Monday, December 18, 2017

We arrived home on the noon ferry from a great weekend at the studio – actually Pat had a great week before I got there! As much as I like our place on Texada it is nice to be back home.

We had another busy day on Sunday. When we were on Texada this fall we attended the last Farmer’s Market of the summer. This Sunday was the first of their weekly Winter Markets. It only took us about two minutes to go around the tables; when that was finished we headed to The Ravenous Raven for lunch/brunch.

A bit later in the afternoon we headed out to the Legion for the last Trivia Meat Draw of the year. Pat had been before (and won a turkey breast) but this was my first time. Everyone sits around one big table and between the trivia questions and the draws we all chatted. Everyone we have met over there is friendly and interesting to talk to – most have lived on Texada for many years. On the third draw my number was picked and I won a package of ground beef; Pat won the next draw and picked a package of bacon. All the meat is donated (or bought) from the local market and everyone was raving about how good it is.

At the end of the meat draw you can pay a dollar and put your tickets back in the jar for a 50-50 draw. Pat came home with just over $25 so we pretty much had a free afternoon!

With all my Christmas packages finished and a few ornaments started for next year I was itching to start a new project. But with all the UFO’s I already have I restrained myself. I did pick an “old” project and it had been so long since I worked on it I felt like it was something new. This was a Christmas gift from Kathryn and Pat and I think it was probably from 1986. I made quite a bit of progress on it and I’m looking forward to working on it between Christmas and New Years. The pattern is from The Enchanted Forest series – so perfect since my Netflix series of choice right now is Once Upon a Time!

I have a few things to prep for the bee tomorrow so I’d best get at it.

Saturday, December 16, 2017

We had a great day yesterday. I caught the early ferry over to the studio so I was on “The Rock” by nine. The sun was shining so we went out for a long walk in the afternoon. We’ve walked the path around Turtle Lake a few times but yesterday we continued on and walked into town. It was further than we expected but only a couple of hills so an easy stroll.

Last night was the monthly Bingo night at the Legion. Neither Pat nor I had played Bingo since our Fort Smith days (and those days for me were more than 40 years ago). The game has changed in that time. No longer just straight lines or blackouts; we were working for hard lines, starbursts, and six around the corner. The couple who were sitting beside us were also newbies at Bingo night; I said I was hoping for beginner’s luck but I wasn’t expecting competition. As it turned out I won the first game – although apparently I’m supposed to holler out a little louder and wave my hands in the air (I’ll keep that in mind for next time). My winnings for the game was $25 – $5 more than I spent on the four cards I played.

Today was a bit quieter. We headed out to the Gas & Go for some baking – I’m not really sure why she sells out of there as there is a Winter Market on Sundays. We had pre-ordered some meat pies so picked them up – Pat had one for supper and says it is the best he’s ever had.

We weren’t home very long before our neighbour, Jamie, wandered over for a visit. They have invited us over for Christmas Eve. When Pat asked Heather what we should bring she said nothing – so we immediately decided a Cranberry Bundt cake would suit perfectly. They have two sons and a daughter-in-law visiting so even if she doesn’t use it Christmas Eve it will work for over the holidays.

I’ve been doing some Christmas cross stitching. I still had a project of Mum’s that I needed to back stitch and then she had a series of four others kitted up – they are all done now. I thought I was working for next Christmas but one of them will go to Heather on Christmas Eve.

I’ll spend the rest of the evening reading – I had a nap this afternoon so I may be able to stay up past ten!

Thursday, December 14, 2017

I knew before I was even out of bed this morning that we were in for a foggy day. When we have thick fog, the kind that keeps the planes from flying, the ferries both coming and going sound their fog horns about every five minutes. The first ferry arrives at 6:50 AM. Guess what time I was awake?

The concert last night was very Christmasy. I’d never heard this group before but clearly everyone else in Powell River knew them; the theatre was packed. Before the show I fully expected to purchase one of their CDs; I used to buy new CD of Christmas music every year but I haven’t done that the last few years. I enjoyed the show but I wasn’t impressed enough to spend my money.

I had a busy morning. Our Guild potluck is on tonight and I had to bake one of my Cranberry Bundt cakes. I’ve made so many of these for so many functions and it always gets a good review. It doesn’t take long to mix up, but it takes 90 minutes to bake. While I waited for the baking to be done I did some cleaning. I’m leaving for Texada first thing in the morning and I like to come home to a clean house.

The afternoon has been more relaxed. I stitched down the binding on the two Christmas placemats I’m taking across to the studio. I have the binding ready to hand stitch on the final two. There is still a bit of time before I need to head out the door so I’ll get started on some of that binding.

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

I was awake and ready to go at 3 AM! I’m not sure what my brain thought I needed to get done so badly; I ignored it until 5:30 when I finally gave in and got up.

I must say you can get a lot done before 9 AM with that early of a start. I did a bit of hand washing, I put up the last of my Christmas decorations, I got the garbage and recycling to the curb, I was the first one at the counter in City Hall to pick up my garbage tags and  I made a list of the things I needed to go when I went out later – as in when something was finally open.

I spent some quality time in my sewing room today. I had a couple of stockings that I intended for Pat and myself; one was finished but the other wasn’t. Since I’d had some practice with some of my other Christmas projects I decided to line the second one; it went together very well. I took a look at the one I had finished earlier but I decided that taking it apart to do a lining was going to be tricky so I left it. There is no doubt that I like the lined one better but I’ll get used to them being different.

One of the first projects I did on my own when I started quilting was a set of placemats – swans on a red Christmasy background. Mum had cut them out; all I had to do was put the binding on them. They are oval and I hadn’t yet learned about bias bindings so they never sat flat and it was always a bit of a joke when we used them. When I took them apart today I realized at the time I did them I didn’t know much about binding either; they were a bit of a mess. But I cut out some bias binding and I have two of them back together. I’ll do the hand stitching either tonight or tomorrow and the pair of them will go to Texada with me on Friday. I hope to get the other two finished as well and we’ll keep two for our table here.

I’m off to a concert tonight. A pair of local women (twins) have just finished a new Christmas record and they will be performing tonight. I’m ready for some live Christmas music.