Jigsaw puzzles and bridges!

Oh—of course—I MUST walk or cycle over the Gordie Howe Bridge—how silly of me to think I should drive a car. That would be a waste. If I walk or cycle, I can go slowly, stop, look, and take pictures. I must give my head a shake on that one!! 

And if you are interested in other bridges, here are pictures of the Jacque Cartier Bridge in Montreal, which I have driven over countless times. It seems that it was also built from both sides. 

The Jacque Cartier Bridge in Montreal

That bridge was built from 1925 to 1930. So yes—even way back in the day, how the heck did they figure out how to make the bridge meet in the middle? I know it was the wonders of engineering and all that, but it still amazes me. 

Someone sent me that picture -- I won't mention names. But THANK YOU. 

Here is a picture of the entire bridge. It goes over a lot of water to connect Montreal (an island) and the south shore. Two other islands are involved in this bridge: Île Sainte-Hélène and Île Notre-Dame.  

Jacques Cartier Bridge

Imagine quilting a quilt, starting at the top and the bottom, and hoping it meets in the middle. Slightly different medium, but still! 

OH MY GOSH -- who the heck is above me because they love to stomp in the morning!

And look at those jigsaw puzzles. Not only do we find them in garden shops and pharmacies, besides all the usual places for gifts, but now in a WINERY!!!! I think this person is in BC. Jigsaw puzzles are everywhere! 

Jigsaw puzzles spotted in a winery

I have previously mentioned that jigsaw puzzles were "invented" around 1760 by a cartographer. Jigsaw puzzles really took off in the United States around 1907-1910, then in Europe a year later. 

In the 1930s, jigsaw puzzles became popular again because they were a cheap form of entertainment for people who didn't have much money. 

And of course, the pandemic, which kept many people at home, is the reason jigsaw puzzling became so popular again. Competitive puzzling also started to be a thing in 2019. 

As we always say—what comes around goes around. I'm sure at some point jigsaw puzzling will fall out of favor, only to be brought back again sometime in the future. It's pretty fascinating, and you can read more about the history of jigsaw puzzling at this Wikipedia link. 

Oh my --- near the end of the day yesterday, I decided to wander away from the booth, and I got only as far as the second booth before I stopped for something. I took pictures, and I'll support the booth by buying the product I saw. It will work well in a class of mine, but I also realized that I have the same product at home in a different form. OH - and I was going to give that away! Isn't that what our mothers always told us—don't throw that away; you may need it for something. So I can go home and dig that out. 

So sorry—no picture of that until I share it with the class. And in the same booth, I spotted the cutest pattern, which I think I can make on my own, or I might buy it so I don't have to figure the darn thing out. It depends on what else I spot; in the same booth, I also saw some quilted jacquard that would make a beautiful lightweight jacket. The problem is that I already have material to make jackets, and I haven't made them yet!!!!

Here's a photo of the quilted jacquard. It's beautiful, but do I need it? 

Quilted jacquard

Here is the best-of-show quilt designed and made by Collette Dumont. 

Best of Show by Colette Dumont

The workmanship on this quilt is stunning, and I have no idea how many hours it took her to complete, but it's a work of art. The center, outlined by the darker blue below, is all lacy with fabric appliqués and thread lace. She has used machine and hand embroidery. It's exquisite. 

And here is the border - sorry, the pink and black behind it is another quilt - I will try to get a better picture. 

The border

Wouldn't you say that that yellow border is tatted? Yes—I just checked the label, and it is needle-tatted. 

So the quilt is exquisite in its workmanship. And you may consider me uncouth to say this, but I don't like the colors. For some reason, the teal and the darker blue are jarring to me. And the yellow? I love blue, white, and yellow quilts, but I think the teal doesn't cut it for me. 

I always tell people that if you dislike something, you should identify what you don't like, and I realize it's the teal. My eye is not happy with that color. So I appreciate the workmanship; I'm not a fan of the colors. 

I went to the washroom, and this threw me for a loop. The entire wall of stalls has advertising on it! It's all about WATER, which is very appropriate in the bathroom. 

Advertising on the washroom stalls

Coincidences are just too uncanny these days. Am I tuned into something? I was walking yesterday morning and wondered if I would see any Quebec flags, as this province is very patriotic, and BANG—within a minute, there was a flag. It was the only flag I spotted on my entire walk. 

A Quebec flag

I seemed to have "failed" on photos yesterday. The flag was flying, but not when I took the picture. I got the pink background in Collette's quilt. I shall try harder today!! LOL. 

I NEVER work on my personal projects at any show, but I decided to bite the bullet and work on this quilt, which I need to get quilted. It's been hanging around on the sample table far too long. 

Using the embroidery machine to custom quilt my quilt

So I set it up in the metal hoop, but the design fit EXACTLY, and I didn't have the time or patience to make that happen, so I moved to the MAGNETIC hoop, which is bigger, and it was a piece of cake. OK -- I confess I LOVE LOVE LOVE that large magnetic hoop. I have already sent my order to the R&D team; they need more sizes. We want more!!! And let me say that all the positioning tools on the PFAFF creative icon 3 (and on other machines as well) make this process so simple. We can scan the hoop, move the hoop with the projection, project the design right onto our fabric, achieve exact positioning (now with scaling - creative icon 3 only), and there is no end to the level of precision we can accomplish. 

Our group went out for dinner last night, and the place we went to gave us popcorn instead of bread. I like that idea, and it did NOT stay on the table long. 

Popcorn snack before dinner

Then I had an apple and chicken salad, which was to die for. The vinaigrette was quite spicy, and it was very good. I'd have that again in a heartbeat. 

OK -- I must tell you about my dream. I had woken up a bit early, but went back to sleep since I didn't really need to be up. I was somewhere, and someone called me out because my embroidery piece (to me, it seemed I was making a Noah's Ark machine embroidery piece, but I can't be certain) wasn't politically correct. I think the premier of my province was there, and I don't know who else, and they didn't like the wording on the project. 

Needless to say, I wasn't happy, and when I woke up with the issue unresolved, I thought I needed to just grab the project and RUN!! What are they going to do? Put me in jail? What jumbled thoughts produced that dream? It was so vivid when I woke up! 

An update on the rib thing. Someone mentioned that it might be costochondritis, which is like an inflammation of the ribs and can be caused by trauma - i.e heavy compression on my back when lying on my tummy. It sounds exactly like what I have, and it explains why the X-ray came back negative. This is the same thing that can happen when you have a major coughing fit, and you think you have broken/cracked ribs, but in fact, you have costochondritis. Who knew!! 

So it is better, and I even contemplated NOT taking any meds last night, but decided that it wasn't worth letting the pain get ahead of me. So meds it is. Heat and/or cold is a good treatment, and I didn't do any of that, so that will just take longer to heal. 

It's time to get moving - I need to get out for my walk, and so far, I'm doing OK on the eating healthy, and I feel so much better for it!! We went to the grocery store in the morning and bought salads for lunch, and I even bought bran muffins for my snack - just like at home. I really need to start making my own to cut out the sugar! But not right now. I need to get the darn oven fixed. 

It's going to be a glorious day!!!

Ciao!!!

Teach someone a new craft today!!!

OH MY GOSH!!!! If you didn't see it, you need to read the comment about yesterday's fire alarm. It's hilarious!!! I bet those firemen had a story to tell when they got home. I'll be chuckling about that one all day. 

And yes—we could turn around and sell our quilts, but it isn't worth it. I do try to find good homes for them, and I should be doing a whole lot more of that this coming winter. I have many that are the appropriate size for Project Linus, and I should just go forth, dig them out, and donate them. 

If I have grandbabies, they will get a quilt made especially for them. So the rest can be donated, and there are so many that never get used for anything - no trunk show, no pictures for a class- so they really don't need to be filling up space at my house. Some will work for Quilts of Valor, too. The great quilt purge!

Trust me, I've done some of that, but there's still so much to get rid of. It's time to get it done now. Well, not now, of course, since I'm not home, but I have lots of decluttering to do. When we are ready to move, I'm hoping that all the "heavy lifting" will be done. Heavy lifting isn't just about weight - it's about deciding what to keep and what to throw. But honestly, I think we are good. The ONLY things I want from the kitchen are my two china mugs. I don't care one iota about the rest. 

OK—I don't get it, but I called the doctor yesterday, and they said the X-ray is negative. So no cracks, no breaks, no dislocations. How the heck can that be? I am feeling better, but still taking Tylenol so I can function. Can I have a bruise that bad? Can compression alone cause it? It doesn't really matter since nothing will be done with it, but I find it hard to believe. Life goes on, and I just need to be careful, and all will be good. 

But it makes you laugh when you see the movies, and they have those huge fights. Bruises, broken bones, and yet they still keep going. OK -- they are tougher than I am! But I guess it's also adrenaline, and let's not forget it's a flipping movie!! Those actors are invincible! 

I have contemplated many times going to a naturopath to discuss supplements and such. What I'm afraid of is becoming "addicted" to the naturopath and following some crazy regimen of taking so many supplements and following a strict timeline, etc. We had a short discussion on that subject while we were setting up the booth. But if I am going to take supplements, I would like them to work properly. 

It's absolutely HILARIOUS and spooky at the same time, but yesterday we were talking about magnesium. When to take it and with what. And guess what? A post came up this morning on Facebook talking exactly about that. Now that's spooky because when I discussed this yesterday, our phones were nowhere near us. They were under a table in the booth. Creepy!!! And I did NOT search on any search engine! 

Speaking of creepy, I'm reading a book about the haunted locations in Niagara-on-the-Lake, which was the scene of the War of 1812 and, of course, if you are familiar with history, a very bloody battle that lasted longer than one year took place there. Lots of creepy things, and who are we to say that ghosts do or do not exist? The book is called Ghosts of Niagara-on-the-Lake by Maria Da Silva and Andrew Hind. 

They have many ghost tours in the area, especially around Halloween, which means they are monetizing the ghosts, but who cares. I told DH we should go. I don't think I would have the courage! Even some of the high-end hotels have ghosts. Great—that's all I could think about if I stayed there. I wouldn't sleep a wink! It's the same as when I read all about the ghosts in New Orleans, but would I actually have the courage to step inside one of those haunted buildings? 

OH—if you click the header on that link above, there are other towns in that area with ghost tours. I did NOT know that. 

I'll just make pretty haunted buildings with my embroidery machine! I'm a wimp!

I haven't been walking the huge distances like I have in the past. I think it was too much for my body, especially since I wasn't doing any recovery (stretching) afterward, but that doesn't stop me from walking, and my goal is 10,000 steps a day, which is sometimes a challenge when I am not home. 

So I headed out in the morning before breakfast and found a bike path across the street. There is a large polytechnic school across the road, and the path is probably because of that. I thought this was neat, as there is a bike repair post if anyone needs it. That's handy!! And a portapotty as well. 

A bike repair post on the bike path

I was nearing the hotel and spotted this on the school lawn. 

An adult jungle gym - it's called the Bamboo Jungle.

And there are instructions posted as well. It's kind of like a jungle gym for big kids. So when there is loads of testosterone to get rid of, they should be heading here! There is a climbing structure behind it. I wonder if people even use these two structures? Both would be great exercises. I didn't even try—I don't need to be silly at this point in my life, and not with a bruised rib. 

The instructions on how to use it

Here is our booth at Salon Quebec. We did a pretty good job of hanging the quilts quickly along the wall, and there are MANY sewing and embroidery machines in that booth. One of the dealers came by and said it looked just like a store! And it is just like a store. We have so many samples that the booth is exploding. It's a lot for someone to take in, and we debate it every time—how many samples is too many? But how can you appreciate these machines (and their price) if you don't see all that they can do? And even for the sewing part, we want people to leave our booth INSPIRED, even if they don't buy a machine. 

The Husqvarna Viking side of the booth

The picture above is the Husqvarna Viking side, and the one below is PFAFF, with Singer in the middle. 

The PFAFF side of the booth

I didn't take pictures of the Singer machines, but they are pretty cute. And they sew very well - they just don't have all the bells and whistles of the larger machines. I LOVE that they are simple, light, and easy to thread and sew! 

And in light of yet another post that showed up on my feed, sewing is definitely making a comeback. Imagine if the entire world took up a creative craft of some kind. Wow—people would be happier, and the world would be a better place. 

YES -- sewing is making a comeback

So if you have anyone in your family who mentions they want to learn to knit, crochet, sew, or whatever odd craft comes to mind, BUY or find them the tools if you can, or teach them. Be patient, be kind, be encouraging. If knitting isn't their thing, maybe crochet will work better. I've worked with entry-level sewing machines a few times this past month, and I love that they are light and can be packed up in a heartbeat! 

And wait until you see the NEW small, very reasonably priced embroidery machine that operates through a smart device/internet. If you want to get away from technology, this probably isn't the machine for you, but it's very cool. That one is called the Singer 9120 and retails in the three figures. It's an EMBROIDERY machine. That's crazy!!!! This is a link from a US dealer who attended the Global Sewing Summit, and it explains it a bit better than I can in words. Here is a longer video from Singer if you want more information. 

Last week, when I was talking to my parents about the eventuality of a nursing home, my dad, like most parents, wasn't a fan. He was visiting someone recently, and as he looked around, he saw people who did nothing all day. And he is right. 

But then I told him something that I think is profound. I told him that he and Mom are very special people, not just because they're my parents. Even though they have health issues, they are active. Mom still crochets and reads; Dad uses the computer all the time and goes to "work" at the Museum. Mom also makes cards and sends them to all of us multiple times a year. They are doing things. 

I said that the people who end up in a nursing home or even a retirement home do NOTHING all day at home. So they lose brain function and end up doing nothing when they get to a retirement or nursing home. OH—they had a totally different view after that. I know that simplifies the situation, but you know what I mean. 

One of their worries was what would Mom do when she gets to the nursing home. She will go because of physical limitations, not because her brain has gone. She will be allowed to crochet, and of course, will be able to read, so she is set. 

But many people do not have a hobby, and work is the only thing they know. When you retire - then what? I can't imagine how boring a life that would be. I don't think I'll have that problem. There is just too much I want to do in life and not enough time. 

You have heard me mention the Gordie Howe International Bridge a couple of times. This bridge connects Windsor, Ontario (Canada) to Detroit, Michigan (US). While I have seen the bridge in person a couple of times, it was still under construction. Then the bridge was ready to be opened, and a few snafus arose. But the bridge is finally open (end of July, 2026), and LOOK!!!! Someone drove (well - I think they were in the passenger seat) and took this picture. That bridge is stunning!!!!!! THANK YOU for the picture -- you know who you are!!!! I really appreciate it when people take pictures of things I can't get to!!!! 

The view from the Gordie Howe International Bridge

Since engineering is not my thing, I find it absolutely fascinating that they started building that bridge from both sides of the Detroit River and it met in the middle! How absolutely cool is that? 

One day, I'll have to drive across the bridge. 

I'm also trying extremely hard to eat healthy on this and all future trips. I don't do well with a lot of bread, so I'm aiming for salads and just PLAIN food. I don't need sauces and I don't need complicated. I just want plain. We are stopping at the grocery store this morning to get a salad or something that is already prepped. 

Well, it's time to get the day moving. I want to get out for a walk and then meet my colleagues for breakfast. The award ceremony is this morning at 9 AM, and we have wandered through the show to and from the booth, and there are some AMAZING quilts. I MUST get out and take pictures to share with my Monday Sewing group. 

It's going to be an amazing day!!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Think before you Monetize!!!!

OH MY GOSH - I love the story about the chipmunks storing nuts in the car. Those little devils!!!! And YES - I need to change my search engine - old habits die hard!!! I MUST try and remember!!! Perhaps a sticky note on my computer—that will remind me!!!!

Guess what? While I can buy that puzzle I wanted online, someone taking the ferry this week just offered to buy it for me on the ferry. That will have so much more meaning to me than buying it online. Thank you!!!! I'm taking that person up on their offer. I'm excited, and I will get to see the gift shop without being there, as they were instructed to take a photo! Now I can take the seaplane across to the island. It's much faster! 

You have to love the trusted circle of friends. And yes—if you want something out there, we all know there are one or two that will do that whether you want them or not. That's where you can have some fun, but I won't go there this morning!

Gosh—so quick on the return of that other flight, I had another travel day!! 

For those of you who are not familiar, there are four levels of self-driving on a Tesla. The most aggressive is called Mad Max. Well, that was my Uber driver yesterday. He was pretty efficient and slightly aggressive, even though he was driving his Tesla manually. We were scheduled to arrive at the airport at 9:07; however, he managed to shave 4 minutes off that time, and it's only a 30-minute drive. Well, 30 with no traffic, and it was rush hour!

And I really, really wanted to touch the roof of that car. I don't know the model, but the roof is completely glass and looks very celestial, and the join between the roof and the top of the walls looks very surreal. Next time -- I'll touch it!! 

Before I left the house, I managed to clear my puzzle table, and there is the next puzzle. This one is for October, so I'm ready when I get home. 

The puzzle table is clear.

I also did one of those quick jobs before I left. I spotted this tote bag that had been embroidered many months ago, and at the time I had to open the side of the bag to stitch it out. Well, I decided it would be a great sample to have with me - not only because of the time of year, but also because we have a NEW embroidery hoop for the free arm, where I could have done this WITHOUT opening the bag. The new PFAFF free-arm hoop (200 by 260). So the seam got finished, and one more thing off the messy tables in Studio B. Yeah, me!!!!

My trick-or-treat bag

By the way -- the white is actually glow-in-the-dark thread! 


So while the drive to the airport was quick, the darn security line was a mess. There was hardly anyone there, but they were replacing the machines, so we had to use a different line, and I have no idea why it took so long. OH -- we had to remove our laptops from our bags, but still. It just seemed to take a long time. 

The skyline from the Uber car

I met up with my colleagues for a chat while we waited to board. Traveling with them is extremely stressful. Some of them get to the airport VERY EARLY, and then I feel like I'm late. I'm not!! Then I ran to Tim's to get in line for tea. What? There was NO lineup. This is unheard of. So I quickly got a tea and then boarded the plane. 

No line at Tim's

I got upgraded, but so did one of my colleagues, and we were sitting beside each other! So of course, I talked her ear off, and she probably just wanted to sleep. We had lots of time to talk, since we were pulled off into the deicing area and made to wait for almost an hour. I feel pretty lucky because that's the first time that's happened to me. Something to do with not getting a gate in Montreal, but usually we get to Montreal before we know there is a problem. 

Waiting in the deicing area 

This is the Montreal scene on the plane screens. I used to work at the spot where the picture was taken. This was the view I had from my window before our department was moved into the branch where the robbery took place. I ate lunch there many times. 

Place d'Armes

And then we arrived in Montreal. 

Montreal airport

I heard that getting to the car rental was a bit of an ordeal, and OH MY GOSH --- you had to walk for a very long time under the terminal and out the other side, and who knows exactly where we walked, but we finally got to a shuttle bus and then got dropped off. It's a bit of a zoo, to be sure!!!! Why couldn't the shuttle bus pick up at the terminal, as if we were getting a taxi? I have no idea, but if you have luggage or mobility issues, it's a huge problem. Thankfully, I got a cart so I didn't have to manhandle two suitcases that distance. I am being wise with my decisions these days. I'm feeling just fine - but taking it easy. 

  

At last on the shuttle bus

And we finally got to the hotel, where I noticed I am now Elite Gold. Only to realize from my colleagues that I am just the second level; there are two more above me!!! Oh well -- it doesn't matter. 

Elite Or level

Then we zipped over to the Salon Quebec location, found our booth, and did some minimal setup. Mostly, we got the tables in order and figured out which quilts needed to be hung first thing this morning. We have all day today to set up. All the show quilts were hung—the ladies and their helpers are extremely efficient. 

Here is the sneak peek I forwarded to my Monday sewing group. They were not impressed!!! 

Sneak peek at the Salon Quebec quilt show.

OK -- I hope I don't get into trouble with this next posting, but I stole it from M's Facebook page. 

Madeline Frances (on Facebook)

I AGREE with her 100%. EVERYONE is attempting to monetize their social media accounts, their hobbies, and their creativity!!!! They make pretty things not for the sake of making pretty things, but so they can make money from it. The competition is fierce, and the pressure is intense. 

I've been writing this blog for many years, and I intentionally chose not to monetize it. I did that for two reasons. First, I write for ME, and I get way more value from the writing than I ever would from money. Secondly, I had no idea how widespread my blog would go, and I still don't because I don't check the analytics. I write for me and only me, but the fact that some people found it and follow it—that makes me happy. Your comments and story sharing make me happy. But I want a safe place where you won't be bombarded with ads. Hopefully you don't get that, and I never see anything on the site. 

Just in the world of quilt pattern designers—how many versions of the log cabin do we need? Many designers design pieced animals - I know of four without even searching. And then designers make a fuss that someone ripped off their pattern. Why not enjoy the journey and stop letting the internet run your life? I don't have the answer to that question, but young moms use it to earn money while staying home. Again—I generalized, so don't yell at me—it's a much broader topic than I want to cover here. 

However you work it out - don't just monetize your HOBBY for the sake of making a living. Perhaps you can monetize something else, but not your hobby!!

Quilting is my hobby; however, I do make money in the quilting world, but I don't go above and beyond to monetize what I do. And I have other non-money-making hobbies like reading and puzzles. I will never monetize those. 

Thank goodness the person above me is gone for the day. I swear I always get the heavy walker above me, and they literally stomp, stomp through their morning routine!! Good grief—get a pair of socks on and glide across the floor. LOL -- I was awake anyway. WAIT -- they just came back - they must have been at breakfast!!

WAIT—I forgot to tell you about the fire alarm last night. I was in bed reading and all of a sudden (of course—fire alarms do not ramp up!), the alarm goes off. A brilliant flashing white light filled the room, plus loud beeps and whatever. Hmmmm --- do I get up? I got up and reached for my clothes—I was NOT going to walk in the hallway with no clothes on—I don't care how big the fire is! Good grief—since when am I so modest? It lasted only 30 seconds, and that was it! 

It's going to be a WONDERFUL day!!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Tradeschool or university?

 Although yesterday was our Monday sewing day, I didn't spend much time with the group. I had a doctor's appointment. Why? 

Well, I think I cracked/dislocated/broke a rib. I know—what a silly thing to happen. But the way it happened really worried me. I was at the physio, and I was on my tummy and getting some compressions on my back and POP - I heard something, and I felt something so strong that my leg flew up in the air as a reflex. 

I thought nothing of it until later, when the pain would NOT go away. I totally get that there is nothing to be done about rib issues - you just take meds and wait for it to heal. BUT I am worried that if it was a break or a crack, my bone density is suffering. 

I had an X-ray yesterday and will get results tomorrow. Then I'll book a physical, and I'll get a new bone density test to see if I'm improving with the dreaded medication! I feel OK, but then I'm on Tylenol 3 twice a day, and it's still painful at times. Sleeping is the worst - how do you get yourself up without pain? I have figured it out, so I'm good. 

I tried to book a physical with my doctor yesterday, but I'm not really free until November. I am, but I don't want to deal with it until November. She said it's way too early, and they always have room within days of calling. How many patients does our doctor have? 

The second thing that happened yesterday was this. 

The Odyssey - IMAX 70mm

DH has wanted to go to this movie ever since it was released, and it was extremely challenging to get tickets, especially in IMAX and even harder in IMAX 70 mm. Movies aren't my thing, but with Dillon's help, I got the IMAX 70 mm tickets. I just needed to know when to book them because once they are released, they go quickly, and I am NOT sitting in the second row from this giant screen. The movie is almost 3 hours long, and I was worried. Would I fall asleep? Would I be able to follow the storyline? 

At some point in my life, I read The Odyssey, and I thought they did a great job of portraying the story. The theatre was full, and everyone kept their phones on silent or dark. WHAT????? At one point, I thought I heard the person next to me's phone vibrate, but it wasn't a big deal. There was no pre-show entertainment as with other movies. There was ONE trailer for Dune (we already have tickets in IMAX 70 mm for Christmas Day), and that was it. The movie started. I think some people expected it to start a bit later because a few stragglers arrived after the movie started. 

I have to say that I was OK with the movie. Would it be my first choice? No, but it was a much better experience than I expected. And I think we convinced M to go, as Dillon wants to see the movie again! 

I'm leaving again today and have finalized the rest of my plans for this month - thank goodness for that, and I have a breather between trips. I was so worried about getting home from this trip next week and then taking off immediately. This way, I can space out my homework prep!!! 

I'm sure my groups just roll their eyes - I have dates scheduled, and then I have to change them because my work events change things. I swear scheduling dates, and such is NOT my forte. However, what I had to move were NOT classes people paid for; they are really just opportunities to touch base, so I'm not worried about that. I try very hard to NEVER change a class that they have paid for, but sometimes it happens. 

The two groups involved have already been notified, so if you didn't get a notification, then don't worry. 

Fall is definitely coming. The forest floor is even more littered with acorns. Not all of them seem to be empty -- did the squirrels leave some goodies behind? I spotted a couple of squirrels trying to take some small leafy branches up a tree. Perhaps they felt they needed more insulation in their nest for winter! Wouldn't you love to see one of the squirrel nuteries? 

The ground is littered with acorns.

I am not a fan of squirrels and chipmunks, and I find them becoming quite aggressive. They are crawling all over the roofs of houses trying to find a cheap way to live this winter! They're even more aggressive in our backyard. However, Miss Murphy was on duty yesterday trying to keep them away. 

Mr. Squirrel --- STOP right there! 

She might not be able to run as much as she wants after them, but one big bark should do the trick! I'm very happy to report that we have all settled into a new routine with her. Shorter, more frequent walks, helping her up the stairs, and so on—it's all working out, and hopefully she will continue to be herself for a few more years. Nothing has changed her enthusiasm for life! 

It's kind of like dealing with aging parents. Once you get over the shock that their physical capabilities have changed, then you learn to adapt and move on!!!!

One more sign that fall is close is the trees changing color. I love watching these trees change color, and these ones will become brilliant red. 

Leaves are changing color.

Oh - back to the movie. I splurged on a large bag of popcorn, which I didn't finish because it got very salty toward the end. And I had a bottle of water, which I didn't drink all of so I wouldn't have to go to the bathroom. 

Snacks for the movie

Speaking of the bathroom, here are the tiles at the theatre, just in case you were wondering what they looked like! That could become a quilt, but it has a bit too much black for me; it could be changed!

Tiles in the movie theatre bathroom

Oh my gosh—I spotted this on my social media, and I haven't stopped laughing! Yep—that pretty much sums up my life: I solve all my problems with quilting! 

Too funny!

I seem to be getting a lot of words-of-wisdom-type posts these days, and I'm OK with that. I love this one, which was focused on sewing. 

Mistakes are your friend!!!

I cannot stress enough that almost everything I have learned comes from experimenting (which people are afraid of) and making mistakes (which people are terrified of!). You need to put those emotions away and embrace experimenting and making mistakes. The materials cost for both is minimal. Have you ever thrown out a cake that flopped? What about a plant that died? 

It's kind of like going to university. I think university wasn't about learning facts. It was about learning skills. You learned how to research, write, manage your time, and many other things. YES -- you learned facts, but none of them are relevant today. But knowing how to research and write are lifelong skills. 

EXCEPT in the face of AI, those skills matter less. So why do we go to university? Personally, I think trade school is a far better choice, and while AI can assist in the trades, it cannot take over. Job security? I'd go with a trade! 

Imagine going to school and getting a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a major in marketing. Hmmm—where do you even begin to find a job? And the chances of you keeping that job are likely slim. So then you spend more time looking for another job. 

But let's say you go to school to become a plumber. You are always a plumber! You join the union, you apprentice, and then you are a plumber for life. It doesn't mean you are a big, uneducated oaf, which some people associate with tradespeople. These trade skills are changing because of technology, and the technology they deal with is often more sophisticated than what people who went to university use. 

Do NOT underestimate the power of the trades, nor their knowledge. They are smart—and they earn a very decent salary. If you have someone in your life looking for something in life -- encourage them to learn a trade! For the average person, which most of us are, they will be much better off. 

Office jobs are more likely to be taken over by AI, while trades will be assisted by AI but won't completely disappear. 

It's funny, I was talking to someone who has worked in logistics for many years, and they said that unloading a truck, sorting the packages, getting them on the beltways in the warehouse is NOT something that AI can do. I forgot to ask how big the crew was, but they have up to 30 trailers to unload in a night. Can you imagine? Those are 53-foot-long trailers, by the way! 

Yeah -- the day has come!!!! The Villager puzzle company, which seems to be pumping out puzzles faster than you can count, has released this new one. This puzzle will only be sold on the Villager website OR the gift shop on the BC Ferries. I am so tempted to take the ferry on my next trip just to buy the puzzle that way. I still have time to decide, and you know what? I may do that. It just takes a lot of time to take that darn ferry! 

Cynthia's latest puzzle with Villager

Even better news: this puzzle is artwork by Cynthia Frenette. Cynthia drew the puzzle for M's wedding. I love what she creates, and this puzzle is called Coastal Hiking. How cool is that? I swear - jigsaw puzzling is booming right now!! 

I spotted this a couple of days ago. While I consider myself lucky and have a lot of people around me that I trust, there are a few people in my circle that I do NOT trust. 

I don't need to reveal who they are, but I know who they are, and I take what they tell me with a grain of salt. What people don't realize is that if you think keeping your information "secret" is good, then you can think that. But other people know of your story, and that gets back to me! Don't worry—it doesn't involve anyone who reads my blog—well, maybe that person does! That would be hilarious! 

And information is golden! If something goes wrong, I go straight to the right people and let them know something awkward/bad happened, like the iron and Maureen. If that got back to my boss, she likely wouldn't care, but by letting her know immediately, no one can hold that over me!! And I think everyone had a laugh about it. I'm laughing about it - such a silly little detail, and I never thought of it! That's what bugs me more than Maureen outing me on it! 

Well, the laundry is done, my bags are packed, and I just have to finish off the blog and walk the girls, and then I'm off to Montreal for Salon Quebec. It is held in St. Hyacinthe, which is about 45 minutes east of Montreal, so if you are in the area, be sure to stop by our booth. And yes—I'll lift that silly suitcase carefully. I can lift - I just have to be careful. 

It's going to be a beautiful day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Progress on the UFOs

I love how we are all working together to keep our houses neat and decluttered. YES—I have an older laptop and a desktop that both need cleaning up; it shouldn't take too much time (right?), and then we can donate them. There is no sense in keeping them. I also kept my desktop "just in case." Actually, the old desktop was needed to print things, but the new computer prints just fine now. So both can go. They are in the office and will have to wait until I can get there. 

Elle - you can continue to regale us with your decluttering stories! Somewhere along the line, you got it right from the start. The rest of us are playing catch-up! It's "nice" to know even you struggle to get rid of some things. You are human after all! Thanks for the stories -- no need to stop!

But here's the thing—once we let go, we don't regret it. We relish the new freedom, the new table and chairs, the new empty space, or whatever it is, and then we know how good that will feel next time, so getting rid of things becomes so much easier. 

I spent a good part of the day working on some homework for an October class. If I showed you, that group would eagerly jump in to start sewing. And well, the purpose of the class is to show them the trouble areas—oh yes—a seam ripper was required, along with a few other tips. So those homework pictures are safely stored in the appropriate folder for October.

I needed some show-and-tell for you, so I finished off the two winter quilts. Remember, these are relatively small - they are wall hangings. 

Quilt number one

Quilt number two

And so you don't think I cheated (LOL) and used the same picture twice, or the same quilt with two different pictures, here's a picture of both! 

YES -- there are two quilts!

I even made the binding for both. 

Binding for the two quilts and the pattern

But then, do you think I could find the backing I pulled the other day? Absolutely not! It was nowhere to be found. Then I opened the project box to find some 3D bells to put with this quilt, and VOILA - there was the backing - in the project box, where it was supposed to be. Funny, I didn't find the 3D bells in this box, but I found beads I can use instead. I will put them in a small bag and attach it to the quilts, but not stitch the beads on until they are quilted. 

The missing backing

I'll organize the backings later today. One pattern, the summer one, remains in this box, and I would like to make that (two of them to keep the sets) happen in 2027. In the meantime, I'll put away all the bits and bobs I won't use for the winter quilts, then keep the summer pattern and a few buttons in a smaller basket. I can reuse the project box for something else on that table. 

I started these quilts in 2004, so they definitely qualify as UFOs; I had one made (or parts of it), and I used the other to demo the parts while teaching them in person. I think I did that for two years (five quilts in total), and I never did that again! 

I didn't take a picture, but so far, the only things on those two extra tables are the current projects for classes - that are three of them. The scraps are on a different table. And on the second current-project table are the T-shirts for those quilts, plus a couple of tubs of things that could be easily accomplished in 60 minutes. Funny—since I set those out, I haven't had a spare 60 minutes to make one. 

There is still some stuff on the floor, and I won't have time to deal with it for a while. I'm OK with that. 

Murphy is often the one you get to see, but let's not forget our beautiful Lexi. She loves to sleep in her bed beside her DAD while he watches TV. I think she would still like to be on the sofa beside him, but it was looking pretty bad, so it's been gone for a couple of years. This works just fine! And yes, she is a cutie, and she knows it! 

MOM - no pictures, please - I don't want someone to steal me! 

Do you get Country Living? There was an article about quilting in the June/July 2026 issue. 

Country Living June/July 2026

The article is actually a bunch of snippets about various things related to quilting, celebrating the United States' 250th anniversary. Quilting came to America from Europe, but the US has definitely made a huge mark on quilting's success and progress. 

Quilts carry a lot of heritage and history, and here is one of the more famous quilts. 

Reconciliation Quilt

OMG—I went to find a link to that quilt, and the first thing that popped up was a 300-piece jigsaw puzzle. Do you think my search engine knows me or what? It's amazing how quickly those search engines (and even quicker if they have AI attached) learn your habits. So even though you are doing the searching, you are not really. And then are we only getting to see what the algorithms want us to see? That's the scary part. When we did manual searches in a library, we were 100% in control - we are no longer in control. 

I did a second search, and here is the information about the quilt. 

There was a brief timeline over the last 250 years, and this was the final entry. I'm hearing this over and over again from lots of different sources. I can only hope that this is happening, and I applaud the younger generation for stepping away from their screens. If you have ANYONE who even breathes the words, "I want to learn to sew," grab them and sit them down with fabric and a sewing machine! 

Can it be so? I sure hope!!!

Since I brought puzzling back into my life, I am scrolling less, and I'm loving it! I'd rather be an active participant in something (solving a logic puzzle or putting a jigsaw puzzle together) than mindlessly scrolling. 

Now here is something else that warms my heart and makes my head happy. Now that I'm seeing the cognitive issues in my family, I'm not worried, but it does give me pause to think. And this is certainly NOT a scientific test. There are five children in Mom's family - she is the eldest. Four girls and the last one is a boy. They are between the ages of 83 and 90 - I think that is right. 

All of them know how to use their hands, but only one of the girls became a quilter. A true and true quilter like myself needs to figure out patterns, cut small bits of fabric, and then sew them back together again. Of the five, she is in the best physical and mental shape, although I didn't get a chance to see her these past two trips. Life was not easy on our aging bodies in my family. Knees are the worst!

The moral of this story is: become a quilter, and you won't lose your marbles! OK -- so I love to generalize like that. BUT wait -- have a look at this that I spotted when I did take a few minutes to scroll through social media. I think you can click on the pictures to enlarge them. If you can't read that, there is a link here to the same kind of information. 

Seriously? If I were of any age and I spotted that, give me a rotary cutter and some fabric. I am quite happy to be a quilter, and if it's going to help prolong my mental health, I couldn't be happier. So the next time your family says, "Mom -- why do you keep making quilts? You tell them that not only is it your therapy for your peace, but it's your therapy to keep your marbles! And then offer to teach them to sew! I would hand out copies of the above so they get it! And then tell them, it's none of their business how you spend your time. 

One other thing I want to share this morning. I also spotted this on social media. There were many other pictures, but this is so true. What the heck is happening to our society? 

While I'm not sure I want green fixtures in the bathroom, you can add color with accessories. But this neutral business is a bit much for me. We have a red car, and as long as we can buy a NON-neutral car, we will. I really need to wear more bright colors, as I tend to wear black a lot, but I'm not afraid to wear color and can sometimes be seen in the summer with orange shorts and a pink top or vice versa. Why not? 

I typically wear my orange flowers in my hair. For the wedding, I wore pale green that matched my outfit, and I look like a washed-out old lady. I'm OK with it - it can't be changed, but I wish I had not changed the color of my hair band! It was for M that I did it, but I won't again. I'm OK with it - but drat -- the pale flowers in my mousey hair? Boring! Looking at the pictures, I see that pale green is not my friend! I need bright colors to make my hair and skin shine. We do things for our kids, but now that she is married, I can wear whatever I want, when I want! 

I must get myself organized for the day. I did NOT get to the gym - there is a good reason for that, and I'm not prepared to share with you this morning. I have a doctor's appointment today, and all will be revealed. It's ridiculous. 

Plus DH and I have a BIG adventure this afternoon. I can hardly wait to see what all the hype is about. We have Dillon (new SIL) to thank for that. I'll give you all the details tomorrow. 

It's going to be a wonderful day!!!!

Ciao!!!!