I can see clearly now!

The days seem to be blurring into each other. A new day - two new presentations and a new quilt to quilt! The push on the quilts is only because I took some time to enjoy last week's beautiful weather, so I don't mind. It's cool outside these days -- too cool to sit out, but perfect for walking. I'm down to 25 KM to walk in two days to finish my Virtual Challenge. A piece of cake, but I've never been this close before! However, considering that I've walked almost 1,100 KM in 84 days - (yes -- that's 13 KM per day), and with a crazy travel schedule, it doesn't surprise me to be down to the wire like this. 

I've got two presentations this morning; both are ready! 

Here's an update on the lost glasses. I decided to let them go -- they were stretched out of shape, and the chance of finding them intact would be slim. I've learned that following up on certain things isn't worth it. 

Technically, I need glasses to drive, but I found an old pair in the drawer. I didn't feel comfortable having only one pair- apparently, I was comfortable before! Anyway, I decided to get my eyes checked, and so I was off to the optometrist yesterday. 

It appears the changes in my eyes over the last (no idea how many) years are so minimal that it doesn't make sense to change my glasses. That has been my problem in the past. Not enough change to warrant the cost of new glasses. YES --- I am fortunate -- I know that!

But I decided to get new glasses anyway. Well, here's the story of how that happened. When I walked into the office for my appointment (they are in a store of a major eyeglass seller), there were four people in a somewhat intense conversation -- all of them worked for the eyeglass seller or the optometrist office. 

They laughed and very friendly-like said they were gossiping - about a certain new eyeglass place. I'm OK with that, and they made me feel part of their conspiracy, although they stopped talking when I arrived. 

I had to wait for drops, so I was asked if I wanted to shop, and I said no. Then I said yes. Because my intent was to go to the competitor and buy my glasses. So I found a salesperson and told them my story -- careless with glasses, don't want to spend a lot. They were all very sympathetic and kept mentioning the word "budget." Hey -- I don't have a budget; I'm just cheap and don't want to spend much money on glasses. 

I was quite upfront with her and asked her why I should buy from her rather than the other guy down the hall. Well -- they have "packages" that are equivalent to the price I can get from the competitor. Those "packages" were locked in a drawer - not out on display at all! 

I also wanted hinged arms, so I was limiting myself a lot. The bottom line is that I walked out of there with a new pair of NO-NAME glasses (which I LOVE), which cost $229. I don't need multiple pairs -- I just want ONE good pair. I have to wait two weeks for them, but that's OK. I actually found TWO frames that I fell in love with (NO -- I don't need another pair), and this was in the limited area of hinged arms and the "packages."

And the even better news? My left eye is BETTER than it was before, and no change in the right. I dare not tell you my prescription because you're going to laugh. It's so weak I barely need glasses, and I'm perfectly OK with that! I have been known to drive my car without them because I forgot them in the house, but if I ever got in an accident, my insurance company would have a heyday with that, and I refuse to give them the satisfaction!

I love answering the questions - "How is your health?" Excellent. "Medications?" None! Yes --- I was blessed with good genes (thank you, Mom and Dad), and let's hope it stays that way. 

All the equipment is now electronic. No more knob-things on that device they put over your eyes. It's all done remotely from a little tablet -- very cool! 

When I was at the drugstore the other day, they had a new blood pressure monitor, so I had to check it out. I know -- they don't give super accurate readings, but they are close enough. This new machine takes an average of three readings, including your pulse. I'm at the OPTIMAL level and have been for years. My BMI (according to the drugstore) is NORMAL. 

So all that exercise, walking, and watching what I eat over the last 50+ years has paid off. I just hope that when it's my time -- it's fast because my brain won't cope with slow! But that's a morbid thought, and it's a happy day! I am also truly blessed that EVERYTHING in my world is half full, never half empty. Again --- I got on the right end of that scale, and let's pray that it all stays there!

OH -- trust me -- I'm not perfect. I have many secret aches and pains (deny, deny, deny!) and those damn blisters! More on those another day, but NO -- I do not have more. 

Seriously -- there is a house in our neighborhood that no one has lived in since August of last year. This is at least the third package I've seen delivered to the house. Do the idiots (excuse me for saying that) that lived there before know how to change their address? This stuff is coming from Amazon. Sigh...................   Let's see how long this package sits there before it gets picked up. OH -- maybe someone knows the house is empty and is delivering stuff on purpose!! 

A package was delivered to an empty house

While waiting for my appointment, I had a few minutes to kill, so I looked in some shops. Let's say RUFFLES are in. Everything (adults and children) had ruffles!!!! Let me get my gathering feet out for the serger and the sewing machine. I'm going to make ruffles! 

Ruffles are HOT

No idea when the Cimeplex Junxion will open, but it must be soon as all the signage is up. I didn't walk past the front door, so there may be a date there. I can't wait!!!!

The new Cineplex Junxion

It's long overdue that I get more fabric to Diane. I've struggled with time over the last couple of weeks, but this has happened over the previous few days. 

I pulled out my overflowing basket of brown fabric, which needed to be culled. 

My basket of brown fabric

I started culling out fabric that I'd passed over for years. Why do I need to keep this, as it's not something I'll likely ever use? 

Let the culling begin

Gosh -- it doesn't seem like I got rid of a whole lot, as the basket is still quite full, but at least it's not spilling out everywhere. And there are a lot of good browns in there, and I don't want to get rid of the stuff I could use. 

The basket of brown after the cull

Let's say that it fits nicely on the shelf. Before, the fabric was piled so high that I could barely get it on the shelf. 

The brown basket is back on the shelf

And I pulled enough brown from there (and from one other place) to make up quite a few kits for Diane. There are SEVEN kits of brown fabrics; the rest needed some fabric so she could continue. That should keep her busy for a while! 

Kits for Diane to sew

I'm sure there might be enough to make one more quilt with the leftovers of the kits! Then I'll go through the next color basket. 

And I found these in the brown basket, but are they in the right place? 

The top fabric is quite pretty, and it's now in the multi-colored basket, and the other one is back in the brown. It's a bizarre fabric, and no idea why I bought it. 

I was looking for something the other day and discovered this in one of the cupboards. This is baskets of thread! ACK!! It needs to be sorted and put in the right spot (like thread with like thread!) so it can be used! 

Found threads

And then onto the quilt of the day. Let's say I had another late night, as I started this one after dinner! The day was jam-packed with stuff, but I HAD to finish it yesterday to keep on schedule. Thank goodness for automation to help out. 

As I neared the quilt's end, I wondered if I would run out of bobbin thread. 

Almost done - will I run out of bobbin thread?

I probably won't since I still had a full bobbin sitting there. 

A full bobbin waiting to be used

HA --- With mere inches to go, the bobbin ran out. 

The bobbin did run out!

There's the finished quilt. It turned out beautifully. This quilt started 40 years ago as a mother/daughter team effort. 

Customer quilt - DONE

And there's a close-up of the quilting. Perhaps a wee bit too dense, but there is a LOT of plain fabric in it and on the back, so I think it works fine! 

Detail of the quilting

I didn't have time to load the next one, so as soon as the presentations are done today, that is the job. It's a giant one, so I want to start before dinner! I have no errands to do today, so I should be good. OH -- except I have to walk those kits to Diane's house! 

And so everyone (DH and his friends) know, I am looking into booking an appointment with a foot specialist -- just to say I did that, and I may get some advice about my feet. 

On that happy note -- I'm out of here!!! Excited about the day - like every day, and let's GO!!!!

Ciao!!!