Five requests in one year and no appointment. 

About a month ago, Murphy slipped when coming up the basement steps. She just likes to take things at full throttle. That slip frightened her and us, and I took her to the vet on the Monday (it happened on Saturday night). Every time I went to that new vet, we saw a different person. This fellow walked in, took Murphy's heart rate, grabbed her legs, and made her cry out, checked her ears and eyes, and probably a couple of other things. I had initially gone there to get her some pain meds and anti-inflammatories, as it was obvious that she wasn't comfortable. 

That vet must have spent maybe two minutes in the room, and then waltzed out. He came back with a model of a dog's knee joint and suggested that she had torn her ligament and that surgery was necessary to repair it. It's not that I wouldn't do it, but Murphy is an older dog and prone to hip and back-leg injuries, and older dogs have more risk with surgery. He recommended X-rays the next day, and I said I wanted to wait and see how the meds worked. 

That was it. I got the X-ray estimate ($800) and an appointment time (again) from the receptionist. I told her that I wanted to wait a couple of days, and she said, "no problem." Imagine my surprise when I got home, and I had an appointment booked for the next day for X-rays. Good grief -- I had said NO twice. 

So I called the next morning to cancel that. But I was told - don't wait too long, or we will have to charge you another exam fee if I wanted to go ahead with the X-rays. 

Now I just happen to be going through the same thing, and I was told that X-rays do NOT tell if there is a tear in a ligament and that ultrasounds or even better, an MRI, are the way to go. The X-ray will identify if the bone is damaged, but not the tendons. So why would I get an X-ray for the dog? I didn't even ask that question. 

So after her two weeks of pain meds, she seemed to be just fine. She was banned from going up or downstairs unless on strict supervision, and then we had to help her up the stairs using a towel under her tummy. Remember that Murphy weighs 25 KGs, so that is a challenge in itself, although we were getting pretty good at it. 

She was getting comfortable and one day tried to sneak up the stairs on her own and had another slight slip. It wasn't nearly as bad as the previous one, but with the already injured leg, she was hurting again. She had no problem going for a walk, although I shortened the walks until I knew she could handle them.  

I did NOT want to take Murpy back to the same vet, so I contacted another vet in the area who was not far away, but I needed to drive. It wasn't a big deal!

OH MY GOSH --- the difference in treatment was the polar opposite of that other vet. The vet came into the room, greeted Murphy like she was her best friend, and started asking me questions. Let's just say it wasn't my finest moment. 

That vet spent about 45 minutes with me (I was terribly upset) and explained everything to me, and we talked about the various options for medication and many other things. She suggested that we have blood work done to find out how Murphy was doing and, in the event that surgery was needed, that she could even handle it, as we had talked about the potential complications of surgery in an older pet. This vet also suggested she might have torn ligaments, and I totally forgot to ask if it was just a bruise. 

For me, it was one of those situations when you aren't fine, and someone asks if you are OK. That just started the process, and I couldn't stop crying. I was exhausted from a lack of sleep and by how warmly we were welcomed into this new vet practice. 

Well, Miss Murphy had been pretty calm until the moment when the two young techs came into the room to get blood. I think she was traumatized by the last time, and she wanted nothing to do with them. They would get her positioned, and the moment they went to insert the needle, she moved! They had to bring in a third technician, who was a bit more experienced. She put a skid-proof mat on the floor to prevent Miss Murphy from moving so much, and when she had the opportunity to put that needle in, she didn't hesitate. Poor Murphy had no idea what happened!

One hour and $1 later, we were out of there. Let me explain. This clinic has a sign on their lawn that the first exam is $1. I wasn't expecting them to honor that given the time we spent, but they did. We did have to pay for the bloodwork and the meds, but that makes sense. 

MOM - I get treats at this vet - I LOVE it here!

The vet, by the way, is a youngish woman who was the most amazing person I have ever met. She was compassionate, caring, and gave me a hug because I was so upset. Just too much stress and no sleep - more on that in a minute. 

The entire staff went above and beyond, and they didn't even know us! I was in shock. They had contacted the other vet to have the records transferred, and I got a call to approve it. The poor girl at the interim vet didn't even bat an eye and asked if I wanted to close the files. I said to wait as I was shopping around and didn't know how this new vet would work out. I told her the entire story of why I was moving. She didn't say a word, as I don't think I'm the first one to move. 

Why the huge difference? The vet closer to my house was previously independently owned by a single owner. He retired and sold his business to someone (not sure if it's an investment firm or someone who now owns multiple clinics), but it's all about the bottom line. Get them in, get them out, and charge them as much as you can for services. 

The receptionist at the new vet used to work at the other vet, and she said she no longer works there because of the new ownership. 

I want to say more about the ownership thing in a minute. My lack of sleep stemmed from Murphy struggling to settle. Wait -- she's fine in the day - she likes to be outside, and she likes to sleep - she's older, and that's to be expected, although when it comes to the things she likes - food, water, and walks, she's right there and still wants to be first. So she's still our Murphy. 

But at night, when we brought her into the house, she couldn't settle and would pace and attempt to squeeze into weird places. She wanted to climb on furniture that she never even bothered with. Thankfully, she was not going near the stairs (which are blocked off), but she just couldn't settle. I was afraid she was going to hurt herself or knock something down, so I slept with her. We don't really have a couch suitable for sleeping in the house, so it's been a challenge to find a spot that's comfortable for both of us. 

MOM - I'm way down here in the last bit of shade!

And the other night, we slept in the gazebo because she just didn't want to be in the house. It was horrible. By the way, under different circumstances, that would have been fun. It even rained, and we didn't get wet! It wasn't a heavy rain. 

While I have no problems with her sleeping outside, she is a barker, and I didn't want her waking up the neighborhood if a raccoon came by. Last night, because I couldn't take another night with 3 hours of sleep, we left her in the backyard. When I got up very early this morning (because I went to bed very early last night), I was feeling totally rested! Murphy was fast asleep just outside the patio door! I went out an hour later, and she was still sleeping but in a different spot. Then, around five (when she typically gets up if she's left outside), I brought her in the house, and she went to Lexi's raised bed and slept there on her own for two hours!!! Sigh....................

Perhaps our house can get back to normal now. It's not perfect, and I suspect we will always have to supervise her on the stairs, should we ever let her back on them. She already knew she was in trouble because she went upstairs very rarely and it used to be a nightly thing. But it's the basement stairs that she will miss. But that is life and part of the price of getting old. 

I just let them out for the day, and Murphy comes along in her typical bouncy way, not to be left behind. 

So that was probably way more detail than you needed or wanted to know, but I had to get it out. It's been a long road - the entire month of July and things were good, and then they weren't. Now we wait to see what we will do, and hopefully, the meds and the anti-inflammatories will be enough to keep her happy. As well as restricting her stair activity. 

But the point of this story isn't really about Murphy; it's about who owns what. And it's becoming a major issue in all industries. 

Back in the day, when we had the Mom-and-Pop shops, you knew the owner, and the owner knew you and your family. If you needed something, they were there for you. Then they sold the company, and someone likely didn't even live in the neighborhood bought it. And then maybe someone bought that company out, and now the head office is so far removed from the consumer that they don't even remember they have consumers. 

WAIT -- they do, and all they recognize them for is their money! How can we cut service to our customers and still make them pay? I find it very sad and would never have expected that in a vet business, but it's here! 

It's also a good lesson that if you are NOT happy with something, you need to do something about it. I should have moved the files immediately after our first experience, which was getting Murphy's medication renewed. I did not. I don't feel guilty about it - no major harm was done, but I wish I had been more proactive. Now Lexi will finally get an appointment and life can move on. 

Thanks so much for listening. Things seem to be under control - amazing how much better things look when you have had sleep!

You know what they say about pets emulating their owners. I have my appointment (at last) for my knees today! I'm not sure what I expect from the appointment, but I sure want some answers. Is it the joint or the tendons, and what can be done about them? It's not that I can't walk; it's just that it's becoming uncomfortable. I still get in some decent step counts each day, but nowhere near what I used to. 

I have been getting things done, but at a very slow pace. I feel so much better today that I'm on a roll. And I had to go to the thrift store the other day because I just needed a shopping pick-me-up, which never happens or hasn't happened in a very long time. 

OK -- so I picked up three more puzzles, and I spotted three black tablecloths that I would like to go back and pick the best one. 

But I laughed when I looked at the back of two of the puzzles. Carol had written the date when she did the puzzle and how hard they were. Who is Carol? No idea! But she donated the puzzles to the thrift store. 

Carol's comments about the puzzles

I packed up the butterfly and bug puzzle that was on the table, and I cracked open the next one.

The next puzzle

It's only five hundred pieces, but it's unlikely to ever become a speed puzzle, so I'm not timing myself. Soon, I will need to start practicing, and I'm going to pick one of the puzzles from the last competition and use that to see how I fare. I will NOT be winning any competitions, but it's all just for fun. 

And I'm back at the sewing machine, and I got the fourth block complete. I changed the colors up a bit from the original, but that's OK. 

Down on the Farm by Sew Fresh Quilts

It's looking pretty amazing. And I think I commented on how a couple of diagonal seams and VOILA - you have a horse? Wait until you see what I sewed this morning! OH MY GOSH -- I have no idea how she figured that out, but it's brilliant. 

On that happy note, I'm out of here. Fingers crossed that we have everything sorted out and I can get a lot of work done today, although I have paperwork to address, then a meeting, and that appointment. BUT - that doesn't mean that I won't find time for the puzzle and the sewing machine. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Harry Potter puzzle

OH MY GOSH --- who posted the comment about the quilted boat made with larch trees? It came through as anonymous!!! But that was exactly the boat I was talking about. If anyone else wants to read about it, you can check it out here. Shoot, that didn't work, and I don't have time to follow up. A job for tomorrow. 

I'm sorry about yesterday's post! I had written it and proofread it, but when it came time to post it, I forgot that wee step. Someone texted me that it was missing! Thanks, Mary!

I also do not have time to relate my story to you. I'm in a bit of a rush this morning. I am off to the gym to meet with Brooke. 

While I made progress on the pattern testing, I didn't even complete a single block. It's been a couple of silly days, and that's all I'm going to say about that. 

I had a small puzzle that I knew I could tackle relatively quickly, so I did that. This is a very weird puzzle. The pieces are rounded and made of plastic. 

Round, plastic puzzle pieces

When it's together, this is what it looks like. The puzzle is shaped like an egg. Do you know who that is? 

Why - it's Harry Potter

I thought putting the last pieces of the puzzle together would be a challenge, since I had to use my fingers on both sides of the pieces to hold them in place. However, the structure was firm enough that the final two pieces clicked into place with no issue. 

The back of the Harry Potter puzzle

This is the brand - Hylkies by Ravensburger. They are collectibles apparently, with figures from Harry Potter, Star Wars, DC, and Marvel Comics. 

The puzzle box

It was fun to do, but not the style that I like, so I won't be doing any more. I did not buy it either, but it was on loan to me. 

There are so many puzzles, both in the pictures available, the quality, and the number of pieces! It's definitely like quilting. So much to do and so little time. What's shocking is that the puzzlers are just like the quilters -- huge piles of "UFOs" to assemble. And then there's the question of which ones to keep and which to sell, swap, or donate. At least, it's a ton easier to get rid of a puzzle than it is to get rid of a quilt!

I'm sorry for the short post. A lot is going on—everyone is OK. But my time is not quite my own some days. Hopefully I can elaborate on that tomorrow. 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!

The washroom can be a great source of inspiration

I think I'm going to have to give up my day job and look into working for a packing company! Yes, I unpacked 13 embroidery units for the NEW PFAFF creative icon 3 in 30 minutes! Once you get the hang of how it's packaged and what you want from the box, it's super easy. And it helps to be agile when maneuvering the case the embroidery unit is packed in. It's still a large box, but it's an engineering feat! I can't say enough about the box for the embroidery unit. It's the same one as the Husqvarna Viking Designer Epic 3. I would upgrade simply because of that new embroidery unit. It's the best, and so is the storage. 

For those with the old-style embroidery unit, this one is amazing. I can't say enough about it. And when we had finished the event, I had to pack those units back up. I did get some help, but it took longer than getting them out, but not by much. Again - the packaging is so well thought out, and everything has a home! 

And then we had to pack up 14 PFAFF creative icon 3s into their shipping boxes. We worked like a production line, and others put all the bits in the top section of the box, so all I had to do (again with one other person helping) was to put the machines into their respective boxes. If you keep the box, it is great for carrying your machine around, except that it is huge! But for us, who must keep the original box, it is beautifully designed and makes it super easy to pack a machine, which is very important if you have a large quantity to pack. 

With all the packing from last week and this week, I'm pretty good and very efficient at packing. 

Those machines and EUs are heavy! But I'm still able to do that kind of task, and well, I'm happy to help out. I will say that packing puzzles was a much easier job. The boxes were much lighter and smaller! I didn't need to go to the gym! 

The day went very well, and the dealers in the room were very excited about the new features on the creative icon 3. I'm pretty excited about it, and should you want one, you can check with your local PFAFF dealer, as they now have the proper training and information and can sell you one. There is a presale deal going on right now. By the end of next week, all the PFAFF dealers across Canada will be certified to sell that machine. Check out this link to learn more. 

The hotel that we typically have these events at has undergone a makeover since I was there last. Brand new carpet and paint in the meeting rooms. And new wallpaper in the bathrooms. Although I think that wallpaper was there the last time I was there, but I didn't really take note of it. 

The wallpaper in the bathroom

Yes—you can get so much inspiration from public washroom wall coverings. 

But what is funny is that this reminds me of the signature artwork in the PFAFF creative icon 3. I don't have a picture, nor do I have the machine, but some of those designs are funky curves like this. If you check out this link, you can see some of it in the fabric that is being embroidered in the video. If memory serves, there is one very similar design, and as soon as I can get a picture, I'll share it with you. 

I also accomplished more weeding the day before, so while there is still one patch I didn't get to, it doesn't look half bad. After the gardener comes this morning, it will look spic and span. 

I'm currently reading a book about a guy who calls himself a hermit. The Scotsman did lots of backpacking through northern Canada and Alaska and finally settled in a northern area of Scotland. It's not that he didn't want to be with people, but his calling was to live off-grid in the wild. He kept a diary, and he wrote down his travels. This book, called The Way of the Hermit by Ken Smith, is really quite an interesting read. The BBC made a documentary about him. 

There are lots of trials and tribulations as he learns to live in the wild and gets a job that allows him to do so and build a cabin, etc. 

But what I found really fascinating was his life as a storyteller. Here's a quote from his book: "When you keep a diary, you find yourself actively looking for a story to tell, and soon enough, your life will fill with far more vibrant scenes than it would if you were just sitting in your chair, passively letting the world slip by before you. You want to impress your reader, and if that reader is only ever going to be you, what could be more important than creating a life story that is full of color and resonance?"

OH MY GOSH --- I had never thought about my writing the blog in that way. But he is absolutely right about that. 

Wherever I go and whatever I do, the stories for the blog are constantly in my subconscious. I must take a picture of that, or remember the details of something else. Some of these stories get tucked away for a bit, and others I have to tell the very next day. And what I find hilarious is that things tend to group themselves in things you touch or see in your daily life. 

In The Way of the Hermit, Ken frequently refers to the larch, a common tree in the northern parts of the world, including Scotland, which he uses for firewood; I think he used larch when he built (and rebuilt) his cabin. He is very conscientious about reforesting the areas he harvests for firewood, and he is using fallen trees to help keep the forest floor clear. 

Just a few minutes ago, I read a short article in an OLDER quilt magazine (2014) about a Scottish quilter who rejuvenated a type of boat made from larch! I haven't finished the article yet, but it always amazes me how, when a new word or phrase comes up, you frequently find it popping up elsewhere. I am not familiar with larch trees, so to have it come up in two completely separate contexts within three days of each other? That's crazy!

And that had nothing to do with AI or anyone else listening to it - both sources came from print material, although one of them was from an e-book.  

Oh my gosh -- can you believe how quickly this month has gone! Soon it will be August and then summer will be over! 

Unless something else comes up, and it could, I am home for the remainder of the summer! Yeah me!!! I hope to get outside and enjoy the gazebo and the rushing water in the pond. I hope to read and do some puzzles, and I also hope to get down to Studio B, because I have a few things I want to get done! 

I didn't get a chance to work on the pattern testing because I got home quite late. But that will be on the agenda today. I hope to complete one more block and get the next one or two cut out. 

It really is an adorable quilt, and even though I am using the same colors (not fabric) as Lorna, our quilts have a different flavor. I'll do a side-by-side comparison when we are both finished. 

I have one appointment first thing this morning, and then the rest of the day is mine! Yeah!!!

On that note, I'm out of here. And the next time you are in a public washroom, check out the wall coverings!! You never know if you'll find an inspiration there! It might be a design, but it might just be the color! You never know. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

PS -- sorry --- I wrote the blog, then forgot to post it. A little bit of an emotional (in a good way) morning. I have a doozey of a story for tomorrow. Get your Kleenex ready. 

Take charge!!!

Excuse my obsession with the house fire thing. Lexi and I walked past the houses yesterday, and oh my. I will spare you the heartache for the families. It was a devastating fire, and I'm pretty sure that three of the four will have to be torn down and rebuilt. The fourth one can probably be salvaged, and the fifth one had a tarp on part of the roof, and you could see where the siding melted. That fifth house is for sale! 

It's already tough to sell a house these days, but one damaged by fire and next door to four houses that require some major building work? That will be tough. 

What is interesting is how these houses burned. They are smaller, two-story homes built on small lots, so I imagine the house takes up the maximum allowed footprint. The distance between the homes is very narrow. And once the fire started, you could see how it burned between the houses. It was a tunnel between the houses, and with siding on the upper floor along the sides of those homes, the fire quickly got out of control. 

Thankfully, no one was hurt - it happened in the evening when everyone was still awake, but it's going to take a couple of years, from my experience in this neighborhood, for those homes to be habitable again. 

I overheard the Fire Marshal talking to the owner of the fifth house, and all I heard was, "Now we get to see who has the better insurance company!" That's very scary, and I think we need to look at our insurance policy. I don't wish that upon anyone, but fighting with insurance over something like that could be a nightmare. As I mentioned, my friend whose townhouse was affected by a fire at her next-door neighbor will never go back. Almost one year later, and they haven't even started the renovation. They have torn out what they need to, but can't start rebuilding until the roof is repaired or something like that. 

Poor Murphy is so out of sorts these days. I don't have time to explain the story, but it got even worse yesterday. I headed out to the grocery store about 2:15 PM. As I was walking down the street, I could hear her barking. I was tempted to go back, but I was under a time crunch, so I continued to the grocery store. 

Murphy - what happened to your eye?

It wasn't until I was off my Zoom call at 4:30 that I had a look at Murphy and OH MY -- what's wrong with her eye? 

Then I smelled skunk and thought - there is NO WAY. But yes, when I got a good whiff - she had been sprayed by a skunk. But what the heck is a skunk doing out at that time of day? First the raccoon and now the skunk. I think those two girls of mine had better up their game!!!

It's funny what we keep. I have two boxes of things that I've carried from my very early life. Well, mostly high school to about 1990. I have no idea why, but I have those two boxes. I needed to dig something from the boxes a couple of weeks ago, and I spotted this. 

It's my creative writing book from middle school!!! 

Creative writing book from middle school

OH MY GOD -- right from the get-go, I am NOT a doodler. I suspect some of the people in my class were, and so I attempted to be super creative with the little curl on my last name and the organic line on the initial E. Sadly, I am still not a doodler. I have tried, but it just doesn't come naturally to me. So I don't think I'll pursue that as a career!!!

But there are my creative stories, and while I didn't read them, I'm sure that is where my strengths lie! In the words, not in the doodles. 

My handwriting sucked right from the beginning.

Testing a pattern is not for the faint of heart - at least one like this with so many pieces in it! I've completed three of the 12 blocks. One block had 24 pieces, and the one I completed yesterday had 83. Why is that important to know? Because I want to make sure that all the pieces on the cutting list are accounted for. It's just another way to double-check. 

My three blocks for Down on the Farm by Sew Fresh Quilts

And if you want to see Lorna's (Sew Fresh Quilts) version, you can check it out here. Lorna has seven blocks done; I have three! I have a meeting all day today, and then I'm back with no commitments. I'll be upping my game and hope to get at least one block done a day for the next 9 days.

If you are a pattern tester, you need to be tough! If there is a mistake or something that doesn't look right, you MUST flag it. And I'm sure there will still be a few things that go amiss! But I've seen patterns after someone has tested it, and some very silly mistakes come through. When you have a friend pattern test, they don't want to make their friend look bad by pointing out mistakes. That is the PURPOSE of testing a pattern. 

I have no friends when I pattern test! 

I will say that I have designed quilts in the past, but as I assembled the two horses, I have no idea how Lorna figured that out. A few pieces sewn together on an angle, a triangle on top of two sections to create a deeper angle, and VOILA -- you have two different horses. Incredible!!!!

Needless to say, after my exemplary performance in making boxes and being chatty-cathy on the puzzling packing day, I was encouraged to apply for one of the lead positions for the upcoming Nationals event next June. I did that last night. I love volunteering and meeting new people. This is an annual event, and I don't think it will be any harder than heading up a quilt show. I won't be the one in charge - just in charge of one group of people. I can handle that. I guess it just depends on who else applies now!! 

That is one thing I have always been - the take-charge kind of person. The first experience I remember was in Grade 6. I was new to the town school, with classes of 25-30 kids. My one-room country school had 15 kids from Grade 1 to 5! Our last class of the day was Phys Ed. Why was Phys Ed the final class? That just sounds wrong! When the kids got back into the classroom, the teacher wasn't there yet, and I piped up that the class was dismissed and everyone left. The teacher wasn't too happy about that! Someone ratted me out!!! Since I was bused to school, I couldn't stay after, but I still got some sort of punishment!

I have mentioned before that I was painfully shy as a kid. I probably wasn't super shy in school, but when I moved to the big city, I was intimidated!!! Somehow I lost that intimidation, and that is a good thing!!

I'm very short on time this morning, so this will be short. 

Have a great day!!!

Ciao!!!

Packaging puzzles!

Oh my --- what a crazy day! And I learned something. The Puzzles Canada store, which looks like a warehouse, is NOT the warehouse. There's another location that is the warehouse, and that is where I was supposed to be yesterday morning, NOT where I went. So after a bit of a wait because I was early, I figured it out! I arrived a bit later than I had planned and, of course, was annoyed with myself. I SHOULD have looked at the information sheet in the morning, which included the address. 

Who knew that a warehouse store would have a warehouse?

The other volunteers who were there were amazing! The day was super well organized, and the moment I arrived, I was given a task, and it didn't stop until everything was wrapped and in a shipping box ready to be shipped!

I don't know how many puzzles we wrapped, but if there are 11 events and a maximum of 100 in each, more like 90, that makes a total of 990, so around 1,000 puzzles. I didn't see the puzzles that will be in the events I'm in, but even if i saw them, we saw each one so quickly, that I barely remember what the picture was. I only wrapped two of the eleven puzzles. 

There isn't a lot of room to work in the warehouse, so we spilled out into the parking lot. And there were boxes and boxes of puzzles everywhere!

Boxes of puzzles

Each puzzle was put inside a shipping bag, and a label was put on it with the date and number of the event. That is very important, and of course, all the puzzles come in different-sized boxes!! Of course, they do! 

After all the puzzles were in their shipping bags, which also prevented the recipient from seeing the puzzles, it was time to group them by order for delivery. Some people only had one puzzle, some two, three, up to 14 puzzles, which is more than the 11 events, but some are pairs and they ordered the puzzles together.

I got on box assembly duty. They have a special way they want the boxes taped, which works for me, and I was instructed on how to do that. Then it was making boxes for several hours! I had two packers to keep up with. Mission accomplished! 

We had a blast as we started on a new grouping of puzzles. The groups were by the number of puzzles in the order. Since the puzzles are NOT all the same size as I mentioned, it was a challenge to figure out how to fit them in the boxes. Well, that was, once we figured out which box size that number of puzzles would fit into. One lady was extremely Tetris-oriented, and she could figure out how to put the puzzles into a box no problem!

At the end of the process, this is what we had accomplished. 

Boxes and boxes of puzzles ready to be shipped

And even more boxes!

That is a LOT of puzzles packaged and going out to people! 

I said I would bring my box home, and I was told that was OK, only if I knew where it was. And wouldn't you know it, but as I was getting ready to leave, I spotted my box on the top of one of the pallets. It was easy to grab, and I saved them some postage! 

Here are my three puzzles. 

My three event puzzles

One of the events happens on Halloween, so I suspect that puzzle's theme will be Halloween. That event is also a friends and family event, so now I have to rope someone into coming here that day to work on it with me. Any volunteers? It is a speed event, but since I've never done a speed event before, I think we will just be working on the puzzle! 

As a thank-you, we got to pick a puzzle, and I spotted this wooden one in the box. Of course, I'll take that. 

My new wooden puzzle

Of course, it comes in a wooden box, and the pieces are in a small cloth bag. 

The puzzle pieces are in a cloth bag.

I opened it when I got home and spotted some "whimsies," which are pieces that are shaped into something specific. I think I shared that when I did the puzzle at the hotel in Tofino. 

I was exhausted, but happy! It was a great day, and we really worked like a well-oiled machine! And I made new friends in the puzzle world!

I was asked to come again the next time, so I guess I passed. I need to rearrange something in my schedule, but I'll be back. Whether I'll do a speed-puzzling event again remains to be seen! The first one is in October. 

I'm leaving the wrapped puzzles on my puzzle table, so they don't get lost. That would be my luck - I would have to miss because I couldn't find the darn puzzles. 

Amanda took a video of us working - I didn't even notice. I have tried to forward the link to people, but it just doesn't work. I will try to link it here, and if you look real close, you can spot me in the background as I'm madly taping boxes!!! Here is the link to the FACEBOOK page. Scroll down, and you'll see the video. 

Last night, I worked on the pattern testing and have completed the second block. The 3rd and 4th blocks are on my list of things to do today. It's an easy enough pattern to put together, but with the number of pieces, it can be tricky, and it's only when you start sewing that you realize this piece is too long or too short. For the most part, the sizes are right on. 

If you have never written a pattern before, it can be very tricky. Trust me -- I've written lots, and you have to check, double-check, and even triple-check. 

Yep -- Studio B looks like a tornado has gone through, but I'm back in work mode, and that pattern testing is my focus! Amazing what can happen - everything is wide open, and the schedule is clear, and then BAM -- I'm testing a pattern. But I love being able to say yes!!! I love pattern testing. 

Oh my -- when I went out yesterday to walk the girls, there was burned debris all over the neighborhood from the house fire. We even had some in our driveway. 

Fire debris from the house fire - four streets away

But the park was filled even though you can't really see it in this photo. The house was two streets over. 

A lot of fire debris in the park

The street was still blocked, even to pedestrians, so we had to turn around. Apparently, five houses were affected by the fire. Yikes!! That's a pretty serious fire, and it got out of control so quickly, with huge flames. 

As I was walking and with all the fires in this neighborhood, it got me thinking. I believe I said four, but I remembered another one. I have a thing about house fires. I've never been affected, but it was a nightmare for me when I was a child. I have no idea why. 

Several houses in our area are getting "metal" roofs installed. 

A house with a metal roof

These metal roofs are essentially pieces of tin that they cover the existing roof with. What would happen if a house with that kind of roof caught fire? That tin would bubble and make a huge mess from the heat. 

Well, it's going to be a super busy day as we have Monday sewing, and I realized that I don't have a presentation ready for them, and OH DEAR - what photos can I pull from a hat? No worries - I just found some photos, so I need to plug them in and we're good to go!!!

There's also a solution! I have no idea where my optimism came from; it exudes from my body in leaps and bounds!

And on that positive note, I'm out of here. 

Have a wonderful day!!!

Ciao!!!!

Spiders are not afraid - are you?

OK -- I see I have some gardening to do in the fall!! I spent another hour yesterday removing more creeping vine from the rocks surrounding the pond. That is always a precarious job because you are standing on the rocks, staring down into the water, and if you slip - well, then it's time for a dip amongst the water lilies! 

I would say that over half the backyard is cleaned up now, but the gardener guy is still going to come this week, as there is the side yard and the front that need to be taken care of. And at some point, I need to go into the forest and trim back the stuff that is attempting to encroach through the fence. 

An hour a day or even half an hour works for me!

We had some bad excitement near our house last night. A house fire quickly spread to two other houses, and they were ablaze. Lexi and I had just walked past those houses yesterday morning! One "elderly senior" was taken to hospital with critical injuries, but otherwise, I think everyone is OK. 

Such a terrible thing to happen and to spread so quickly to other houses. We have had our share of house fires in this neighborhood, and they all seem to start upstairs, although one of them started in the garage. To my knowledge, just within several streets of my house, this is the fourth in the last ten years, which seems like a lot to me. 

I have friends of mine who live in the neighboring city, and they live in a townhouse. The townhouse beside them caught on fire and they escaped unharmed, but that was in September. They are still not back in their house and may never go back. I don't think they have even started to fix the roof. What a shame, and what is causing the delay? 

Speaking of fires, Lexi and I noticed that the fire hydrants in our area (not all, but some) have been repainted GREY. Why is that? To make the neighborhood look prettier? The darn things just blend right into the background. Actually, from where this picture was taken, the houses are just across the schoolyard. As I suspected, this is just the primer coat, and it will be red soon. 

Grey fire hydrants

Well, onto happier news. 

I let Lexi dictate where we walk each morning, within reason. But she hadn't made her way to the forest, and I like to brush her each day in the forest. There are mounds of dog hair in several spots, but when I reached the tree that I attach her to, I spotted this giant Daddy Long Legs spider!!!1 He was big, and he wasn't afraid!!!

Daddy Long Legs

It made me think of my recent little wall hanging that I made. 

I'm not afraid of spiders, so I was OK. 

We had a lot of downpours while I was away last week, and of course, the gravel paths in the forest are rutted once again. The tractor was just there the day I left to grade the previous ruts down. I must dig out my pictures of what they do in Spain on the steeper paths because this is ridiculous. They need to probably rip that hill apart and compact the crap out of it with sand and gravel, or just pave it over. That would be much more efficient than just grading the ruts out. But what do I know? 

New ruts AGAIN on the path

 Oh my god—Lexi is protesting. Murphy knows that Lexi's dish is OFF limits if there is food in it. The moment that the dish is empty, Murphy is there licking it out. Twice yesterday, Lexi left a few pieces of kibble in the dish, so Murphy wasn't able to lick it out! I had a good chuckle over that. 

MOM - tell Murphy to keep out of my dish!

Besides the gardening, I managed to get some machine embroidery done. The tree is felted, and the stars and the presents are stitched with thread. I didn't stabilize it enough when it was time to do the stitching. I hope when the back is cleaned up that it will be OK. I want to add something else to it before I trim the background away. 

Felting with the embroidery machine and stitches

And then I also stitched this one out, which included felting, thread, and ribbon. All done with the embroidery machine. These are designs in the Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 3 but require the Special Techniques Hoop. I love this one and need to find a word or saying to add to it. I will Google it!

Machine embroidery with ribbon, felting, and thread

There was an issue with the third design I wanted to stitch out, so I must report that.  

One of the goals on my visual To Do list was to thoroughly investigate felting with the embroidery machine. I think I can safely say that I have thoroughly investigated it, as I had done quite a bit before with designs that can be done in any of the embroidery hoops. 

Before I cross that item off the list, I must finish all the samples. Then it will be done. 

I also managed to get one block and part of another done on the pattern that I'm testing. I saw Lorna (Sew Fresh Quilts) post her progress on Facebook last night, so I'm showing you the pattern. It is adorable. 

Down on the farm

Lorna and I were furiously emailing back and forth as we worked out a few small issues! I love pattern testing but it requires a lot of thought and concentration!! 

I hope to get another block complete and to finish cutting the next one out. It's absolutely adorable and would make an excellent class for teaching! That makes TWO that I have on the list for next year! 

After gardening, I spent the remainder of the morning in the office clearing up paperwork. I am just gob smacked at how quickly it accumulates if you don't take care of it. At least when I need to file something, that is easy, and I try to do that religiously! 

I'm off to volunteer today, and that should be an interesting experience. I will NOT take my credit card to the puzzle warehouse! I will NOT take my credit card to the puzzle warehouse! OK - I need my card because I have to get gas for the car!

A reminder: if you want to participate in my focus group for machine embroidery, I'm running a session tonight at 7 PM and one on Monday at 3 PM. Send me your email if you want to be part of that. I'm really looking for what kind of machine embroiderer you are. What designs you like to buy/make, what you like to stitch on, and how much hand-holding in the form of step-by-step projects you would like to see.  (elainetheriault@gmail.com)

And on that note, I'm out of here. 

Have a great day!!!

Ciao!!!!

Out with the old and in with the new!!!

Yesterday was a transition day. While I accomplished stuff, I was almost like a slug on a rug! I wasn't going anywhere fast! But that's OK. I don't really have any time-sensitive stuff to deal with, but there are always loads that I want to accomplish. 

I started by spending almost an hour in the backyard weeding and cleaning up! I decided to cave and call the gardener guy, who will come next week, but in the meantime, I'll continue to clean up so it doesn't look like a complete jungle. It's really not that bad at all - the beauty of having a backyard that is devoted to NO grass, and some areas are so dry that NOTHING grows there. It's a great space for dogs! 

Of course, I had a supervisor to make sure that all was going as planned. Why she plunks herself in the middle of the plants is beyond me, but seriously? I don't care. If that is where she wants to lie down, then so be it! I managed to get all the creeping vine (or I hope I did) out of that little space on the left. That creeping vine is the worst, and if you let it go, it just grows like mad. 

My supervisor while weeding

And we still have flowers in the backyard. Whoever planned the plants was pretty good (not me!) because we have flowers almost all summer long. 

Pink Rose of Sharon

White Rose of Sharon

Hostas

Hostas are funny because I have another one just on the other side of the path and it's not doing so well. Of course, I do NOT water my garden, and the other hosta gets more sun, so I suspect it's just too dry and hot in that location. I might think of replacing it with something. But what? Our garden doesn't need watering - it was intentional! 

I wanted LOW maintenance, and the only thing that needs to be done is the weeding and the occasional pruning, which is what will happen next week. I want to be able to enjoy that backyard without spending huge amounts of time maintaining it. And we got exactly what we wanted! 

I should mention that our neighbor got the waterfall in his pond working again, and it's louder than ours, so it sounds like we have this huge fountain in the back! Very hypnotizing!!!!

As I was trying to get myself organized in the morning, I attempted to clean up the remaining items on the puzzle table. I found a couple of containers of half-square triangles that need to be sewn, pressed, and trimmed. While I mostly use them for enders and leaders, I have MANY, so it wouldn't hurt to stitch some of these during the Virtual Retreat tonight. It's a mindless task, and I doubt I could make any mistakes!

A stack of triangles to make half-square triangles

I sewed and pressed two of them. 

Two half-square triangles

They were in this small tin, but the tin is now empty, and it's in the giveaway pile. I don't need cute little tins anymore. Hmmm -- it is cute - it could be used for some small supply. I might just rescue that. 

A now-empty tin

And I sorted some more triangles and put them on the tray beside the sewing machine. Good grief - I found another pile (the light ones in the top left) that are way too small to be spending time on, so they are now in the scrap bin. 

Sorting more triangles for HSTs

I even took some time to work in my gratitude puzzle book. There was a page for writing down the goals for the month, and I listed those. I may not refer back to that list, but it's great to write things down. It just helps to keep my brain in working order! And what I find is that if I am NOT in control (as in having lists), I get scattered and it's hard to function. A list? Perfect!!!

This was the puzzle I did yesterday - a maze. I have no idea why, but mazes are so much easier to do when you start at the end and work your way to the start. Why is that? 

The maze in my gratitude puzzle book

WAIT - I know. Because if you are doodling free motion quilt designs, they work so much better if you start at the bottom of the page (quilt) and work your way back!!! Trust me --- so much easier!!!

Then I was off as I had a couple of errands to accomplish. 

The first stop was to pick up my package that came from the US. This is a Dowdle Puzzle commemorating America 250!!!!! It was only available in the US, and so I had it shipped to my US address. Once it arrived, I filled out the paperwork and paid $20, including the HST (tax), to have it shipped across the border. No duty - just tax and shipping to Canada from Niagara Falls, NY. 

The America 250 Dowdle Puzzle

It is a beautiful puzzle, and I really wanted it. I haven't had a chance to really focus on all the detail, but there are loads of special items in the puzzle. That will be for the winter! 

I don't use that service much, but it's so convenient. What's even more convenient is that they now have a second pickup location in my city, and it's even closer to my house. It's right in the area where I shop! Perfect!!!

The next stop was Fabricland, and they were having a sale, and the place was PACKED!!!! What are all those people making? I wanted to ask, but there was no time. I let one person get her cord measured in the middle of getting my stuff cut. Then I was folding my fabric while the ticket got written up, and I helped with the large rolls of what I was buying! I can't share yet!!!! 

BUT as I got to the cash register, I saw something I NEEDED to have. I have found these burlap shopping bags to be the best bags ever. I had one from Stonehenge that eventually wore out, and now my Longo's bag is starting to see better days. 

My Longo's bag

The inside of all these bags has a plastic-coated surface adhered to the burlap. They are the right size, lightweight, and fairly inexpensive. I'm sure I paid less than $10 for that bag several years ago. I just love them. They are not worth trying to repair. I also asked at the grocery store if they still sold them, and the answer is NO. 

The plastic is breaking down.

Not only is the plastic coating breaking down, but the burlap fibers have broken down. And I'm afraid I may lose small things or that the bag will split open when I'm on the way home from the grocery store. I have one street to cross to get to the store, and I can imagine that it would be during that crossing that the bag would split! It was time to do something about it, but what? 

The corners of the bag are almost toast!

As I approached the cash at Fabricland, I spotted burlap bags!!!! No WAY!!!!! It's so pretty, and the price was right - it was on sale at $14.00 or something like that. SOLD!!!! 

My new burlap bag

The handles are a bit different from the Longos' bag, but the bags are roughly the same size. I was pretty excited, and I have retired the Longo's bag, although I am going to rescue the handles. They are like a soft rope and are very comfortable!! 

The new and the old

How was that for a great find? I'm good for the next couple of years, and then when I need a new one -- it will appear. It's like being on the Camino - when you need something, it will show up. You just have to be patient!!

Then I was off to Michaels, where I was stunned to see the Halloween stuff. Actually, I knew the Halloween stuff was out because I had been there last week or two weeks ago. BUT the amount of space the Halloween stuff took up was unbelievable, and there is every kind of thing Halloween-related you could possibly want, including an entire shelving unit with tarot cards and astrological stuff. 

One section of the Halloween decor

And so help me god, but when I saw the assorted collections of ribbons and trims, I caved. This is one of my favorite things, and OK - I confess, I bought a book of Halloween paper. I am not a Halloween fanatic, but I love the colors, and well, I just had to have the stuff. I hope to spend a bit of time this summer playing around and making a book or something and embellishing it with the ribbons, or I'll find something to make on the sewing machine! 

Halloween trim collections

WAIT -- that reminds me that I have three witches stitched out on the embroidery machine and they need to be made into something. I need to dig those out so they will be ready in time for Halloween and I can embellish them with the ribbons. I only bought two of the six collections. But I did find the other things I was looking for, except for the tool to set my snaps in my shirt! So I'm going to have to buy that online, and I found a store in Chatham that sells the tool. 

I'm also on the hunt for 100% cotton denim. Dark on the outside and light on the inside. NO SPANDEX please!!! I have a bit more investigating to do, but 100% cotton denim is becoming a very hard thing to find. Spandex messes up the felting process big time, so I need 100% cotton.

Then it was time to get to work. My brain wasn't quite functioning up to its normal speed because when I did some machine embroidery, I goofed. The first part of the stitching is felting and doesn't require a stabilizer. But once the felting is done, you need to flip the hoop and do the embroidery. AHA --- that is what is possible with the Special Techniques Hoop. It's a flippable hoop, and I LOVE it. 

ACK -- forgot the stabilizer

So while the arm wasn't so bad, I didn't like it, so I had to rip out those stitches, add stabilizer, and redo it! Sigh.................

No stabilizer - not good (not good enough!)

I'm doing some more of the same type of designs today, and I'm leaving the stabilizer right beside the embroidery machine!

I'm testing out some techniques with the felting, and I ended up stitching THREE of the snowmen in total. One you already saw, as I finished it and took it with me to Nashville. So I stitched two more of them yesterday. I will finish them off later this coming week, or I might even do some of it tonight. 

The snowman I finished last week

I have three more designs to stitch today, and I really hope to stitch a fourth one, but that might be pushing my limits. Well, not my limits - but these designs take time, and I only have one embroidery machine that will stitch them out. 

I'll do what I can! 

So while the embroidery machine is madly working away, I'm getting ready to test that quilt pattern that I promised I'd do as a favor for someone. OK - I wanted the pattern, and this is a good way to get it in advance without paying for it. OK -- that's a totally dumb excuse because the pattern isn't expensive and I will easily spend a lot of time testing it!! 

The pattern is on my iPad, but I had to print out the cutting charts. I'll have to ask if I can share the picture. You have already seen it, so it should be OK. 

The iPad is sitting there with the pattern.

This is some of the fabric I pulled for the pattern. I'm going to need loads of little bits as I work, but I'll pull them as I need them in the pattern. 

Fabrics pulled for the pattern testing.

And the cutting process has begun. There's a lot more fabric on that board right now, and I hope to get at least two blocks sewn by the end of the day. I dare not use up many of those design boards - those are what I use for my jigsaw puzzle as well. But I should have enough to share between the two tasks!!!

The cutting process begins.

I think I mentioned that Steve Summers (Dolly Parton's Creative Director) stated that he and his small group all had dream jobs. I have to echo that - I'm so dang passionate about what I do - I don't really care if I work 24/7 (I told my boss that and she thinks I'm a nut), but I'm so excited to get up and start to work every day that I'm beside myself!! And you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Now don't get me wrong - I don't sew all day or sit in front of a machine all day. Hardly. I have the garden; when I remember to give it some attention, I love doing paper puzzles and jigsaw puzzles, and I read a lot! I've already read 50 books this year, both fiction and non-fiction. I'm excited to see that M has read 32 books this year. The apple didn't fall far from the tree!!! And I'm at the gym or walking to try and keep my body in shape. 

I love reading! So I get a variety of activities in the day, and there is the dreaded paperwork that takes up precious time, and often we don't have anything to show for it, but it must be done! 

Two things before I go --- 40 Shades of Grey. If you want to sign up for the class, please call the store (Out of Hand) or email them. I touched base with them yesterday, and I'm going to regroup on Monday, and then we're deciding on the number of patterns to order, with a few extra just in case someone missed the boat. So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE --- if you are intending to sign up for that class, or you know someone who may be interested, send this information to them so they will not be without a pattern. 

I can provide you with the necessary information for a month, but I will NOT share the pattern, as that would be a copyright violation. It will be a great way to use up scraps or find a dedicated colorway. I can't wait to get started!!!!

40 Shades of Grey

And there is a Virtual Retreat TONIGHT. There is NO Virtual Retreat tomorrow because I'm off to wrap puzzles for the upcoming fall speed puzzling events that are held online. I think we have something like 1,100 puzzles to wrap and prepare for shipping!!! Oh my --- what have I got myself into! Of course, I will be excluded from the wrapping session for the three puzzle events that I signed up for. 

I hope there is NO opportunity to purchase puzzles tomorrow. Going to the Puzzles Canada warehouse is like letting a child loose in a candy store!! So many puzzles and so many new ones coming in all the time. ACK!!!!!! 

Here is the link for the Virtual Retreat. We start at 6 PM tonight. 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89610782501?pwd=7dCrhiL5t8Xa4TVwZPvhL6cOymbcjK.1

Meeting ID: 896 1078 2501
Passcode: 148311

And on that exciting note, I'm out of here. I have a date with the girls and then my cutting table and the embroidery machine. I can hardly wait to get started. WAIT -- I started the day hours ago - I can hardly wait to continue!!!!

Have a wonderful day!!!

Ciao!!!