Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Yesterday when I told the Guild President I would be the Chair for the Program Committee she gave me a big hug – it felt like a reward for saying Yes. But last evening she called to tell me she was sorry for that hug as she had just tested positive for Covid. In an abundance of caution Pat and I are staying away from one another for a few days. I slept in the spare bedroom last night and I’ve spent most of the day upstairs. I had a negative test this morning, not surprisingly, but we’ll keep this up until I’ve gone about five days with testing negative.

This bit of a scare has put a huge damper on all the things I was getting back into. I’ll drop my yoga class and avoid the Tuesday and Thursday sewing dates. I don’t want anything to get in the way of my June trip and I’ll gladly stay home to keep safe between now and then. It’s unfortunate that just when I finally felt safe to “come out” this scare has chased me back inside again.

When I say inside I just mean away from the public unless necessary. If the wind and rain ever stop I’ll be back out in the yard. Pat got some strawberry plants today and a couple more hanging baskets that were on sale. Our plan is to plant everything into our pots as we don’t have a lot of good places to hang baskets and the soil in the baskets seldom retain the water and are harder to maintain.

I have accomplished a few things today; I don’t think it has anything to do with the fact that I’ve been upstairs most of the day. I finished my calendar block and used a new technique for the binding; it is always nice to have something small, but not too small, to test these new methods on.

I finished knitting another scarf last night and now I’m crocheting the remainder of the yarn into one of my scrap afghans. I should be working on my blackwork but the section of the Botanical Garden I was working on has a mistake in it somewhere so I’ll have to sort that out before I can carry on.

Pat is online most of the afternoon and again tonight so being on my own won’t seem weird at all.

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

The company I called about getting our gutter cleaned were fully booked for two months but they suggested another company. I called them yesterday but heard nothing back from them. They called this morning and said they could do the job right away. Not only did they clean gutters but they washed the outside of the windows – all the windows that we can’t reach on our own. My sewing room windows were filthy; I thought they needed to be done both inside and out but it has made such a difference with just the outside done that I can put the inside off for awhile. Getting that gutter cleaned was good timing – another wind and rain event is happening tomorrow.

I had a good day at sewing – well at least I finished one project. I was working on another calendar block and I had so much trouble getting everything going in the right direction. I had someone help me and I did what she said needed to be done and it was still wrong. I eventually got it sorted out but one of the 2″ squares had been sewn on all four sides before I got it right. To be fair to myself, the photo I was working from was very poor and having low toner in the printer (a new cartridge is due to arrive tomorrow) and only a black and white copy didn’t help.

I haven’t been practising the “NO” word enough and got talked into leading the Guild’s Program Committee for the next two years. I originally said I’d go on the Committee and work with my friend Moreen but then she agreed to stand for the President’s spot on the Executive. Both the President and Past President said it would be best if someone who had been on the Committee stepped forward (I’ve been on the Program Committee for two years) so I said I’d do it. They also told me that I didn’t have to decide on all the classes myself – it’s a Committee and if together we can’t fill the slots then we go back to the Guild membership and see what they want.

I was feeling okay about it because I already had three people come forward with classes they would teach and the ladies who were doing the block of the month were staying on. It wasn’t until I realized that I’d also have to arrange the demos once a month and probably have the key to open and close the room that I started to panic just a little. I’ll try to track down all the information on classes and demos that had to be cancelled during the pandemic and start from there. I’ll also need to find at least a couple more people to work on the Committee, preferably people I can delegate some of the work to.

I got my second booster this afternoon. I was surprised that even though I’ve had Pfizer all along the suggestion now (because I’m over 30) is that I should have the Moderna. I didn’t have any side-affects with the first three shots and I’m not expecting any this time around although because it is a new one I might have a reaction.

Monday, May 16, 2022

After two days of being very unmotivated to do much of anything (I did some of my hand stitching but that was about it) I got back out in the yard today. I thought it might be too cold but after walking up to the letter box I realized there was no reason not to get back out there. I managed to finish one length of the long bed and a bit of the adjoining side. I think one more day will have the beds finished and then I’ll start work on the patio, up the back side of the house and into the roses at the back. When that is all done it will be time to start over again at the back patio.

Our plants seem to be doing well but I think they could use some sunshine. The dahlias that are planted in the flower bed are just starting to come up but so far no sign of the ones we planted in the container. We think the sunflowers have started to emerge but neither Pat nor I know what they should look like so we’re not sure. The peonies have buds on them but are still a long way from opening. The lilacs (both the tree and the bush) are just starting as are the irises.

After lunch I got packed up for the bee tomorrow and cleared away some scraps. I had to make a trip out to pick up my car today; the problem was with a sensor but a part had to be ordered so I’ll have to take it back another day.

For what’s left of the afternoon I’ll go back to my Botanical Garden project.

Saturday, May 14, 2022

Pat left the house this morning about 7:30 and I’ve pretty much relaxed the entire day. He was playing a set at the Lund Shellfish Festival and doing sound for all the other performers. It is a typical Shellfish Festival day – cold and rainy.

I got the binding attached to my cards before I had a short meeting regarding some upcoming events at the Hall. It is so much easier to meet in person than through e-mails and texts back and forth. Of course it helps that, for the most part, our President and I are of the same opinion. I am left with a bit of work to do but that seems to be the case with every meeting.

Once Annabelle left I sat and hand stitched the binding to my cards and then moved on to my cross stitch square. I had dreams of perhaps getting the fabric squares stitched together but so far that hasn’t happened.

If, and when, I finish this square I’m going to move on to my Botanical Garden project. This seems like a good day for catching up.