Progress on the UFOs

I'm going to have to do some research. Those following the blog by e-mail are dropping off -- I have no idea why it's not getting picked up. Remember, you can use a third-party RSS Reader to make it happen. Follow.it is working. And what's up with the comments -- sometimes it works for people, and others it does not. I'll find an answer to both. 

Sigh --- some things are beyond my comprehension and my control? Well, we need to figure this out! 

I accomplished a lot yesterday, so I feel happy about that, and while I have a hectic week, I'm home all week, so I can squeeze in little bits here and there. I fall behind on the sewing part when I'm away from home! 

So how did the UFO projects go? I'm tired of my 150 Canadian Women quilt but don't want to abandon it, so I'm determined to get it done. I was supposed to finish the quilt top last month, but that didn't happen. I was going gangbusters and got one border together. When I went to put it on, it was too long by four inches! That's what a sliver of extra seam allowance can do. So one must always check that. 

Why didn't I? I was in a hurry and felt I didn't need to. And all I got was an ugly surprise at the end. So that border was taken apart and redone. This time, the border went on without a hitch. Then I worked on the opposite side. The clock was ticking, and I was tired, so I took a break. This all happened on Saturday. 

I had no idea what to do for the corners. Did I want to put something fancy in the corners? As the clock ticked down, I decided to go with plain corners. I managed the last border, and it was late on Saturday night. The final seam was pressed; I took a picture and went to bed!

But I'm happy to report that the top is done. I started it in 2017, so it's not that old of a UFO. 

150 Canadian Women Quilt top

Looking at the picture, I think I chose the corners correctly. The quilt will get a red binding and that will be enough to hold those corners. So yeah -- the top is done. My assignment for next month is to get the binding done and to piece the backing. Then it can go in the "to be quilted" pile, and I can choose another UFO. 

I think I'll be picking up some small projects for a while. These big ones can suck the life out of you. 

But even the small ones can be troublesome. For the second UFO class, I wanted to get the borders on this project - for the second time in two months. I didn't quite make it the previous month. Well, I got ONE of two borders on this time. It's not huge -- about 30" square at this point. This isn't technically on my UFO list, but it's still a UFO. 

The second border is on the quilt

That lighter fabric is where I had mere scraps left over, and it was a good color choice. It didn't take long, but it still took time. The final border is the fabric on the right, which is my goal for this month. Get that last border on. I should really focus and complete all that this week, and then it would be done, but I have something else that needs attention first, so this will get set aside - AGAIN! 

Then I have to design some embroidery for this small quilt, and I've got a plan - so I'll work on that. I could do that while away since I'll design using the mySewnet embroidery software. 

It's disappointing not to get more done, but one must let that go! I'm thinking of how much I got done and know that every little bit is one step closer to completing it. One must think about the half FULL glass, never the half EMPTY one. 

Three of five homework follow-ups went out last night, and the remaining two will go out this morning. Then I'm completely up-to-date with homework, but I have more to prep this week. Yep -- it's a never-ending cycle, but I'm OK with it. 

And to boot -- I'm in the process of finding NEW quilts to teach in the fall. That's crazy! I have some excellent suggestions from some people in the current classes, so thanks to everyone who has offered suggestions. 

I went for a walk, and yes -- I'm quickly making up the lost distance as I walked close to 15 KM yesterday! The plows were out in the morning, and the sidewalks were passable - no issues with slipping. Yeah! I spotted this in the afternoon. The cinema is not opening soon, as in within the next couple of weeks, but hopefully by the summer. Then I might make going to the movies a more common thing. 

Is the new cinema opening soon?

I am off to the gym. Yeah! It's been a while - perhaps I've forgotten how - but I doubt that. 

Remember that the Etobicoke Quilt Show is THIS WEEKEND - March 24 and 25, so be sure to put it in your calendar and get out to the show! If things keep going well, I might be able to eke out some time, but those Zoom calls are messing up my day. OH -- and I'm intrigued by the quilt on their poster. It's a scrappy quilt and looks terrific -- a lot of pale fabric in that one. 

Have a super day!

Ciao!!

MOM!!!!!!

 Another successful day of zoom! I almost got all the homework sewn, but in one project, two blocks were similar, so it didn't matter if both were together. I'll finish that today, and then I have a bunch of follow-up e-mails to do. 

One of the projects we're working on is called Toes in the Sand by Jaybird Quilts. The pattern was released ten years ago and rereleased with Tula Pink fabric for the 10th anniversary of the pattern. I don't know why EVERYTHING released in Tula fabric has to be rainbow! Sometimes, it works, and sometimes it doesn't. Her collection is carefully curated with all the main colors, so it makes sense that the quilts use all the colors in a collection, but why? But I digress; I HATE following someone else's color scheme, and I NEED to make it my own. 

I still have two blocks to sew for this quilt, and then I can assemble it. All the fabrics were from the stash except the background, which isn't in the picture. 

My version of Toes in the Sand

I have found over the years that my color palette is reserved. I don't mean the intensity of the colors, but the NUMER of colors I choose. If the quilt is scrappy, I can have hundreds of fabrics and lots of different colors in it, and it's easy to coordinate. 

But if I'm going for a non-scrappy quilt, I usually restrict my colors to two, possibly three. My Tula Pink Butterfly quilt is pink and green with a white background. The one above is green and blue, with a light teal background. The Barn Sampler is three colors -- orange, yellow, and green with white background. Boho Heart was orange and pink with white on black for the background. While I LOVE color and lots of it, I'd rather go with many fabrics (in a somewhat controlled palette) than choose all the colors in the rainbow for one quilt. Here's a secret! It's way easier to select and use fabrics when the number of colors is restricted! 

HEY -- we have to find what works for us, and I'm happy to report that I've found my niche. If you are looking for a new color palette for a quilt, look everywhere for inspiration. Do not focus just on the variations others have done for the quilt you want to make. 

Look at any quilt, magazine ads, junk mail, the sky, the trees --- you will find agreeable color palettes EVERYWHERE!! And most important, ask yourself WHY!!! Why do I like this color palette? Does it remind you of a vacation? A person? The intensity of the colors? What is appealing about those colors? Then also ask yourself the tricky question -- if you find something you do NOT like -- ask yourself WHY. And do NOT cheat on this one -- try to figure out why you don't like something. You'll learn a ton from the answer. 

After the three Zoom calls were finished yesterday, I went for a walk. I had to go to the post office and the grocery store. Both locations are close, but I detoured to make up some KM. Whenever I could turn to the plaza, I went further. Suffice it to say that I walked almost 16 KM yesterday. I needed to make up some KM. 

And this morning, when I checked the app, I'm on track! I caught up! I'm at 56% of the distance in 56% of the time. Perfect!!!

Caught up!!!

Today is UFO Club, and there are two of them. I have two homework assignments to be done every month. Yikes --- whose idea was that? And sometimes, the assignments are significant, and sometimes, they are small. I worked like mad yesterday to get them completed. Did I succeed? You'll have to wait until tomorrow to see. 

I swear the quilting gods are on my side regarding fabric choices. I had a fabric selected for a border, and I wasn't sure there would be enough. Did I check before cutting? That would take time, and I don't have time. So I did some rapid mental math and started cutting. This is all I had left after I was finished, and I was able to miter the joins!

Phew -- just enough fabric

I also had a selection of fabrics sitting on the table, waiting for me to choose one. I guess in my mind, I wanted this one all along as I just grabbed it and cut. It's perfect. So there's no need to make a huge fuss about stuff -- just grab and go! 

I managed to snag the old bear from the backyard, although a certain someone was NOT happy. Then I let her choose between one of these two bears as the next backyard bear. OK -- Murphy was NOT interested, so I chose one for her. She pretty much ignored it all day! 

A selection of teddy bears for Murphy

Just like humans, dogs don't like change! 

The story of our household! Two dogs with their mouths open! Were they singing? No -- they were trying to entertain us. I swear they think that is why they live with us! To entertain! All the time! If they are not "fighting" with each other, Murphy is playing ball and watching TV, and Lexi is just cute on the couch or has her head on DH's lap. What a suckup!

MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Murphy definitely has a more extensive vocabulary than Lexi does. I don't know if Lexi recognizes any words, but Murphy sure does! TV is my favorite word because every time we say it, she looks at the TV to see what's on!

And now it's time to get the girls out. I see a very light dusting of snow, which I HATE as you can't see any ice on the sidewalk, and I know there is some. So I'll be toddling along this morning. ICK! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

Murphy's Antics

I should post homework pictures on the blog, but there always seems to be something else that supersedes that. Well, I'll see what I can do. I had a regular Zoom call and a short one, and everything was prepped and ready to go. 

I have three Zoom calls today, and for the most part, everything is ready to go. I have a little more sewing that I could do, and if I get time, I'll finish it. If I don't, then no worries! It'll all get done! Sometimes I laugh when I say that. How will it all get done when time is so limited? Somehow it does, or I'm able to fake it. But I have two looming deadlines, and there will be no FAKING either. So I'll be busy this coming week trying to finish everything. 

I also worked on my UFO project yesterday and made excellent progress, which I'll focus on later today. I do NOT want to forfeit money for the same darn project. Besides, I want the project DONE, and the UFO crossed off my list. So I'm going to focus later today. I'm happy to report that yesterday's progress went much more smoothly than last time, so that was a bonus. 

While I was outside chatting with the landscaper, Murphy was up to her antics. She was carrying around her stress bear, which is a backyard staple. She walked over to the pond and dropped the bear in the water. ICK!!! What a soggy mess. Then she grabbed it, ran to the snow-covered deck, and proceeded to rip all the stuffing out of the bear. When I went to grab the bear so I could throw it out, she grabbed it and ran. 

MOM -- you can't catch me! The bear is MINE! 

I managed to grab all the stuffing, which wasn't easy - white stuffing on white snow. And I'll try to nab the bear today. She's allowed to take another bear outside. I don't want my backyard littered with dead teddy bears -- one at a time! But what a character! Lexi couldn't be bothered with toys - she never was. Princesses do NOT play with stuffed toys or any toys for that matter. 

When I was finished for the day, I was sitting in the living room, and YES, Murphy had to be there. Lexi was flaked out on the couch in the family room with DH and wasn't budging! Murphy just has to play with her ball and LOVES to put it under the loveseat, so SOMEONE (ME!) has to get up and get it for her. 

MOM -- a little help here! 

And can you tell me what is so fascinating about that ball? 

MOM -- it WILL move! 

It has a crazy bounce, so she was waiting to see if it would go anywhere. What a silly girl!!

And when you're a dog, and it's too hot in the house, you do this. 

MOM -- this is the best!

She loves to plop herself in the snow, fully stretched out, so the cold snow is on her tummy. But look at those ears -- they are listening to everything I say!

AH --- here's some quilting show and tell. This is the mug I've been coveting! It's from Stitch by Stitch in Kingston, and was introduced to the world through her Advent Calendar. I was lucky enough to get the mug. One of the store employees is a graphic artist, and she designed the image. 

A great quilting mug!

The four quilts were made as samples and hung or are still hanging in the store. That is Heather flying among the quilts. Be sure to check out the website to see other very excellent graphics! 

Love the saying!

One exciting thing is the number of younger people opening or acquiring quilt stores or sewing machine dealerships. After meeting with several owners over Zoom or in person over the last couple of weeks, seeing all the energy coming into our world is super exciting. All I can ask is that you get out and support these store owners. Yes, you can buy from that big online (ANONYMOUS) store, or you can shop locally. Encourage these people that they are doing the right thing and that we want to support their business! 

And when you can have fun at a quilt store or a sewing machine store -- who doesn't want to be part of it! 

The inevitable happened. This is my status on my Virtual Challenge. I've fallen behind! 53% of the distance in 55% of the time. I knew that was going to happen. But -- I will not let this get me down. I will forge ahead and get back on track, and I'll get ahead! 

I'm behind!!!!

It's a minor setback, and given the travel I've done and being only this far behind, that's pretty darn good! I'm not worried in the least. 

Speaking of supporting local businesses, many quilt shows are coming up! The pandemic is over, and people are getting back on track. The first one is the Etobicoke Quilter's Quild on March 24 and 25 (near Toronto). This is always a great show. I hope to get there, but it's going to be tight. I have a couple of Zooms smack in the middle of both days, so while the show isn't far from me, I would have an hour at most? I'll go near the end when there are fewer people around. I don't want to be rude, but I won't have time to chat! 

Well, that's it for me. The first Zoom opens at 9 AM, and I must walk the girls. I'm right on schedule! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

OFF with her head!

I'm home! Gosh -- I can't wait until I say that for the last time - wait -- I can only say the last time this month because there are a few future trips in the works. Right now, my last trip of the year is scheduled for October. 

The trip home was uneventful; however, I have a bone to pick with airlines in general and perhaps Air  Canada directly. Why do they NOT ENFORCE the size and quantity of carry-on baggage? I get it that no one wants to wait for their bag when they arrive at their destination. Then bring a smaller suitcase! How many clothes do you need for a couple of days anyway? 

We were on a much smaller plane on the way home, and it took forever for everyone to find a spot for their suitcase. I had to put mine in the overhead bin behind my seat, which wasn't a problem. However, when people couldn't find a spot for theirs, I could see the masses eyeing my suitcase because it's tiny. And yes -- a flight attendant grabbed it and moved it. Where did she move it to? Under a bulkhead seat, across the aisle from me, and two rows back. In a spot where I would NEVER have found it if I had NOT seen her do it. YES --- my carry-on (and only) suitcase is small enough to fit under the seat! 

There was NO "excuse me" -- whose suitcase is this. It just got moved. And I would have been frantic trying to locate the darn thing as I would NEVER have thought to look under the seat two rows back. 

And let's not forget the guy who had a small suitcase, a backpack, AND a third large bag with ski boots attached. That should NEVER have made it onboard. And I will bet that Air Canada and other airlines do not want to enforce the carry-on rules, as they will cause a huge ruckus, and people will be unhappy. 

I had to laugh because the lady in the aisle seat in my row was the last person on the plane, and of course, there was no room for her bag. She stands there and says -- "this is my seat, but there's no room here for my bag." Did she think that we would leave a nice space for her? Sigh................

The next time you get on a plane --- think about what you are carrying. Does your carry-on suitcase fit in that sizer? How big is your backpack? How many bags are you carrying onboard? Think about your fellow travelers. Just go small. Pick what you want to take and then leave half at home. 

I had a window seat for the ride home, and there's LOTS of snow across the prairies. You can make out the meandering river on the left. Some of the rivers meander so much -- it's fascinating to see them from above. 

The meandering rivers from above

The girls were beside themselves when I got home. Murphy went nuts, and I took them for a quick walk. She barked almost the entire way; she was that happy! Oh, Murphy!!! Lexi was excited but not barking. 

As you know, my favorite spot in the backyard is the gazebo. 

The gazebo

And it has this pretty cupola on top with a weathervane. 

Cupola with a weathervane

Well, the gazebo had phase one of a facelift. I sent a note to our landscaper, giving him a list of things that need to be done this year. I swear, I've put his kids through college, and they have taken several vacations at my expense! 

They had a window to redo the first part, so this started while I was away. The cupola came off, and so did the second little roof. 

Off with her head!

We've been trying to figure out how old the gazebo is. We have lived here for 20 years; the gazebo was here before we arrived. While structurally sound, it needed a new roof as the shingles started to rot and fall off. The squirrels weren't helping the situation as they had made a lovely big comfy nest in the cupola at one point. We got rid of their cozy spot a couple of years ago. 

The original company that made the gazebo is still around, so they came over and got to work. The frame on the inside was still solid, so they only had to replace the cedar shingles. 

Installing a new roof

By the end of day one, the main part of the roof was on. 

New shingles on the roof

When I got home yesterday, they were almost done. 

Finishing up the roof

And now there's the new roof on the gazebo. 

Brand new roof! 

We weren't sure how easy it would be to work with the snow in the backyard, but they seemed to manage just fine. 

A bit of snow, but not an issue to work

Later this summer, it will get sanded and painted and look brand new. I can hardly wait for a nice warm day to be out there. Yesterday was a perfect day; I could have been out there, as it was glorious!

We also need some other work done, but supply issues need to be contended with, so I hope to get a quote, and then we will wait. That is the norm these days.

I did get some puttering done in Studio B, and while things are still not all back where they belong, it looks much better. I had a few things that needed to come upstairs. Don't worry -- there's nothing on the stairs now, and I ALWAYS hold the handrail as I come down, and I do NOT take chances on the stairs. 

Things to be put away

I had my lunch in the afternoon, and the girls were hoping for a tidbit. Lexi is quite subtle about the whole thing. 

Mom --- just hanging out here!

Murphy, not so much. 

MOM --- do you see me? 

Murphy likes to entertain herself with the blanket and the dog bed. 

MOM -- look at me!

Lexi is good with being outside. 

HEY MOM -- I need in! 

I spent most of the afternoon cutting out bits for the homework assignments for tomorrow's classes. I've already made good progress today, and I should be able to get everything sewn that needs to be stitched for tomorrow's classes. Plus, there is UFO on Sunday, and I still need to work on my projects. 

I also got some computer work done, so it's back to normal. There's no time to rest! And so much needs to be done before I'm off again. I won't even think about that, but I must keep up the pace for this coming week to have everything ready. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!

The path to nowhere!

Someone left me a note about how to unlock the Android phone. I'll have to try that -- I swear this lock thing happens ONLY when the phone is cold, and I mean cold in the temperature outside. Now, why is that? The phone was in my pocket, and I could snap some photos, but it locked after I had been out for a while. I breathed on the phone and my finger, which helped a bit. 

Let's not forget that it was minus 12 when I went for my walk, and I guess the phone was a sissy, and did NOT want to get out of my pocket to take pictures!!! It did work when I breathed on it -- once. Then it wised up and said, "NO WAY." 

Regardless, I got a few pictures for you. I went exploring a bit more, and it appears that it's this particular street that has no sidewalks. I found more bike trails around, so I decided to explore them. 

I love the fact that some of them just end. But a lot of snow had melted the previous day, so they were nice to walk on and had very little ice. 

The path just ends!

I went down a new path and came across this huge art installation called Hats Off. 

Hats Off!

I had seen part of it the day before and on the way to the hotel. Those hats are HUGE!!!!

Hats off Art

So the path I was on just ended. I was NOWHERE near the end of my walk, so I turned around and saw a sidewalk on the other side of the street, so off I went. Then I noticed a bike path in the direction of the airport, so I decided to head down that path. 

I scared a few birds along the way, but otherwise, I was alone in that field. 

The bike path

I had no idea how far the path went, but wouldn't it be nice to see? So I walked and walked and got closer to the airport, and I walked through this tunnel under the tarmac. That trail is a multi-purpose trail (MUT), not just for bicycles. 

Under the tarmac

And then it dead-ended in the cargo area of the airport. 

A dead end

I laugh when the paths just end, but it gives people in the area a beautiful and safe place to walk. There was another path that wasn't plowed, and I wasn't going there. But YES --- this entire path was plowed. I don't know why or how they even found the path to plow it, but it was a pleasant surprise. 

I returned to the hotel in time for breakfast, and then we were off to our meeting. I managed to get 11.5 KM in yesterday, primarily because of that walk. I have now lost all the extra miles I had walked, so I can't get behind, or I'll never catch up. 

Thankfully, I'm home for the next week, but the amount of stuff that has to be done will blow my mind, and I have one guild talk in there.

We WILL get through this month. I"m not worrying about the state of Studio B -- it'll all come together when I get home for good. 

So it's ridiculous o'clock this morning as I'm on my way home, and so far, so good with my flight. It's a 6 AM flight, and the hotel shuttle runs on the hour, so you can imagine what time it is. I'm NOT crazy enough to do the 5 AM shuttle. 

I'll have time to kill at the airport, but I want to read that book! Fatal by John Lescroart. And I'll see if I can do those Adventure Labs to get some much-needed points!

The meetings here went very well, and sorry I can't share any information! 

Wait until you see what happened in my backyard yesterday! I swear, whenever I can get a contractor to do some work, it's when I am away! 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

It is NEVER cold in Calgary

I had to laugh several times since I arrived. Torontonians would fail miserably if they had to live in Calgary. Calgarians are TOUGH, as no one seems to dress up for winter! In the airport, many people were wandering without jackets. I get it -- their coat could be in their luggage, but even though it was a cold day, no one seemed to mind. I saw airport office staff outside with no jackets, and no one seems cold. 

Now at the hotel, people are in and out without winter gear. And some of them are even wearing shorts, shoes with no socks, or short sleeves, and I haven't heard a single person say, "oh, it's cold!"

So when I walked with my hat and scarf, I must have looked a sight! But that's OK -- I like being warm, and my body doesn't easily adjust from inside to outside. And while my colleagues complain about how hot their rooms are, I have an extra blanket on my bed!

And I overheard someone in Toronto saying they would warm their car up for 10 minutes! That is not legal in Toronto any longer. I just checked. In Ontario - you get ONE minute of idling - after that, it's illegal. Trying to reduce emissions!!! And this consumer report says that your car will warm up FASTER when driving rather than letting it idle, again lowering emissions and saving gas AND time. 

All of us noticed the no jacket thing, so whenever we are eating in the hotel dining room, which looks out the front, it's interesting to see what people are or are not wearing!

I went for a walk in the morning, and it was a challenge to find some sidewalks. And I wonder why their roads are not melted down to the pavement, as the streets are covered in snow. But I did find sidewalks, which made it much easier to walk. 

A somewhat clear sidewalk

So I followed the sidewalk until it ended. 

Until it ends 

Seriously??? There was a nice sidewalk, and it was plowed, more or less. Then it just ended! I got a chuckle out of that!

I have a couple of other random photos for you this morning. If you think people wear flip-flops in the locker room to prevent transferring icky foot diseases -- think again! This is why we wear flip-flops. 

Thank goodness for flip-flops

The gym provides disposable razors. So why is it so hard to take the cover off and throw it in the garbage instead of on the floor? The covers are clear, so you can't see them. This is NOT the first time I've spotted them on the bottom of my footwear. 

While I was away last week, my Saskatchewan panels arrived. Yeah! I really like it. 

Saskatchewan panel

And I got some coordinating fabric as well. 

Plus coordinating fabric

I asked a couple of the stores attending the meeting about the panels, and NO ONE seems to know where the panel came from. There is nothing on the selvage, and it isn't widely known. It would appear that someone made up the panel, had it digitally printed locally, and it went to a few stores!!!

Very strange, but I'm glad I have mine! 

While packing my backpack, I found this in the front pocket. Good grief -- I've no idea what those are, so they got tossed. If I had any medical need for pills, I would die within two days for not taking or respecting medications. 

Random pills

And just the other day, I spotted a video on IG of recycled art, and one was made with pills, and it was STUNNING. I am trying to find the darn thing to share with you. There is tons of art using pill containers; I'll never use enough of those to make anything! And I'm good with that!

I try very hard when I'm away to maintain my somewhat healthy lifestyle - good eating habits, walking, etc. And thank goodness I'm very independent because, with a few exceptions, I'm the only one in my crowd. But I'm OK to march to the beat of a different drum - that's what makes me - ME!

I spotted other things on the walk that I wanted to take pictures of, but my darn phone would go into that mode where you have to double unlock it to prevent accidental calls. And when it's cold, my fingers won't register on the screen. I've since unlocked the darn thing, so hopefully, I can get a few more pictures today. And it only seems to go into that mode when it's cold! I have no idea why. 

On that note, I'm out of here. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

A travel day

Sorry about the time that this post gets online. I'm in a different time zone, so I'll be later than usual. My brain also doesn't appear to be functioning since I landed, so if something sounds amiss, what can I say!

So my morning did NOT go as planned. I had an early afternoon flight to catch and was off to the gym. That's where I left the story. Then I realized I would be getting in quite late and had better find another direct flight. I was on my way out the door to the gym and thought I better take care of it BEFORE going there. 

Called Air Canada, and the phone was answered almost immediately -- WHAT? and I had a nice conversation with a young gentleman. He found me an earlier direct flight, so I got put on that one. Because the flight was canceled, many people were scrambling for alternative flights, so I got a crappy choice of seats. In the middle -- oh yeah! 

But he kindly put me in the bulkhead row so I would have more room. At first, I wasn't impressed as I hate not having my backpack close at hand. However, when I arrived at my seat, I thanked him profusely! More on that in a minute. 

It was 6 AM by this time, and I was going to miss spin class, but I wanted to avoid getting dinged for missing a reserved class which had happened before when there was no one at the front desk to check in my card. No big deal, but still. I decided to go to the gym and have a shower at least. I love the showers there. Hopefully, by checking my membership card, I won't get dinged for the class even though I didn't go. I'll chat with Joseph next week and let him know what happened. 

Then back home to have breakfast. I need to leave the house at 8:30, so you can see there isn't much time. I had NOT packed, and I had not even unpacked my backpack from the retreat. After a mad scramble, I got clothes and switched the backpack around. There is a huge difference in what one takes in a car versus on a plane. 

The girls got to go for a joint short walk. Thankfully, they don't know the difference, although one day, they will protest!

Used the Uber app (I had to reinstall that as I had not used it since I switched the phone), and I was on my way. I printed a boarding ticket since I didn't get one on my phone with all the messing around. At this point, I wasn't even sure I was checked in. Security was a breeze, and we did not have to take laptops out of our bags. Yeah!

Walked through the machine, and it beeped. What? Oh, crap --- left my cell phone in my back pocket. So I was through and on my way to the gate. 

I stopped to get a sandwich and some water at the takeout place. A lady in front of me bought a ton of food, and her card wouldn't work. She insists that there is NOTHING wrong with her card. OK -- I get that, but it doesn't work. Thankfully she had cash. Then I paid with my card, and it worked. 

Arrived at the gate as everyone was lining up to board the plane. Except they didn't start to board. Turns out we had to wait almost 30 minutes before that happened, and it seems we were missing a pilot! Once they got on board and did their thing, we could get on. 

But can anyone tell me why they book TWO huge flights simultaneously from gates that are right beside each other, and I mean in a corner. That seems to happen every time I'm at the airport. One was to Calgary, and one was to Edmonton! The last time, one flight was to New Delhi, and one was to Paris!

This was a HUGE plane -- the Boeing 777. Did you know that it carries 388 passengers? Yep -- and the plane was full. I arrived at my middle seat, and my heart sank. On one side was a rather large gentleman, and on the other, an elderly couple. That seat looked so small and uninviting. However, I pulled a few things from my backpack and sat down. It wasn't bad as the gentleman kept to himself even when he fell asleep. 

I read my book and slept on and off. I was good. There was zero turbulence on that flight, and before I knew we were getting ready to land. I called the hotel shuttle and had a 25-minute wait. Now while waiting, I did nothing. But here's where my head started to go to mush. 

If I had looked at the geocaching app on my phone, I would have realized that there are two Adventure Labs at the airport, and I could have done those while waiting and GOT much-needed points. So on my way home, I need to get to the airport in time to finish both of those!

I got to my room, and I was cold and tired, so I lay down for a nap and spent the entire afternoon between reading and napping. Did the thought of a walk even cross my mind? Nope!!!

Only when Trina knocked on my door did I think -- oh my god -- I never went for a walk. I guess my body was trying to tell me something. I needed more sleep, and I was good with that. Everything is set up for today, and I have time to walk this morning. But it was sunny and warm yesterday afternoon and would have allowed me to scout the neighborhood! There are days!!!!

I have to say that I'm engrossed in this book and it's the only one I have, so I better NOT finish it before the flight home, or it's going to be a boring flight. 

Then do you think I could connect to the WI-FI in the hotel? I've done it many times. Well, it helps if you go through ALL the steps, not just the first one. My brain is really fried, to be sure!!

That's it for me today!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Mom's HOME!!!!

 ACK!!! I'm supposed to be on a plane today. I told you it was a stupid month. 

WAIT -- it gets better. I woke up this morning to see that the flight was canceled. Then I got an e-mail from Air Canada, who conveniently rebooked me to another flight. Without even checking the details, I went ahead and changed. Well? Did I have a choice -- I think not! 

So I have to change planes, but I'm Ok with that -- it's not bad, but it means we get in late, and we still have work to do when we arrive. Sigh..................

And I was late getting up this morning, so you will get little to read. However, the GOOD news is that after a good solid night with that humidifier beside my bed, my throat feels 1000% better. There's still a bit of tenderness as I swallow, but nothing like the past couple of mornings. Like most people, I sleep with my mouth open, and the dryness in the air just rubbed that poor throat raw. Yeah!!!

Yesterday was just silly. Dede came back with me, but not all of her stuff fit in the car, but let me tell you that we tried really hard. I was going to take some pictures but didn't have time. Kathi took the rest of her stuff home. We chatted with Carol on the way home about all things embroidery. Then I managed to get everything out of my car and in the house and popped onto Zoom for a couple of hours. 

Yep -- it was a silly day. 

Let's say that the girls were happy to see me. Well, Murphy was to be sure. Lexi wanted to be right there, but she had her ears back like she was MAD! What a silly girl, so we had a couple minutes of snuggle time first and then snuggles with Murhpy, and then they were off to do their thing. 

Lexi desperately needs a brushing -- the poor dog looks like a wolf!!!!

MOM --- you went away and left me! 

But we did something crazy yesterday as if it wasn't crazy enough. We went for a walk AFTER dinner, and it was DAYLIGHT. How did that happen? Oh yes -- those clocks!

Hey Murphy -- in your face! I'm in front!

Well, Miss Lexi, for all her cuteness and innocence, just waved her tail in Murphy's face the entire walk, and I think she was pretty happy about it! Murphy is on a solid lead, so she can't get ahead. But they enjoyed the walk and were well-behaved - for the most part. 

And now it's off to spin class and then Monday sewing, and while the others are sewing, I'll be trying to pack and do some tidying up and taking some pictures. It's a never-ending circus, to be sure. 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!

Celebrate the small stuff

And it's all SMALL stuff. While I'm not out of the woods yet, I feel much better. I even tried to nap yesterday, and my body said, "are you kidding?" So I did have a wee lie down but didn't sleep. I went out for an uneventful short walk in the morning and a much longer one in the afternoon, and all was fine. 

My darn throat is still sore, but how much of that has to do with the dryness in the house? Even with my humidifier going full blast in the sewing room, it's dry. Well -- we'll see how I fair when I get home. But I'm so much better, so I can deal with a sore throat! Trust me -- I'm NOT overdoing it!

Two of our group had to leave yesterday, and I swear Susan wasn't even in her car, and we had rearranged the sewing room! 

My mostly clean sewing station

And when the other Susan left, I confiscated her desk as my computer desk!

My computer desk

And I even got some sewing done. It won't seem like a lot when I show you, but it's monumental in what it is. 

Several of us are working on the "many" block projects this year. These are the ones with all those darn little blocks - hence the name - Many blocks. I'm working on the 365-day quilt. I had decided that this would be my retreat project for this year as, at the last retreat, I got quite a few blocks done. With everything that happened this week, that just wasn't possible. 

And I need to do something with this massive bag of scraps as this is NOT efficient to find fabric. 

My bag of scraps

I intend to iron all the scraps and then put them neatly into a box, which will take much less room. Then I'll have three boxes of green scraps. Yikes -- time to do something about that! However, that sorting didn't happen. But I managed to get the February 14 bonus block done. 

February 14 bonus block

And there was a birthday block as well. There were several iterations in light and dark and 3" or 6", which confused me. However, I started cutting for the 3" block, so that's what I made once I realized there were multiple sizes in the pattern. 

So 3" blocks are tiny. How tiny? Look at how small this half-square triangle got trimmed to. 

A half-square triangle

Yes -- that got trimmed to 1". So that finishes at 1/2". I know --- this is crazy!!!!! And here is the birthday block in the 3" finished size in the dark. 

The bonus birthday block

And that's enough of those tiny little blocks, so I worked on the center block, which is 18" finished. That was easier, although the construction method was wonky. The bottom line is that it is done!!!!! 

The center block

And that means that I am completely up-to-date until the end of February. I was hoping for the next class that, I would have seven blocks of March completed. But as I said at the beginning, one must celebrate ALL successes, no matter how small. I am happy that those blocks are done. 

We also realized there are better times than March to have a second retreat -- it's too close to the January date, and March is a tough month for me, so I will try rearranging dates for next year. It's all about being flexible!

We did something different for dinner: we went to the local burger place. Actually, there are two of them on the same corner. We picked one, and I had a hot dog and onion rings. It was a bit pricey for what we got! And the onion rings were way too salty for my taste, but the others seemed to be OK with it. Next time, we'll try the other place and see if it's better. Anyway -- it was nice to try something different. 

OK -- so if you've been mixing a fix from Murphy or Lexi, I have something to share from Murphy. She must be "stressed" because this is the picture I got. 

One more toy bites the dust

Now she is a toy wrecker, to begin with, so she is NOT stressed. She is just being Murphy! And I wish she would wreck more toys. Perhaps she is trying to say she wants something new to play with! I still need to get the back story on this incident!

And despite the setback in the walking this week, I'm still ahead on my Virtual Challenge. I'm at 49% of the distance, within 48% of the time. Phew!!! It's not fun to get behind on an ambitious goal, as it would take some doing to get back on track. 

Still on track for my ambitious walking goal

I will go for a short walk this morning, but I have two presentations to do when I get home. WAIT -- the clocks went back, or whatever direction they went, and the sun will stay up longer, so I can take the girls for their walk after the presentations. They are NOT going to be happy about that. 

The presentations are ready to go -- I finished them this morning. Yep --- I'm on top of things, with little wiggle room. 

I've got one more project I want to work on this morning -- I have an URGENT quilt to cut out and start sewing. 

And then this coming week is a whole new adventure! 

And remember to celebrate ALL the small stuff!!!! 

Have a super day!!!!!

Ciao!!!!