Almost a disaster with the Cherrywood Challenge

I had a thought when I was out walking yesterday, and Tammy confirmed it with her comment. If you were a doctor and you wanted to help your patient, wouldn't it be great to see their sleep history? Or see their heart rate history? And other trends? 

I totally get that different brands track things differently. That was evident when I had the Galaxy Watch for a while, and I hated how it tracked steps slightly differently from the Fitbit. But it's all relative if you only look at your data! 

Speaking of data, I did NOT get a good sleep score last night. I didn't get much sleep. It was one of those nights where I was fast asleep, and then I wasn't. I'm not sure why, but my brain would not turn off for hours. I contemplated getting up many times, and I did once, but well, I think it's going to be a nap day today! And I'm OK with that. I almost got up a second time, but had a wave of vertigo, so I quickly lay back down and decided I didn't need to get up!

I think part of the issue with my getting back to sleep was my Cherrywood Challenge. Oh -- I accomplished all the quilting, but didn't trust myself to trim it last night. And it looks amazing, or does it? You see, I did a very bad thing. I had to use chalk to mark the quilting lines, and then, before I removed the lines that remained, I gave it a press FROM THE BACK - thankfully. 

So those lines were not easy to remove. I tried a wet cloth, which usually works, but I think the heat of the iron sort of made some of that chalk permanent. That has never happened before, and I don't typically use Cherrywood fabric either. I went to bed a bit disheartened and would deal with it in the morning. 

However, my subconscious woke me up and said, "Get down there and fix that problem." I used a kitchen scrub brush to remove the chalk, then a baby wipe. Most of it is gone and very hard to see, but I'll repeat that exercise one more time today.  

Aside from the chalk removal, all that remains is to trim and bind it, then take pictures. The due date is tomorrow, and with nothing else on my plate, I should be able to accomplish that. However, I will probably forever see those chalk lines on that quilt!

Speaking of the to-do lists and, in particular, my visual one, I have a category called "Quilts for Others." It happens to be the largest category, with seven projects. 

Quilts for Others category on the Visual To-Do list

This is a bit of an agonizing category for me because there are some quilts in that category that are long overdue, and I need to get them done, which is why I put them on this list. I may or may not tell you the details about them. Yes—it's embarrassing, and I might need some help. 

Well, do you remember that day in Hawaii last year when we ran into M, and it was totally an accident? All because we made a very definite decision to walk down that aisle in the market. That happened to me yesterday at the grocery store. 

I do not typically go down the aisles in the grocery store, but only along the perimeter, but yesterday, I had to look at something, and when I got to the end of the aisle. I turned the corner, and there was Marla, the mother of a girl M had gone to elementary school with. OH MY GOD!!

You see, many years ago, I made a quilt for Marla's mom, and although faded, it still hangs in her mom's house. It was a photo-transfer quilt featuring pictures of all the grandchildren. She had wanted me to make a family tree quilt for her stepfather. 

Well, that got started and then abandoned. And it's been sitting in Studio B for many years, and surprisingly, I had it on the Visual To-Do list. 

Marla's quilt on the Visual To-Do list

And here is the box where the quilt pieces reside; it was UNDER that newly cleaned-off table. There is a small stack of things I haven't found a home for, so it wasn't hard to find, although it should have been on the current projects table. I knew exactly where it was. I have moved the box to the top of the table and will look at it next week.

The box containing the bits for Marla's quilt

I promised Marla that I would contact her next week, after reviewing the box, and see what can be done. Whether we abandon the project or, hopefully, make something much smaller than her initial desire, it would be nice to get it done. I'm going to do it for free as I feel guilty as heck about that whole thing. 

There are two more projects similar to that on the Visual To-Do list, actually three, and I'm going to have to dig deep to confess the details and how the quilting projects can be resolved. 

Do not judge me -- I get it --- totally irresponsible for taking on a project and then abandoning it. Stuff happens, and I just couldn't wrap my head around it, and I was too "weak" to talk to the owner about it. Meeting her in the store was a sign to get one of those "quilts for others" done! 

I have one of those large ironing boards, and I had to flip it upside down to see what the heck was happening. I swear it had a definite slant to it. What is up with that? After checking, it appears that one of those bars with cutouts isn't sitting properly. I tried to position it correctly and then hold it in place while putting the ironing board back on its feet, but it seems the support bar between those wave-like ones is bent. 

Hmm -- we have a problem with the ironing board.

Plus, these little bits came out. It still seems pretty sturdy, so I hope it doesn't collapse on me! I'll check again next week to see if I can pull that bar straight so it seats into those cutouts properly. At least, it's straight now!

Little bits from the ironing board

I decided to tackle that little box of half-square triangles when I needed a break from the Cherrywood Challenge. I got quite a few trimmed, and there is a stack of ones that need trimming. I even found little squares that weren't sewn together yet, so I moved them to the tray beside the sewing machine. And I made a ton of half-square triangles for the pink-and-green border. Sewn, but not pressed or trimmed until I know which direction. 

Working on half-square triangles

I think I have a rhythm for making those pink-and-green blocks, so I must continue while it is still in my head. It makes it super easy to keep the adjoining one beside me while I make the new one. Thank goodness for mini design boards, as I can carry this border from the ironing board to the cutting table to the sewing machine.  

I'm thinking of making a "fancy" two-color binding for the Cherrywood Challenge, and I'll decide later this morning. 

Even with the melting from the sun we had yesterday, no water came in through the window. That doesn't mean it isn't dripping behind the walls, but not through the window. So that is good, and we'll see what happens. I've put the bug in DH's ear that this may be a lengthy, costly fix. Let's hope I can find someone to help fix the problem, then we can get to the cosmetics in the house. 

As the snow melts, the girls seem fascinated by the pond. We have a heater in it, so a small part of it is open. But as you can see, there are many tracks on it! 

MOM -- there's something here!!!

I spotted Murphy standing on it yesterday, but didn't get the camera in time to get a picture. Hopefully, they are smart enough to stay off when that ice softens. I do not want to be rescuing a dog from a fall through the ice! And if a rescue is necessary, it will be with Murphy for sure!

MOM - I'm guarding the pond!

I think I mentioned this a while back, but that big quilt used to be on the living room floor, and the girls loved sleeping there. There was also a dog bed in that spot. Then I moved the quilt and the dog bed to the family room, where no one slept on it, and Murphy was happy to have her ball rolled up in the blankets. 

The quilt is now back in the living room, and this spot belongs to Lexi, although Murphy hijacks it from time to time. And now Murphy sleeps in the big bed in the family room. What is that? 

MOM -- this spot is MINE!

But the two of them are having fun chasing each other in the back yard, and when they've had enough, they come to the door to beg to be let in. I even spotted Lexi doing laps in the backyard - something she rarely does because she's so lazy! But she doesn't have an ounce of fat on her, so I'm not going to yell at her! They are very entertaining to say the least. 

MOM - we're exhausted - can we come in now?

I don't know what's with the weather, but we had snow last night. Not much, so it won't take long to shovel, so I'm good with that. But all the sidewalks and the driveway were clean and dry, and now they are not! I won't complain - the temperature is decent! I see we have a potentially significant snowfall later this week. No worries, I have lots to do in Studio B, and I don't need to go anywhere. 

Yep -- as soon as I'm done with the Cherrywood Challenge, I need to get to work on my UFOs for next weekend (yes -- there was an issue with the date in my calendar), and I have two classes next weekend as well. Having all this time to work on things at my pace is amazing!!!!

As I was standing at the front window admiring the then-clean and dry driveway, something big flew overhead. A hawk! And it landed on the street light. It may not look so big in the photo, but when they are flying, they are huge! Good thing Little Bear isn't here! 

The neighborhood hawk

Well, I must go and send a couple of emails this morning, then I'm downstairs to work on that Cherrywood Challenge. I'm so close, and I can do this!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!