A beautiful sunset

Oh-- while I'm excited to be going home today, I'm not in fact ready, but I have no choice. I think I need to have a very serious discussion with my parents this morning before I leave, and Mom is already a little ticked off at me. Yep --- the glow is gone - I guess that's why, in the past, I've stayed five nights, but that sixth night tips the scales of being civil! 

I think she was annoyed that I said something to her. It drives me crazy because she will not call anyone, and therefore, no one calls her. She hasn't a clue about anything happening to her family - not her sisters, her brother, or her children. Whenever I tell her something, she says, "I know nothing about that." And I got frustrated and said back, "I know you don't know anything - that's why I'm telling you." And she got mad. Well, it's the truth. Sigh...............

All I will say is this: if you are a senior, you MUST, and there are NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule. You MUST maintain leg strength so you can use the washroom unassisted. And you MUST maintain some strength in your arms to assist with that task. I don't care how much you hate doing some stand-up/sit-down exercises. I don't care if your knees are bone-on-bone. If you want to stay in your home, you need to be able to go to the washroom on your own. 

And one more thing—PLEASE do not deny it to anyone, not yourself, not your spouse, or your children. If you are having trouble, it will not go away by denying the problem exists. It will get worse rather than better. 

And that's all I'm going to say, and now I want you to stand up/sit down at least five times. If not now, then do it sometime today and do it multiple times. 

I'm sure it's a challenge for parents to treat their children like adults, especially when they are practically seniors themselves. But I'm getting annoyed, and Mom does NOT trust me. If I do anything around the apartment, she watches like a hawk. It's extremely annoying, and it just reminds me of being a kid at home. She is so afraid that someone will take an empty cardboard box out of the house. God help them if they do. It's going to be a challenge going forward. I'm even contemplating whether I need to come more often or perhaps stay for a month and get some things organized. I'm in a bit of a dilemma this morning because I know they will not be happy with what I have to say. 

Maybe I'll need to see a therapist when I get home to blurt out all the things I want to shout. You don't need to hear them; I'm sure you've all been through them with your parents, but it's just darn frustrating. 

OK --- that's all I'll say - wish me luck this morning. 

When I was at Fabricland the other day, I had a good look around, and I spotted some fringe. I love fringe, although I have no idea what I would do with it. Thank goodness there is NO orange fringe because I might have to buy some. 

The fringe at Fabricland

I remember making a western shirt for Dad with blue fringe! That was many years ago - I was still living at home at the time. I'm sure it's still around somewhere! 

I think it's definitely time to go home. I had a decent sleep, though I was awake for a bit last night as I contemplated my moves this morning. I had one hour and 43 minutes of deep sleep, so that was good! According to my fitness tracker, I only had 8 minutes of REM, but I dreamt hard. I was working on some kind of art project (painting) when an artist asked me to go to her house to deliver a message on her behalf. Why? I have no idea. But her method of sending messages was by CB Radio!!! Oh my—there was no mention of CB Radios since I've been here, but they were a staple for communication for many years when I was a kid. 

And then this artist had a pile of handbags that she had designed and was trying to find homes for, and I hated them all. But DH somehow came into the picture, and he looked at the bags. Then the artist offered him a pile of bikinis. OK --- so what the heck was that all about? I've no idea. 

Somewhere along the line, I jumped to a trade show in a hotel that had a room with a permanent resident who was wacky. There was a plaque on the wall that the room was for this woman because her husband was a good client at the hotel or something. I've no idea! I watched the crew unpack all the sewing machines, but there wasn't a single company representative in the booth. 

Weird!!!!! How does the brain mesh all that together? 

I stopped and took a picture of my middle school while I was out and about yesterday. Good grief—it's now the Catholic elementary school. I have a picture of our little group of five as we were getting ready for a bus trip to Edmonton. That was a "few" years ago!!!

My middle school

I went to see the final member of Mom's siblings, and when we arrived, the yard was full of trucks and cars. OH ---my aunt never said anything about visitors, but the ENTIRE family, minus a few kids, was there. Oh boy - what a houseful, but it was OK as I got to see some cousins and their spouses and kids that I haven't seen in a long time. So we all had a good visit. 

Since we rarely have any events at our house now, we just don't appreciate the solitude. WAIT A INUTE --- we do appreciate the solitude, the tidiness, and the quiet, and a lot of things. It won't be quiet at my house for the next couple of days as I prep for three events in 6 days, but all is good. It will be quiet - it will just be busy. 

I have a trunk show at the Thames Valley Quilt Guild on Wednesday AM, and before I left, I laid out a good part of the trunk show on a bed so the quilts could relax from the folds at least a wee bit. All that remains is to grab a few more items, dig out the two suitcases, and pack everything up. That is all good. Then I need to rearrange Studio B and set up the cameras for the Facebook Live, which is also on Wednesday. 

All the samples are done for that, and I've been rehearsing what I want to say and how. Sadly, I have no girls to help me, so I've had to wing it!!! Where is my audience when I need them? Murphy is probably thrilled she doesn't have to listen. 

But look what I spotted on the long walk yesterday. I decided not to take my toque yesterday, and that wind was brisk! Anyway, I spotted several signs starting at 8 AM. The kids must have been out early, because I didn't spot a single thing. 

An Easter egg hunt

It must have been magic that only kids under ten can see. 

Here's another decoration on one of the shelves in the apartment building where my parents live. I love this little fairy house. I have never seen the fairies -- again -- you probably need to be under ten to see them. It looks weird in this picture, but in real life, it's very cool. 

A fairy house

I was out and about several times during the day, and I spotted this at Walmart. This is identical to the bag of treats I purchased at the airport with my free coupons; it was $11.99 plus tax. How is that for gouging? It was MORE than double the price at the store. That's absolutely insane. I don't even want to know the price of water. Well, I do know, and I could buy an entire case of 24 bottles for the price of one. 

This is half the price of buying at the airport.

I need to look into buying a small reusable water bottle for future travel. I have my large one at home, but I'm certainly not traveling with that one. And I'm very particular, I HATE the taste of water directly from metal. My memories are scarred for life by drinking from a shared metal dipper for years as a kid. How we never got sick is beyond me! But I'm sure if I look, I can find something. I have less than two weeks before I travel again, and I still have three events and a jacket to make. I may not have time to look for a water bottle. 

But it won't be a big deal since we splurged and are flying in comfort on that trip, so there will be complimentary water bottles, and I'll just hang onto one of those. 

I had bought a ham and veggies the other day and finally cooked them all last night for dinner. In hindsight, I should have bought and cooked more potatoes. Dad is a meat-and-potatoes guy, and there wasn't much left of the potatoes last night. I must remember for next time. And we had a very brief surprise visit from my brother, who dropped off a pie. So we were all set for a grand feast last night. 

As I walked down the stairs of the buiding to head back to the hotel, this was the view. You just can't beat a good old-fashioned Saskatchewan sunset. 

Beautiful sunset

Then I had a great visit with the puzzle man in the common room. He showed me their puzzle collection. There are TWO drawers of puzzles for them to work on. That will keep the two of them going for a little while. I'll try to throw in a piece or two before I leave this morning. 

I have one more person to visit before I leave, but that's in Saskatoon. And then off to the airport and home. It's been a long trip, and I'll be glad to get back into my routine. 

BUT—there is a good takeaway from this. While I love my routine, I pray that I will never close my mind to doing things differently. I'm not a fan of change because I like some parts of my life to be routine. I don't want to have to rethink everything, but I am open to trying new things. I'm going on this European vacation in less than two weeks, and I have an Airbnb booked for four or five nights. And the rest of the time? I'm on my own with no plans! I think I'm being very open. I will have just over one week to find my way from Sicily to Rome by myself. Sounds like fun!!!

To close off today, here's something else to remember, and this one is super important. As you age, and sadly, we all will, do NOT be afraid to tell your children about your health. They have more knowledge than you do -- at least in my case, and I'm not a medical expert by any means. But if you need help, then ask!!! Don't just struggle and think that is how things need to be. The other four siblings moved with the times, but my Mom reminds me of my grandma, stuck in the 30s. But I digress. 

On that happy note, I'm out of here. Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

PS -- sorry to bring up such negative subjects, but it weighs heavily on my mind, and I think the message is important to pass along to others. 

A puzzling affair

Hmmm - about the manual shifting in the car. I'm not so sure it's "manual" shifting because you have to change from reverse to drive or park. I am not accustomed to driving a North American car, and I find it awkward. I'm always trying to remember how to get into reverse and then into drive. With most automatic vehicles, you simply turn a knob or shift the gear stick to shift into each gear. With this one, getting into each gear requires a DIFFERENT move of the stick. I'm definitely not a fan. But no worries -- only one more day and then the car goes back to the rental! 

I have heard of automatics that have a paddle to emulate driving a manual, allowing you to shift between 1st and 2nd, and so on. And some people love it - well, if this is similar, it's ridiculous and I hate it! Thank goodness for Japanese cars! 

As for the quilt edge, I didn't accomplish too much yesterday, but that's OK. I know what I'm doing, and I'm happy to take it home and continue to work on it. I'm sure I'll get reminders from everyone about my progress. As mentioned, it's a great project to work on during a Zoom call. I seemed to be all fingers yesterday, and then I was away visiting someone in the afternoon. But all is good - I have a plan and I'm good with plans. 

I went back to the cemetery yesterday --- two days in a row, and I'll probably go back later today. I wanted to get some pictures of some gravestones. And when I arrived and finally found my grandparents' grave, I pulled some weeds and removed some dead grass to make it look a bit better. Despite the "issues" with my brother and SIL, the SIL always ensures there are flowers (fake) on the grave each year. And my grandfather loved gladiolias and grew them like weeds, and that is what she put. She can't be all bad!!!

OH -- I didn't send the picture, but that's OK. 

Back to the apartment, where my Mom had plans for us to finish sorting through the stuff in the closet. She sorted all the containers, and we have the keep and the giveaway piles. All of the items you see here are for the giveaway pile, but how do you get rid of them? It's back in the closet until I can come up with a plan. FYI -- neither she nor my Dad can get in the closet, and they can't lift the boxes, so that's why she waits until I'm there. This is why it's essential to do this sorting WHEN YOU ARE PHYSICALLY ABLE!!!!! DO NOT WAIT!

Giveaway stuff

So we need to put our thinking caps on. How can one find a home for a bunch of scrapbooking stamps? Most of them are brand new, and they are all amazing sets. By that, I mean there is a diverse group - some are texture stamps for backgrounds, while others feature cute sets for cards or scrapbook pages. But how the heck does one get rid of them? I tried posting on a scrapbooking/buy and sell page - actually posted it on quite a few sites - and no bites. It was funny because someone messaged me to say, 'Did I know that I had a listing in Saskatchewan?' Yes!!!!

I'm trying to persuade my Mom that it's not going to be easy to sell these. Perhaps we could give them away. I have no idea why she's reluctant to give them away when the amount of time and effort required is going to be horrific. I'm working on changing her mindset, though. Her philosophy is, "let's wait and see." And it's all easy when she doesn't have to do any of the legwork. 

So, my question to you is: Does anyone know of organizations or places that would be willing to take this type of stamp? There are ink pads and paper as well, so they would be getting a complete package. And I'll persuade that giving them away is good. 

While she is willing to get rid of those stamps, and yes, I remind you of the same thing for myself, you are not allowed to judge what she did, nor lament the money that was spent. It's in the past - let's move on! BUT also in that closet are SIX empty pizza boxes and god forbid if I were to remove them. There's an old brief case and I've tried to get it out of the house, but nope - I was "forced" to put it back. 

I know -you're thinking that it should be easy. And you know what? I could literally just take it outside the apartment and she wouldn't be able to retrieve ti. But we are making breakthroughs at her pace, and I'm not rocking the boat. That would be counterproductive, and I'd probably be told not to come back, and that's just not worth it. I'll deal with those things later, and who knows - I might be able to pry it out of her hands at some point. 

There was a box of empty fish cans in that closet. My heart sank when I saw that. 

A box of empty fish cans

They had been saved to make some project - I think people were making these hanging mobiles out of them. Thankfully, the cans, the bag, and the empty box are all in the recycling bin, with her blessing. 

Yep - that's what was in the box

Funny enough, there is a Pony Express area at their front door - just like me. I did my best to eliminate what I could. I spotted three puzzles in a bag and they were simply to go downstairs as there are a couple of people in the building who work on puzzles every day. These are older, but it's still a puzzle. 

Older jigsaw puzzles

I'm not sure how these got back to them. There's a whole story about puzzles, my Mom, my brother, and I'm not going there. It got ugly, and there is no forgiveness or forgetting in my family. She said these were downstairs, and then somehow they came back up, so I'm not sure about that part of the story. These are NOT the same puzzles that caused the ruckus -- these have my Dad's name on them. They're back down in the common room, and I need to remind the guys that when they're done with the puzzles, they need to move on. Do not take them back up. 

I remember putting this one together as a kid! I just Googled this puzzle, and someone is trying to sell it on eBay for $100 US. It's from the 40s. Do I want to keep this one? I might steal it back. There's a quilt on that bed! 

Norman Rockwell jigsaw puzzle

Speaking of the puzzle-making at the apartment, one of the fellows has a fantastic board for working on puzzles. Four trays slide into the base, and that large part is big enough for a 1000-piece puzzle. Very handy!!! I might consider getting one, but not now, as I don't have enough time to work on them, but I want to make more time. 

Great space to put together a jigsaw puzzle

I also removed 45 pounds of paper that needed to be shredded. 

Paper for shredding

It's a somewhat unusual system they have here. Back home, when I have stuff, the staff at Staples bring the locked bin over so I can access it and put the paper in myself. Here, they were just going to take the paper and they would put it in the bin. Well, not that I don't trust these guys, but it's for shredding, which means no one should see it. They moved the bin over for me and in quick order, I shoved all the paper through he opening. 

Stuffing the shredding bin

It's not much, but it's a start, and I'm thankful for that. Mom just has some unusual ideas about things and what is and isn't valuable. There is so much more that could be sorted or tossed, but we are not allowed to touch it. Now, in all fairness, she's a great sorter and organizer, but so much doesn't need to be kept. And I suspect there are a couple of things on her Pony Express that she's set aside to give to someone, but I doubt they even want it. How can I wangle a trip to get rid of it - or pretend to get rid of it? 

I need to do some investigation and see what I can "force" to happen. Because when it comes time to clean out that apartment, I am NOT doing any of that stuff! It's garbage or recycling. Simple as that! 

A while back I posted a picture of five of us who hung out in high school. Two of the five have passed and I have vowed to get in touch with the other two. So I popped over to visit with Marilyn yesterday. 

Me and Marilyn

Here are the five of us at high school graduation. I'm on the left and Marily is in the middle. Cheryl, on the extreme right, and Bernice, beside her, have passed. It's so sad as they were young. Yes - I consider myself young. 

High school graduation picture

I'm in the wrong business, as Marilyn, who, after 25 years of working with young offenders, retired 13 years ago, is now enjoying life. What's wrong with me? NO worries -- I'm cutting back. 

Anyway, she and her husband are having a grand time gardening and have wonderful, extensive gardens on their property, as well as those of their neighbors. The gardens are beautiful and we were able to enjoy a pod of fresh peas. It's been a long time since I've had peas fresh from the pod right off the plant. 

Fresh peas in the pod

This is her little free library, which is very cute! 

Free library

On the way home, this was a shot of the sky! So many incredible formations, and we just don't get to see the sky in the same way in the city. The temperature is excellent, and I have no qualms if it rains. 

Stormy skies

Oh - I should mention that I didn't stay long in the cemetery the evening before because of the mosquitoes. Good grief -- they were even worse when I went in the morning, and when I got into the car, there was a cloud of mosquitoes that accompanied me! 

Did I mention that I LOVE my new office backpack? It's the first time using it, and it's fabulous. It has plenty of pockets, sits well on my back, and is very comfortable, even when heavily laden with an iPad and a computer. The only negative thing is it wants to sit right on my cell phone in my back pocket, which isn't comfortable, so I'll have to move the phone to my little waist pouch. 

My new office backpack

If I were buying a backpack for s school child, I'd be looking at buying one with a lot of structure like this one. It doesn't sag and it's comfortable even with a lot of weight. Some of the kids I see must be exhausted hauling all their crap around. 

I know I've had this discussion with so many people, and NO ONE listens to me. But when I travel, especially out of the country, I put my meagre travel documents into the waist pouch, which can easily sit under my shirt. I barely remember it's there. You don't need much - a passport, a couple of cards, a bit of cash, and that's it. It's 100% hands-free. I use it for walks at home - I have several waist pouches. I just don't see why people insist on carrying a purse! I don't care how safe the darn thing is with cut-resistant straps - it's just a hassle to have the damn thing. But that's coming from someone who never carries a purse. 

Well, I'm off to get the day started and off to visit with another aunt! And perhaps to get more of that edge done. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

It's all about BALANCE!

Balance - that's a good word. There's balance in life, as in work-life balance, which I still struggle with occasionally. OK - I struggle with it a lot, but I still get lots of ME time. There's physical balance, and it's hilarious because it seems like such a simple thing, but it's a critical factor in our physical well-being. As I left my doctor's appointment the other day, she said, "You are taking care of yourself, and that is good. Be sure to work on your balance!" Not that balance was an issue in why I went to see her, but just a passing comment. 

That is so true. I work on my physical balance all the time. Every day, when I put on my socks and shoes, I stand on one leg and put the items on my feet. I no longer sit down. A controlled balance on one leg is happiness! I practice my balance at the gym when I do my stretching! I can't believe that I let that go somewhere along the line. What was the matter with me? 

Here's the thing—flexibility, balance, strength—they are all important to our well-being, but they exist subconsciously, and their slow loss is even more subconscious, to the point that we don't even know what's happening until one day—OH! I'm in trouble. 

Balance is one of the most important things you can do to prevent falls. If you trip, guess what helps you stay upright? Balance! It does not require a gym or that you sweat, and takes only a few minutes a day. The next time you brush your teeth, try standing on one leg. You don't have to raise the other leg high, just lift the foot off the floor. You might have to put your foot down - that's OK, but keep at it. Put a note on the mirror, but practice every day. 

Here's the thing -- you should be able to regain your balance skills if they are lost. Start slow and work your way up! 

While I don't really have regrets in my life, there is one thing that is particularly bothersome now, especially today. Today, there is a memorial service for my best friend in the whole world, when we were in high school! Our little gang of five started in Grade Six! She lent me clothes and her car so I could go to my first job interview, which I got! She spooked me out when we were at my house (on the farm), and we both felt like we were being watched, but neither told the other.,until the next morning. I still get goosebumps thinking about that one. 

When I left right after high school, we stayed in touch, but not really. And two years ago, Bernice was diagnosed with inoperable and rare brain cancer. I am now back in touch with the other two girls from our gang of five. Yes - of the gang of five, three remain. It's just so sad. They are just too young to be gone. I moved to Quebec, didn't get home often, couldn't afford a rental car (and was too young to rent one), phone calls were expensive - you get the picture why people drifted apart in those days. 

Here are a couple of pictures of the two of us! Oh my god—check out those glasses. Bernice, Rest in Peace. I wish we could have stayed best friends. You were so wacky! 

Bernice and I in our younger days!

The remaining two live in places I frequent, so I hope to see them later this year. I've been playing catch-up with both via text and many memories. What's crazy is what you remember about each other, or your thoughts. Lori said she always knew I was creative and talked about some sewing project we did in grade nine with Mrs Sealy! I remember lots of stuff I made in grade nine. I wonder which one specifically? 

On a happy note, the massive project I've been working on is done! I stood with trepidation and watched this very large printer work. This printer costs $65,000, so it's not something you'd want to have at home! Let's just say that I got an A+ from the operator, and I was jumping over the moon! It was exactly what I wanted, and I love it when that happens. I'll be sharing that at a later date. Before, this was probably not easily accessible to the general public. I did NOT operate it, but I can get stuff printed on it! 

A massive printer

Then it was back home to work on the next thing. I have FIVE presentations this weekend. If I plan my cards right, this is the LAST weekend like this! I am debating how to arrange my fall schedule. Do I put everything on one weekend, which means a lot of prep before, but leaves three weekends free? Or do I spread it out and have only two weekends free? I need to make that list to see everything happening next year. 

And there's the bloom from the pond. Those lilies are so beautiful! There is only one so far, but I'm sure there will be many more. 

Lilies are in bloom in the pond

And that Murphy dog scared me to death! I know she likes to sleep in the stash room. It's cool and dark and very quiet if there is a storm. I didn't realize she was in there, and I turned the corner and WHOA!!! Murphy - you scared me! Sometimes, she likes to sleep around the corner, so I'm practically upon her when I realize she's there!

MOM - just hanging out! I didn't mean to scare you!

The other thing about life and shows me that I need to very carefully select what I teach going forward is that I had some things to prep for today's sessions, and I wasn't looking forward to it. It wasn't hard and was partially prepped - well, the materials were pulled. I think I'm at the end of my rope for prepping stuff. I want to sew without prepping for a bit, which is why the summer will be amazing! Guess what? I told myself that I owed it to the students who signed up to do it. I completed two of the three mini projects, and they are ADORABLE. I'm so glad I persevered and am constantly learning about myself. But I'm now starting to listen to myself. If I don't do something about things I dislike, there is a problem. 

No worries - I'm already making changes. All is good. After this weekend, two Zooms are left in June, and neither requires much prep. 

I have company coming for a good part of the summer, and that guest room is piled high with quilts—on the bed, the floor, and the nightstand! It looks pretty bad. 

A mess in the guest room

Plus, I need to start packing the samples I'm taking to Quilt Canada next week, and while I'm at it, I might as well sort out what I'm bringing to the Buckhorn Quilt Show in September. Then there is another machine embroidery retreat after that! But all is good—I'm making my lists, so I know what goes where. 

Packing for Quilt Canada

I'm happy that the room looks a bit better, but still a lot of quilts to fold and put away. Now I need to tackle Studio U, which has become a dumping ground for odds and ends of batting, so that may be on the agenda for later today. But I still have two very urgent pieces of computer work that MUST be done by today and I've got to continue to work on my UFO which is due tomorrow. I don't think any tidying is going to happen today. 

I was right!!! There is a new condo building going up near my house—far enough away that the traffic won't affect me, but I pass it in the car sometimes and occasionally walk past it. There is this huge two-story glass room at the front of the building. One day as I drove past, I swear I saw basketball hoops at either end. That can't be right—maybe they are hangers for TVs? 

I keep looking every time I pass, which isn't often, but I still swear I see those nets. Yesterday, I happened upon a video tour of the building. OMG—I was right. That big beautiful glass area is a gym!!!! Well, it's a basketball court with a walking track above. 

Is this practical?

I don't know about you, but this seems like a silly idea. I get the idea of a gym for yoga, stretching, or equipment, but a basketball court? And this room will have sun all day!! Can you imagine trying to play basketball with the sun shining in? I guess it's no worse than an outdoor court, but I don't know—it just seems silly and will be HOT! 

On that note, I'm out of here! There are dogs to walk, and I'm on Zoom most of the day. 

Have a super day! Remember - BALANCE!!! 

Ciao!!!

Sobering thoughts

Another day—another appointment. This time it was for the girls. Let's just say the day was traumatic for all. 

It started with them going outside to discover that a rabbit was in the backyard. However, the rabbit was quicker than they were and scooted under the fence. But then the big investigation started. Why was that rabbit in the backyard? Was it digging a nest? And so on. 

MOM -- that rabbit was here! 

Right after the walk, it was time to get in the car. The girls hardly go for car rides, but they think it's the best thing, so I have zero issues getting them in. For the last few years, they have only gone to the vet! 

MOM - We love the car!

We arrived, and handling the two was not fun, but we managed. I wish I had pictures of what Murphy did, but I don't, so I can only describe it to you. First, a new technician—a young man—is kind and helpful. As I tried to get one of the dogs on the scale, he took Lexi, as they were too hyper. 

Murphy puts her big butt on the scale and proceeds to cleverly put a back paw on the floor! What? That little scammer - she was trying to cheat on her weight! I was laughing so hard, I don't think I even noticed if she had gained weight. I think she's about the same. 

Then it was Lexi's turn, and she popped onto the scale - what? She can't be that weight. And then we realized that Murphy had her paw on the scale! What a dog! It was hilarious. 

We popped into the exam room and waited for the staff to organize things. Both of the girls were pretty well-behaved. 

MOM - Are we getting treats? 

As I waited, I talked to them to keep them entertained, and well, it was a good bonding moment. When the vet came in, she commented on how cute my chatter with them was. Hey, they are my family, and I would chat to my child the same way. People miss little moments like this because they are on their phones! 

It's a new vet as well, and she's young. The girls were disappointed because the old vet gave them lots of treats. They didn't get treats! 

Murphy got taken into the back to get her blood taken, and I did hear her squeak at one point. So much for being the big, brave girl!

When she returned to the room, it was Lexi's turn, and they gave her all her shots, which she did NOT appreciate. They have to muzzle her because she doesn't like it. I was keeping Murphy quiet and under control, because as much as she "hates" her sister, stuff was happening and it wasn't good! Then, when they tried to get blood, it didn't go so well. After the third attempt and the third leg, everything was good. They were happy to be free! 

Maybe they won't be happy to get in the car next time, although I doubt that!

Speaking of nature, here's what one day can do! Look at that leaf!

The unfurling of the leaf

I popped into the thrift store to look for a pair of denim stretch jeans to rip apart. Oh boy --- men's jeans are $16 - $22 and this pair had a big rip in the crotch!!!! I say they are expensive, but they aren't, but you have to be careful, as some stuff is a bit overpriced! 

Men's jeans are expensive at the thrift store

I couldn't find what I wanted, so I didn't buy a pair. But I found this crazy blanket - a biscuit quilt. I did not buy it! I must take my missing book list because they have a lot of older books, and I want to see if there is anything there. 

A biscuit quilt

Then it was time to get to work, and I accomplished stuff, which was good! I was quilting a quilt, and I use painter's tape for my marker, which I frequently lose. Why and where? It gets stuck to my jacket! Now I know where to look for it!

My missing tape marker

Here's the quilt I finished. 

Customer quilt - DONE

I love my CNC technology. While I was working on the quilt, the embroidery machine was working on something else. I must "run" between the two machines to keep them threaded and change bobbins, but it's excellent for achieving steps! 

Working on two machines

The next quilt is loaded on the long arm and ready to go. I had to piece the batting for it, as it's a community project quilt. 

Piecing the batting

So, a good and a bad thing happened in the same phone call. Late in the afternoon, I got a call on my cell phone. I did not recognize the number, but it was a 306 area code, and I decided to answer it. OH MY GOSH --- it was a friend from high school. WOW!! That was a surprise. You see, there were five girls and we became close friends when I started going to town school in Grade Six. I don't remember how we got together, but we were our little gang of five. We even bought the same pinkie ring with our initials on it. I wore mine for years until I had to retire it about ten years ago. 

Here are the five of us at our high school graduation. I confess that after high school, I kind of lost touch with them all but visited sporadically with them over the years. 

The five friends at graduation

Marilyn (in yellow) called me yesterday to say Bernice had passed. NO!!!!! Bernice is second from the right. And Cheryl, who is on the right, passed away 1½ years ago. These girls are too young to be passing! And my date (my first boyfriend) also just passed away a month ago. All three of these people were in their 60s and way too young to die! 

The good news is that Marilyn and Lori (second from the left) and I will get in touch and hopefully stay in touch. One lives near my parents, and the other is near M. I will connect with both. But after I hung up the call, I got out my photo album, and it's not like it is today. I had a handful of pictures of us, but taking pictures was a whole different ballgame back then. 

Rest in peace, Bernice and Cheryl! The sad thing is that both families were riddled with illness. Cheryl's brother lived in the same building as my parents, but he passed a while back. Bernice's sisters and brother have passed, although her Mom lived to 97. Her younger sister died at 56. 

I guess the moral of that story is - you better live your best life NOW. And I don't even need my subconscious to remind me that when dealing with the clutter, I better ask myself -- would you rather read magazines that add ZERO to your life, or would you rather be chatting up a storm with the girls? Or whatever. Get rid of the clutter so you can enjoy your life NOW. Getting rid of the clutter is good -  you live the memories, learn how to cope, and your house is clean! 

Of course, when I was sitting outside earlier in the day, Miss Murphy was up to her old tricks! She threw the fish in the pond. She's pretty proud of herself for doing that! 

Ooops - the fish fell in the pond! How did that happen?

And thank goodness for the gazebo. While chatting with Marilyn, it started raining, but I was safely ensconced in the gazebo, and I didn't get wet. The weather got very weird as the sun shone brightly while pouring rain. Hmmmm

Nice and dry in the gazebo

Of course, Miss Murphy is outside enjoying the rain. There is a lot of leaf coverage above her, so she wasn't that wet. 

Mom - I'm not getting wet!

Well, there's another appointment today, and this time it's for me. I have a dentist appointment to have one filling replaced. Then I'm home and have work to do! Those appointments are time-consuming! But at least I can walk to this one. 

And I will have to break down and buy a new FitBit. This one has started to just lose power with no warning to recharge. It's lost power twice this week, so it's on its last legs. But I've had the darn thing for years, so it doesn't owe me anything. WAIT --- I just checked the blog - I bought this one in July 2020, so it's not as old as I thought. But still --- it's time for a new, more reliable one! 

Here's a sobering thought for the day, and one that I have trouble wrapping my head around. What would you do each day if you had one week to live? Yes - we'd spend time with our family and friends, but I'd also clean up the paper. Would I want someone to see this mess? More importantly, would I want someone to deal with it? And I'd be getting those UFOs together so someone could actually finish them! 

I don't want to do that on my deathbed, which is why I'm doing it now, while I'm physically and mentally able to deal with it! I'm also enjoying a clear, uncluttered life, which makes me happy! I'm learning that less is more, which also makes me happy. When it's time for me to go, I won't have anything but a suitcase of possessions! 

And I'm off!

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!