It's all about the puzzles!!!!

 OH—rushed for time this morning—I'll read the comments later, but I see comments about the wedding, which is quickly approaching! 

Well, Brooke has a conflict this morning, so I read the comments. I LOVE the idea of the movie wedding! How cool is that! And since I'm not off to the gym this morning, I managed to get quite a bit of work done on the presentation for Saturday. 

I think I have walked into a giant rabbit hole. Funny how that happens with anything I do! So, you all know I love doing jigsaw puzzles. I always have, but never took much time throughout the year to work on them because of sewing deadlines. Well, now I have time to work on them a bit more, and I try to keep it to the evenings since I still have sewing stuff to do. 

I hope this link will still work for you (I think it was a reel, so it may be gone), but someone sent me this link about my favorite jigsaw puzzle store in Georgetown - Puzzles Canada. Turns out there are puzzle competitions in Canada, including one sponsored by Puzzles Canada. It happens to be next weekend, but I won't be around. I don't even know if they are open for spectators. That led to finding the Canadian Jigsaw Puzzle Association on Facebook, which I became a member of. 

Update: I sent an email asking if spectators can attend, and I got a response almost immediately. YES --- spectators are encouraged, and of course, Puzzles Canada will be there, and of course, they will have puzzles for sale! I can go to the Sunday afternoon events on my way home. Hmmmm --- I think I might put that on my agenda - what do I have to lose? It will be loads of fun and informative! It's noted on my agenda! 

Let's just say that I'm getting a ton of Facebook posts about puzzles! Oh my!!! A new (to me) company that has some amazing puzzles is Villager.  Oh my --- I spotted one for Salt Spring Island. As so it goes!!!! Here is the link to their new puzzles. This is a Canadian company, and all the artists are women! 

I do not need to buy any new or used puzzles at the moment, but oh my --- the possibilities are endless. I guess I know what I'll be doing to take a break from sewing, as I can't see myself sewing all day, every day. Making a puzzle doesn't take up much room  - a 2-foot by 3-foot space is more than enough, and put the pieces on some make-shift boards made with felt and foam core, and you are set! 

And I spotted a virtual event that was based in Canada! It happened on May 9th. Who knew that all this stuff was happening? I've been so focused on quilting!!!! WAIT --- I also see there is another virtual event coming up. Hmmm! I might buy the puzzle they just worked on and do a practice run to see if I can actually work under pressure. And do I want to work under that kind of pressure? It would be fun to try once. 

Speaking of puzzles, here is the status of the one I'm working on. I have certainly gotten my money's worth from this one. This was after about two hours last night.  

Progress is being made on my existing puzzle

The holes are filling in, but the border is still not connected in some spots. I should be able to finish it by the time I leave for the retreat. OK -- that's doable! 

I spotted this photo on Facebook, and well, we need one of these in our neighborhood. What a great idea! 

Jigsaw Puzzle exchange library

Before I go, here's an interesting thought about puzzles versus quilting. You get loads of entertainment, it's probably no more expensive than quilting - actually, probably cheaper since it doesn't require any special tools. And once you are done, you can swap the puzzle or give it away. You don't have to worry about any UFOs. Hmmmmmmm 

OK - enough about the puzzles, let's get on with sewing. I think I mentioned that I finished all the applique for Color My World, but since the sewing machine was set up for applique - such a tough job to set it up - NOT!!! I continued with applique and completed all the stitching on this wall hanging. 

The hexagons are all stitched down

The fabric hexagons and one cardboard template were cut on a digital cutter (Momento) in mere minutes. I love that I can take an entire fat quarter and cut it with the Momento! The hexagons have been fused to the background for a couple of months. The edges are turned under, so I needed to do machine invisible applique as I did for the house blocks. 

That is done, and I still have more invisible appliqué to do later today, but first I have some piecing to do. No—wait—I think I have to do the appliqué before I do the piecing. Anyway, I have no choice now but to work on the homework - I've delayed it as much as I can. I got some of the presentation work done for the weekend, but I'm a wee bit behind. 

I got one more customer quilt done. 

Customer quilt - DONE

I have to call it quits on the long arm for the time being, until I finish preparing for the weekend classes. Although the machine works on its own, it's still very time-consuming and requires focus. So I don't get a ton of work done. Today is the day for focus!!!

I scanned one picture from Katimavik and sent it as a sample to Radar's brother. The old printer still works very well as a scanner, and I hope to use it to print something today, as I don't have time to set up the new one. Here's the new one - a white printer! 

Update --- No go on printing with the old printer. After leaving the cartridges out, they have dried up. So I have opened the box on the new one, and it's sitting on the kitchen counter. I need to print a few pages, and then I'll find a home for it tomorrow. 

The new printer

As I was looking through my Katimavik photo album, I spotted a group photo of all of us in the military option. They did not have that option very long. I'm not sure if it lasted only one year. But I counted, and there were close to 50 people in our group. I think the full program only ran once. They offered shorter programs in other years. 

The Katimavik military option group

It was an exciting and life-changing experience, and even though it was tough, it was NOT as tough as the boot camp the regular force goes through. But it was tough. I found lots of pictures of the girls in the hallway in their underwear. Why I took those pictures is beyond me, but it's a good memory. But why in our underwear? Because our uniforms were pressed and cleaned, no one wanted to get them dirty or wrinkled before inspection. Our barracks had to be clean as well. So we did that cleaning in our underwear, then got dressed! Perhaps that is why I'm not good with rules and authority! 

That group then got split into three groups - one for communications, one for infantry, and I can't remember what the third group was. Or maybe there were only two groups. It was interesting because most of the communications group were females, while the infantry were males, and we ended up at the same base (Valcartier, Quebec) for the final three months of the program. More than one couple resulted from that program. 

Hmmm—be careful what you wish for! The weather has been cool, with lots of rain and no sun. Or that's how it seemed. Then we had three HOT days with humidity. A cold front moved in, and it's back to freezing again. It's currently 7 degrees C. That's a 30-degree difference from the "feels like" 36 we had just a short time ago. 

This is the alarm pad in the house, and I don't know where it gets its data from, but I think it's a bit off! Even though it's cold, it's not this cold!

Hmmm-- where is this data coming from?

So that was a weird way to write the blog, but it got done. I have a very busy day at the sewing machine. But the first thing is to get that new printer fired up because I need a pattern! Then I'm off to work. I still have a couple of videos to finish reviewing for the weekend and quite a bit of sewing. I've been working on stuff, but not the right stuff! Typical me! 

Have a wonderful day!!!

Ciao!!!!

Spend time with your friends NOW!!!

After getting some feedback from people, I'm glad M is using the trim from her dress for the wedding. Someone else dismantled their lace wedding hat, so her daughter could use it to wrap her bouquet! It was worth the four hours to take it apart!

To answer the question about the community project quilts, the group of 11 I'm working on is NOT among the ones Diane made. Someone did me a favor and picked up a bunch of scraps I was using to make scrap quilts for more community project quilts. She was looking for scraps, so I offered what I had. As a favor, I offered to quilt some of the quilts she made, provide the backing, and the batting. I was very grateful that she took those scraps. 

However, I suspect the scraps got tossed. I think they were too small for her liking. She asked if I would mind if she offered them to a friend because she didn't have time now, and, well, I must remember in the future to just say NO or not make an offer. It's not a big deal -- I've really procrastinated on getting them done, and this will be the LAST time I offer to do a favor like that for someone. I wasn't expecting 11, and I wasn't expecting them to be so large - about 50" square. 

Life is all about learning lessons. 

And I learned another lesson yesterday. When I was younger, I was fortunate enough to participate in a youth program called Katimavik. I didn't know the program was still active! I actually met my first DH during that program, and because of him, I ended up moving to Quebec and learning French. And set my life on a different path than I thought it would take. 

I can't even remember how many of us were in our group, but let's say about 30. That number seems low - it must have been closer to 50. There were two options that year -- a community civilian option or a military option. I chose the military. Of that group, I've stayed in touch with 6 people - not close, but we've met over the years from time to time, and we have a small messaging group. My plan was to visit three of those people this year. One, I was planning to meet before the wedding. She was the least communicative of us all. 

I learned last night that she passed away at the end of March. No warning to anyone that she was sick - she was looking forward to the visit when we chatted at Christmas. I am meeting another person in Winnipeg during Quilt Canada (she's very chatty), and the third person (my roommate) lives within a thirty-minute drive from me, and I haven't seen her in years!

I need to call her and meet up!! 

It's funny how quickly we lose touch with people, and that's one reason why I love Facebook. Even if you are not having an active conversation with someone, you still feel in touch, although it's at arm's length. And some people, like "Radar" (her real name is Marie), but she was Radar to all of us. She was very troubled and very shy and struggled with a lot of health issues (mental and physical) over the years. RIP Radar! Out! We were in the Communications branch of the Canadian Armed Forces for our youth program, and it was MANY, MANY years ago! 

I have to look for some pictures today as her brother is putting together a memory book. 

Now I have an extra day when I'm in BC, but I think I know what to do! I just have to make some plans. 

I didn't get much done the entire day. Well, that is not correct - I did accomplish things, but not much to show for it. The phone/computer seems to be my constant companion these days. We had a two-hour meeting for Quilt Canada to get things arranged, so that is good. And I've started the process to get some help for my Mom. And thankfully, the first consultation can take place over the phone. But I think we should handle some legal paperwork the next time I return to Saskatchewan, which will be sooner rather than later. So, step one accomplished: make the appointment for the on-phone consult. Step two, which is today, is to try for some kind of appointment for Dad. 

The trees are in full bloom right now, and this is one massive tree we spotted on our morning walk. All those blooms are falling into the driveway, but who cares - it's beautiful. 

Beautiful tree in bloom

The girls were enjoying the sun on the back deck! I don't know how they can stand lying in the sun with their big fur coats on, but they love it! 

MOM -- we're sunbathing! 

Why does anyone have to mess with nature? I went to the grocery store and spotted these multi colored peppers. I believe they called Aloha! While they are pretty, do we really need them? What's wrong with orange, red, or yellow? Hmmm—apparently, they are native to the Netherlands and are yellow and red, with no seeds. OK - now I need to buy one just to check it out. 

Aloha peppers

The good news is that I managed to complete the appliqué on all four houses for the Color My World quilt! Yeah!!!! 

The house blocks are done!

Honestly, it didn't take much time at all, and I'm pretty darn good at it. So I must buckle down and get more appliqué done! This is an invisible machine appliqué, which I stitch with very thin threads and an elongated zigzag, using thread that matches the appliqué; it works very well. 

The appliqué stitches

Quick side trip as I pulled out my photo album for Katimavik! Thank goodness I labeled all the pictures with people's names. Sadly, many of that group have passed. And of the gang of five at high school, two have passed. These people are way too young to die of illness!!!

I'll take a trip down memory lane later this morning and forward to her brother whatever pictures I have of Radar. I think I'll post a few to our group of those still there—loads of good memories! That almost ten-month program was a game-changer in my life. 

Even better news: I finally made some progress on the darn puzzle!! While the border is still missing many pieces, I finally have it more or less in place. I removed all the excess pieces I couldn't find a home for, and everything within the puzzle border is either attached to the border or a section. 

Great progress on the puzzle

There are still a lot of holes, all of which are foliage or sky! So bit by bit, I'll get it together - it's definitely not a fast one and certainly getting my money's worth! I bought this one at the thrift store for at most $7.99, and likely got a discount. 

I also dropped off another donation box yesterday and got another 20% coupon in the event I spot something, and it's not seniors' day. And I went to Best Buy and bought the printer. I spotted the guy I spoke to the other day, and he gave me $20 off. It's better than nothing. I need to get that hooked up today, as I need to print something. 

I also watched more videos and made notes for my upcoming classes this weekend. So, as I mentioned, I got a lot done, but not much to share! 

I'll tell you the story of the cleaning service another day. As I survey the office, it doesn't look that bad, considering there is a sewing machine and an embroidery unit in here, the box from my stick vacuum, which I need to finish unpacking, and a bunch of books that I have to deal with. So even adding in that extra, it's not bad! I am feeling pretty good. Mind you, there are still loads of things to deal with, but it's so much better than it was. 

DH and I started playing the EXIT games again. I'll tell you about that as well. 

On that note, I'm off to the gym for my private spin class. I still can't bear the thought of walking into that room and Josephy not being there. 

Remember, there is a virtual retreat this weekend. Saturday starting at 6 PM, and Sunday starting at 3 PM. 

And just to note - the temperature last night when I went to bed was 30, feeling like 36. Right now, less than 12 hours, it is 13, feeling like 10!!!!! What a change! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Doing what you think you don't like

OH MY --- someone mentioned in the comments about Mary Ellen's book -- "It's OK if you sit on my quilt." Indeed, there were NO quilt police for her! Mary Ellen was quite the spitfire - I heard that from the shop owner where I used to hang out. And definitely, there were no quilt police in Mary Ellen's life. It's a great book. All three of her books that I have (well, technically, now two) are amazing. The amount of detail, flexibility, and freedom she gives is refreshing. 

We need NEW books like that. Books that give you permission to play, meat to sink your teeth into, and not another book filled with patterns. The good stuff came in the old books! Which is why a lot of my books are the old stuff! 

I'm working on the items from the handwritten to-do list. I just can't work with the list on the computer. I have no idea why -- it's just not in my blood, but I'll keep trying. I'm great with audiobooks and ebooks, but not my lists! 

This weekend is the Color My World class, and I still have some appliqué to do on the house blocks I made earlier. I seem to have a mental block about appliqué. I have no idea why. I have a good machine that does great appliqué. I have lots of stitches that work amazingly well for appliqué. The machine has zero issues and is easy to switch between piecing and appliqué, and I have all the proper tools and plenty of thread. But the thought of stitching out appliqué just doesn't sound appealing to me. Why is that? 

Well, I need to get my butt in gear and make this happen, so this morning, when I woke up and lay in bed contemplating what I would do today, that appliqué popped into my head. It's Tuesday, and I need this done by Saturday. 

So I got everything prepped, which took about 1 minute, and then I started. I also connected my audiobook. And before an hour had passed, I had completed all of the fiddly bits and only had seven pieces left to stitch down later this morning. 

Four house blocks that need appliqué stitching

So, can you tell me why it's not my favorite thing to do? All that remains is to stitch the two pieces of tree down (one tree is already stitched in place, which is why there are seven left) on four blocks. Then I'm done and only have this month's homework left to finish. Finish? Who am I kidding - I haven't even started it!

I have other appliqué to do as well, and I really should just leave the machine set up and continue. It's not hard, and I'm good at it! Mindset change!!!!

Yesterday was Monday sewing, and we had a great time. There is a lot to be said for being close to an amazing and extremely supportive group of women. What I love about Zoom calls that you will not get in an in-person group is that if you are seeking information (that's me every week), EVERYONE usually has something to offer. While they are listening, they can continue working. This DOES NOT happen in an in-person sewing session. 

While people like to get together in person, and I agree that I like that as well, I will NEVER give up my Zoom calls. Learning to take turns talking, actively listening, and participating is something you will NEVER get in an in-person group. OK—depends on the size of the group. But Zoom? Something very good came from the pandemic. 

A HUGE thank you to the ladies who answered my many questions yesterday; I feel much better about a lot of things. And you know what? People like to share information, and they typically have a ton to share. Some people need a bit more encouragement than others, and I find that the ones who usually talk are happy to talk over the quiet ones. WAIT!!! Let person X respond, since I asked THEIR opinion, not yours! I find I have to do that frequently in the Zoom calls. But it's a "trick" to engage everyone - ask questions. It's not just about YOU! It's about everyone! I don't always do a good job, but I try. I think that's why every casual Zoom call requires a moderator to keep the conversation going and to encourage everyone to participate. 

While they were chatting and answering questions, I had something important to work on. 

M is getting married in just over three weeks! Oh my --- how did that date come up so quickly? And she is following the tradition of something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. We also added the phrase about the penny for the shoe. And thanks to Jane, who found a penny for the year she was born. 

She had taken care of everything, but needed something old. I couldn't think of anything, but she remembered this little pinafore that I made for her when she was tiny! We have a family photo of her in the dress. She drooled on the embroidery in the yoke, and I don't think she ever wore it again. It's been hanging in the closet for 30 years. I'll take a picture of the dress, which doesn't have quite so much work on it. 

Pinafore for the dress

The dress and pinafore went out to BC with a friend of hers and then came back. She asked if she could use the lace along the bottom to wrap her bouquet in. At first, I was resistant, and then seriously! I gave my head a shake. If she remembers this dress from when she was a babe, the least I can do is let her use the lace. I must remember to learn from my mom what not to do! 

As we chatted yesterday, I attacked the bottom of the ruffle using the seam ripper. 

Time for some ripping

Not wanting that lace to ever come off, there were two rows of stitches - of course, there were, and because of the ruffle, there was almost 4 meters of lace. OK -- it's technically eyelet trim, not lace. I had staystitched the bottom of the ruffle, then stitched the trim onto the bottom of the ruffle, and then topstitched it in place. 

That's a lot of stitching.

It took FOUR hours to carefully remove the trim, but it's off! I just have to remove all the threads from the trim and give it a good press. Amazing how much it has yellowed in thirty years in a dark closet. I'm not washing it -- that's the concept of OLD! I must try to find a new picture of her in the dress - the one that's been sitting in the living room for 30 years is quite faded. 

The trim is off the pinafore.

If the trim comes back in good condition, I can restitch it to the ruffle. Why? I don't know because who the heck would ever dress their kid in a dress like that? Unless it's for a photo! Perhaps if she has a girl someday........ But mission accomplished. Now I have to resize a bowtie for Bear, and I'm waiting for scraps of wedding-dress fabric to arrive so I can make a ring-bearer pillow. 

I'm waiting for my outfit to arrive, as I broke down and just ordered one online. I have to rent a car, check the Hullo ferry schedule, and then I'm done with my wedding plans! 

I also completed another community project quilt! 

Community project quilt - number 5 of 11 - done!

I'll be very happy to get these done, but I also have another grouping of ten of my quilts slated for community projects, and I need to dive into those. I must make some kind of dent in the pile this year, or I'll never get them finished. 

It's definitely a treat to work on something where the backing has already been prepared. But I'd better learn to "like" that task, because there are about 250 community project quilts with ZERO backing or binding. Yippee!!!!

Here was the quote in my tea the other day. OH!!!!

A great quote to live by

I cannot express this fact often enough, and we need to encourage people (quilters) or any other person to embrace this philosophy. We NEED to make mistakes, we need to fail, we need to embrace all those so-perceived negative things. Because if we become used to the negative things, we don't feel bad when something really bad happens. We will have developed coping mechanisms to get over it. Today, the youth do not have those abilities (not all), and it's hard for them when something goes wrong, and they develop anxiety! 

Can you imagine being shielded from failure all your life, and then going out into the world and facing failure for the first time as an adult? You'll have a meltdown! 

The section in The Celestine Prophecy I am currently reading is about children, encouraging them to grow, and giving them your full attention. OH boy -- if the author could see the world today, where parents are walking their children to school, and the parent is on the phone. Why are other people on the phone more important than the little one in front of you? 

I really think this book could be rewritten as a "self-help" type book. Outline the nine principles and forget the story. Although the story helps illustrate each of the nine principles. Actually, when you look at it from that perspective, the storyline is pretty clever. While the storyline is so contrived, I'm enjoying the book and really, really believe in these nine principles. It's about self-awareness, energy, and how to get it, and living in harmony with each other and the planet. But I'm curious why the author feels it necessary to give each character the main character meets an age?  

Perhaps I'd better take the lesson from the dealing with children section and apply it to Murphy. I was on the phone for quite a bit yesterday and sat in the gazebo to make the calls. 

Of course, she wanted it to be all about her! And this was her adoring face, only because I took her ball away from her! 

Mom - give me the ball, I'll be good! I'm a good girl!

It's almost like the instant I sat down, she grabbed a ball and threw it into the pond. Her acts are so intentional that you can't help but smile. But then, when I don't pay attention to her, she barks! And she doesn't like to be disciplined, won't be quiet, and you can't catch her. Indeed, one very naughty girl! 

MOM - the pond is a magnet for the ball!

At one point, she finally got the message that we were not playing ball, and she lay like this - staring at the ball. 

MOM - My ball is beautiful!

If the ball comes close enough to the edge, she can pick it out. But it's more fun to have someone throw the ball! 

The rabbits in our neighborhood are pretty bold. They hang out along the walk, and for the most part, Murphy can contain herself, but she can get hysterical. Lexi just wants to play with them. 

The rabbits are bold in our neighborhood.

After dinner, I attempted to work on the jigsaw puzzle. While my butterflies and birds are more together, I'm still a long way from being finished. I need to start moving those pieces into the proper position in the puzzle. I love having the puzzle on the end of the table like this because I can swing my chair around and work from THREE sides! All the pieces are on those boards, which are out of the way. But notice how many pieces I have lying in the puzzle. And I can't find homes for them. Yet............

Progress on the puzzle

This morning, as I walked by (the puzzle is too big to be completely covered by the boards), I noticed that I'm getting a lot of work done in the bottom-left corner. Notice how the corner is floating; it's not connected to the left or bottom border! 

A floating corner!

The cleaning ladies are coming today, so there are a few things I haven't finished (sorting books I don't want), and I must take care of them this morning. It's a good thing to have a cleaning service because it forces you to deal with the "junk" that has accumulated since they last came by! 

I'll have to tell you the story of the cleaning lady another day! I have a few things to put in the garage so they can be packed in the car for the upcoming quilt retreat, and I have things in the kitchen which will get plunked into the office, which is why the office is never clean and tidy! One day!!!!

There is a virtual retreat this weekend. Saturday evening, starting at 6 PM, and Sunday, starting at 3 PM. I'll post the links later this week, but in the meantime, you can add that to your calendar if you want to attend. It throws the Zoom security computer into a tizzy if I post the links on a public blog! Remember what I said about our Monday Zoom -- the information sharing and the way it makes you realize you are not alone in any aspect of your life are priceless. 

And on that happy note, I'm off to tidy up a bit and get a LOT of items checked off the to-do list. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

One step forward and another item added to the to-do list!

Should I say "be careful what you wish for?" We went from winter to high summer overnight! Yesterday was a blistering hot day with lots of sun! What a change, and I think we have heat today and tomorrow, and then back to mid-teens! That's OK -- it's nice to walk around in shorts and sweat!

It was an interesting day, and for some reason, I decided it was important to spend time gardening, which was NOT on my to-do list. But that's OK. It's stuff that needed to be done. 

First, let me give you an update on the HST situation at my house.

I managed to finish all the HSTs for my two winter quilts. And I kept trimming one of the other groups of the enders and leaders. When I was finished with the HSTs for the quilts, this is what remained of the scrap group. 

Hmmm - almost finished the scrap group of HSTs

I continued on until this small group was done. And NO - it did not work out evenly in groups of four, there was one extra. But no worries, this group is trimmed, and it's already stored in the scrapbin for the HSTs of that size. 

The group of HSTs is done!

I had some time to kill this morning, so I grabbed the next grouping and started on that. 

The next group of HSTs to trim

I got a fair number done, which is great. I've never been this productive (proactive) with these HSTs before. Once this group is complete, there are a few I've recently pieced together, and there is one more group I need to dig out, which I think is in the retreat bag for next week. 

Working on the next group of HSTs

And I accomplished ONE block (of eight) for the winter quilts. It represents a poinsettia. This is what all those HSTs were for. 

One block (of eight) for the winter quilts

And as promised, here are the two quilts. I need to finish the applique on the sledding block, complete the remaining seven poinsettia blocks, and after that, there are two remaining blocks - bells and flying geese. Then I need to find some border fabric and the backing. I'm making progress! 

Progress on the two winter quilts

I've decided this will be my UFO, and I hope to continue with the two summer quilts to complete two sets of the four seasons. It would be silly to only do three. 

I pulled the fall and spring quilts from the "to be quilted" pile, and they are now in the current quilting queue. I only have two customer quilts to do, and I have a group (5) for which I need to do some serious learning on my long-arm (computer-based), so I'm able to work on a few of mine. 

Two spring and two fall quilt tops to be quilted

Speaking of customer quilts, here is the one I did yesterday. Both KU and I want to steal this one. It's a scrappy log cabin, and it's just gorgeous! I have one more for the same customer, which I'll do tomorrow. Today, it's all about another community project quilt. 

Customer quilt - DONE

It's funny how trees bloom. Why is there one patch of different colored blooms on this tree?  

A curiosity of nature

I took a look at my lilac bushes, and they are just starting to bloom. They'd better bloom before I leave next week! They are a different species from the ones I spotted the previous day. 

My lilacs are behind!

Right after lunch, I had some car errands to run, so I got and left the house with a mental list of all the stops. I had to buy dog food, and because of the other things I was buying, I had to put the bags on the front seat. And I needed to fasten the seat belt because the car thought there was someone in the front seat. 

The bags of dog food are seat-belted in!

I spotted this at the pet store. A nice shady spot for the dog. I doubt my girls would use that - there is plenty of shade in the backyard at any given time. But if you are camping, then this could be an important part of the dog's camping gear. 

Camping gear for dogs

I was at the hardware store, and I spotted these scrub sponges. I've heard of them and always wanted one. Now I have one. What will I scrub with it? No idea yet, but I'm sure something will come to mind. It's pretty coarse!

My new scrubber!

I also stopped at Best Buy because we need a new printer. The heads weren't clean when I tried to print, and, in fact, because the entire printer head mechanism had been exposed overnight, it didn't really want to print at all. I'm tired of dealing with that printer, so it's time to get a new one. As I entered the store, I spotted signs saying the systems were down. Yep—you couldn't buy anything, and you couldn't access the website! 

Well, I spotted lots of employees around, so I took advantage of the situation and grabbed the printer guy. He and I had a great chat about what I really needed for a printer. He was trying to sell me the $59 printer, but I really like the top feeder for scanning (not that I do a lot) and the enclosed paper tray. It just looks neater. So that one costs a bit more. He told me to come back on Tuesday, and he would give me a deal since I was unable to buy yesterday. 

Then I was off to my last stop—the hardware store, where I bought 10 bags of mulch for the backyard. I had done some weeding in the morning, and while the mulch doesn't completely stop the weeds, it does help, and it tidies up the yard. We have no grass, so the mulch is important. I have yet to mulch the entire backyard in one season, and some areas need it more than others. 

I bought the bags and had someone load them in the car for me. 

Here's a tip: when you are at the hardware store and need to buy bags of dirt, mulch, or whatever. Take a picture of the SKU and then pay for the quantity at the cash register. Take the receipt outside, drive your car up to the appropriate stack, and load the number of bags into the car. 

As I was there for my second load, a couple were loading heavy bags of soil into a shopping cart. I don't think they looked too pleased when they saw me put the bags directly into my car. It was taking them forever, and then they had to wheel it in the store and then out to their car. My way (and most people's) is a lot less work. 

When I got home, I had choices about how to get the bags into the backyard. I dug out the wheelbarrow only to find the tire was flat, and that wasn't going to work. I tried to pump up the tire, but the sidewall was shot, so that wasn't going to work either. I carried the ten bags one at a time to the backyard. 

I had to go back for more mulch, and I also bought a new tire for the wheelbarrow. The staff had to search high and low for the one tire that was spotted in inventory, and it required a big step ladder to reach it. The box looked like it had been through a war, and I wasn't sure it was the correct size, but it looked right. 

Back home after getting twenty more bags of mulch. This time, I had to load all twenty in the car myself. The guy who was supposed to help was helping others. No big deal - that was my workout of the day. 

And within a few minutes after grabbing a wrench, I had the old tire off and the new tire on. 

Changing the wheelbarrow tire

The new one was slightly larger than the original, so I had to rotate the front bar a bit to accommodate it. But now I was in business, and I could put three bags at a time into the wheelbarrow. 

The spiffy new tire!

And before I knew it, all 30 bags were now in the backyard. 

10 bags of cedar mulch

20 bags of brown mulch

Phew -- that feels good, and I need to get outside and do some more weeding with the hoe and then lay down the mulch. I think it's also time to clean out the shed again. Most of the junk is gone, but it's funny how stuff accumulates. 

Then, since I was all sweating and feeling strong, I decided to bring one of the tabletops from the garage into the house. OH!!! That is a solid piece of wood measuring 30" by 60", and it is HEAVY!!! I managed to get it into the house and to the top of the stairs. 

Then there was the task of sliding it down the stairs while still in its box. Hmmm -- I should have removed the pictures from the wall because everything was going great until one fell off. 

Ooops --- one picture is gone!

The fall broke the frame, but not the glass. Well, I suspect, it's not real glass. Yep -- one step forward, which created a new item to add to the to-do list! I had to glue part of it together last night, and I'll try to rescue the frame later today. I think it's very repairable. Sounds like my clean the oven story!

The broken frame

The table top is downstairs, but I was a bit tired at this point, so I left it and hope to work on it later today. 

The solid-wood tabletop is downstairs!

All that hard work deserved a reward. 

My reward for all the hard labor

Then it was back in the house to get some quilting done, which you already saw. 

There isn't a day that goes by that Murphy doesn't entertain us in some way. She has created her own mud pit by the pond. There is some water overflow in this mostly shaded area, and she thinks it is her area. I bought a bag of dirt to place there, and then I'll top it with mulch. She is ripping up the lillies, so I have to replant some of them today. But that girl loves the mud! 

MOM - I claim this space as MINE! 

But she also likes to sit up near the fence in the shade! 

And this area is mine as well!

When I went to the pet store, I bought them some treats. Lexi gets soft bones as she won't chew on anything. While Murphy gets a chew bone. She was NOT happy to chew that thing yesterday and managed to dig several holes in the backyard while she tried to find a spot for it. Sigh.......

MOM - I'm saving this for another day!

And where is Lexi in all this? She is happy to just hang out under the table, hoping for a scrap of food. Let's say that the other side of the family has created dogs that beg! And it drives me mad! 

MOM - I'm not begging! I'm just cute!

What's the fish situation? Well, I keep digging at the debris at the bottom of the pond, and I'm dying to get that rock off the bottom -- you can see it on the right. PLUS, there are two huge roots from the lilies that are just hanging in the water, and I want them gone. How to get them? Either I lie on my tummy and reach in, or I step in to do the job. Hmmm -- both ways are going to be icky. I must just pick one and get it done! 

By the way, I'm using the fish net to grab the debris from the bottom of the pond. 

However, I have now spotted six of the seven fish. The last one is still very shy, and perhaps we have seen it, but only seen six together. They seem to be doing very well and were happy to enjoy the sun. They don't scatter when they see a shadow quite as quickly as they did on the first day they arrived. 

Six of seven fish

As for the puzzle? Oh my gosh -- this is the hardest one I've done to date. 

A tough jigsaw puzzle

I have bits and pieces of birds, butterflies, and dragonflies all over the place. You would think it would be easy, but it's quite the challenge, and the border is still not done! 

I must say, I felt very strong all day, and my legs were very happy, which made me happy. But I had a rather sad conversation with my Mom, whose days living independently are sadly going to end, and soon, if we don't get some additional help. I hope to look into it tomorrow. But let her story be a lesson to you all. If you do NOT use your body, you will lose your strength (both upper and lower), and then you will be at the mercy of someone in a nursing home to get you to the washroom on time. OK—you will be wearing a diaper. 

Stay active, and I'm not talking running a marathon. I'm talking about buying a few small weights, sitting in your chair, and while you watch TV, lift those damn weights. I don't care how much it hurts! Lift them EVERY DAY!!! And make sure you walk, or do those stand-up/sit-down exercises. You do NOT want to be my Mom. 

I have learned so much from her, and it's mostly what NOT to do in life. Even though there are days when my legs feel like lead, I get out and walk because I refuse to let old age and frailty rob me of my freedom! I can walk slowly, but I can still walk! And it's not all that bad as I make it sound! There are just some good and bad days. I strongly believe that all my issues are caused by two things - sciatic nerve damage and damaged tendons! 

And on that happy note, I'm out of here to walk the girls! 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!