Wednesday, November 20, 2019

I got so involved in sorting out the Hall bookings yesterday afternoon (yes, I managed to work out the deposits) that I totally forgot about my journal and the Guild blog. I was up at 5:30 this morning though so had the Guild work done before seven.

And I have more work to do. Yesterday after sewing I moved my bins out of the spot where I wanted my new-to-me glass cabinet to go. Pat is back and forth from Texada and we wanted to get it off the back step. Silly me thought it would just fit perfectly where I wanted it to go but, of course, it didn’t. I cleared out a few more bins and by saying “I cleared out a few more bins” I mean I moved them into the centre of the room along with all the other piles of stuff. We managed to get the cabinet upstairs but Pat has devised a way that I can maybe get more space by changing the location of the cabinet. That involves moving some yarn bins downstairs, clearing out a dresser and moving it, and then shifting the glass cabinet. It never ends.

Moreen and I went for a walk this morning – hopefully we can get back to it on a more regular schedule. With all I had to do it was either the best thing for me or the worst thing – I’m still deciding which of those it was.

I don’t know where the afternoon went. I got through most of the paperwork for the Hall and got the agenda out for the meeting on Monday. There will be work to do between now and the meeting but I feel like I have most of it sorted out. I shredded some paper, had a nap and sorted out a few of my sale items that were taking up space on my desk extension.

I have a meeting tonight (100+ Women Who Care) and although I could skip it I wouldn’t have a chance to vote on who I want my money to go to – I wouldn’t even know who the candidates were. They are short meetings so I’ll sit in the sun and try to finish another scarf before heading out.

Monday, November 18, 2019

As I was driving home from the Celebration of Life yesterday I passed the first house I’ve seen with their Christmas lights on display. I think it is a bit too early don’t you? However, this morning as I was cutting the fabric for my last Christmas gifts (if you don’t count the “I might have time” ones) I listened to my Christmas music. It felt a bit weird (too early) but I ignored the feeling and enjoyed the music.

In order to do the cutting I had to clear a path to my cutting table. I put a few things away but just as many things landed on top of another surface. I am trying very hard to clear out enough space so my new glass cabinet (for fabric) can be moved from the back step into my sewing room. And I’m also trying hard to keep the bedroom across the hall cleared. So far so good but I started piles of Christmas gifts in there this morning so it probably won’t be clean for long.

I had a small package to go into the mail today and I wrestled with myself as to whether or not I would walk. “I should walk” but “I have a lot to get done this afternoon”. It wasn’t until I was actually outside that I decided I would walk. It isn’t often that I don’t have a number of errands to run and walking doesn’t work in that case. It wasn’t sunny, but it wasn’t cold or raining either.

I’ve been trying to sort through Hall paperwork this afternoon. I may never leave again. I haven’t even got to the expenses but if the deposits that were made in my absence are any indication I’m not expecting much help from the various slips of paper and envelopes I’m having to go through. It was nice to give up the work for a month but I think next time I might try to pass it to someone else and see if that works better.

I’d better get back to it.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

I’m making progress (since six this morning) but my piles don’t seem to be getting any smaller. I managed to move the bedding from upstairs to the downstairs bedroom (not yet put away in the linen closet) and I have all the boxes, bins and bags moved from downstairs up to my sewing room.

I spent all morning on the computer and it seemed for every item I crossed off my list I added three more. I still have a big job of Hall accounting ahead of me but I’ll leave that until tomorrow morning.

I’m blocking a scarf on the kitchen table but the sun I hoped would help dry it seems to have disappeared. There is another scarf that needs the ends tied in, a shawl that I need to get up on my site; I’ve started a crocheted scarf but I’m a bit concerned I’ll run out of yarn before it is finished. When I knit the first scarf with this yarn I thought the ball would never run out but it is a different matter with the pattern I’m using this time. There is one more scarf that I’d like to get done for the November sale, as well as three more cross stitch ornaments. I hope the selection of Christmas movies on Netflix this year is better than last year.

We lost one of our quilting ladies late last week. I’ll be attending her Celebration of Life this afternoon.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

It’s been so long since I did a post that I wonder if I still remember how. I’ll give it a try and see how it goes.

I had a wonderful week on Texada. The quilting retreat (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) was awesome – we always have such a good time. Our group project was an easy one – a scissor fob – so it didn’t take up too much sewing time. My fob doesn’t fit the scissors that I use for sewing but I’m sure it will fit the ones I use for cross stitching. I was the first one out on the strip poker game (meaning I lost all my loonies) but I won one of the draws and came home with a bundle of batik fabrics. The food was excellent and we all agreed that it didn’t really matter what we ate – we didn’t have to prepare it or clean up afterwards.

I spent the rest of the week (until today) working my way through to finishes on many of the things I pieced over the weekend. I can’t show you any photos as the Texada Retreat is my start for my Christmas gifts. I still have a long way to go before I’m done but I’ve made a good start. My wood stove skills continue to improve and there was only one morning when I burnt quite a patch off one of my fingers trying to adjust the wood in the stove. With the stove going all day long my space is quite toasty.

Last night was our Texada House Concert. I said to Pat that I feel quite removed from the tour as the cafe where we hold the show takes care of almost everything. The performers didn’t even stay with us last night as we assumed they needed two beds and we only have one. Apparently they slept in an RV with just a queen bed so I guess we would have been okay. The next one isn’t until February so there is a long break.

I took the ferry “home” this morning as there was a work party scheduled at the Hall. The renovations are done and we wanted to give everything a good dusting, scrub down, and put all the dishes back into our new kitchen cupboards. There were a couple of small rooms on either side of the stage that we cleared out – there were boxes for the garbage, boxes for the thrift shop, boxes for recycle, boxes everywhere. The place looks fabulous and we’ll be showing it off to the people who gave us the grant in a week or so.

On my way to the Hall I stopped at one of the big craft fairs going on this weekend. I was picking up something specific from one of the vendors but had a quick look around the rest of the booths. It was so crowded you could barely get down the aisles. I stopped at a new-to-me vendor and picked up a Christmas gift. That’s another list I should make – December is full of birthdays as well as Christmas.

And now that I’m home there is so much needing to be done. The piles that I left before I went to Deloise’s quilt show are still piled up – what happened to the cleaning fairy? I brought boxes back from the Retreat and boxes home from the Hall. I have so much computer work that needs to be done that I had to make a list so I wouldn’t forget anything. I’m not convinced that even if I got everything done on my list that I still wouldn’t have forgotten something.