Wednesday, June 28, 2023

We got over to Texada on the late afternoon ferry yesterday. We haven’t been here since February (?) so before we unpacked we did some vacuuming and general cleaning. We unpacked the food but I didn’t unpack anything in my space.

When we were having coffee on the deck this morning I said that I’d hope to hear the loons. Just a few minutes later we heard them but from a long way off. They kept calling and at one point Pat said they must be quite near. And, again, just a few minutes later two of them flew overhead.

We weren’t quite so lucky when we walked the trail to see if there were any turtles out at Emma Lake. We stopped for a bit at the bridge; there was not even a trickle of water getting through. We could hear things plopping in the water but all we were able to see were some water snakes.

Thanks to Stacia I was able to make it back up the hill to the studio. She suggested taking a chair and setting it halfway up. We did that and found a spot in the shade to leave it. There are no benches on the trail but I did find a log to rest on for a bit. And I was thankful for that chair.

This afternoon we moved most of my sewing equipment from the workshop up to the studio. I don’t know how I’m going to fit everything in but I have lots of time to sort it out. The only crafting I managed to fit in today was a bit of reverse stitching on a crochet project and then just a little bit of doing over.

We got the hummingbird feeder set up. It took awhile for the birds to find it but they’ve been at it pretty steady this afternoon. I’m always surprised at how aggressive they are. They chase each other away and we only seem to have one at a time.

We also managed to get a new hammock set up; it was a gift to Pat from Elizabeth. It is so much easier to get in and out of and has its own cover for shade. It will see a lot of use this summer.

And for the in-between times of the day I’ve been reading and playing games on my iPad. Not much different from home but I feel much more relaxed already.

Monday, June 26, 2023

Rather than walking the sea walk today I made a round trip to the library, with a stop at the post office on my way back. It’s the first time I’ve done the round trip; it was nice to get my steps in as well as do a couple of errands.

The walk to the library might have been easier had I not been returning a 900 page book. But then the walk home might have been easier had I not been carrying two new books that amounted to about the same number of pages. I was able to sit and rest a bit at the library but by the time I was home I really didn’t feel much different from doing the sea walks.

I’m almost finished packing for Texada just in case we get away tomorrow. We’ve been iffy about going but this morning Pat said we should just go over and he will come back on Thursday to deal with the garden people. I’ve been looking forward to the trip for so long but, if necessary, I guess I could wait another week. I said as long as there was enough food for the days Pat is away I’ll be fine – there will be no shortage of projects to work on. That is assuming all my bins fit in the truck!

I’m almost at 5500 steps for the day so I’ll just finish packing up and then I’ll sit and rest for the rest of the afternoon – unless I decide I have enough energy to clean up some of the pots on the deck.

Saturday, June 24, 2023

I missed a day of walking because I had a bad night the night before. In hindsight we think I might have had too much sun on one of my afternoon walks. I always have sunscreen on but that particular day I didn’t have my hat; it was windy and much warmer than I anticipated when I set out. My hat fits more securely without hair but I’m still getting used to that.

We had the gardener/landscaper here on Thursday. They cut the grass on the boulevard right down and have laid most of the bark mulch. They have weeded a couple of spots and we have a new tree in one corner. They will be back next Thursday to, hopefully, finish up and to put in some more plants. I’m not convinced they will finish next week though as Pat and I keep coming up with things to ask about and agree to have done.

We had a load of soil delivered to our driveway and, in order for the truck to get in, we had to move both of our vehicles. Pat’s truck is in and out regularly but my car has only been driven once since last October when I had my surgery. Pat took it out of the driveway but that evening I drove it around the block and got some gas while he was at a concert.

I wasn’t at all nervous (I thought I might be) and had no difficulties. Today I drove myself to the sea walk as Pat has his restaurant gig tonight and didn’t want to come along. I remember when I used to be annoyed that we had to drive somewhere in order to go for a walk but I totally get it now. I might be able to walk down the hill but it is doubtful that I’d make it back up again.

As usual, for the afternoon after a long walk I won’t do much of anything. I spent the morning cutting fabric for the project I’ll work on when Stacia, Deloise and I have our sewing day. I need to sort out some threads for our wool project but I may finish my book instead of doing that.

Wednesday, June 21, 2023

I’m having trouble settling into anything so I’ll get this journal entry off early. I was puttering while I waited for a phone appointment and now that it is over I’m tired of puttering but not really sure what I want to do.

Part of my puttering involved cleaning up in the room across the hall from my studio area. We purchased a number of things online in the last few weeks and the boxes and packing materials had all ended up in there. I can’t seem to throw away boxes, but yet I never seem to have a box in the right size or shape when I want to mail something. The boxes have all been broken down and the packing materials are in their appropriate bin.

I’ve been working on cards lately so I got them and some other packages ready for the mail. I’ll tag along with Pat to his afternoon concert and get some of them in the mail. I also have a book to pick up at the library (just across the street from the post office) so I’ll do that on my walk home.

I’ve also been collecting things to take across to Texada next week. I have (so far) one sewing project and three other projects that I need the design wall for. I’ve got a couple of cross stitch projects and a couple of books ready to go, as well as a bin of scraps that I’ll use to make a backing. I’ll also be taking a wool embroidery project with me; it is one that Stacia, Deloise and I are all doing. I’ve put my patterns for it away but it is going to take me some time to find where “away” is!