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!!!!

Do you want these items?

I spent part of the day making and editing videos! I'm not good at it - well, I'm OK with it, I'm just slow because I'm still learning, and I don't do it often! What the heck would we do without Google?

For those who were unable to attend Quilt Canada 2025 and would like to view my concurrent show, "Celebrating 25 Years of Teaching Quilt Making," here's the link. I still want to make one more video of all the multi-part classes I've taught, and it seems I missed one! So I'll add that one in. I hope to complete it today, so I can upload it. 

In case you're wondering, my voice is not that husky. However, the second part of the video was shot early in the morning on the final day, and my voice was starting to wear out. 

I was also learning how to record movements on my computer screen, i.e., showcasing software or a website. That took forever to figure out, and I had issues with my mic! But I managed to get it organized, and there are a few spots I want to edit out. 

However, a lot of other things were accomplished as well, and I'm going to start with some things I no longer want. 

The first are these two small bags, perfect for handwork. I've used the green one, so the handles are a bit dirty, and it has a dent in the front, but the blue one is brand new. 

Two bags, great for handwork

This is what they look like on the inside. There are two zippers, so a front and a back compartment. This is side one, with plenty of pockets to store items and a generous space for your fabric. It's a great case and I used it a lot, but I no longer have time for handwork. However, it would also be great to take your supplies to quilt retreats or sewing days. 

The inside of one side of the bag

There are even pockets along the sides on the inside. 

Pockets on the sides

And here's what's on the other side. 

The opposite side of the bag

Here's another case that I purchased, and it's also never been used. It's a hard shell, and I love the motif on the side. 

A storage case

The interior is relatively bare, making it a good place to store supplies or bags of supplies. I have a larger one where I store my binding scraps. 

The inside of the storage case

And then there's this bag. It's actually a fishing lure bag, but I used it for handwork. I know - why so many bags? I've no idea. It just seemed like a good idea at the time. 

Another bag for handwork supplies

It features numerous zippered pockets inside the cover, as well as multiple zippered pouches. I loved this bag, but it hasn't been used in years, and if someone else can use it, then it should be passed on. 

The inside of the bag

Here's the inside of the other cover - again, it features lots of zippered sections to store small items, making it perfect for handwork supplies. 

The other side of the bag

I also have three of these decorative storage boxes. They are cardboard, and I used them to store bag supplies, but all that has been moved to new containers. 

Three decorative storage boxes

And lastly, for today, there is a large metal tin. It was initially for biscuits? Biscotti? Anyway, I also used this until my great sort, and I no longer need it. 

A metal tin

So if anyone would like any of those items, send me an email (elainetheriault@gmail.com). They are free and they are great items - I just no longer need them. 

The remainder of the empty containers (mostly open baskets and tubs) were moved to the storage area, and I'll pull something when I need it. I already went in there this morning to find a tub to put my Deco-Bond pieces so they are contained. I like to have a few empty containers on hand, rather than having to run to the store each time I need something. 

I got another customer quilt done. 

Customer quilt - DONE

Another small one, but it's nice to have a break from the bigger quilts. There are three more small ones and one lap-sized quilt for customers. However, I need to adjust my routine today, as I have a project that needs to be quilted, and it's scheduled for later this afternoon. It's already loaded on the long arm. 

I also tried something different. When I was at the long arm shop the other day, I noticed that she didn't use the side clamps. Instead, she pinned the elastic to the quilt. Hmm -- that eliminates a lot of issues, so I tried it. 

The clamps

The pins

The funny thing is - why didn't I think of that? It's simple - I unscrewed the bolt that holds the clamps to the elastic, and voilà- it worked like a charm. No heaviness on the edge of the quilt, and no clamp for the machine to hit if there isn't enough backing. I may be smart, but there are times when simple things like this escape me. That's why they tell you to hang around more intelligent people than yourself! I need to do more of that! 

One of the Monday ladies did a DoorDash stop at my house and brought over, not one, but TWO pieces of homemade pie! Yum - I had one as my afternoon snack, and it's delicious! Thank you!! In exchange, she got a bunch of template plastic! 

Homemade pie!

And in the admin department, I'm a failure! But the story is so funny! We got a smart TV a while back, which I never watch, and have no idea how to operate it. I could figure it out if I wanted, but who cares? If I want to see something, I watch it on my computer. 

Anyway, DH has been bugging me about getting fiber to the house and something new for the TV. I know that our TV signal now comes in over the internet (I think), so I finally called our provider earlier this week and requested a new modem and inquired about the fiber option. No -- we do not have access to fiber in our neighborhood. I don't know what he expects fiber to give us that we currently don't have, but he wants it! We have zero issues with speed. Sounds like me and fabric! Or how I used to be with fabric. 

The box arrived the other day, and I placed it on his desk so he could attend to it. He got home from his trip and immediately opened the box. But when he went to the TV and started talking about the different pots on the back, I got scared and said, 'Leave it, I'll make the switch.' 

That was quite the ordeal because all the wires are tucked behind the TV, and it's not easy to access them. Plus, when they installed the new TV, they had ziptied all the cords together. 

The scary scene behind the TV

The power source is also quite different, and it required some ingenuity and the use of an extension cord to make everything work. I was thrilled to see that the modem has a reset button on the side, so we no longer have to unplug it to reset it. 

A reset button!

Plus, it doesn't have all those crazy flashing blue lights on the front that were very annoying in the dark. Now there are three small white buttons on the front. You can't see the white lights in this picture. 

The new modem

Once the new modem was installed, I had to figure out how to get us back online. The instructions weren't all that helpful, but I managed to make it work. And the nice thing? It reverted back to our network name and password! I had visions of going around the house and reconnecting everything. 

Speaking of connecting everything, I forgot to mention that when we were at the retreat house a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that the MICROWAVE has internet connection. Seriously? Why does a microwave need to be connected to the internet? 

Anyway, I was pretty pleased with my task and sent DH a note saying, 'No need to thank me, as I bought something expensive for the long arm as my reward!' That was the magnets, which I had purchased the day before. 

He comes home and goes straight to the TV -- notice his priorities. Then he says, 'Where's the new box?' Box? I got a new MODEM!!! Oh, it seems that there is a box that runs the TV signal, something called 4K. Oops! 

Well, I needed to call the provider for more discounts, so I guess I have to call back and ask for this new box as well! 

However, I'm thrilled with the new modem, which features a reset button and fewer lights. I'm a happy camper! 

Then, to clean up the cutting table, I cut up a large bedspread that I had purchased to make a jacket sample. I made the jacket, which I don't think I ever shared. The bedspread worked great, but the one I bought was horrible. The stitching was all done in a triple stitch or chain stitch, although it doesn't appear to be a chain stitch. Anyway, it was done on a large commercial machine, and it was horrible if you needed to rip out. Also, the filling was not nice. 

I decided to cut the remainder up and use it for pet mats. 

Prepping pet mats

This morning, all the edges got serged, and all that remains is to weave those ends in, which is super easy with my handy bodkins. And I know exactly where those bodkins are, as I'm diligent about putting them back in their spot. Once things have a home, I'm meticulous about putting them back in place. 

As I worked, I kept an eye on my third cone of thread, knowing I would soon run out. However, with the Husqvarna Viking Amber Air S600 (a complete air threading serger/cover stitch), it's a breeze to rethread the upper looper. What's nice is that you don't need to unthread and go from left to right, and so on - you can simply rethread the looper and continue! 

Running out of thread

If I finish something, like a spool of thread, I usually put it on my list to get more. I don't think I need to buy more white serger thread for a long, long time. No need to start a list. There is a drawer with black and cream, one for colored threads, and another for that woolly nylon stuff. All sorted and neatly organized! 

My white serger thread supply

So even though my serger is currently tucked in the back corner of the room, under a cover to keep the dust out, it's still handy! I would NOT be without a serger, and I would make room for it to sit out! 

The serger is tucked away, but still very accessible

And there's the latest on the cutting table. Yes - there's still a lot of stuff on it, but it's all spread out. There are a few things that I'll put away later, and several things that I am currently working on. Or trying to work on, but I never seem to get to them. 

The state of the cutting table

I'm now creating samples that I need for writing, and I have two rounds of writing to complete before the end of the month. I hope to finish the samples for the first two days of both writing sessions by tonight, and then I can complete the writing hopefully today or tomorrow. I'm off to retreat again tomorrow (don't ask!), so I'll have some time to write, but I'll be away from my primary machines, and it'll be hard to get more work done. 

And if you're in Saskatoon or the surrounding area, be sure to visit me at The Sewing Machine Store on July 16th and 17th. It's a series of lectures, and here are the topics and times. Even though it says PFAFF, anyone will gain some helpful information from the lectures. If you're interested in seeing what the Momento can do, check out the last event! 

Wednesday, July 16th from 9 am -Noon
    PFAFF® How to get the most out of your Sewing Machine Features 

Wednesday, July 16th from 2pm – 5pm
   PFAFF® Sergerific Tips & Tricks! 

Thursday, July 17th from 9 am -Noon
    PFAFF® Fancy Footwork! 

Thursday, July 17th from 2pm – 5pm 
         PFAFF®  Appliqué Made Easy with mySewnet™ & MOMENTO™   

I'm eager to go, but I have so much to do before I leave, and the extra retreat is throwing a curveball into my schedule. I wasn't supposed to have anything booked in July, and then the opportunity to test out two new retreat houses arose, as did the events in Saskatoon. 

On that note, I'm out of here. Another busy day ahead, and I can't wait to get started! 

Have a great day!!

Ciao!!!

An evolution in long arm quilting

I had some major running around to do yesterday, so I didn't get much accomplished, but I did manage to sort more crap. I'm happy to report that only this much remains to sort. 

What's left to sort

None of the three containers are super full, but it's now down to the crappy stuff so I might just do a bit a day. I know - I shouldn't do that. Just get it done, and then it's done! OK -- I'll try to focus a bit more on it today. I need to move on, as I have a lot to accomplish today. 

There is room on the supply shelf for three more containers, and of course, a lot of this will fit in the existing containers. If I EVER buy another supply without checking those containers first, that is grounds for execution. OK - that's a bit drastic, but you know what I mean. The best part is that it will be easy to find something, since everything is organized. 

I had two spots where those templates could be, so I tackled one this morning. Good grief - I found a ton of stuff that is set aside to do. Since I'm not doing any of it, they are technically UFOs. I don't have room on the shelf for them, so they will stay on my rolling cart. And loads more supplies, but I left them here for the moment. I'll tidy up that area another day. 

More supplies on the rolling cart

This is what happens when you think something is cute. You buy it TWICE!!!! Since the price and the location where I purchased them are the same, it was likely very close in time that I bought two of them. Sigh......

Why buy one when you can buy two?

And how much ribbon does one person need? Good grief - I have one container for ribbon on a spool and one for loose ribbon. I should NEVER have to buy ribbon again. 

Two containers of ribbon

I found more fabric for making bags - this is nice stuff, a bit heavier than cotton, and features some fun prints. Again, I never need to ever buy more fabric, for anything, except maybe some backgrounds; but even then, since I make scrappy quilts, I'm set for the rest of my life. 

I still have a small pile of UFOs and fabric to attend to, but I can incorporate that into my day. I no longer have the luxury of time to focus on this stuff. I have a LOT of writing to do and some projects to make. 

More UFOs to deal with

If you have a long arm, you know there are different ways to load the quilt onto the leaders. The most common method is to pin the quilt backing and the front to the canvas leaders, allowing you to quilt. I don't mind pinning, it's kind of therapeutic, yet people make a big deal about getting poked, but seriously? I've never drawn blood with the pins. It's not that slow either, despite what you hear. 

However, it can lead to the disintegration of the leaders. I mean disintegration. The center of my pickup leader is gone. It's so threadbare, the threads are no longer there! See what I mean? 

The threads are gone! 

And the ends of the leaders can stretch with use. Keep in mind that this machine and those leaders are almost 20 years old. I think I bought the machine in 2006. I could be wrong about that. I purchased new leaders several years ago to replace the old ones, but I never got around to installing them. 

Years ago, it became fashionable to use zippers to attach quilts to the leaders. This was especially helpful if you quilted custom quilts and needed to switch between a custom quilt (which takes eons to quilt) and an edge-to-edge quilt (which takes a couple of hours). Instead of unpinning, you unzipped. I bought a set of zippers in 2012. I paid $70 for them and they are still in the package - never opened. 

A new pack of zippers

At some point, rods (inserted into a channel on the edge of the leaders) and clips became the big thing used to hold the quilt backings in place. Yes - I bought that too and paid $120 for it, and it was never opened. 

The leader grip system

My little journey yesterday was to buy a new system for loading quilts on the long arm. I know - you're thinking, ' Why bother? ' I don't think I ever used either of the previous two systems because it was too gimmicky, and I could never understand why it was easier. I only worked on one quilt at a time, so zippers weren't really necessary. The rods and clips just seemed too cumbersome to me, so I never installed them. OK - so why did I buy them? 

The new trend is to use magnets. OK -- if you are into machine embroidery, you know that metal or magnetic hoops (yes - they are NOT the same) are the best thing since sliced bread. A friend of mine started using magnets on her long arm about a year ago (they were introduced about four years ago), and my initial impression was that it was another gimmick, and this one wasn't cheap. So I didn't even look into it. 

After Quilt Canada, I had another friend who bought them and raved about them even more than the first person I heard use them. OK - I need to look at this a bit more closely. Well, guess what? I came home with magnets for the long arm. I will NOT tell you the price - these things are NOT cheap. Which is maybe what made me think twice last year. 

My long arm magnets

I only need three of the boxes; the other two are for the two people who changed my mind. Remember - I'm an old dog and I don't take to change very well! However, the timing was perfect because I needed to replace those leaders, and now I can establish the proper channel for the magnets, and all is good. See, I waited for a reason! 

The other two items were left at the long arm store in case someone wishes to have one of those loading systems. Yes - people still use zippers and the rods and clips. They work well, but just not for me. 

I have one more thing to get, and then I have all the supplies I need for the long arm spa day. I'm going to wait until I have all the customer quilts done and my personal ones I need for September. Then I can shut it down and work on reassembling the long arm correctly. 

Supplies for the long arm spa day

On my way home from that journey, I had a lovely visit with a friend as I dropped off a few quilts for people in her area. I still have some quilts to return from borrowing them for Quilt Canada. Less than half need to be returned, and I hope to complete this by the end of the month. Then home and back to work. 

I got the next small quilt on the long arm and got everything set. It was only when the bobbin ran out on the second row that I realized I had an issue. Somewhere, the machine jumped and OH CRAP -- the pattern is overlapping. Not by much, but enough that it wasn't right. 

The primary concern is to identify the source of the error and determine its cause. My guess is that with barely enough backing, it likely caused the machine to hit the clamp and jump. That was totally my fault, and I swear what takes five minutes to stitch takes more than an hour to remove! At least, I know the tension is spot on! 

Can you tell where the error was? 

I had loosened the rollers to make it easier to remove the stitches, and since I had removed my tape reference mark, how was I going to get the quilt back in the correct spot? That's easy - when you've done as many quilts as I have, it was a piece of cake to get it exactly back in the right spot, and if you looked closely, you would never tell there had been an issue. 

ACK - the reference mark is NOT on the quilt

And there is the quilt - done. 

Customer quilt - DONE

While my list of customer quilts is getting smaller and no new ones are coming in at the moment, the list of my quilts I need to quilt is getting longer. I would love to complete all my quilts before the end of this month; otherwise, it'll be tight in September for the Buckhorn show. I found one of the quilts this morning, and it will be loaded next week. I decided that the quilt tops I frequently pull out of the "to be quilted" pile for show and tell should just get quilted! However, when I put this one away, I didn't bother to put it in the correct tub. But I found it! 

DH is doing a lot of traveling these days, and he was coming home last night. Oh my - I had been a bit lax in keeping the kitchen tidy. I just had a few things on the table and the counter - OK - it was a lot. I moved everything into the office, recycled it, or threw it in the garbage. And I washed everything down - it looks so clean and tidy! 

The kitchen is neat and tidy for DH

With this beautiful temperature and NO humidity, it was lovely to be outside last night, and I did some more weeding in the backyard. I see it's supposed to be hot and humid today, but we'll see how it goes tonight. I'd like to get all the weeding done before the end of the weekend. I don't think that's going to happen, but I can dream. 

I had to get to the bank yesterday morning, so Miss Lexi and I did that on our walk! She's pretty happy to stand outside and wait for me. She NEVER sits, unless she wants to. 

MOM - I'm standing on guard!

And someone had a bad night last night. Her mat is all topsy turvy, and when I first spotted her, her hair on her ears was all tousled! Oh Muprhy!!!!! She likes the dark, and she likes that cool floor. 

MOM - I'm good!!!

It's so cold in our house (no AC - just cooler temps at night and no humidity), I've worn a sweater for the last couple of mornings. I have a fan blowing in the hall, and it's incredible how much it cools the air off. Granted, there has been no humidity over the last couple of days, and that makes a massive difference. 

I'm off to work as there is no shortage of that! 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!