The long way home

While I was having fun at the cottage, it was time to come home and it took me all day to do so.

I did spend the night at Susan's cottage. What a very nice place. I have to laugh - People have cottages that are way nicer than where I grew up as a kid!  Anyway, I decided to sleep in the bunkie despite the warnings about serial killers and bears as possible threats. No those threats were not real, but amazing how some people need the safety of a "house" around them. I guess if I survived a grizzly bear walking through our campsite, I can sleep in the bunkie.

We're not talking a decrepit old bunkie -no this place was pretty amazing.

The bed and look at that quilt!

It was nice to see that quilt on the bed. It was from a class that I taught at Sew Sisters - Northern Reflections by Marti Michell. And I quilted the quilt. How cool is that? But what a quaint space. I think I could have stayed there a wee bit longer, but there's no time in my silly life for loafing around too long.

Here's a view of the screened in porch. Can you imagine sitting there with a book on a rainy day? It would be heaven.

Screened in porch on the bunkie

There was another small building on the premises. This is the tool shed. Gosh - how I would love to have someplace with everything laid out so neat. We are all neat in our own ways. I think this might be a bit overkill for me. While I appreciate the neatness and the lack of stuff, look how clean that floor is. I could have eaten off that floor. That will never happen at my house.

The tool shed

 But look what else is in the tool shed.  Yep - that's a flush toilet. OK - this is the lap of luxury at the cottage. I see the toilet is right by the beer fridge. So you can do all the stops in this one place.

The loo

Don't you just love this picture? I think it's hilarious. Very practical and all designed by a VERY practical person.

The lawnmower and the loo

I just found a quote that makes me happy.  "One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries."  A. A. Milne    THANK YOU - I was feeling a wee bit bad because I'm not that orderly and I'll never be and I realize - I DO NOT want to be. I would die if I lived like that.

But it was time to head home and I had a LOT of stuff to do on the way home. I had wanted to visit a specific place, but it didn't open until 1 PM. Good grief - so I had to kill some time. I decided to visit some quilt shops as I meandered my way home.

I needed some directions but my GPS couldn't find the address so I got a chance to try out this. A couple of weeks ago, I had purchased a phone holder for the car. I had tried it before but didn't like it. My phone case is a fold over one and as soon as the phone shut off, well you couldn't very easily turn it on again. I was tempted to ditch the holder. BUT I discovered that if I'm using Google Maps, the phone stays on and this worked like a cham.

Phone holder

The only problem with this and my regular GPS - it's hard to see the stupid screens. Why? Because my glasses don't like that short distance. I can see the screens perfectly without my glasses and I can see the road not so bad without my glasses - I'm tempted to ditch the glasses - I only wear them for driving the car.

Anyway - I'm still wearing the glasses for driving - don't anyone panic! Gosh - I had to drive to work one day without them because I needed to leave and couldn't find them. But that was a bad thing - I know!!

So the first stop was Wilton Creek Fabrics in Harrowsmith. I had never been to this shop but had wanted to after seeing the row or license plate it had for Row by Row in the past.

Wilton Creek Fabrics

I've so conditioned myself to NOT buy fabric that it's hard to know what to buy in the shop. I did pick up a couple of things and I'll share them another day.

I was going to head to my next stop but decided that there were two quilt stores nearby (in Kingston) so I went to them first. Shoot - this shop was closed!!!!  I've been here before. There was a notice on the door from FedEx as they had tried to deliver three packages. Apparently, the owner is on vacation. Also, the shop is only open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday or something like that as the owner is retiring. I don't think the HOURS sign in the window reflected that.

My thoughts? If you're going to be away - then you should have a notice on your door. What if someone was in the area and decided to come back the next day only to find that the shop is still closed. I'd be royally ticked. SIGNS people - PLEASE!!!!  I even tried to call the store - NO message as there was no answer to the telephone. At least get an answering machine and put that information on. I guess she is retiring, she doesn't care. At least, I didn't have to find anything to buy!!!

Quilt Thyme

Then I popped into this next shop, also in Kingston. I'd never been to this one. A nice big store with LOTS of interesting fabric. Why are there so many cool Halloween fabrics? And why do I feel the need to buy them????

Got a great inspiration from this store for an embellishment. Again - I'll share with you another day what I picked up. I'd go back again!

Stitch by Stitch

Now that I've killed some more time, I had just enough time to have a bite before I hit the 1 PM event. I'll always remember Neil's suggestion from our Cross Canada bike trip. You can eat at Tim's every day. When you're in a different town, try the local bakery or the home grown restaurant. Way more interesting. So keeping that in mind, I passed tons of chain restaurants and once I had found where I was going, I checked out a place to eat. I found a small grocery store/deli and this is what I had for lunch. It was very good and I got to enjoy it outside by myself.

Lunch - a grilled Reuben, a weird drink FULL of pulp and a date squres

Then I was off to the Agnes Queen's Art Gallery. The doors opened at 1 PM on Saturday and Sunday.

Agnes Queen's ARt Gallery

The display I went to see was on Log Cabin quilts. The display had been put together as part of a student's practicum in Art History. Now, how cool is that? The show has been on for months and I had wanted to go to it, but it's a long way from home. Since I was in the area, I took the opportunity to go. The show closes TODAY!!!  The timing couldn't have been more perfect.

Log cabin art exhibit

There was a decent showing of log cabin quilts in various settings. Here's one of the quilts.

Log cabin quilt in the art gallery

 I purchased a book of the Quilts in the University's collection and then it was time to hit the road. I still had one more stop on the way home, but it was in Toronto so I now had a long drive ahead of me.

I did stop at one of the service areas along the way for a quick break and then back in the car.

I made it to the North York Center so I could see the TorontoLove display of quilted banners to honor the victims that were killed when a van intentionally drove onto the sidewalk a while back.

Toronto Love art installation

This show is on until Sept 8.  The banners are 4 inches wide by 20 feet long. There are beautiful messages on the banners - made with LONG skinny letters. A call was put out after the crash. I didn't have time to participate. But it's beautiful.

Toronto Love art installation

Front row

Middle row

Last row

If anyone is intersted in going - it's in the North York Centre (5140 Yonge STreet). I had a little bit of trouble finding it as the newspaper had put NorthYork Civic Centre which is 5100 Yonge Street, but the security guard directed me to the correct place. I had literally parked right in front of this building!!!

It's a bit of a shame though as of EVERYONE who was in the shopping mall that day NO ONE looked up. Maybe they have already seen it???  Amazing how everyone walks with their head down or stuck in a phone. NO ONE is enjoying what is around them????? NO ONE pays attention to what's around them. Why is that????

Apparently, little metal hearts have been imbedded in the sidewalk near the actual scene. I was getting so tired by then - I just wanted to get home so I didn't walk to see the little hearts.

And that was my day!  I left the cottage just before 10 AM and got home about 5:30 PM.

It was loads of fun but I was glad to be home. OH - I was listening to an audiobook while I was on the highway and listened to a LOT of the book. I love audiobooks in the car - it's so easy to connect the phone to the car audio system and I was good to go.

On that note, I'm out of here for tody. I'll tell you about yesterday and today, tomorrow. Life is just stupid and seriously - something has to give. Oh yes -let's get that ratted long arm working and I'll be OK.

Have a great day!!!!


Ciao!!!!