Wednesday, July 18, 2018

I’ve been working at it for a few days, but I finally finished cleaning up my sewing areas. I’ve hidden away a few things (Emma doesn’t like dolls in her room) but I’m going to be VERY selective about putting things back in that second room. Every time I clean I am reminded of all the projects I’ve got started and several that need to have a quick finish (like three quilts sandwiched and waiting and another half-dozen waiting to be sandwiched). I wish there was some hope that I could keep it this tidy when I’m working. Aside from my group sewing tomorrow, I don’t expect to be back at my machine for about three weeks so at least I have awhile to enjoy it.

At some point soon I hope to eliminate one of my book cases. I have several quilting magazines that I need to go through, scan the patterns I really want, and then pass the magazines on. As I’ve cleaned I’ve collected a bag of stuff for the thrift shop. I recently read a blog online about seriously going through your projects to see if they still “speak” to you. I know I have several calling from bins that are hidden under a table but I only had two (that were within easy reach) that were shouting to be let loose – an iPad cover and a coiled coaster (or two) to match the coil bowl I made in a Guild class several years ago.

But I started my day in the complaint department. I sent a parcel to Stacia for her birthday in plenty of time for it to arrive before her big day. Because I thought they might be at the lake I paid to have it delivered with a signature. When I checked with Stacia this morning the package was (fortunately) sitting on her step minus any sort of signature. So I called Canada Post to complain. After waiting ten minutes in the queue it took half an hour to lodge my complaint and now it will be up to a week before anyone gets back to me. I questioned why they didn’t ask me for the address the parcel was going to but apparently that is somewhere in the next step. So annoying!

And then Canadian Tire sent me an e-mail asking about my recent experience with a purchase. We ordered a blow up mattress online and said we would pick it up at the store; it was on sale and we didn’t want to miss out on the price. I stopped in after quilting yesterday afternoon and waited and waited and finally gave up. When we went back later in the evening it was all ready and sitting behind the counter. So I let Canadian Tire know I wasn’t pleased.

I’m pretty much ready for company now. I have to do some clean up in the basement but that will go quickly and, with the heat of the day and the coolness of the basement, that is a job I almost look forward to.

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

It was too hot to even consider doing any baking last night so I cheated and bought a Safeway cake for the bee today. It was noted though so I’m probably going to have to volunteer for a second time this year but I’ll wait for a cooler month. I finished three more of my Farmer’s Wife Sampler blocks; just seven left! I started on a fourth block but I think with the heat my brain just wasn’t working; even with the pieces marked as to what colour I should be using I just couldn’t convince myself to attempt the tiny pieces that were called for.

I had three stops to make on the way home. We ordered a blow up bed for one of the rooms upstairs; we ordered it online yesterday so we could pick it up today. I went into the store to their Express Pick Up line and waited more than fifteen minutes; the clerk called “someone” twice but I was getting steamier by the minute so I came home. I’ll go back tonight when, maybe, I’ll be in a better mood. The other two stops along the way went much better.

I hope to get a bit more clearing up done in the upstairs before supper. I worked on it yesterday afternoon and made good progress but I was so hot by dinner time I couldn’t do anything in the evening. That’s okay though as the TV is in the basement (where it is cool) and we’re watching a series with sub-titles so I couldn’t work on anything even if I had the energy.

Monday, July 16, 2018

I had a great weekend at our mini-retreat. Although it was in celebration of a 70th birthday I think it will become an annual event. Several of our older ladies (into their late 70s and early- to mid-80s) came out; because of the travel and accommodations they don’t come to our Guild retreats. We also had several folks dropping in just to see what we were doing, many who don’t even come out on a Tuesday.

I’m ready to start having some fun now, if by fun I mean packing things up for tomorrow. I spend the morning catching up on Cranberry Hall work, confirming bookings at the Hall and paying a few bills. I made a trip out to the Hall, the post office and the bank after lunch; in between times I was switching out the sprinkler in the yard every hour or so.

It is hot today so there was no yard work, even this morning when it was a bit cooler. I need to make a cake for the bee tomorrow (to celebrate the July birthdays) but I’ll wait until the evening cools down a bit. Tomorrow will be my last sewing day before our company comes. Believe me there is no shortage of things to do around the house and yard while I wait for them to arrive.

Thursday, July 12, 2018

I cancelled my Thursday sewing because I knew Pat had a doctor’s appointment today and I wasn’t sure what time it would be. It was early this morning and I could have gone sewing but I had several things of my own that I wanted to get done so I stayed home. That Betsy Bag isn’t going anywhere (sadly) and it will still be there next time!

I managed the binding on one of my cards yesterday afternoon and got it hand stitched last night. This morning I put the binding on the second card and I’ll work on the hand stitching tonight. Next up was to finish off the Farmer’s Wife block that didn’t get done on Tuesday. I was almost finished it when I noticed a mistake so one part had to be taken out and done over. I was afraid I would run out of two of the fabrics but by using one piece over again I had enough.

The Splendid Sampler block was released today. I usually do those blocks on Sunday but since I’ll be at a mini-retreat all weekend I wanted to get it done today. I had been hoping for a pieced block and that was what today’s pattern was.

I’m working on my Farmer’s Daughter quilt this weekend so I wanted to sort through all the pieces that will make up a block and get everything bagged up. It doesn’t look organized; I tried to go with fabrics in each block that would look good together. I’m using a fabric line by Kaffe Fassett and even bits put together from the same piece of fabric don’t look the same. I’m going to go with what I’ve sorted; I’m not entirely sure this quilt will be something I like and I could sort and resort all weekend long and still not have it right. I’m hoping to get one or two blocks done over the weekend.

Plans have been underway for awhile for a visit from Kathryn and Dave. I was so excited when Elizabeth called and said they had booked a B&B on the beach for the end of July. She will overlap by a couple of days with Kathryn. Once this weekend is over it will be time to sort out the sleeping arrangements and some meals.