What I wish I had learned when I started quilting (scroll down)

OH MY GOSH --- there are some great ideas for whittling down the stash and the books/magazines. That darn Elle wants me to do some hard work! A magazine before I get the fun of working on a puzzle. She would make an excellent professional declutterer. But she is right! I will take that upon myself when I get home. 

I know part of that task will be tough, so I'll be careful about which magazines I start culling. 

As many of you know who have been around the quilting world for a while, there have been loads of magazines. When I started, the three main ones were Traditional Quilting, Quilting Today and Miniature Quilts. OH -- let's not forget Quilter's Newsletter. All of those titles were shuttered many years ago, and I faithfully bought each one, or at least the ones I could get my hands on, and I may have subscribed to some of them at one time. 

Then, whenever I was at a local guild show and spotted magazines in the sale bin, I bought those as well. 

Now, to my credit, when I decided to get everything off the floor and had someone build the second bank of bookshelves, I sorted the magazines by title, and that is how they are stored on the shelves. In piles (or boxes) by the title. 

I have a soft spot for those titles mentioned above since they are "vintage," so I'll start with McCall's and American Patchwork and Quilting and work through those. I glanced at some of them when I bought them, and I doubt there is any pattern I want to keep. For now, I am keeping the ones I was published in; they are set aside, and I just need to pull my pattern or scan it. I'll decide, but first I'll grab a pile of the "fluff" ones and stack them on the puzzle table. 

Even better, I'll stack the pile on the puzzle table and put ONE magazine on the box that prevents me from accidentally working on the puzzle when I should be working. That way, I can whittle down the pile, and I'll actually see some progress. 

Some of the older magazines had some cool articles. Today, I find that most articles, if any, are just fluff. They talk around the main subject, but there is no meat in it. Do you find that as well?

I can access the current titles (McCall's, Love of Quilting, and AP&Q) through my library digitally, and you know what? I never open them up. I'm often on my phone and find the screen too small, but if I used my iPad, I might browse them. I don't even look at the titles when I'm at the bookstore! 

OK, so I have a plan for the magazines, and that will take some time. I don't need a plan for the books right now. I need to cull those magazines. If I find something of interest, I'll share/document the concept here, and then the magazine can go in the recycling. I am NOT saddling someone else with the magazine - it gets recycled. 

When I get to some titles, tossing the magazine might be harder. So I'm going to start with the easy ones first, then "teach" myself to toss, and when I get to the harder ones, it'll be a piece of cake!! 

Thanks for the suggestion, Elle. Let's see if I can make it work. I HAVE to make it work. Those magazines need to go!!! There are NO ifs, ands, or buts! They need to go, and I need to start the process now! 

I should not tell you this, but I will. It's nothing new, but I am a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants person when it comes to travel. I am often reluctant to reserve a hotel in advance, just in case I don't make it to that hotel and don't want to pay the cost. I'm also afraid of messing up and picking the wrong hotel in the wrong city. Too much planning!! So for this trip, I reserved the hotel the day before, and it all worked out. I had no issues finding a hotel. If I'm lucky, I choose the Holiday Inn, which is my preferred choice - they are pretty widespread in this country. 

I had forgotten to book a hotel for last night the day before. So as I was getting ready to leave Cochrane, I stopped to gas up the car, get something to eat, and then booked the hotel. Lots of rooms!!!! So if you like to fly by the seat of your pants, you can travel with me. If you can't, then find another travel companion!!!!

The events went off very well, and then it was time to load everything back into the car. It took me three trips, and not everything went back as neatly packed as it was the morning before. But that is OK; I don't have to catch a flight; I just loaded it in the car. It's all settled in, and I'm good. I can't wait to unpack it all when I get home! 

I am taking a different route home, which is a bit shorter than the trip up. That will be great!!! After leaving Cochrane, I drove for just over two hours, listened to Judith and her gang (The Marlowe Mystery Club), and was in hysterics as I imagined these "older" ladies getting into trouble. OMG, the vicar's wife who doesn't want to break the law, the dog walker crawling in through windows and stealing shredded paper. 

I can only imagine what this is like on a TV show. It certainly kept me entertained all the way here, and the book will take me almost all the way home. 

However, I think the floodgates opened on the audiobooks because I've gotten a fair number in the last couple of days. I must start suspending again! I have six now, but I should be able to finish two today and one I had partially read before. So that is doable, but I can't take any more at the moment! 

I shared this picture with you the other day of the train in Cochrane. For some reason, I only took this head-on shot, which is nice, but it has loads of shadow, and I totally forgot to get a side view. 

Locomotive Number 137 in Cochrane

Yesterday, I shared my blog post with Neil (my Tour du Canada cycling buddy) to show him the bakery in Espanola, or what is left of it. He spotted my train photo and sent me this. 

Neil's photo of Locomotive Number 137

OH MY GOSH!!!!! That is the type of shot I wanted to get - at least the angle, but look at that sky!!! It's absolutely stunning. I asked if he changed the sky; advanced photographers can do that. And the answer was a resounding NO. His rationale: if you start changing the sky for various shots, then it's no longer a photograph!!! Neil is an amazing photographer (runs in his family), and you can check out his website here. 

When he and his wife traveled the route we rode our bikes, they also visited other places on the way home, and Cochrane was one of them. By the way, he took that photo at sunrise, and he hustled to the train when he saw the sky!! 

Some part of photography is luck, being in the right place at the right time, but there's a lot of skill involved: angles, patience, and knowing how to use the camera settings, etc. 

I won't be giving up my day job to take photos!!!! Thanks for letting me post the picture, Neil!!

I was out early in the morning too, but the sun was still a long way from coming up! I walked back around the lake so I could sign the darn geocache log!!! Look at my photo -- blurry and not by choice! It felt quite warm out - warmer than the night before, but once I took my hands out of my pockets, they were freezing. I could barely write!!! But all is good in the geocaching world. 

The geocache log is signed! 

Then, as I walked back to the hotel, I managed a couple of decent shots with my camera phone. A pathway runs right through the middle of the lake. On the other side of this bridge stands a cenotaph for the fallen soldiers in World War I. I might be mistaken about that. 

The bridge in the lake in Cochrane

For a small community, the list of fallen soldiers was incredibly long. It was dark, and I didn't turn my flashlight on to see the top of the list. AHA, a quick search tells me the list was recently updated to include veterans and others lost in multiple conflicts. It's a beautiful spot. 

Then I discovered another way back to the hotel, right along the side of the lake. As you can tell, it was still quite dark outside! 

A neat walk along the edge of the lake

I'm laughing this morning as I type because for some reason, the Q on my keyboard is sticking, and if you are a quilter, that is a problem!!! 

I spotted this in the hotel lobby. OH MY -- we have one at home, and I need to get it on the wall. I was looking for something to do this afternoon when I get home, and I should dig that out and put it up. 

A world map for adventurers!!

If you haven't noticed, I'm on a decluttering kick in the blog, and it's easy right now because I can shirk all responsibilities since I'm not home to deal with them. BUT I am conditioning my brain that when I get home, I need to tackle things. Keep in mind, this isn't urgent at my house because I've been doing it for 15 years! But I need to keep at it, and I have a few tough areas to tackle. Or retackle those areas because I didn't do a deep dive the first time. 

I found this list, which I have had the pleasure of experiencing these things. But so many things or actions we think are hard are only hard because we haven't started! Once you start, it becomes quite easy. 

But here's a list (of course) that I would like to send to quilters (crafters) that I wish someone had given me at the beginning of my quilting journey. 

1. Just because something is on sale is NOT the reason to buy it. 
2. Just because you walk into a quilt shop doesn't mean you have to buy something. Do you buy something at the hardware store just because you couldn't find what you wanted? 
3. If you are buying just for the sake of buying and have no intention of using it, then why are you buying it? Owning an item isn't healthy if you don't intend to use it.
4.  What about those impulse items at the cash register? Yes -- some of them are fun, but will you actually use them? 
5. What about those magazines and books? If you are not reading the ones you have, why buy more?  
6. Don't go on a tangent and keep buying the same type/style of pattern without ever making it. When you actually make one, you may find you don't like that style or design. One will work; you don't need twenty. 
7. Just because your friend says you need to buy that kit or pattern doesn't mean you do! Don't let someone else coerce you into buying something. 
8. If your friend is buying something, you don't need to keep up with the Joneses. Buy what YOU like. 
9. Don't buy the latest trend, and that goes for patterns, designers, and their fabric. If you will use it, then buy it. If you won't and just want to be part of the group, don't buy it.
10. Don't buy something because it's so pretty and, as the store says, when it's gone, it's gone. It's not gone; another collection will come along that is just as nice, often from the same designer. 
11. It's good to have a stash, but your styles/likes will change with time, and then you are stuck with a lot of fabric that you will never use. Be cautious!
12. Don't buy fabric, bring it home, shove it in a box, and store it under the bed or somewhere else. You will NEVER use this. 
13. Don't store fabric in closed bins because you think you will get around to using it someday. If you can't see it, you won't use it. Don't have a big space? Don't buy a lot of fabric. 
14. Just because you have space, you are NOT obligated to fill it. As mentioned above, empty shelves are great as they are!!!

I'm sure the list could go on and on. But here's the thing. There is NO SHORTAGE of fabric out there. And yes, it's getting quite expensive, and the quality isn't what it used to be. If you only buy what you need, plus a wee bit extra, you can keep a small but workable stash and avoid a massive problem. 

I wish someone had told me those things when I started. Not only told me, but gave me a good lecture on how to downsize a stash when the time comes. I remember being horrified when a friend with a beautiful batik collection just gave it away or cut it up. I've forgotten what she did with all her fabrics. But it becomes an obsession, and we can't control it. Then we're left with a horrible mess. So many are overwhelmed that they decide to leave it for a friend or family member to clean up. Seriously?????? 

I'm not going to give up quilting anytime soon, but I would be much happier if I didn't have this huge mess to get rid of. I'm almost at the point my friend was with her fabric. I have so much to do with my kits and UFOs that that stash feels like a huge weight on my shoulders, and it's not making me as happy as it once did!!!!

I'm not trying to be a Debbie Downer; I'm trying to be realistic!! And to warn you about getting in head over heels. It seems fun at the time, but the consequences are huge. 

But first - we tackle those magazines!!!!

I may have to shift my blog's focus from quilting to decluttering. Well, I've sort of done that. The two go hand in hand! 

The weather has been amazing. It was 15 yesterday with a bit of rain. But when I started driving, it wasn't raining; the roads were dry. It's warm again this morning, and there might be some rain, but fingers crossed, I'll be out of this area, and it won't follow me!!!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

An amazing travel day by car

LOL --- Soon the comments will be more entertaining than the blog!!! I love it all! And yes, each of us handles our stash differently. I know tons of organizations take donations, and that may be what happens, but I also want to have fun with that stash, and I'm trying to think of creative ways to get rid of it. And who knows, I may just end up keeping it all until I don't need it anymore. But the books and magazines? Those have to go! 

I laugh when I read that paragraph back. Who would have thought I would ever consider getting rid of all that fabric? That was my pride and joy for years, and now, sadly, it has become the monkey on my back!! Funny how things change as you get older. 

Then I would have room to put my puzzle collection in those bookshelves!!! Just kidding!!!!

It's one thing to talk about it; it's another to put your money where your mouth is and actually take charge. No more shuffling things off for tomorrow; do what needs to be done today!!!

I'll be home tomorrow, and then I have two blocks I NEED to finish for Many Blocks on Sunday. And if I get my butt in gear, I could get more done as well. This is going to happen. Why? Because I have a super cute project I want to move on to; actually, there are two, but I have to pick one. And I cannot start that one until I finish this one. 

The old me would just abandon Sylvia's Bridal Sampler (again and probably MANY times in the past 14 years!) and move on to the more fun project. I am NOT doing that now. If I don't think this project is fun, then I should just finish it as it is, or give it away. I NEED to choose how I spend my time, what is important to me to finish!!!!

Since I am so close to finishing all the blocks, I just need to get my butt in gear and make that happen. That would make me very happy, so that is my focus!!

Yesterday was a travel day, and a good one. I had to get something squared away with the store before I left, so I didn't leave until almost 10 AM, but since that was all I was doing yesterday, it wasn't a problem. I had some investigating to do anyway. 

Here's the store - Cindy B's in Espanola. I love the barn block on the front!! And what is nice is that Cindy's daughter is involved in the store, and guess what? She's YOUNG!! We love the young quilters. Tiffany is also a pattern designer, and you'll find her patterns on the website. Cindy also hosts a very popular quilt retreat (twice yearly). It's so popular that someone has to die (well, not quite, but almost) to get on the list!! 

Cindy B's

What's funny is that when I rode my bicycle through this town in 2013, I don't think I even knew there was a quilt shop here, and yes, it was open way back then. It opened in 2007 - you can read their story at the link above. 

I remember stopping at a small bakery to get something to eat. I wrote in my blog that, even though it was a bakery, they didn't have any baked goods. GASP!!!!! How is that possible? So we had tea and toast!!!! It was called Marantha Bake Shop and Cafe. 

I couldn't post pictures on the blog while traveling back then, but I really must add them one day. When I get home, I'll check that hard disk and see if I took any pictures while in this town. I did not grab that hard disk before I left for this trip. 

Anyway, I checked out (on Google) what bakery was open in 2013. Yes -- you can search for stuff like that. It's hilarious!!! 

This is the building I thought the bakery was in. 

Where I thought the bakery was

But no - this is the building the bakery was in. The one above has something to do with the motel. It looks like it hasn't been a bakery in a very long time! I must send the link to today's post to Neil, who rode with me a good part of the way across Canada. He and his wife drove a good part of the trip this summer and stopped by to visit me. So much fun reminiscing about that trip. They didn't stop in Espanola, which is why I was determined to find that bakery! 

Where the bakery was in 2013

I grabbed a few things to eat for the next leg of the trip, a 5.5-hour drive through beautiful country. And let's not forget that the weather is cooperating 1000%. I couldn't ask for nicer travel weather; the sky is mostly blue, there is a little construction, little traffic, and, well, it's perfect. 

I don't have any pictures of the terrain because that would mean stopping the car to take them, but this is very isolated countryside. Lots of rocky terrain at the start of the drive, plenty of trees, and lakes. When we were riding our bikes, we called it sticks, water, rock! 

The country is BEAUTIFUL. Yes --- it was 5.5 hours of the same scenery, but you know what? Life is too short to get bored by looking at nature!!! It was stunning and would have been even more so if I'd been here a week and a half ago, when the colors (changing leaf colors) were out. But my brain can imagine, and I was doing a lot of imagining yesterday!!!

I had also started a new audiobook which is hilarious. It's called The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood. It's about an older woman who creates crosswords, and there's a murder! The main character's name is Judith, and she's hilarious. I see it's been made into a series, probably a British one, so we know it's good!!! 

I crossed the train tracks a few times and passed a train, then saw the railway crossing lights flashing ahead, so I stopped to wait for the train. 

The train is coming

Thankfully, it wasn't a long train. But look at the sky!!!! Seriously? How perfect can a day get? 

The freight train

I have never seen this type of railroad car before, so I don't know what they were hauling. Thankfully the train wasn't long, and I was off again. I would say it's some form of hopper car, but it was short and didn't seem to have a hopper bottom. Something to do with hauling minerals, rocks, or whatever. Hmmm, I asked Google what they are, and it said those cars are likely open-top gondola cars (or also hopper cars) used to carry bulk materials like coal, scrap metal, or ore. And there you have it!!! Google also called them potentially a bathtub gondola!!!!

A form of hopper car

As I have mentioned numerous times, I am NOT good at driving. By that I mean, I get sleepy quickly, and my sciatica drives me mad. Yesterday? I drove the entire way without stopping. I had food in the car, and while I felt a twitch or two from the sciatica, there was zero pain, and I wasn't sleepy at all. It was an awesome travel day!!!! Let's hope that lasts for the long drive home! I still have enough of that audiobook to take me all the way home. 

I stopped at the Needleworks Studio in Cochrane, Ontario, chatted with the owner, and then headed to the hotel. I've been to this store before, but it's been quite a while since I was last here. 

Halloween seems to grow each year, and I've spotted some houses plastered with Halloween decorations. Here's one of them. There are some pretty big skeletons these days!!!

Decorated for Halloween

Since today's events are at the same hotel where I'm staying, I brought all my crap into the room so I could sort it out. I no longer need some things, so I bundled them into one suitcase. I shifted other stuff around, and I put loose items back in their bags. It was great to get that done, so I didn't have to do it this morning. 

All the stuff from my car! 

I'm going to take what I don't need back to the car this morning. I had frost on the car yesterday morning, but it's above freezing this morning, so there shouldn't be any. But then I'm not going anywhere, so it doesn't matter. 

Then I went for a walk and spotted this old train across the street. Shoot, I only got a picture of the front. But this is a well-known locomotive, number 137! 

Locomotive Number 137

Here is the story, though it's a bit hard to read. 

The story of Locomotive Number 137

Then I wandered around some more and checked the geocaching app, and yep, there's a cache nearby. So I wandered over to it and quickly found it. Do you know how hard it is to look UNDER a bench that is facing downhill? But by feeling along the underside, I found it. 

The geocache

Now there is only one problem. I didn't have a pen, so I couldn't sign the dang log, even though I was the first person to find it. So I logged it and noted that I didn't have a pen. The owner sent me a note saying it would be best if I went back and signed the log. So guess what I'm doing shortly? Yep -- taking a pen and signing the darn log. I must remember to put a pen in my little pouch. DUH!!!!! But the walk will be good for me!!! 


How many of you have lamented that you don't have time to declutter? I know I say that all the time. I wish I had an entire day to tackle the office, but that never happens. However, have you noticed that I have still made huge leaps and bounds in sorting and decluttering? Why? Because I often do it in bite-sized chunks. And that works for me. Yes, it's taking me longer than I would like, but it's better than doing nothing at all. 

Here is another list with examples of how to keep your house decluttered in short time frames. 

I have to say, this list is brilliant, and it is how I do a lot of my decluttering. Wait -- it's more like how I keep things clear. While the kettle boils, I clear the few things that have accumulated on the counter (the recycling that needs to go to the garage, emptying and reloading the dishwasher, etc.). 

I could do more; I need more "spare" time in the office because that is really the area that needs work. But you know what? I'm getting there. Every week, I get something sorted and tossed. Slow and steady, it will all happen. 

By the way, the Instagram account where I'm finding those lists is called One Drawer at a Time, and it says right at the top: AI-generated. Sigh......

I need to focus on the books and magazines in Studio B. I'm going to try to figure out how to make that happen, but first I need to take care of the books and magazines I've already culled that are sitting in the office. It doesn't make sense to cull more until I have completely dealt with the ones I started with. 

I have about ten boxes of books that were supposed to be picked up in September, but that didn't happen, and the new date is in November. There are also three bags to deal with, and then I can start the process again. I think there are a couple of piles of magazines that should probably be tossed because I've read them, but I wanted to point out a couple of things on the blog. I should make that a focus for next week!! 

Well, it's time to start the day. I have several hours before the events start, and I just have to walk down the hall!! But I must get out and sign that logbook!!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

When marketing is in charge of YOUR spending!!

Oh my goodness -- I was misting up when I read Elle's comments this morning. It's funny how our parents can teach us things in different ways. 

Both her parents died young, yet it sounds like they had some great times in their lives. But by chatting with them, you learn things. 

My parents are both still alive, and I have learned so much from them by what they do, but in some cases, I learned what NOT TO DO by what they are doing. I hope that makes sense. 

I think one of the most important things that we tend to forget is TIME. Time is a precious commodity, yet we are happy to squander it. I don't know how many people I've heard remark that they are busier now (retired) than when they worked. What the heck are they doing with their time? It's great to be busy when you are retired; it's just, are you busy doing things you want to do or things you feel obligated to do? 

I know some of you could turn the tables and say I am super busy, and I always will be; that's the nature of my background. BUT I am happy to take time for myself, and I'm happy to take time to visit with family and friends.

The three days I spent with my aunt while we packed were well spent. The time I spend visiting my parents is time well spent, and I feel that I've gotten to know them so much better as an adult than when I was growing up. OK -- that's a given - we all know that. 

But take time to do nothing. Take the time to read those books you always wanted to read. Take the time to learn a new hobby (but not too many!). But whatever you do, DON'T overload yourself to the point where you are unhappy or no longer free to do what you want. 

We are talking about the final years of our lives (not trying to sound morbid), and if you are rushing from one meeting to another, or one hobby to another, are you really enjoying it? 

I will admit that there are times when I have multiple events/trips booked back to back that I'm not happy about. Thankfully, I know it's temporary, and it doesn't happen that often. I know some of you are laughing at that, but it's true! My life is a lot less complicated than it used to be. 

I did take on one class too many this fall, but that's OK. I know not to get excited and do that again. And so far, I've managed the homework and presentations just fine. Except for the travel this week, which thankfully was shortened by two days, I'm doing OK. 

Whatever I do going forward, I'll always make sure I have free time so I can turn on a dime to visit a friend/family member if the opportunity arises. I will NOT volunteer or serve on a committee because I know my skills aren't appreciated (experience), and I refuse to participate in anything that doesn't give me pleasure. 

Can you believe that I've read 71 books this year? Some of them are fiction, and some are not. Some are audiobooks, and some are not. I finished the Shari Lapena book this morning, and at the end there was a Q&A with Shari and January (the narrator). One thing they discussed is that some people do NOT think listening to a book counts as reading it. Seriously???? That's just nonsense. I can tell you the storyline and the characters as if I read it! 

I work out at the gym three times a week, and each time takes two hours! So I am taking time for myself. I no longer belong to any guilds or organizations. No, I don't belong to the puzzle association; I have offered to volunteer for packing days (3 days a year) if I'm available. I need to get out of the house and do something with people, and this is a different group from quilters! They are obsessed like quilters! 

I walk every day, and I think I'm managing my time just fine. Believe it or not, my weekdays, Monday to Friday, are almost completely clear except for appointments, the vet, the doctor, physio, or whatever. I don't have a ton of stuff going on, and I'm certainly not running around like a crazy person. 

So yep --- I have loads of personal time in my schedule. Where I'm busy is trying to clear up the crap in my life! Decluttering, trying not to buy anything else. Speaking of which, I found this online last night, and I had a good laugh, but it's so true. 

OH MY ---- this is so true. I notice they don't have hobbies on there. Thank goodness!! 

OH, I just had a thought. Maybe Elle and I need to do a "get your shit together" podcast!!!! We are so similar in many ways. Wouldn't that be a hoot!! Except, neither of us wants to take on a commitment like that! 

But speaking of buying, DH pulled this article from The Economist for me a while back, and I was waiting for the right day to talk about it. It's all about buying and how the marketers market products to us. 

You see, there are many things in this world that we MUST buy. Not because we want them, not because we think they are useful, but because the marketing department has made the product so enticing that we feel we have no choice but to buy it, because the marketing department said so! 

The article's example was about a kettle. You need to boil water; you buy a kettle. Yes - you could boil water on the stove, but it's not practical. A kettle is, for the most part, cheap and a basic kitchen necessity. Right? WRONG!!!!

The article starts off by calling the fictional kettle a Brewmaster, and the tagline is "if you want boiled water, you need a kettle." That's boring, and who is going to get excited about buying a kettle? 

But let's say they call the boiled water "Eau Chaud" and highlight its qualities and how precious water is. You are no longer buying a kettle, but a luxury item to get hot water. I'm sorry, I didn't do nearly as good a job as the article's writer did. 

Now what if you call the kettle some crazy made-up name, like a Kettol (with an accent over the o). You give it a beautiful silhouette that looks striking and becomes an icon in the design world. The kettle now sports the latest color and material trend; it shows consumers how beautiful it is to boil water, and all the fun you can have with your friends using your distinct kettle. That's called Premium, design-led. 

For those early adopters, what about the KETGPT kettle? Why not connect the kettle to an app so it can start boiling your water for coffee before you get out of bed? Then, with the app, you can communicate with the kettle to check on its progress. 

Or what about the Keco, the environmentally friendly kettle that preserves heat, so it uses less power to boil and retains heat longer? 

What about the Vintage Kettle for the Gen Z, which reminds you of cozy times with family at the cottage? 

A heritage kettle, the one you put on the stove with a whistle. Remember those? Let's call that one the Stove Top. 

There's the Kato - the wellness kettle. Staff is available 24/7, so you can ask all kinds of questions about your kettle, including the scale that builds up in the bottom and whether the steam is really good to breathe in. 

And why not buy the Boiler, a big old kettle that does nothing but boil hot, scalding water all the time? 

So I paraphrased all of that, but I used the fake kettle names from the article. But the idea is that if a product isn't selling, the marketers will sit down and figure out who they want to sell the product to and then attack with a vengeance to make a new design, a new style, a new lifestyle to MAKE you covet that kettle, so you buy one for every room in your house and then for all your friends and family. 

It's hilarious how many products and gadgets (even in the quilting world) are made to sound like the best thing ever, and we have to buy them! I would say that small items and gadgets (especially gadgets) are the worst! 

You know what's funny, and I have mentioned this before: when I was in Grade 7, and we had social studies, I do NOT remember the teacher's name, but they drilled this phenomenon into our heads in marketing. Seriously? In Grade Seven? I don't know why - was it part of the curriculum, or was it that teacher's thing? But why the heck are they not teaching that today? 

Think of all the kids' toys; those marketers get to the kids before they are even born. And we fall for it!!! Almost every single time. How many things do you buy because you have to, and then don't even use? We just WANT it because it will make us smarter, prettier, happier, etc. 

So while you are out buying, be very careful. When you see an ad for anything, try to decipher the message the company is sending. If you want to see how they do this in the food market, read Michael Moss's book Salt, Sugar, Fat. Companies make it so compelling to buy these terrible products by fudging the product itself, but the marketing department has much to do with it as well. 

Buyer beware!!!!!!

We had two good events yesterday. I'm at Cindy Bee's in Espanola, which is about four hours north of my house. And we have another two events today!! I have to laugh because if you look at the storefront picture on Google, the quilt hanging up is one of my patterns from when I worked at the fabric company!!!

I had a good chuckle because the daughter just bought a new vehicle and it's ORANGE!!!! Yep, in a world that seems to be going neutral, she has an orange vehicle. I love it!!! It's not brilliant orange, but it's very harvest orange. 

I had to laugh because that reminded me of a young couple that I'm watching as they rebuild a house. OK, have you noticed that's a HUGELY popular trend these days? A young couple buys an abandoned home, a chateau, a row house, an old schoolhouse, and MANY, MANY more. Then they rebuild it, and they make good money with their social media accounts to make it happen. The more dilapidated, the better. I wonder how HGTV feels about this? 

Anyway, one ot the couples is having a baby, and they are starting to work on the nursery. They have a lot of wood in the house. She said she is going to put some wallpaper on the walls and wants some color. I almost died when I saw her version of color - it was the palest "deep" rose I've ever seen. It was virtually just a muted beige. Seriously???? Where has all the color gone? 

I must get myself moving. There is no restaurant in this motel. Yep, way up north, there are no hotels, just motels, but this one is nice. But even this little spot has two Tims. Crazy!!!!

Have a super day (and think before you buy!)

Ciao!!!

The washroom can be a great source of inspiration

I think I'm going to have to give up my day job and look into working for a packing company! Yes, I unpacked 13 embroidery units for the NEW PFAFF creative icon 3 in 30 minutes! Once you get the hang of how it's packaged and what you want from the box, it's super easy. And it helps to be agile when maneuvering the case the embroidery unit is packed in. It's still a large box, but it's an engineering feat! I can't say enough about the box for the embroidery unit. It's the same one as the Husqvarna Viking Designer Epic 3. I would upgrade simply because of that new embroidery unit. It's the best, and so is the storage. 

For those with the old-style embroidery unit, this one is amazing. I can't say enough about it. And when we had finished the event, I had to pack those units back up. I did get some help, but it took longer than getting them out, but not by much. Again - the packaging is so well thought out, and everything has a home! 

And then we had to pack up 14 PFAFF creative icon 3s into their shipping boxes. We worked like a production line, and others put all the bits in the top section of the box, so all I had to do (again with one other person helping) was to put the machines into their respective boxes. If you keep the box, it is great for carrying your machine around, except that it is huge! But for us, who must keep the original box, it is beautifully designed and makes it super easy to pack a machine, which is very important if you have a large quantity to pack. 

With all the packing from last week and this week, I'm pretty good and very efficient at packing. 

Those machines and EUs are heavy! But I'm still able to do that kind of task, and well, I'm happy to help out. I will say that packing puzzles was a much easier job. The boxes were much lighter and smaller! I didn't need to go to the gym! 

The day went very well, and the dealers in the room were very excited about the new features on the creative icon 3. I'm pretty excited about it, and should you want one, you can check with your local PFAFF dealer, as they now have the proper training and information and can sell you one. There is a presale deal going on right now. By the end of next week, all the PFAFF dealers across Canada will be certified to sell that machine. Check out this link to learn more. 

The hotel that we typically have these events at has undergone a makeover since I was there last. Brand new carpet and paint in the meeting rooms. And new wallpaper in the bathrooms. Although I think that wallpaper was there the last time I was there, but I didn't really take note of it. 

The wallpaper in the bathroom

Yes—you can get so much inspiration from public washroom wall coverings. 

But what is funny is that this reminds me of the signature artwork in the PFAFF creative icon 3. I don't have a picture, nor do I have the machine, but some of those designs are funky curves like this. If you check out this link, you can see some of it in the fabric that is being embroidered in the video. If memory serves, there is one very similar design, and as soon as I can get a picture, I'll share it with you. 

I also accomplished more weeding the day before, so while there is still one patch I didn't get to, it doesn't look half bad. After the gardener comes this morning, it will look spic and span. 

I'm currently reading a book about a guy who calls himself a hermit. The Scotsman did lots of backpacking through northern Canada and Alaska and finally settled in a northern area of Scotland. It's not that he didn't want to be with people, but his calling was to live off-grid in the wild. He kept a diary, and he wrote down his travels. This book, called The Way of the Hermit by Ken Smith, is really quite an interesting read. The BBC made a documentary about him. 

There are lots of trials and tribulations as he learns to live in the wild and gets a job that allows him to do so and build a cabin, etc. 

But what I found really fascinating was his life as a storyteller. Here's a quote from his book: "When you keep a diary, you find yourself actively looking for a story to tell, and soon enough, your life will fill with far more vibrant scenes than it would if you were just sitting in your chair, passively letting the world slip by before you. You want to impress your reader, and if that reader is only ever going to be you, what could be more important than creating a life story that is full of color and resonance?"

OH MY GOSH --- I had never thought about my writing the blog in that way. But he is absolutely right about that. 

Wherever I go and whatever I do, the stories for the blog are constantly in my subconscious. I must take a picture of that, or remember the details of something else. Some of these stories get tucked away for a bit, and others I have to tell the very next day. And what I find hilarious is that things tend to group themselves in things you touch or see in your daily life. 

In The Way of the Hermit, Ken frequently refers to the larch, a common tree in the northern parts of the world, including Scotland, which he uses for firewood; I think he used larch when he built (and rebuilt) his cabin. He is very conscientious about reforesting the areas he harvests for firewood, and he is using fallen trees to help keep the forest floor clear. 

Just a few minutes ago, I read a short article in an OLDER quilt magazine (2014) about a Scottish quilter who rejuvenated a type of boat made from larch! I haven't finished the article yet, but it always amazes me how, when a new word or phrase comes up, you frequently find it popping up elsewhere. I am not familiar with larch trees, so to have it come up in two completely separate contexts within three days of each other? That's crazy!

And that had nothing to do with AI or anyone else listening to it - both sources came from print material, although one of them was from an e-book.  

Oh my gosh -- can you believe how quickly this month has gone! Soon it will be August and then summer will be over! 

Unless something else comes up, and it could, I am home for the remainder of the summer! Yeah me!!! I hope to get outside and enjoy the gazebo and the rushing water in the pond. I hope to read and do some puzzles, and I also hope to get down to Studio B, because I have a few things I want to get done! 

I didn't get a chance to work on the pattern testing because I got home quite late. But that will be on the agenda today. I hope to complete one more block and get the next one or two cut out. 

It really is an adorable quilt, and even though I am using the same colors (not fabric) as Lorna, our quilts have a different flavor. I'll do a side-by-side comparison when we are both finished. 

I have one appointment first thing this morning, and then the rest of the day is mine! Yeah!!!

On that note, I'm out of here. And the next time you are in a public washroom, check out the wall coverings!! You never know if you'll find an inspiration there! It might be a design, but it might just be the color! You never know. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

PS -- sorry --- I wrote the blog, then forgot to post it. A little bit of an emotional (in a good way) morning. I have a doozey of a story for tomorrow. Get your Kleenex ready. 

Much ado about sleep!

If this post doesn't make sense this morning - it's not my fault!!! As I sit here writing, I'm sandwiched between a Husky and a Retriever who are NOT very happy! They are literally glued to my legs. I'll tell you why in a second. 

I didn't make it outside for a walk before heading down to Quilty Pleasures, which was just a few blocks from the hotel. All was good. The people who attended the events went home with their brains overloaded, but they had the opportunity to ask tons of questions, and we had a great time with lots of laughs. 

And you have to love it when all the technology goes as planned, like the computer connecting directly to the TV for the presentation. The Singer Momento connected to the computer without issue, and it cut like a hot knife through butter! That's how everything is supposed to work, but you know me and technology - there are some days when technology doesn't work as it's supposed to. It was a great day! 

I had a look around the store between presentations and a few things found their way home with me --- YES -- including some fabric which I typically do not purchase. I haven't unpacked yet, so I'll share later. 

I met up with a friend for dinner - a simple affair at Tim's and we had a grand chat, and I decided to hit the road about 7 PM. It was a five-hour drive, which should get me home around midnight. 

The GPS took me on a bit of a tour through the countryside. I was listening intently to my audiobook and didn't pay attention to the road signs, and, well, I got myself back onto the 401, but not nearly as soon as I had planned. The GPS must have been looking for the shortest distance. I will say that when I went there, I had about 15 km left showing on the gas tank. this time? I had over 100 Km. Now, why is that? Oh --- speed plays a big factor! It wasn't a big deal, and despite driving some of the country roads, the time to get home was the same. 

You drive faster but cover more KMs, or drive slower and go as the crow flies! It was the same thing. All I can say is that at that time of night, there wasn't much traffic. I saw several signs indicating that ALL LANES were closed as I neared Toronto, so I took matters into my own hands and took the toll road to bypass the closures. I didn't want to get stuck in traffic. There was NO traffic on the toll highway. It was very weird. 

The trip home was pretty uneventful, except when I was on the phone chatting with M. I wasn't driving super fast, and I spotted a deer on the side of the road. YIKES!!! It wasn't going anywhere, but it scared me -- you hear so many stories of deer running out into the road. This one was smart! 

I stopped once and had a nap. Could I have made it home without? Maybe, but I wanted a washroom break anyway, and since I fell asleep right away until my 30-minute alarm woke me up, I think the nap was warranted. I had no need to get home by a certain time. 

I got home and unpacked the car, and all was good. As I neared my neighborhood, the book took an unexpected turn. So when I was thinking I could easily fall asleep when I get home, maybe that's not going to happen. I sat in the driveway and listened to the end of that chapter and decided I could finish the book this morning. 

I did read one chapter in my ebook before falling asleep. It was 1:30 PM. 

I had not looked at the weather, but woke up to find Murphy standing by the bed, and the lightning and thunder were wild. It was crazy, and it was raining like mad. She tried tucking her head between the bed and the nightstand. I don't know why she doesn't stay in the stairs room since it's probably the darkest place in the house. 

She doesn't like cuddling, and she no longer jumps on the bed. She just needed to be close. 

 The lightning lasted about 30 minutes. I heard Murphy go downstairs, then went back to sleep. That was about 3 AM. Phew!

I had barely fallen asleep when I heard her at the back door barking her head off! I came downstairs, but couldn't see a thing. I got her calmed down, showed her there was nothing outside, and went back to bed. That was about 3:30 AM. 

My alarm went off at 4:30 AM. I shut it off and went back to sleep. 

The second alarm went off at 5:00 AM. I shut it off and went back to sleep. 

At 6:00 AM, I heard Murphy back in the room, and the lightning and thunder were incredible. The entire sky was lit up from end to end, and the thunder was booming. At one point, you could feel the thunder. I know that sounds weird, but you could feel it. And it sounded like a torrential downpour. I finally got up at 6:30 so I could write the blog. 

In case you don't believe me about feeling the thunder, here's what AI has to say about that. 

And I'm going to go back to bed the second I publish this blog. Of course, that won't happen because the girls will want their walk, and then I'll go back to bed.

I spent the first part of the evening trying NOT to fall asleep and the second part trying to fall asleep, which wasn't a problem, but I couldn't stay asleep!

I have a lot of work to get done this week before we leave, and OH MY -- we leave on SUNDAY, not Monday, so I'm going to lose a day here! How the heck could I make that mistake when it's very clearly marked in my calendar! 

So we'll have a Virtual Retreat on Saturday night, and I'll be around for part of Sunday. I'll post the links later this week. I may just have the virtual retreat on Saturday night since I won't be around. Good grief—well, since I'm now losing a day, I'd better get myself organized, but not before I get more sleep! 

It's always interesting to walk around stores, and I didn't think I had ever been to Quilty Pleasures, but after being there, I have a distinct memory of my bicycle parked in front of the store. Hmmm --- I need to go back and find that. 

OMG --- as quick as that, I found it. August 13, 2014.   Amazing what information you can find on the blog. This was the second time I did a cross-Canada trip on my bicycle, except it wasn't really cross-Canada. I joined the tour in Tottenham, north of Toronto. 

I rode my bike to Quilty Pleasures in 2014

Shoot --- I should have checked the blog BEFORE I went to that store. I would have taken a picture of my car parked in the space to the left of the bike. That would have been hilarious!!!! 

OH -- it gets even better. I was at Quilty Pleasures on August 23, 2015. This time I had the car and the bike! It looks like I was riding the Waterfront Trail, but I'd have to figure out why I had the bike and the car. I think this year was the year of the Row by Row. I must find the license plate. 

I'm back at Quilty Pleasures.

Well, duh—I'm an idiot for not taking a picture of my car at the store yesterday, and who knew when I was there in 2014/15 that I'd be back 10+ years later for an SVP event!! I think that's hilarious! And I was going to take my row-by-row quilt with me. CRAP!!!!

I knew the store looked familiar when I arrived. 

I did find a pattern that might be interesting to teach in the fall. I need to put them all in one spot and start making some evaluations. 

As for the Christmas cactus? It was given to me with a bloom on it, and well, I'm not the best with plants. And the fact that I'm going away for two weeks - I don't give the plants much hope. Hey - it's already been sitting in the fridge, wrapped in soaking-wet paper towels for a week. Let's see -- it might be a Christmas miracle!!!

On that note, I'm a bit more awake, and I'll take the girls out for a walk since it's stopped raining, and then I can go back to bed. I need to get to work so I can put my headphones on and finish that book (1 hour 32 minutes). Where do women get such twisted tales? Even without the twist, this book (My Lovely Wife) is twisted! 

And maybe not -- it's raining again, and there is still lightning and thunder. Probably best to not walk in the forest, although the storm isn't as close. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Splashdown

OH --- I had the blog already to go and then forgot to press PUBLISH!!!

OH MY --- I'm totally obsessed with making up these presentations. When people are interested, I'm prepared to go to the ends of the Earth to find the information. I spend tons of time researching stuff for my groups and even if they don't appreciate it, (I'm sure most of them do!), I still learn a ton of stuff by finding the information. 

I just discovered something else that I need for my research. I'll share it all next week! 

Did anyone watch the splashdown of Artemis 2 last night? I was glued to that. It's hard to comprehend that the space capsule was hurtling towards Earth at approximately 24,000 MPH, and within 15 minutes, it was floating down at 32 MPH with three massive parachutes attached. I must say, when the final three parachutes deployed, my heart was in my mouth as it seemed to take forever for them to fully open!! 

What an adventure, and I'm sure those four astronauts will be very busy in the next couple of months as they process everything - both the data they captured and what their brains and bodies processed! I found it totally fascinating, and I'm glad to say I was able to watch both moon missions, though I only remember the 1969 moon landing, not the liftoff or the splashdown. Perhaps we didn't watch any of the rest, or more likely, there just wasn't the same coverage as this time due to the lack of technology. 

I had an interesting day as I madly worked on samples for my upcoming presentations on Monday. I'll be at Quilty Pleasures (Ottawa), and the events are open to anyone. Check the calendar at that link. 

As usual, I'm learning loads -- it really doesn't matter that none of this is new to me -- it's just that the technology keeps getting updated. My experience and knowledge expand, so I'm better at it every time I give a new presentation!!

OH MY GOODNESS --- the day started with cleaning the floor in Studio B, and then I noticed a lot of dog hair wound around the wheels of one of my chairs, so I cleaned that as well. The joys of hair! Don't worry --- even if you don't have a dog, this will happen, and I've seen lots of hair getting wound up in the wheels of walkers and wheelchairs last week!!! Long human hair! I guess that's one reason to keep your hair short, but even short hair will get wound around the wheels. Let's not forget the threads!!!

Dog hair wound on the wheels

I'm happy to report (knock on wood) that my cell phone seems to be working much better than it was. I'm able to take phone calls, and my voice doesn't disappear. However, old habits die hard, and I am still cautious when answering the phone or settling into a lengthy conversation because I'm always thinking I'll cut out. It'll take me a long time to regain my confidence in my phone! 

A friend of mine recently got a puppy -- a Golden. She lives up north and was wishing the snow would disappear because it's getting soft and hard to walk on. WAIT!!!! Don't wish for that because the next stage is MUD and those goldens love their mud!!! 

I do not know why Miss Murphy insists that this flower bed is hers! It was even raining, and she was still content to sit out there and get wet and dirty. The dirtier and wetter the better! Sigh...........

MOM - thanks for providing this beautiful outdoor dog bed for ME!!!!

And then this is the two of them in the house later in the day. Seriously? How would you caption this picture? It looks like Lexi beat up Murphy, when I'm pretty sure that Murphy lay on the floor to make Lexi feel superior. How civil is that, especially for a golden who is pretty much in your face all the time!!! 

They are just a hoot to watch and provide hours of entertainment. 

MOM - Murphy is broken!! And it's not my fault!

I stole these pictures from Cynthia Frenette's Facebook page. This is the artwork she created for a new fabric collection. OK --- those flowers look simple, yet it's not something that I would be able to do. I love her simplistic style and the colors - grey, white, yellow, and black- are right up there with the modern crowd. 

Cynthia's artwork

And there's the resulting fabrics. The collection, called Blissful Blooms, is produced by Ink & Arrow. Here's a link to their page so you can see it better. Ink & Arrow is the "modern" fabric division of QT Fabrics. 

In the interesting world of fabric production, this collection was available for shipping in January 2026. But all fabric companies produce limited early yardage (digitally printed) or GASP—some companies print the fabric, and it sits in a warehouse until it's time to ship to stores!! You can't have all the fabrics shipping at the same time, so the delivery dates are staggered. 

Here's a quilt that was remade with this collection. 

If you look at the picture of the marketing material linked to the fabric collection, you'll see this. All those images are digitally produced. They used to be REAL quilts, but many companies, especially in the modern world, do not actually make the items—they just render the fabric onto shapes to give consumers ideas for where and how the fabrics can be used. 

It doesn't really matter—many of us are visual learners, and whether it's a rendered drawing or a real picture, I think we all get the ideas!!! 

I absolutely adore the contemporary floral print that you see on the bottom of that marketing page. It's so soft and pretty, and the repeats are AMAZING. You really don't see the repeat -- well, you do if you look for it, but some repeats, especially of large-scale animals, just look fake! 

Well, nothing specific on the agenda for today as far as meetings or online stuff, but I'll be busy as a bee in Studio B as I assemble my samples for Monday and as I make new ones. By the way -- the information on the Quilty Pleasures website says the instructor is Claire. I'm subbing for her as she is unable to do the events. 

And on that happy note - I'm out of here!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Travel day with Bear

 I should have said that the blog posts will be out of whack time-wise - at least this morning, since I am now three hours behind my usual time zone. 

And YES -- the chocolates could have been on sale, which is why I didn't get the senior discount. DUH! I didn't notice that fact when I picked them up. There are days when I wonder how I manage to get through the day and still be alive! 

This is NOT good news for my foot - I think I'm going to lose another toenail. It's looking pretty sketchy at the moment, and well, it won't surprise me if it goes. 

That will make three in a row on the right foot! 

Someone commented on our medical system and how you practically have to demand certain things be done. This is a shame, and I wonder if it's a reluctance on the part of the doctor, the system, or resources? I get it that there are a lot of people who want to abuse the system, demanding tests when nothing is wrong with them. But it's a challenge to know who to talk to and how to proceed. 

Wouldn't it be great if those billionaires out there with all their money could put it to good use? We need a device that scans our body and gives a checklist of what could be done to improve our body - oh, you are low in this vitamin, or you need a knee replacement, or whatever. Wouldn't it be great to get a list like that? Think back to Star Trek - there are things on that show that we thought totally out of this world when that show first aired in 1966! Oh my --- I was a wee lass then! Very wee! However, some of those things are now common. I can't wait for the teleporters to happen. Can you imagine? 

I need lots of stretching, which I didn't get to yesterday. It's like flossing - it's not in my daily schedule yet. Well, flossing is more in my daily schedule now - it just takes time for it to become part of the schedule. I'm up early, and breakfast isn't for a while, and I'm starving! So perhaps I'll stretch to pass the time! The problem with stretching is that it's good for one day, just like flossing, and then you have to start all over again. But just hope that the second time, the discomfort is less! 

I hadn't slept well the night before, so I was tired, and I knew I had a long day ahead of me. When I got Bear's travel case out of the closet, he almost flipped out with excitement. As happy as he was to be with us, he certainly loves to travel. He was NOT getting out of that case because he didn't want to be left behind. I've never heard him make so many squeaking noises since he arrived. His quilt is at the bottom, so he's good. 

GRANDMA -- where are we going? 

And I said this before, but here it is officially, this is the "fill your water bottle station" at the airport! I hadn't noticed it until we had to wait 30 minutes in line before boarding. OK - we didn't need to be in line, but people are creatures of habit and they line up! They just do - even before the boarding is announced. Let's just say the station got lots of use while we waited. 

The water refill station

I had two suitcases to check, and then I carried my backpack and Bear's carrier on the plane. It's so much to deal with, but having a cart made it easier. BUT the one issue with traveling with a pet is that you can't get a boarding pass without seeing someone at the check-in desk. I have no idea why the line was so long. That area was for people who had trouble checking in at the kiosks or people with pets. I'm not even going to go there. There are people to help with the kiosks, but for whatever reason, there were lots of people in the trouble line. No worries - we had time. Yep -- we had time! I met a lady in the line who also had a dog. She was a breeder, taking a puppy to Kelowna, then hopping back on a plane and back to work this morning! 

We did NOT have time to get in the Tim's line, although we could have while we were waiting to board. I can live without the tea for one day! I did get a sandwich so I would have something to eat on the plane. 

Now that I know how to put Bear's case under the seat, we are all good. He settled right in, and I didn't feel like disturbing him, so I left him under the seat until about halfway. He started squeaking, so I placed his carrier on my lap. I had some treats for him, and he was happy and settled back down. 

A little more turbulence than I would like, but I just zone out and ignore it! 

When we got to Vancouver, I took him out of his carrier, and he was pretty happy about that! We had to wait a bit for the luggage to arrive, but all was good. Even though I took him to the pet relief area, he did NOT want to pee there. I don't blame him - it was pretty stinky! 

I'm FREE!!!!!

Then we went to the car rental place and I got the car, which was parked in the furthest line from the desk. But that's OK, the little one wanted to walk, but he still didn't do his business, so he stayed in his carrier in the car. 

Where are we going now? 

You have to love our apps on your phone. It takes a mere couple of minutes, if that, to connect to the Android or Apple CarPlay in the car, and it's just like being at home. If I want to play my radio station, I can. And without Google Maps, I'd be totally lost. Remember when we had to use maps? Good grief - I'm surprised there weren't more accidents! 

It was raining a bit and somewhat foggy, but typical weather for here and WARM. Although it was warm back home, and I brought a jacket, I haven't had to use it yet. 

When we arrived at the house, I took Bear out of the car, and he practically flung himself up the steps and to the front door. 

I'm HOME - this is my front door! 

He was super happy, although no one was home. He wasn't into eating, so the two of us hung out on the couch and had a good nap. 

Catching up on nap time

While Vancouver is a beautiful, quite varied city, with lots of bridges and drives through Stanley Park to get across to West Vancouver, traffic is less pleasant. There are NO highways in this city - wait for that. But to get from the airport to West Vancouver, it's quite the drive. It took 50 minutes to make the drive. I suppose part of that is my being used to having highway the entire way from my house to the airport, and only 20 minutes, and you're good. But if I didn't live near the highway - well, that's a different story. But still -- there is NO highway through the city. 

Lion's Gate Bridge

I had to do an event last night at a dealer in Langley - Castle Sewing, and I had checked earlier in the day as to the distance and time. Distance-wise, it wasn't that far - about 50 KM, and at that time of the day, it was going to take 50 minutes. The highway is not far from M's house (it doesn't go anywhere near the airport), but remember that it is raining and Friday afternoon, and when I was about to leave, this is what popped up on Google Maps. 

Travel time more than doubled

You have to love Google Maps - I know I already said that, but when we got in the car at home, the map came up with the airport as a destination. Why? Because I had the flight booked in my Google calendar. And this popped up because I had checked Google Maps earlier. Yep --- the traffic on Friday afternoon at 3:00 was challenging! 

No accidents - just volume, but I had an audiobook (all hands free) and so all was good. 

Before I left, I took the little guy for a walk in the light mist. He was happy, and when I left him, he was curled up in his bed. Dillon got home about an hour later, and apparently, Bear freaked out and got a crazy case of the zoomies!!! What will happen when M gets home in a couple of days? 

Checking out his neighborhood

It's Saturday, so there shouldn't be any traffic issues on the way back to West Vancouver later tonight. 

I have an all-day event here, and we'll be checking out different sewing machines. Then I can share the pieces I made with you. 

For all of us in the sewing world, guess what? Sewing is cool again! HEY -- we were always cool - other people just didn't recognize it! 

Here's a link to the article; hopefully, it will work. 

We need to push this hard - sewing is cool! The stuff you can make, the uniqueness of it - well, I would NOT be without a sewing machine in my world. I feel for one of my aunts, who is in a nursing home with cognitive issues (the polite way of saying that she has dementia), and she isn't allowed a sewing machine. Probably because of all the pointy tools required to sew stuff. Can you imagine that? She is still very functional (with meds, of course), but has no access to a sewing machine. That would kill me!!! And every time I visit, she says that!

But I got to the hotel with time to spare, then I went for dinner and to the store (Castle Sewing), which is fantastic! It's in a new building, with the most gorgeous classroom on the top level that I've ever seen. There's a chair lift for heavy things or people. Not heavy people, but those who need the stairs! It's a four-generation family-owned business - the best kind! 

If you are in the Langley area, stop by to say hi or at least come and check out the store. And they have a fabric sale on. I shouldn't look - I have room in my suitcase! I shouldn't look, but I will! 

I had a good sleep last night, so that is good, and after the class today, well, more adventures await. This entire trip is full of different adventures, so after today, the rest is all fun. Well, that's a lie -- I love what I do, so today and last night are all about fun as well!!!

I still have an hour to kill before breakfast, so I guess I'd better get some stretching in and then a shower. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!