Wednesday, February 5, 2020

I had a bit of work to do at my desk this morning and when I was finished I headed out to run the errands I didn’t do yesterday. I don’t remember the last time I had my car out (probably a week ago yesterday); it complained when I started it so as I popped into various stores I kept it running to charge up the battery.

The big snowfall warning didn’t actually materialize into anything – nothing at the house but there was a bit more in the Cranberry area. The parking lot at the Hall was a bit messy when I stopped there. It was senior’s day at the Cranberry grocery store and I got most of my groceries there. They don’t stock all the brands I like so I’ll have to do another shop later this week or on the weekend.

I was able to start on my Seminole project this afternoon. Now I remember why I quit in the first place. The patterns are black and white, the instructions are terrible and, at least today, I’m more or less winging it. Some of the issues may be my own inexperience but I really think the patterns aren’t well done.

I’m one ball of yarn in on a new shawl so I’ll pick that up again tonight. I found three new series (or new episodes) to watch on Netflix so I’m set for awhile.

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Alberta bound? Not really but for my walk up to 7-Eleven this morning I put on my winter boots and coat.

I usually plan my bigger errands for Tuesday (or Thursday) when I have the car out. My plan today was for groceries and a Hall check after sewing. But with the snow overnight I decided not to go out to sewing (and it was later cancelled). The fridge was pretty bare – a few tomatoes, some eggs, cheese and a salad mix – but I thought I could manage. I had Bean and Bacon soup that I bought a few weeks ago (I seldom eat canned soup but couldn’t resist the trip down memory lane) so that could be my lunch. But I didn’t have any milk, and water just won’t do.

I also had some mail that I wanted to get out today. The roads were pretty clear by ten and I thought about getting the car out but I realized I couldn’t get into the Hall for the mail as we have a group in on Tuesday morning. So I grabbed my mail, put on my winter clothing and walked the two blocks to 7-Eleven (where there is a mail box AND milk).

Even without a bee day I accomplished a lot. I finished the hand stitching on my quilt-as-you-go project (I really need another name for that one) and I finished the hem on Taylor’s curtains. Neither of those projects would have been taken to the bee so I’m somewhat ahead.

I hoped I’d have time to do a bit of sewing on my February UFO Challenge – my Seminole project from at least four years ago but I decided to finish the last bit of quilting on my January UFO Challenge and I’ve run out of time.

Wondering about how I’ll manage for supper? I have everything I need to make my Egg McMuffins!

Monday, February 3, 2020

I had a good weekend on Texada. I took a bin full of projects to work on but I didn’t have time for any of them except one. I worked on my quilt-as-you-go project and have it almost completed. All the blocks have been quilted and the rows are joined together. I have a couple of long seams to hand stitch on the backing and then it will need to be bound. This project was my January UFO Challenge so it is good to have gotten this far. It is a donation quilt and we have a Community Quilt weekend coming up at the end of the month so I’ll finish it off then (if not before).

We had our first House Concert of the Spring season on Saturday. I packed up all my sewing stuff Saturday morning so we could get the bedroom ready for our guests. I had neglected to pack my knitting so I had to spend a great deal of time in the day doing nothing (not something I’m particularly good with!). While we waited I told Pat that I really didn’t want to do the series again next year (how many times have I said that?).

And then we met Claudia Russell and Bruce Kaplan. I’m sure they were the best guests we have ever had. They were interesting folks; Claudia and I had lots to talk about and Bruce and Pat played with Pat’s toys. Their concert was great and the crowd really loved them. So now I’m prepared to consider another year of shows.

I had a few things to do this morning before moving on to fixing Taylor’s curtains. Those few things have taken me all morning and a good part of the afternoon. I still have a couple of things to do before I can begin working on those curtains. Once I get at them I don’t think they will take long but it seems getting at things is one of my problems.

January 31, 2020

The McKnight’s lost another great one over the weekend – Frank.

Frank was a “much older cousin” so I didn’t know him well growing up. I remember Christmas and New Year’s dinners and being astounded by the amount of food he and Bill could consume at a sitting.

In later years I remember the Christmases when he and his family (a very small Lindy) would come home from Vancouver.

When I moved to the Lower Mainland in 1985 Frank and his family were very kind to me and I got to know them as an adult. No matter how many jobs Frank held after his navy days, Christy remembers him as “the one who drove the Häagen-Dazs truck”.

I had a chance to see Willa and his children when we were back in the Lower Mainland last weekend, and I had a chance to meet a couple of his grandchildren.

I will always think of Frank as a gentle man.