More tips for healthy living spaces and your health!!

 I forgot to answer one of the comments about the duplicate winter quilts. That was the second of the $10 quilts that I taught starting back in 2003 or some timeframe like that. Not home to fact-check the date. They were called $10 quilts because the students paid $10 to participate. If they didn't finish their work, they paid another $10 for the next month's pattern, and they got a piece of fabric at the same time. There were multiple variations to that process. Our store (The Hobby Horse) didn't quite follow the same rules as some of the others in the neighborhood. 

Although I didn't do the double quilts on the very first one I taught (Pieceful Year), I did on the next two years, this series of four seasonal quilts. Yes, I have two autumn (ready to quilt), two spring (ready to quilt), two winter (quilted, but need to be bound), and I haven't started summer, but to complete the series, I'll make them. Thankfully they are small. 

I also did two Cabin in the Woods quilts, and after that, I shook my head and said, "no more duplicate quilts!" These were taught in person, and it was easy to have part of it made and then part of it finished to show the students. No Zoom back then, so you could do some work, take a picture, and then finish it. 

The winter and summer quilts were sort of secondary quilts, and we didn't really focus on them in class; they were bonus homework, and probably I and anyone in that class never got them done. My two winter quilts are done. Why did I focus on those? They're on my Visual To-Do list, and the end of the year is coming! Having a list or goal is a great way to focus. 

Other than a few things for new classes and the constant need to make new samples, I have NOT started a project just for fun. And you know what? I'm OK with that because I still love all the UFOs that I'm working on. I can't wait to start one of the Christmas quilts in January. I'll have to study that Visual To-Do list and dream up new projects and goals for 2027. 

The beginning of next year is already taking shape, and I might have a monthly trip for the first few months, so I'll keep that in mind as I plan how much sewing I can do. 

I still have a "few" that I'm not going to finish, but that's OK. I made good progress, and I love the concept, so I'm going to continue with it. Which quilts/projects will make the cut? 

Have a look at the comment that Elle made yesterday. She has added a few other tips, as I know she had one day to clear out her family home. I'm not sure I could do that, but you know, when push comes to shove, you just do it! I'm not sure about the Trust thing, but I know that all the documents are in place. That's out of my wheelhouse here- I'm taking care of my parents, and my cousin is doing that stuff for her mom. 

When packing, FOCUS is the name of the game. It's been so easy to get distracted, and then we have to get back on track. It's not just packing; we are also sorting things to donate, things to throw out, and things to pack. 

It was a dull day here, and we had several personal papers to destroy. We called to confirm that we could have a burn, so we did. Well, that simple little job took several hours, as there was other garbage to burn. But it is done. 

When I first started the fire, I put a wee bit too much stuff in the barrel, and it was smoking like mad. 

My witch's brew!!!!

But then I got the hang of it, and I had a roaring fire for at least an hour. There were bags and bags and bags of stuff to burn. 

My beautiful fire

At one point, I got out a hoe, and near the end, I used it to rake through the ashes to ensure that everything burned. It got pretty hot at times, and I even set the hoe on fire once. Oops. But all is good; we are done with that task, and it cleared out a bunch of stuff from the house. 

Burning is so much fun! 

My aunt sat nearby, and we had some grand conversations! 

We sorted through some stuff that had been hanging around and even had to break into a briefcase. We found a few old bits of currency. I'm not sure how much of this was valid, as one or two pieces were, in fact, facsimiles. Thanks to my Monday Sewing ladies. I think I kept them on their toes all day, asking questions: "What is this?" I knew some of the answers, and I was testing their knowledge. But we had fun with it. 

Bits of old currency

We found some old Canadian currency. That one dollar bill at the back is very old. Those can likely be exchanged for existing currency. It is packed, and we'll deal with it after the move.  

Old Canadian currency

We found some old Canadian pennies. Yep, those are antiques; the earliest is dated 1907. They are thin and about the size of a quarter. They are not worth much, around $8 CDN. 

Old Canadian pennies

I also used the Google picture search function on numerous occasions to find out what some stuff was. That's a pretty interesting thing to do. And amazing how much information is out there on the internet. As someone mentioned, the internet is one big dictionary, or in this case, encyclopedia; you can search with words or pictures. 

We found old passports. For whatever reason, I like to keep my passports, and so we kept these. This one expired in 1965, and it was like a small hard-covered book. It's taller than passports today, and bound in a hard cover with a spine. It's a great souvenir, and it would be fun to photograph the inside to keep digitally. I know there is no reason to keep it, but in the spirit of decision-making, we did. 

Canadian passport from the 1960s

The next passport, this one expired in 1970, was the same size, but with the soft cover we have today. You can see the old (left) and the new (right). 

An older version of the Canadian passport with a newer version

We made a trip to the dump, yep, like everywhere, you need to pay to get rid of things. But it was good to get rid of some of the small odds and ends we no longer need. 

As for the hangers, I don't care if an organization can use them -- we got rid of the wire ones. We are donating the nice wooden ones today, but the rest goes. We are dealing with a situation here where the clock is ticking, and time isn't on our side. We have amassed quite a bit of stuff to take to the thrift store today. 

I have two days, and while we are on track, we are just slightly behind where I envisioned we would be. We have tackled both bedrooms, and while there is still stuff in them, we've decided whether it gets packed, dumped, or what. Also, everything is packed in those rooms. So that is good. The kitchen is very large, with a huge eating area. 

The eating area is a bit of a shambles, so after dinner last night, we started on one side and worked systematically around the room. We made it about halfway around last night. We must continue this morning because that room has to be clear and packed by the end of today. I also need to bring up everything to pack from the basement. While I've had a look, I'm not really sure what is being packed and what is being dumped. 

And then we need to tackle the kitchen proper. While my aunt (bless her soul) has already done a lot of clearing and sorting, there is still a lot to go. We have two days! I want to try not to panic pack if we don't have to, but tomorrow might be a panic-packing day. 

Not to worry - we will do what we can. The important thing is not to leave odds and ends around -- the goal is to work around the rooms.

Packing with seniors (I'm allowed to say that because I am also a senior) means they look at the obvious stuff but don't look behind doors, under beds, or in those little nooks and crannies. So that is my job, and then I ensure that a decision gets made about everything! My aunt will be very happy to see me go!  

You know what I'm going to say next. It's not the big stuff, the towels in the linen closet, the dishes in the kitchen, that's troublesome to pack; it's all the crappy stuff you didn't deal with because you didn't know what to do with it. 

MAKE those decisions now. Clean out the junk drawer. Deal with the stuff that belonged to a loved one who is no longer here; yep, we are dealing with some of that as well. It's all these piddly little things that eat up time when you're getting ready to move. So if you take a little bit at a time NOW -- then guess what? When you are ready to move, it will be easy. 

It makes me want to run home (OK -- I'll fly) and then spend three days in that office and literally just dumping stuff. But I can't just toss an entire box without looking at it. I need to touch each thing; do NOT try to change me- that is how I am wired. And then, without putting it back in the box because you don't know how to deal with it, you MUST deal with it! This is the HARDEST thing about decluttering. Make a decision, relive the memory it brings, and then decide whether you want a SMALL box of little mementos or a picture, and toss it. Be ruthless! I mean RUTHLESS. 

I am looking for a word to signify 2027 (the word for 2026 was goals), and I might just take on RUTHLESS for 2027. I can make it on the embroidery machine, and then I'll carry that darn thing to the office or wherever I am decluttering. How can I embellish the word ruthless? I mean -- how to enhance the word. For GOALS, it became a soccer theme and is quite cute. I'm sure you all remember that little wall hanging. 

Whatever you do, DO NOT set it aside to decide another day. I've been sending pictures to various people asking if they want such and such. In ALL cases, the answer was NO. So don't assume your family/friends want your castoffs. They do NOT!!!! 

Yes, I could work faster, but this is NOT my stuff, and I don't have the authority to rip through it. And I'm OK with that. My aunt and I are having the grandest of conversations as things bring back memories for both of us, or I hear more of her stories. It's been a great time so far, and we still have two more days! 

Someone must have been reading my blog and prepared the following words of wisdom. There were more in the series, but I got the most fun from these. 

How many times have I said this? 

Chair squats!!!

Or this? 

Bone density!!!! 

And here is one about healthy eating. OK -- so I had a muffin yesterday. I'm OK with that - I might have one today, and then I'm back home. I'll be OK. 

So true

I don't care if pills will help -- I want to live my life WITHOUT pills for as long as I can!!! I can sacrifice eating those sweets! It's really no big deal. 

This one doesn't really apply to me right now; I think I'm pretty good at seeking help when I need it. 

See medical help if you need it.

And this one is definitely me, which is why I'm back at the gym, staying active and eating better. 

Speaking of eating better, I found this yogurt in the grocery store, and I bought some slivered almonds for my snack. It's plain, so it's a bit bland; I'll flavor it at home, or I'll check how much sugar is in the vanilla flavor. 

High protein yogurt

And when we were at the grocery store yesterday, someone was handing out samples of this. Some of these shakes are horrible, but I tried two different ones nd they were pretty good. So I found a couple of healthy, high-protein snacks to replace the muffin. YEAH!!!!

Protein shake

It's so easy to get complacent in anything in our lives. What we eat, what we ignore at home, and so many other things. I do NOT recommend moving frequently to take care of that stuff, but sometimes we need to look around our houses and at our bodies and really take a look. Do we like what we see? If not, only YOU and ME can take care of ourselves and our surroundings. 

And it's best to take care of it sooner rather than later. I don't want to worry about clearing out clutter when that time comes. If that means clearing out the clutter NOW, then when it comes time to move, there will be so little to move that it will be a non-issue. That's what I'm going to aim for. And imagine how easy it will be to move, no matter your age! 

Imagine that on the day you decide to move, you simply pack your clothes (one suitcase), call the moving van to box up your few possessions, and that's it. The rest is already gone because you don't use it. That's my ultimate goal. Then, no matter how old I am, I'll be able to handle it. Think of all those hidden places - the garage, the basement (OK - so I'm still in denial about that darn basement), the top shelves in your kitchen cupboards, the linen closet, under the bathroom sink, the garden shed, the side of your house- yes, people collect crap along the side of their houses. GET RID of anything you do not need. And trust me, those spaces can hide a lot of items. I've been through most of those areas at my house, and I've left very little. 

One of the bathrooms upstairs is completely EMPTY. Except for a few items in the linen closet that should be donated, the 12-foot-long vanity is EMPTY. I'll take a picture when I get home! 

And guess what? If you are no longer physically able, hire some young men, a junk removal service, or something. Why not ask your kids for a junk removal service this Christmas if they want to give you a gift? OH, that's a great idea: junk removal, a decluttering agency, or you can hire me! I'm RUTHLESS, especially with other people's stuff, and I don't take no for an answer! I will make you decide, or I'll do it for you! 

And keep the lines of communication open -- I'm chatting with various family members to see what, if anything, they want. Taking pictures of items, sending them, and asking questions as you go means things don't sit around while you wait for them to come to you. Get it done NOW!!!!

I've got a lot of work to do! 

It's going to be a glorious day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Memories and moving

I'm so glad to hear that I am not alone in my AI thoughts. I love the comment that it's literally one giant dictionary; however, that's what AI is. It scours the internet for information faster than the speed of sound. If it scours a source with incorrect or outdated information, it will give you that. At THIS POINT in time, AI can't discern right from wrong; it has no "intelligence" per se, and it has no consciousness. But at the rate they are developing it, BEWARE. 

Developers and people in that industry are saying we need to SLOW down AI development because it could potentially take over our world. Remember, OUR world is very much connected to the internet. Imagine if AI took control of the internet? You laugh, you scoff --- don't, because it could happen!

So if you use AI - beware. What tasks are you asking it to do and why? Does the task even need doing? How much control are you giving a machine? How much brainpower are you losing by handing the task over to a machine? 

I know this is going to be a total oxymoron when I say, " How much of your life have you given to the machines? My blog contains a lot of information about me. If AI searched, they could create a mini me in no time. That's a risk I take. But how much data have you shared because you want to participate in a freebie, a giveaway, or just because you thought it was a good idea? All that data is stored somewhere! 

How many people did you tag because you needed to ATTEMPT to win something you didn't need or want? 

Ever wondered why every new appliance comes with Wi-Fi connectivity? Oh -- it's convenient for you to start your oven when you approach your house. Meanwhile, whatever is in there has been sitting uncooked all day? NO -- it's for the companies to amass data on what you cooked, how long, when, etc. It's not about your convenience - it's about collecting data. 

I use Microsoft products, and their AI agent is Copilot. When I open a blank document, be that in Word or an email, I get a prompt. "What would you like to write today?" Seriously? I HATE that, and I need to find out how to turn it off. It's darn intrusive, and it's awful. I think that AI being so intrusive is the biggest reason I hate it.

Guess what we are learning? We are learning to let a machine write for us. So where does that leave our brains? 

AI technology will never go away and will keep encroaching on our brain capacity. It is up to us to use it wisely!!!

Well, enough about that. It's time to tell you what happened yesterday, and oh my --- it was a monumental day. 

The travel part was just fine. I didn't get an upgrade, but seriously, 5 hours on a plane isn't that big a deal unless you are in a middle seat, which I was not. I had just enough time to get through security, and I looked at the line at Tim's and decided I didn't have time for that. I went back to the other food place and bought a hot breakfast sandwich, and it was very good. It costs more than Tim's, but time is money, so I may just avoid Tim's altogether in the future. I got tea on the plane.  

I watched the 7th Harry Potter movie. I use English subtitles on the plane because it's hard to hear all the dialogue. I do not bring my big headphones. OK--- so that leaves the final movie, and well, I'll watch that on the way home. I think I watched all the Harry Potter movies on a plane this year! 

I may or may not have one more air trip after this one. Probably yes, but a shorter flight. 

And yes, I achieved my 50K status this year with the airline, so that will be good for the rest of this year and all of next year. Yeah!!! Lounge access is probably the biggest deal, and I should be higher on the upgrade lists, so we'll see what happens. This is the first time I achieved that status. I'll enjoy it while I can, as it won't last forever. 

I took a bottle to fill with water on the other side of security. But it wasn't really meant for this type of bottle. I am NOT carrying a heavier reusable water bottle, so I keep this one for travel. I put the bottle under the tap, and nothing happened. But when I put it closer to the sensor, the water came out but missed the bottle. AHA, if you angle the bottle so the bottom touches the sensor and the top is under the tap, that works much better. Could AI tell me that? OK -- I'll stop harping about AI. 

My travel water bottle

I could find a lighter weight bottle, but I cannot drink from something metal. I need plastic. I've probably been scarred from years of drinking from a metal dipper when I was a kid! Yep -- we didn't have running water in our house. We had a large crock of drinking water, and we shared a communal metal (chipped enamel) dipper. The thought is, well - at the time, that's all we knew. 

Then I landed in Vancouver and took the shuttle to the float plane docks. 

I love the float planes!!! Although there is one problem. Before boarding, they give you the safety lecture. When you get in your seat, you attach the lifejacket strap around your waist. It's connected to the seat. Should you need it, you are supposed to put the top strap around your neck, not inflate it on the plane, and so on. Will I remember that if I need it? Doubtful!!! 

The floatplane safety lecture spot

It was one of the larger planes, seating 9 people, which was a bit surprising, since there were only three of us plus the pilot. But when we arrived at the dock in Ganges on Salt Spring Island, a fair number of people were waiting. I think they even had a second plane coming over to pick up everyone. The day couldn't have been more glorious. The sky was blue, the temperature was warm, and it was beautiful. A perfect day for flying over the water. 

The float plane

There's the Vancouver Airport from the air. 

Vancouver Airport from the air

And I saw several large ships, including this container ship. It's amazing how many containers are on one ship. All that weight and it floats on the water!!!!! 

A container ship

And there are so many small islands in the Gulf Islands between Vancouver and Vancouver Island. It is a beautiful country, and I am always in awe every time I come, and I've been here many times. 

Some of the smaller Gulf Islands

While I waited for my aunt, she had to park in a different lot, so we missed each other. I spotted this wind sculpture. YES --- the gallery where I bought the one for my backyard is right here!!! 

A large version of my wind sculpture

You know the saying - be careful what you wish for. When my parents left the farm, I so wanted to get a dumpster, or dig a big hole and then systematically go from room to room and deal with all the stuff. What to keep, what to donate, what to give away to specific people, and then eliminate the rest. Throwing some of that crap in a dumpster would be so satisfying. Alas, that wasn't to be, and I don't know how many times we went through rooms, searching one more time in case we'd forgotten something. It was horrible, and it went on for years. 

My aunt, who has lived on Salt Spring Island for 34 years, is moving, and several years ago I told her I would come help her pack when she moved. Don't worry, her family is also helping, but this week, it's just the two of us. 

The timing is not perfect, but you do what you have to when the time comes. So here I am. 

When I walked in, there was stuff strewn EVERYWHERE, but that is typically the case when you are getting ready to move. She must have a guardian angel looking out for her because we were barely home when someone came to pick up a couple of pieces of furniture. A neighbor happened to be here, so the two of them emptied a big wall in the living room. 

This is PERFECT. So we started in one room and moved boxes of stuff to that empty space. This is the stuff she is keeping. 

The start of the keep pile

A few of those boxes need to be reboxed with better labels. We found a few more things that wouldn't fit in the first box we tried. That's a job for today. 

But then my super organizing skills kicked in, and I'm in my glory! We are trying to deal with ONE room at a time, and we did a pretty good job at clearing out one room. Now my aunt has been pretty good over the last couple of years at getting rid of things, and she had emptied most of the furniture in that room before I even got here. Where did it go? I don't need to know. 

We have piles in the house, several piles of things other people want, garbage, donate, burn (instead of shred), and so on. And the minute we unearth something else, it's fate gets decided, and then I walk it to the appropriate pile. I won't be going for a walk, so I'm relying on that process to get some steps in. 

But here's the issue. As we get older, I think we all get overwhelmed by everything. Your brain just doesn't function quite as you would like and I don't mean dementia - it's just that the thought of undertaking a large task like moving because a MAJOR life change. It's already a major upheaval, no matter how old you are. 

So while you may have dealt with big things, it's the little things that will kill you!! As I survey the house, I think about my own house and how I will pack things when the time comes. Thankfully, we don't have a ton of furniture, and we'll toss most of it when we move because we've had it for years. 

We have rooms in the house, a basement, and there is stuff in the garage. After surveying everything yesterday, I think we have a plan of attack. I have THREE days to do as much as we can, and I think we'll throw out or give away a lot of it since she won't need much of it when she moves into her new little apartment. 

What do you do with all those pictures/slides/negatives, etc that you know you should have dealt with before? I think we are going to pack them up and take them to the new place, but then I want to come prepared one day to deal with them. We don't have time right now, nor the proper equipment. 

A random box of slides

I know I have said I would deal with the phones multiple times, and I never did. I will book a trip, especially to deal with that stuff, or ship it back home and deal with it there. But I need to set aside time, and I mean serious time, to take care of it.

Why? Because memories mean a lot to me. They didn't when I was younger, but now they do. I want to preserve some of those memories. I was looking at pictures of my grandpa's garden and the gladiolas that were his pride and joy. We don't need hundreds of pictures of the gladiolas, but one or two will do. We can put them in a digital book, and we are done! Then when future generations of the family want to see what things interested their ancestors, we will have that information. 

Then we have found a couple of small boxes of pins and other odds and ends of jewelry. I found this bracelet and had no idea what it was. My aunt immediately piped up about where it came from. I took a picture and searched Google for it, and well, it's a bracelet from Wales with four Welsh symbols on it. Do you know what they are? 

A Welsh bracelet

Since I am going to Wales next year, I decided to keep the bracelet, and it needs a good cleaning so I can arrive wearing Welsh symbols! It's probably a cheap tourist bracelet, but it's memorable, knowing my aunt (dad's side) bought it, and I can wear it when I visit family on my Mom's side! I'm kind of sappy and sentimental like that. 

And then, of course, we found a couple of memory books, and here's a picture of my grandparents (dad's side) and M and her cousin, who now has his pilot's license and owns his own plane! 

Grandparents and two of their grandchildren 

And yes, my kid is eating a bag of Smarties! 

So what is my perspective on this situation? And keep in mind I am writing this down to clarify it in my head, and to get deadly serious about it when I get home. My saving grace is that only one room in the house needs serious attention: the office. Notice: I am in total denial about Studio B. That's a situation to deal with another day. 

1. START sorting and organizing now in preparation for your inevitable moving day. We have three days (I know some of you have done it in less, but I'm not the person to make the decisions) to get things mostly in order. 
2. Deal with the small crap stuff NOW. That is probably the worst thing of all to deal with. Oh, I'll keep that and make something special from it (I know, do not judge me because I say that all the time), but if after a year you haven't touched it, then perhaps it's time to go. 
3. Put LIKE things together. I cannot say enough about this one. If you have piles of the same type of crap everywhere, you won't get anywhere fast. The place looks like a hurricane hit, and you struggle to remain focused. 
4. Be methodical. Start in one room and keep at it until that room is done. If you continuously flit from room to room, you will never feel like you are accomplishing anything. 
5. If in doubt, throw it out. Those wire hangers? No one wants them. Throw them out, but keep some to hang up your clothes in the new place. 
6. If possible, make periodic trips to the recycling/garbage to keep the situation under control. We have huge piles of debris in the living room and the kitchen, and since we need to go to town today, my goal is to pack that into the car and get rid of it. That reduces the clutter and helps you focus. 
7. Keep a clean spot to work/live/eat/watch TV or whatever. You need some calm in the storm, or you will drive yourself mad. 
8. Enlist help if you can. My cousins have been here, but unfortunately the timing didn't work for us to be here together. However, I think that is actually a good thing. There is ONE decision maker in the house, and if there were too many helpers, it would be overwhelming. So we are taking turns, and it's all working out nicely. I won't be here for the final move date or the final push to remove all the remaining junk. 
9. Take pictures. If you think someone else would like something, take pictures and send them. I have a few pictures to take today, and then we'll see which pile those items go in. 
10. Be ruthless and brutally honest about what you need and don't need. What you want and don't want. 
11. DON'T wait; this is a job we should all be on top of. It's amazing how life's detritus creeps up on us. START NOW while you are physically and mentally able to deal with the situation. 

And here's one more thing before I close down for the day. I've mentioned this before, but I'll mention it again. It's all about those damn dishes. What to do with the dishes? If I don't come home one day and M comes to the house to collect a few things, or someone else wants something special of mine (sorry, we're talking dishes here, not quilts or a sewing machine), I want them to take my china mugs with the bicycles on them. I use them EACH and EVERY DAY when I am at home. They are my favorite dishes; they don't match any of my other dishes. I throw them in the dishwasher, and they are fading, but I don't care. The memories they bring me, and the memories I hope they bring to whoever gets those mugs, will be special. 

So your kids don't care one iota about the damn china and crystal because you never used it. But that special mug, or cup or whatever --- that's what they want! 

Use the special stuff! And use it NOW!!!! And that gold trim on the fancy dishes? Yep -- you've been told not to use those dishes in the dishwasher because the gold will disappear. So???? Why is that a problem? Put those darn gold-rimmed dishes in the dishwasher!!!

I think I have blabbed on enough. I woke up early, so I'll need a nap this afternoon. I think we both will after all the stuff we are doing. Not only is there a physical component, but it's emotionally stressful. However, we are having loads of laughs, reliving great memories, and while the timing wasn't the best, I wouldn't give up this week for the world! 

I just wish I could do this with my parents, but alas, I don't think that is going to happen because my Mom just can't cope with giving things away, even if it's a pile of clothes she's never worn. It's sad to be so attached to things, but that's the way it is. I might tell her about this week and see if that helps. 

And guess what? I'll get to help unpack!! That won't happen for a couple of months, and I've already volunteered! Unpacking will be another opportunity to clear out crap and deal with those photos once and for all! 

It's going to be a GLORIOUS day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Just say NO to refined sugar!

I accomplished everything I set out to do yesterday! Did I have high expectations? Not exactly, but I'm trying to get at least three things done. Three somewhat significant things, but that doesn't always work, so I'll take three minor things. 

The biggest issue is that DH and I have been out THREE nights in a row. OK -- that could be taxing on conversation for some couples, but not for us! I keep the chatter going, and I'm sure there are times when he wishes that I would just be quiet. But the conversation is just too great! 

The first night was our regular night out. That's usually pretty quick: have dinner and be back home, since we typically go back to work. I booked tickets to see Spider-Man; the movie started at 6:20 PM and ran 2½ hours. I SWEAR I booked IMAX tickets, but I did not. Silly me. But the moment I sat down, I knew I was in trouble. 

I wasn't comfortable with my sciatic flaring up - where did that come from? I was tired, and I didn't find the movie very exciting. I considered getting up and going outside for a walk several times, but I pushed through, and thankfully the second half was a bit more exciting than the first. I must say, I was a time-watcher through that movie. I couldn't wait for it to end. But we also had dinner at the theatre before the movie, so it was more conversation. 

And last night, we were at the golf course for Thanksgiving dinner. Since I am away this week, it didn't make sense to cook anything at home. We arrived at 5:30, and we didn't leave for several hours. I still had stuff to do at home, but that's OK -- it can wait. 

What do we chat about? OH, let's say AI is high on the list for every single conversation. People are trying to convert me; DH is, too. I'm not saying that AI is bad. I just think too many people use it for inappropriate things. BTW -- DH uses AI all the time, so I know how it works and what it can do. 

Here's an example: DH mentioned that he and his colleagues were given a certain task. It involved some processing, and his colleague wrote a pretty spiffy script to get the work done. My question is, "How long did it take to write that elaborate script? And DH asked, "Did the task even need to be done in the first place?" He made a different decision that handled the task quickly and did NOT involve AI at all. 

So if people rely on AI to do "busywork" tasks, what the heck is the point? Just assign better, more efficient tasks in the first place. And if you think AI is doing a good job - great. But did the task even need doing? That's the question! 

Here's another EASY task that you can use AI for. Someone mentioned that they have their AI agent read a book for them and then ask AI to search that manual for stuff. Why would you restrict yourself to just that book? 

Just ask Google; you do NOT need other AI agents. Good old Google (now enhanced with AI search capabilities) will do the same job. AND it already has access to that book. I know many people aren't happy with Google these days, so pick your search engine and do the same. 

For example, if I wanted to learn how to use a specific tool in Creativate Embroidery Software, I could consult the reference manual, but that isn't always a clear learning experience. As an experiment, I searched for  "How to use the Encore tool in Creativate Embroidery Software." I got EXTREMELY detailed instructions on how to use the tool. It also referenced MANY online sources (videos, blogs, etc.) that gave more instructions. 

So --- do you need CHATGPT and do some of the work yourself? Or do you just use Google AI and search the ENTIRE internet at once? And yes --- Google will also ask follow-up questions. 

Think of the task at hand and find the MOST efficient way to use the tools we have. If you want to use a different search tool, I'm sure it works the same. 

And those conversations go on and on. We have conversations about sales and marketing tactics, relationships, travel, and so much more! We are a very animated couple at the dinner table. And we push each other! Sometimes to the extreme, but we have matured and mostly respect each other's opinions. We still have our moments! 

Some of you might think I am living in a vacuum and reluctant to change, no electronic wallet, no ChatGPT. That is NOT the case. I'm pushed to do these things every day, and I understand the pros and cons, but I am also NOT following the crowd - I am ACTIVELY making choices that work for ME. 

To change the topic completely, does anyone want an electric knife? This knife has been used for crafts, cutting foam, so it is NOT for food. But if you want it - it's yours. 

An electric knife for crafts

And I spotted this picture on the art-dailydose IG account. They come up with the most creative things on that account, and this series paired two objects that had nothing to do with each other. Can you see the two items? 

What two items do you see?

I was looking for a particular quilt top to photograph. Well, as I went down that list, I spotted MANY other quilts that would work for my presentation. I spent a bit of time digging through the tubs! OH MY GOODNESS --- so many memories in those tubs and so many amazing quilts. I am going to have to work harder and smarter to get them all done. Don't bother offering to do them; I'm perfectly happy to work at my pace, and one day I will slow down so I have more time to long arm. I found the quilt top in question, and it was the one I suspected, beige/brown pinwheel. 

Digging through the tubs of quilt tops

This fall, I took on TWO scrap classes, but I can reuse the same material for both, Show and Tell, Forty Shades of Grey, and My Kinda Town. That's five hours of classes, plus four hours of clubs per month. That is nine hours. The clubs don't take much time. But the biggest issue is scheduling time, and when something comes up, I have to move things around. Between personal trips and work, it's been a nightmare. 

NOTE to SELF: Nine hours per month is too much. I have the same amount scheduled through April, then 8 hours in May and June. Nothing in the summer. Next fall, do NOT schedule so many events; I struggle to find a consistent day of the month to offer the session. And if I have to move something, it's not pretty. 

OH --- I have to share this with you. In our Many Blocks club, I'm working on Sylvia's Bridal Sampler. That quilt has 140 blocks, and I have done most of the easy ones. I haven't been working on it as diligently as I would like, so I got busy the other day and did this. 

I had prepped a few blocks on the one day I was at the quilt retreat. This particular block was going to be a challenge. Look at the pieces. 

That's a lot of itty bitty pieces.

Here is the block, and I swear that every single seam was a Y-seam, meaning you had to stop and start ¼" in. Well, not the curved pieces, but those were tight little curves. 

The block is not pretty, but it's done!

I will NOT win an award for the piecing on this block, and the edges aren't as even as I would typically make them. The back is very ugly, BUT the block is more or less 6½", and it's DONE. As they say, done is better than perfect, and I'm just happy it's done. 

I have some applique blocks coming up which will be a piece of cake compared to that one above. This just needs some stitching and is sitting on the sewing machine waiting for me to come back. 

The next block for Sylvia's Bridal Sampler

In total, there are about 21 blocks to finish. I hope to get them done by the end of the year. It's time to stop this madness and finish this quilt. 

Why? How long do I want to work on this? Not long, but I don't want to abandon it again! PLUS, I want to start a new Many Blocks project for 2027. I already know what I want to work on, and it's FUN, bright, and cheery. 

As I dug through the tubs of quilt tops, I glanced at posters of all the year-long projects I have made, and OH MY, there are still lots that aren't finished. There are four pages of these quilts for a total of 80 quilts. I haven't figured out how many are not done. 

One of four posters of the ongoing quilts I've taught

Look at this cute girl. She stole Lexi's bed. 

MOM -- this is NOT Lexi's bed. It's for both of us!

Then she moved to be right in front of the fireplace. She doesn't settle like she used to, but then she's not the same girl! But still full of beans on most days. 

MOM - I'm trying to get warm!

So what were the three things I needed to get done? I got this quilt quilted. This is one of the quilts on those posters. 

The second winter quilt is done!

And so you don't think I keep using the same picture for both; here they both are. They need to be trimmed and bound! AND add a label. 

Both of the quilts are quilted.

Then I made a scrappy backing for one of the community project quilts I keep promising myself I'll finish this year. The backing is the blue you see around the edges. I think there are four more to quilt. 

The backing (blue) is made for the scrappy quilt.

And the third thing? I think it was to get my laundry done, so I could pack my suitcase last night when we got back from dinner! 

It's only been two days since I completely eliminated refined sugar from my diet, and I still need to replace those morning digestive cookies. Brooke says I should just throw the food away. I can't do that, so I will finish the box, but at two cookies per day, I don't think there's much sugar. And those gummies (supplements) need to be replaced, too. 

Anyway, in two days, I already feel better, and I know that is simply psychological, but I'm OK with that. It's the POWER of making and holding onto those decisions that is making me feel better. 

Look at that lovely spread of desserts at dinner last night. I wasn't even tempted. NOT ONE BIT. 

The dessert table that I completely ignored last night

It was a rainy kind of day, and when we got home I had to give the girls a quick walk. The lights in the front yard look so pretty. Subtle, but pretty! Murphy and Lexi were both happy to go out for a bedtime walk, even though they came in a bit wet! 

The lights at night in the front

I just have to finish packing up the rest of my portable office, and then I'm off. I will NOT be getting upgraded this morning, too many people on the flight; however, I am happy to report I'm not at the bottom of the list. Of 41 people on the list, I'm number 18. How will that change when I get my 50K status on this flight? 

This is a personal trip, so thankfully no heavy luggage required. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. I'll be in a different time zone, so the blog will likely be late each day until I'm back. 

It will be a WONDERFUL day!!!

Ciao!!!

What's OLD is back in vogue! That's not new!

Pepper on cottage cheese? OK -- I must try that. I'm away this coming week (AGAIN!), but I'll try it when I get home. I still have two road trips before the end of the year and one and perhaps two plane trips. Wait -- and a weekend quilt retreat. It's going to be silly. 

PHEW -- both presentations are done for this morning. I swear it's amassing my photos for the darn things that can take so long. Thankfully, I have a very good filing system for my pictures - NOT perfect by any means, but not bad. But it still takes time to find some of them. 

Sometimes I need to take pictures of things, so I have to find the samples to do so. In an ideal world, ALL samples, including details, would already be photographed, tagged, and sorted, so it would be even easier. But hey -- Rome wasn't built in a day. 

I have a task this afternoon: find a particular quilt top that hasn't seen the light of day in years, and while I have my master list of unquilted quilt tops, I'm not sure exactly which quilt it is. Sometimes my description on my master list is vague. Brown/beige doesn't really cut it when looking for something specific. BUT in going over the list, I found a couple of other quilts that sound interesting, and I will dig them out and see if they are picture-worthy for an upcoming class. 

Since I am away this week, I'll have to work on my scrap class presentation while away. That means I have to find/sort/take some pictures this afternoon. But the majority of what I need is already filed, either on the shared drive or my portable drives. 

I have to share yesterday's homework with you. The first quilt is Forty Shades of Grey. Some very neat color combinations are emerging, and it seems almost everyone is using scraps with a few purchased fabrics thrown in. Is this a sign of the times? Or is it our age and the realization that we, in fact, can't take all that fabric with us to the grave? Or have we finally just become scrap happy? 

Whatever the reason, scrap quilts are big these days. I've had several chuckles from my scrap class groups, as many of them perceived scrap quilts as UGLY. But they don't have to be ugly. Be careful when you choose your fabric, and you can make beautiful crap quilts too. 

Here are the recent blocks I made for Forty Shades of Grey, and you can see where I'm missing that Jinny Beyer Dark purple eyelash fabric. I don't think I'll find it. I did another search online, and I can't find anything, not in that color. So unless someone has it in their stash, I'll find a close substitute and use it to finish that block and the remaining blocks. 

My homework for Forty Shades of Grey

These are my blocks from last month. Yep, this isn't really a scrap quilt for me, as I'm very focused on green and purple, and I did pull yardage. I'm OK with that. 

September homework

The second quilt we did yesterday was Show and Tell. And I have to say that when I finished the first complete block and hung it on the wall, it's so darn cute. Here is a deer holding its half-square triangle quilt. 

Block one of the Show and Tell quilt.

OMG --- is that not adorable or what? I can't wait to work on more blocks, but I ran out of time to finish all three deer blocks, which is this month's homework. 

In case you are wondering, YES -- I did twirl all the seams on the back of the half-square triangle block. How could I not? And it lies perfectly flat. 

Twirled seams on the half-square triangle blocks

I grabbed a few bits of paper from the junk box and quickly sorted them into recycling, keep, and so on. While sorting, I found a card of someone who makes hand-cranked socks. OH MY --- I remember chatting with this person. 

Bits of stuff from the junk box

So now her card is attached to the manual for my hand-crank sock knitter. This picture was taken BEFORE I found the card. I don't get why we can't deal with this mess as it happens, instead of waiting months/years to deal with it. I understand that you can buy a NEW hand-crank sock knitter that is 3-D printed. Seriously??? Here's a site I found this morning. Remember the telephone receiver from yesterday? NOTHING is new!!!

Instruction book for the hand-crank sock knitter

I am taking a wee bit of hand work with me in case we get some free time from packing up a house. I needed a crochet hook, and I went through my meager stash and attempted to clean it up. I found one hook in a package with NO number on it. I added a piece of tape and wrote the number on the tape. The quality of this crochet hook is questionable, so it may not stay in the collection. However, I've had it for years and never used it, so I may never use it. 

Marking the size on a crochet hook

I didn't find the size I needed, so I went to the mall and picked that up. I dug out a little bag that I bought years ago, and it still had the tag on it. The tag is gone, and the bag contains my crochet. I'm going to add a small hexie project as well - I just need to find the thread and a needle. It's all set out on the cutting table to finish packing today. 

I've been to the mall two days in a row! It's a 20-minute walk from the house, so no big deal. The first day, I forgot my phone (camera) at home. There were a few things I wanted to take pictures of!! 

Look at this picture. The flowers are made with a commercial version of punch needle. 

Commercial version of punch needle

And did you know you can do some punch needle designs with your embroidery machine? This is one design that I made a couple of months ago. 

Punch needle by machine.

All the stitching was done with machine embroidery. I've done my share of hand punch needle, and I would be hard-pressed to see the difference between the two. I used to teach classes twice a year at the Creative Festival, and I hear it's making a comeback, too. WAIT --- punchneedle, NOT the Creative Festival!

Machine embroidery on a felt tablet case

A while back, I took a picture of some crochet flowers, and will I be able to find it? STOP!!!!!

OMG, I just checked the blog for the picture I was looking for, and I found a post dated January 20, 2020, about my meager crochet hook collection. LOL. 

OK -- here is the picture that I went back to the blog to find. This was from the end of March, 2026. Notice how full the buckets are. 

Spring crocheted flowers on display in a mall store window.l

The other day I passed by the same display, and this is what it looks like now. They are selling the flowers for $10 a piece. I was tempted, but what the heck will I do with it? I think there are more flowers on the inside as well. Hmmm -- maybe I should get the sunflower!!! 

All that remains of the floral display

And then I spotted these small crochet displays. Nothing came home with me, except slippers for DH, which is why I went to the mall the second day. Since I didn't have my phone the previous day, I couldn't ask his size. 

Little crocheted flowers

Oh, every time I go back to the blog to check out something, I get caught up reading or skimming through MULTIPLE posts. OK -- so I might be a bit biased, but so many interesting things have happened over the years, and it's always fun to go back and revisit some of those days!!!

Now I'm going to be late, so I have to close off. I still have a few more pictures to share for tomorrow! 

It is going to be a WONDERFUL day!!!!

Ciao!!!!