Monday, September 25, 2023

I’ve been using an oxygen monitor for the past two nights and I had to send it back to the company today. I was up early to get it packaged up and the courier booked. We live on a corner so our actual address points you to the front door but I wanted the courier to come to the back door and I gave those instructions to the person who answered the phone. There is a storm raging outside and I was told that if there was a safe, dry spot outside I could just leave it. The package was sitting, in plain sight, on the back deck.

I didn’t trust that the message about what door to come to would get through to the driver so I decided I’d reverse my day – I’d cross stitch downstairs in the morning and do my upstairs tidying in the afternoon. If the courier came to the front door I knew I wouldn’t hear him from upstairs. The courier arrived a few minutes ago at the front door and I had to make a mad dash to get the package from the back to the front before the driver gave up and left. There is no way though, at this time of day, that I want to start cleaning.

So for now, I’ll continue to cross stitch and try to convince myself that I haven’t wasted my day.

Sunday, September 24, 2023

I’ve not posted for a few days but I have a really good excuse. My daughters surprised me with a visit for my birthday. I could not believe what I was seeing when I opened the door and saw them standing on the doorstep. Pat, of course, knew for months that they were planning this visit and I’m surprised there were no hints from anyone. The closest it came was when I talked to Christy last Sunday she told me my present would be arriving on Tuesday. Best present ever!

We managed a lot in the few days they were here. Christy brought all the ingredients, pots and pans that she needed to make me a Turtle Cake. I had a piece quite some time ago when I was at Christy’s (she always made one for the start and end of The Walking Dead season) and the last time I had a whole cake was the day I retired and drove to Powell River. Do I dare say that my cake is already gone and that the last pieces were eaten right out of the pan (Christy told me it tastes best that way)!

We had lots of walks. Of course we did the sea walk and Pat even found one that we hadn’t done before. It was a short one on the edge of Cranberry Lake; there was a lot of evidence of at least one bear around but we didn’t see any.

One morning we pulled out all my bins of quilt sandwiches and tops for a Show and Tell (and maybe a pick-the-one-you-want) session. It was a huge eye-opener for me to see how much work I have to do on all of those projects. When I talked to Stacia and Deloise they suggested I leave them all out so they can see them when they come.

Elizabeth, Pat and I took a walk one morning to see a yard that had lots of dahlias growing along their fence. The owner was outside and he told us all about how he plants them and keeps them over the winter. He mentioned his whole back yard was planted in dahlias. Elizabeth and I were hoping he would invite us back to see them but Pat wasn’t shy and asked if he would show them to us. It was just like the dahlia farm we used to go to in Mission, except on a smaller scale. Apparently he sells bouquets of them, as well as the tubers. Pat took photos of the ones he liked and he’ll go back later in the fall and buy some tubers.

On Friday we were trying to decide on how to get the best look at the sea lions; we can hear them bark from the house. We drove down a logging road and saw (and heard) a few but we were more or less told that we shouldn’t be there so we found another spot. The viewing wasn’t very good though and all we saw were seals. The winter is the best time for viewing them so everyone will have to come back.

The house was so quiet yesterday that I had no inclination to write a post. Christy and Kathryn did the laundry and cleaned the house so it will be ready for our next company (arriving a week Monday). I’m busy trying to sort out my sewing room/office. I’m more than half way around it and I’ve even managed to cut fabric for a new cross stitch and for the project I’ll be working on with Stacia and Deloise on Friday.

I’ll spend some time this afternoon on my Pixie Lane cross stitch. We’re expecting a big storm tonight but it is sunny and only a bit breezy right now. I think I’ll head up to Staples and get myself a new inkjet printer (thank you Elizabeth).

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

I mentioned to Pat that I had been clearing one thing a day from the closet – either putting something away in its proper place (mostly hanging up clothes) or setting something aside for sale or for the thrift shops. Pat got into the whole idea right away and did a huge purge of his clothes.

I walked to the Guild bee today but not to sew. I had a few things that I needed to drop off and I needed some photos for the blog. We made a grocery list and I said I could pick them up when I came home. When it started to rain I figured the walk was out so I did a bit of accounting until it was time to head out.

It had stopped raining by that time so I decided to go ahead with my walk. It was nice for the walk there but I got rained on walking home. When I got back I suggested to Pat that we take the bags up to the thrift shop and pick up the groceries after. We had all that done before coming home for lunch.

I haven’t been very productive for the rest of the day. I have lots that I could be doing but I think I’ll do some shredding while I watch my African safari. After all, I have to rest up for tomorrow.