You be the look out!

Yes -- I restocked the retreat supply box with a spool of black and a spool of white thread, and I put a spool on the sewing machine. All set for the next retreat. 

My SIL finished her quilt top and the backing last night. I have realized that my space is not configured for two people to work. Yikes! But all will be good, and I did manage to piece together one thing myself, so I was happy. It's part of the weekend homework, and I took lots of pictures, so I just need to get them into the presentation. 

But I still have three assignments to finish this weekend. I have a plan, and it will happen. I guess that is another reason I get so much done in a day. I work alone the entire day!

I had a couple of errands to do yesterday - well, one of them was to get my annual mammogram. Oh great balls of fire! That machine is insane. For them to get a good picture, the technician thinks we are contortionists. Put your arm this way, don't pull. Then twist your face this way, don't pull. I can only imagine what we look like as we go through that process. And some angles are worse than others for the pressure! Ten seconds seems like a very long time when you are in pain!

I had a meeting just before, and I pushed leaving the house to the very last minute. No time for any delays. Of course, I hit every red light between there and here. I was going to walk, but because of the meeting, I didn't have time. I arrived at the clinic exactly at 1 PM, and then realized the requisition was at home. 

No worries -- apparently, you can self-prescribe a mammogram once a year through the Breast Screening Program. Now - don't you all run out and do that, please check the details on the website or chat with someone. But that is what the receptionist told me. 

I was out of there at 1:14!!! How is that for efficiency?

Since I was in the car and had two errands to run, I decided to do them yesterday, since we may get nasty snow today. Although we did have some snow yesterday, it wasn't much. 

I could NOT help myself. I stopped at the puzzle store. Well, I had ordered a puzzle (or two) in the morning, and the order was ready. My other pick-up was around the corner, and I got both done. 

This is a SERIOUS place to buy puzzles. That's a warehouse FILLED floor to ceiling with puzzles. And the place was busy!!! 

Floor-to-ceiling puzzles

OK -- I confess, even though I had a bag to pick up, I did wander in the back, and well, I bought one more. OK - I bought two more! But you get points when you buy puzzles, and I had a $15 credit, so I might as well use it. I will be finished being busy on Sunday, and I plan to get myself organized to start a puzzle. 

On my way home, I was getting hungry, and I thought I might stop at Tim's for a snack. That used to be a typical thing for me. I'm out in the car, stop at Tim's. However, by the time I got to one, I had talked myself out of it. I have hot chocolate and bran muffins at home. Why pay for a snack? I am so much more disciplined than I used to be, but I really need to cut out the sugar. I might as well take any baked goods I eat and tape them to my waist or hips because that's where they go when I eat them. I am not a fan of the look and feel, and only I can change that. Besides, sweet things are overrated anyway!

It is incredible how the pounds can creep up unless you keep an eye on the numbers and watch what you eat. I'm not a fanatic about my weight, but I don't want weight to inhibit my mobility later in life. I can still see my toes, and I want it to stay that way!

In addition to some sewing, I got a customer quilt done! 

Customer quilt - DONE

The next quilt to go on is for my SIL, and we'll do that today. She will be babysitting it, not me, but it's still going to take some time to help her. I have four more quilts to finish this year for customers, and those are scheduled for next week. Then I can tackle those community project quilts. I will NOT get them all done before the end of the year, but I'll push and see what I can do. 

I logged my 900th book in my reading list! I use an online database that I have to pay for. I know—I should have something in Excel, but this is prettier, and the titles and other book information come up automatically. This does not include any non-fiction books I've read. I started tracking the books I read back in 2007 - thanks to Linda! That averages out to about 47 books a year for the last 19 years. That sounds about right! 

My "read" book list

So all is good in the book-reading department, although I've been slipping over the last two weeks. I must get myself back on track. It's rare for a digital book to be returned unread, and I think one or two did that this week. 

It will be very quiet at the house in a week, and I'll get myself back on track. 

So there's a question going around - are things actually cheaper at the dollar store than if you buy them elsewhere? First, I refuse to buy anything from the dollar that you ingest. Just a conception I have—I don't care where it comes from—I will NOT buy food there. I recently purchased a dishwasher finisher. A rinse agent, I guess, is a better way to describe it. It was $5 for a small container. I checked the price, and it was pretty much on par with the grocery store. But here's the thing. The grocery store version had a resealable top. The one from the dollar store had wax to seal those three holes. And there was too much to put in at once, so the unsealed container went back into the cupboard and hoped that it didn't get knocked over. 

Wax was used to seal the dollar store version

It seemed to be used up more quickly as well, although I'm sure that's just my imagination! I'll go back to both places and check the quantity and price. I may no longer purchase this at the dollar store. The container has changed since I last bought it there. 

Of course, our house is busy with the girls, and they provide no end of entertainment all day long. Miss Murphy is NOT one for sleeping in a bed. She quickly gets hot, but I couldn't resist when it felt cool in the house in the morning, and I grabbed her blankie and wrapped her up! I don't think she was amused. 

MOM - I hate blankets

This is how she prefers to sleep. On the blanket, not under!

MOM - this is much better

And then later in the day, she was playing around with her toys in the other dog bed. There was a treat in the pink ball, but it was stuck, so I fixed it, and it didn't take her long to find it! 

MOM - this bear needs to be taught a lesson! 

And then seriously? What is going on here? Yes --- I could barely spot Murphy in the picture, but at one point before she got that deep into the bushes, her tail was more exposed and was wagging like a flag in a hurricane! I guess Lexi is the lookout!

Teamwork!

While the two of them do not seem close, they are very close and love to play together. Or chase rabbits together, which is what I suspect is happening here. Murphy has quite a path system carved out under those bushes. I can't imagine a rabbit would be safe under there. No idea what they were searching for, but Murphy came in the house with muddy paws! 

Mom -- nothing to see here! 

Phew - I had a few extra minutes, so I downloaded the photos that I took from the homework yesterday into the presentation, and they are arranged, so one less job to do this afternoon. I might just make the deadline! 

Don't worry - even if the class were tomorrow, I have enough information in the presentation to keep them going. The rest I can explain through some pictures. It's all good. 

On that note, I'm out of here! I'm off to spin class and then home to tackle some projects! 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!