Wednesday, October 3, 2018

It was good to be back at the bee yesterday; although I only missed one week it felt like much longer. I didn’t accomplish much, but it was fun to catch up with everyone. I was barely home from sewing before it was time for supper and then I rushed out the door for an All Candidates meeting. The place was packed so hopefully they will have a good turnout on election day. I’ll be away but I’m able to vote in the advanced polls the day before I leave.

I tried really hard to stay in bed this morning and managed to doze on and off until eight. Pat, of course, had been up for hours teaching. My computer backups didn’t work last night so I took a bit of time to sort out the problem and re-run them. Because I didn’t want to be using my machine while the back up was going on I did a bit of clean-up in my studio. I tried some cutting from my scrap basket but my wrist was really hurting so I stopped and moved into the room with my futon.

We had put the futon together on Monday but I needed to do some serious re-arranging in that room. And while I was rearranging it only made sense to do some sorting. All of the furniture is in the right spot now but there is a lot of stuff on the surfaces that I still need to deal with. While I sorted through some patterns I sat on the futon and it is lovely; I even found a pattern for some knitted throw pillows that I’ll make for it.

I was still working when Pat finished his class so, while we ate lunch, we sat downstairs and finished the last three episodes of How To Get Away with Murder. It felt very decadent to watch TV in the middle of the day and we were only caught twice – once with a phone call for me and once again when someone came to the house for tickets.

With what is left of my time before supper (and there isn’t much of it), I’m going to start getting my reports ready for tomorrow’s meetings.

Monday, October 1, 2018

We were happy with the concert on Texada on Saturday. There were over 20 people in attendance; the cafe gave the performer both lunch and supper and the sleeping arrangements worked fine. We put the air mattress on top of the couch mattress; our guest said it was comfortable and he’d had a similar arrangement for several months when he was travelling in New Zealand. We caught the 8:45 AM ferry back to Powell River on Sunday. Although it is only a 40 minute ferry ride you have to leave that early in order to make the noon ferry over to the Island.

I did a bit of clean up on Sunday but we were both quite tired. I quilted a few small pieces in the afternoon, I did a purple block for a new quilt I’ve started, and I got my Splendid Sampler pattern drawn out. It is an embroidered and appliqué block; since all my embroidery floss is on Texada I’ve decided from this point forward I’ll do only red or blue work.

It was another early start today – Pat has another week of teaching. I got my notes and reports together for the Board meeting tonight before heading out to do some errands. I started at the Hall, stopped for a few groceries and then drove completely past the bank on my way home. I attempted to go back but I turned onto a dead-end street so had to retrace my path until I got back to the bank. I finished the final blocks for my Bloom quilt this afternoon; I hope to get the top finished when I’m sewing with Stacia and Deloise.

After Pat finished teaching he helped me put my new futon together. I tried to do it myself but was stuck on the first step. I think it was easier than an Ikea project but the photos were small and there is no way I’d have figured it out on my own. I still have to do some rearranging before it will move to its final spot under the window – the bookcase and a chair have to be rearranged. It will work perfectly in the room, both as a sitting space and a sleeping area. Who wants to be the first to try it?

Saturday, September 28, 2018

It’s been a busy few days – that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!

Wednesday was a flurry of activity as I did my House Concert cleaning in 15 minute intervals as Pat had breaks in his class schedule. There was some running around to do and a showing at the Hall in the afternoon. At one point in the late afternoon I asked Pat if we were really smart or totally crazy. In anticipation of the arrival of my futon (thank you again Elizabeth and crew) I started moving furniture and bins and boxes around from one studio room to the other. Of course by the end of the day both rooms were in a mess but I think I have enough space cleared for the futon. In the meantime, Pat was busy moving his “office” from the living room to the basement. So, with the exception of the areas of the house required for the House Concert, everything else was a work in progress!

We got the living room set up Thursday morning and I did some fabric cutting so I’d be ready to sew in the afternoon; I missed Tuesday sewing so I wasn’t about to pass on my Thursday group. I had just enough fabric to add another row to my Bloom quilt. I got portions of four blocks put together in the afternoon. I had a specific note that said I needed two blocks with a burgundy centre; of course I did the first two blocks backwards so I set them aside and started making two blocks in the right colour combination. As a result I didn’t even get one block done completely. The blocks are quick to put together and I hope to finish them off on Sunday during my Block and Card Day.

Pat took our performer out for dinner and I finished getting ready for the show. I cleared off the counters, got the dishes, cups and glasses set out and the coffee and tea urns ready to go. I was congratulating myself on remembering everything when it dawned on me that I hadn’t put the water through the filter and in the fridge so it would be cold. I had time to fill all the jugs but I don’t think it was very well chilled; people were drinking it and not complaining though so I guess it was okay. Everyone seemed to arrive within a fifteen minute window so it was a bit chaotic until the show started.

We had a full house and more; we have 28 season ticket holders and it didn’t take long to sell the few seats that were left to make a sell-out. We added a couple more folks after we’d reached sell out but we hate to say no to anyone. I bought four folding chairs at a garage sale this summer and we bought four more on sale at Walmart Thursday morning so we were able to squeeze everyone in; we had been using our deck chairs in the living room and they took up a lot more room than these folding chairs. That being said, it was still a full house!

I was able to run one load through the dishwasher before bed last night and we got most of the living room back together before bed. The last load went through the dishwasher this morning. We’ll catch the noon ferry over to Texada and do the whole show again tonight. The good news is that the show will be at the local cafe so other than bedding and towels the clean-up in the studio will be minimal.

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

We were up late last night – a good show – and I managed to sleep until almost seven this morning. I hadn’t packed up my stitching for the bee but I have my Farmer’s Daughter hand stitching always ready to go so I wasn’t worried. After my coffee I decided I really didn’t feel like going out so I stayed home, thinking I might get a bit of stitching in on my own.

What actually happened was I got a Cranberry Hall deposit ready for the bank and updated my records and calendar for things booked, things booked with a paid deposit, and things done and paid in full. There were a flurry of messages regarding our next meeting and some time spent trying to find a free date and time for a rental request; after that I prepared a draft agenda and sent it to the President for her approval. I got Pat’s year-end accounting ready and sent the files off to the accountant. When I was about ready to start something fun I had some Hall money dropped off at the house so I had to update my deposit.

On one of Pat’s breaks I suggested that maybe when class finished he could pick some grapes as I had some running around to do. He planned to get some groceries when he finished but we decided I would get the groceries while I was out and he would pick grapes. By the time I was home and had groceries put away he had started pulling the grapes from the stems. He continued with that while I started washing and juicing them. I’m waiting for the juice to cool a bit and I’ll put it through its last straining and get it into containers. We don’t even know if we have room in the freezer for the containers but I’ll worry about that later.

I think I’ll have a couple more picks before the grapes are off the vine but I’m done with it now until after the concerts. I have some major cleaning to get done tomorrow during Pat’s breaks and continuing after he is done – I don’t want our guests sticking to the floor!

I’m looking forward to a night at home.