iPad SAVES the day

No I did not forget to post yesterday. Just chatting with my Dad and then ooops - ran out of time. You see my Dad who will be 79 later this month had knee replacement surgery last week. And he is the model patient. If the doctor tells him NOT to do something - he won't. If the physio tells him to do his exercises - he will. So he is at home with one more week with his walker, icing his knee, doing his exercises and taking his pills to keep the swelling down, manage the pain and all that other good stuff that happens after surgery.

He was awake for the surgery as he opted for an epidural. How cool is that!!!   He said you could hear the saws, hammers and whatever lovely power tools they use to give one a new knee. And how long does knee replacement surgery take????   FORTY minutes. Yep - in and out in FORTY minutes. That is way cool. He was also able to bend his knee at 110 degrees the day after his surgery, while other patients couldn't get 15 degrees several days after their surgery. My Dad was pretty excited about that!!!!!

Sorry there won't be a few pictures for a bit. Oh wait - here is a picture that helps to portrait my day on Wednesday.

Yes - I can see the wheels spinning - why a chicken???? I have done lots of work with our guild raffle quilts over the years and the city is making some amendments to the by-laws to fall more in line with the province. Which is weird since the province ultimately governs the licenses - but what do I know. I read the documents and thought - OK - I'll go for a half hour (all the time I had - you'll see why in a  minute). Oh CRAP - this is a regular council meeting with stuff on the agenda (which I do not have a copy of). What the heck - I have a half hour to kill - might as well listen in.

First citizen up - seems the poor fellow had SIX chickens on his property which is technically in the country, but still part of the city. So he got rid of FOUR chickens and now wants to have SIX chickens as before. Well - TWENTY minutes later - they sort of resolve the chicken issue. Holy cow - who ever would have thought that chickens in the city warranted that much time. Bottom line - they are going to have the city staff review this particular instance and site by site (as needed) will review how many chickens a person can own. I think this fellow is going to get his SIX chickens.

But he didn't do himself any favours. First off - I could barely understand him - but then - he just started throwing out statements. "I live in a space surrounded by farm land - why can't I have my chickens". It was very convoluted.

The next fellow - very nicely dressed and addressed the council very properly - went on and on and on and on and on and on - well you get the picture about something to do with scooters and sidewalks. Actually - I think he was thanking them for the study they have done so far into the issue. Then the discussion got turned to dedicated bike lanes and CRAP - my time was up!!!!!  

PEOPLE - when you are going to address someone else - BE CLEAR, BE CONCISE and for god's sake - have a message!!!!!!!!!    Let's just say - I don't think I would survive long on city council!!!!

If you are ever in need of something to do - I think it would be fun to sit in (NOT ON) a council meeting in your own city. I think it would be a great eye opener!!!!!!    And who complains about their neighbour having six chickens anyway???????  I mean if the property is in the country and they were in a cage..........................  SOMEONE has too much time on their hands!!!!!!

Then it was off to get Imelda and get her to her bloodwork appointment. Yikes - the place was hopping because of the holiday on Friday - they were trying to cram everyone from two days into ONE. The parking lots were jammed - I managed to eek out a spot (the last one) in a parking lot the absolute furthest from where I drop Imelda off. Oh boy - that means I have to walk through this crazy hospital to get to where Imelda is. I wish I would have had my camera because at one point - I opened a door and there was the LONGEST hallway I had ever seen. And it was EMPTY. It would have been a COOL picture. Must remember the camera next time.

I sat there and visited with Imelda and one of the other patients (you see the same people cause they are all on the same schedule). I also worked on a binding - one side left to go on Caroline's quilt!!!!

Then I had to leave after finding Imelda a ride home (thanks Elaine ST).  And why did I have to do that????

Well - I was trying to be nice (that always back fires) and someone called me last week (Gail). The speaker for their guild had to cancel and would I come in to speak about organizing the sewing room. No problem. I wrote it in my agenda and made a mental note of it. The NIGHT BEFORE - I thought - I better check the time so I could arrange my day. OH MY GOD - the guild meets in the AFTERNOON, not the EVENING. Well - I had to be there at ONE PM and that coincided with Imelda's appointment.

After leaving Imelda with Elaine, I went to plug the address into the GPS. You guessed it - NO ADDRESS. That means I have 50 minutes to get somewhere and WHERE is WHERE??????   I called home to see if DH could get me the information which I was certain I had left right beside the computer - NOPE - it wasn't there. CRAP - I called Ronda to see if she could do a google search on the guild. NO INFORMATION. CRAP CRAP CRAP - let's say that I was in a bit of a panic by this point and I started to drive in the direction I needed to be. I had a vague idea where it was. Then I pulled over - popped out the iPad (with it's 3G capabilities). Called a couple of quilt stores - nope they did not know where this guild meets, but I managed to get Gail's home phone number. No one home. Left a message. Then I thought - I remember it was in an arena (thank god I had briefly scanned the directions when I printed it off). I searched for arenas in that city and VOILA - three came up. I choose the one that sounded right (from the directions I had scanned earlier in the day) and plugged that into the GPS. I should arrive at 1:12 PM. Just shut up and DRIVE. So I did. Then Gail's husband called me at 1PM. He assured me I was on my way to the right place and he contacted Gail so she knew what was happening. Then I could relax. WHAT A DOLT!!!!!!

They all enjoyed the talk and it was fun to see their show n tell. But a tad more stressful than I would like and NO TIME for lunch.

My talk was on Organizing your sewing space - great - just what I need after having to buy that extra bias tape maker when Pat was at my house doing the celtic blocks.

I have ELEVEN pizza boxes left. They are $1 a piece. If you want one - let me know. I won't be buying any more and I have PLENTY. Since I am finishing things - I am reusing the boxes. No need for new ones.


When I got home - I had some errands to do and I was EXHAUSTED!!!!!!!  Oh yes - had to pick up the key to our new Monday Motivators sewing home. Marian met me and we had a good chat about how to arrange the tables to maximize space. We had our tape measures and looked pretty darn official if you ask me!!!!!

Working on a BIG customer quilt and hope to get it off the machine today. Things don't let up, but no IMMEDIATE deadlines, but LOTS of deadlines coming up. Oh shoot - no I have TWO articles that I have to get done today. See - everyday is a deadline for me.

Last night - I went to the Mississaugua Guild. I have to laugh because I am not a member so I offer up my $5 guest fee and they never want to take it. They think I am a member - I USED to be a member. Too bizarre. Anyway - I may have to become a member - I got pulled (by myself) into buying the challenge kit for their upcoming show and you have to be a member to put the challenge into the show. It is called Exotic Adventure. I love it.


When I got home - I looked at my purse - OK - so now I know why I hate carrying a purse.

Hmmmm - that purse is starting to look full - what's in it??????

The challenge for the Mississauga Guild  (I know - I can't start it until 2013 - but I could design it!!!)  Can't get Pauline upset by starting a new project - but designing it isn't technically starting something new!!!!!

A coupon to buy furniture risers for our Monday group

Three cheques to deposit

Paper odds and ends

Directions to get another table for our Monday group

TWO floor plans for our Monday group

TWO brochures picked up at the guild meeting

Three UNSCRATCHED Scrabble cards

Two Tim Cards

Note book

Coffee sleeve

My favourite chocolate bar (I ate one for lunch on my crazy day - it is a good thing to carry chocolate in case of emergencies!!!)

Odds and ends - honestly a bike speedometer in my purse????? A dirty spoon???  Ah - there is my bike pin that has been missing and a barrett - my hair is too short for a barrett, but they were orange - how could I resist. 

My keys (I HATE big janggly key chains, but I am accummulating keys faster than  - well fast). Keys to lock the house, the mail box, the car, keys to lock the bike rack to the car, keys to lock the bike to the bike rack, keys to lock the bike when it is NOT on the bike rack (Oh - that is a different bike) - well you get the picture. 

Not one, but TWO bottles of Advil. And I don't even need them anymore. 

Did you notice something - it was rare that I have ONE of something - yep - excess is the way to go!!!!!   ONE IS NOT ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


OK - so I did tidy up the purse. Got rid of the directions - already picked up the table, and got rid of the junk. But carrying a purse is a BIG responsibility. All that cleaning and tidying and sorting. ICK!!!!!


Wait - I still have a few pictures to show you.

Imelda gave me this cute little butterfly magnet (not sure if she made it). She is so sweet - always a beautiful thank you card. I know this makes her happy, but is so unnecessary. 

I added the butterfly to my magnet board

Mary gave these Kleenix cases at the retreat. I see she DID NOT colour code them to our tastes. But a cute little case. 

Hmmmm - what are those two ladies doing in the bush??????   Ah - that would be Marian and Ronda geocaching. Ronda has to get one a day until August 7. A goal she set for herself last year. I was stuck in the back of the van and was NOT getting out. 

Have you seen the new Canadian PLASTIC money??????   Apparently the 100s and 50s are out. There is a HUGE gap in it. It looks so weird, but in a year or two - we won't even remember what the old money looked like. 

On that note - I am out of here. Going to yoga this morning - haven't been in over a week - the timing just did not work out. This coming week is going to be fairly quiet (HA!) and hope to get back to several times a week with the yoga and the new gym is having their first outdoor bike ride tomorrow AM. Can't wait!!!!!

Going to check out that WonderFil (they are Canadian) and try out some of the threads on the long arm. They will be at the CreativFestival at the end of the month. Got to go talk to them.

Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!