Tuesday, November 24, 2020

I started working on my 12-Days packages this morning. I hadn’t gone very far when I realized I was missing a critical piece for one of the bags, as well as needing more gift bags. While I was out I also picked up more tape, more tissue paper, and more elastic for masks.

It doesn’t seem to matter how many boxes I save during the year there are never ones that are the right size for the gifts I want to send. One of the houses will probably get two packages but I think I can fit everything into the other two boxes.

I received two more Christmas gift deliveries today so Pat and I decided I may as well wait for the final delivery (expected Thursday but hoped for tomorrow) and send everything all at once. It won’t add much weight to the boxes and it will mean only one trip to the post office. I was talking to someone today who said the line up at the post office was horrendous; I try to be there right at 8:30 in the morning or wait until after the mail has gone out for the day and I’ve not had any problems.

And speaking of problems – we had another visit from the bear last night. Early this morning I heard something crash on the deck; we were experiencing a huge wind storm. The wind had knocked down one of the chairs on the deck but when we were checking it out Pat noticed that the garbage can was upended and open. We didn’t have to look far to find where the garbage was strewn. It wasn’t easy to clean up the mess in the wind storm but with two of us it didn’t take too long. And we knew that no matter how hard it was to clean up in the wind the heavy rain that was coming our way very soon would have made it worse.

I think I have time (and yarn) to knit one (or maybe two) more hats for my donation so I’ll work on that this evening.

Monday, November 23, 2020

My last package from amazon arrived today – a day earlier than scheduled but I’m not complaining. There is no excuse now for not getting my 12-Days of Christmas packages into the mail in plenty of time for the start.

I finished quilting my cards today. There are quite a few ends that need to be tied in and hidden but I’ll do that this evening. Pat has an online AGM tonight so I’ll be on my own for a couple of hours.

I managed to get another block of my Limoncello project quilted. I haven’t made a lot of progress on this UFO and the month is ending soon. I’d like to get one more block quilted so I can test out the quilt-as-you-go technique I’m planning. The technique involves a lot of hand stitching but my knitting and crocheting projects will be delivered by the end of the month so it will be something to do in the evenings.

Pat has also been online most of the afternoon and I’m responsible for dinner tonight. We’re having chicken for the main course; I’m not sure if we have anything else to go along with it but I’ll see what’s in the freezer. We’re having apple crisp for dessert so I’d better get all this cooking started.

Sunday, November 22, 2020

I slept until almost nine this morning; I couldn’t believe the time when I woke up. And none of that waking and dozing, waking and dozing, I slept soundly all the way through.

I did a bit of work in the sewing room this morning. I trimmed up some half-square triangles from the leaders and enders in my last project. They went back into the leader and ender basket and will eventually become pinwheels.

I finished a card that I started on Friday but then I just couldn’t persuade myself to keep working. After lunch I read, wrapped in my newest shawl (thank you Kathryn). The house feels cool but once I wrapped myself up and put on a pair of socks I felt warmer. I couldn’t help but remember Dad telling us to put our hands in hot dishwater when we were cold; I had just run the dishwasher through so dishwater wasn’t an option.

I think I’ll grab another cup of coffee and go back to my book.

Saturday, November 21, 2020

I’m in my studio a lot; I’m sewing a lot and often without my glasses. Over the past few weeks I’ve been noticing how hard it is to see at my cutting table. My sewing machines all have lights so it isn’t too bad when I’m actually stitching but prep work was challenging, especially late in the day or in the evening. I wondered if my eyesight was getting worse.

I also thought it was because the days are getting shorter and with the recent time change the afternoons are often dark before I’m ready to quit.

But a few days ago I realized that two of the four light bulbs in my ceiling lights were burnt out. But I was busy and didn’t bother changing them; I’d been managing for awhile so there didn’t seem to be a rush.

Last night I was working after supper (Pat had an online meeting) and it was gradually getting darker. I assumed it was because I was working later than usual but then it suddenly got really dark. The third of the four lightbulbs had just died.

I replaced all three bulbs and it is wonderful. I feel like I could sew all night and still see just fine.