February 29, 2024
What did you do with your extra day this year?
Here’s what I did –
Chatted online with my sisters.
Picked out fabric for a new mystery sew-along quilt.
Sewed the eyes on my latest chicken block (the one on the bottom).
Finished a postage stamp block and set out another to use as a leader and ender.
And speaking of postage, I mail a parcel to Elizabeth and dropped a book off at the library.
Had coffee with a friend.
Tonight I’ll watch the hockey game and do more crocheting.
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Winter seems to be back today – if, in fact, we’ve actually had any winter this year. Snow was predicted for this afternoon and, while I ate lunch, I watched it coming in over the water from the Island. So far it is only sticking on the rooftops – at least on the rooftop next door. I suspect if it keeps up at this rate it may stick to the roads and sidewalks later in the day.
I’m glad I got out for my walk this morning. We were going to go out yesterday but it was so windy and cold that we went for a drive instead. Pat needed to drop a couple of guitars off for repair. We seldom take any of the backroads that I’d love to explore but just being out (and in the warmth of the truck) was nice.
I’ve spent quite a lot of time over the past few days on my chickens. I’ve used a few fancier stitches on this block thanks to the new stitch book I purchased. Nothing too fancy but I’m enjoying it – for me the hardest part is settling down to start.
I’ve finished, except for the binding, my March card (just one birthday in March). I thought I might save the binding for my Thursday sewing visit but I think I’ll go ahead and do it now so I can cross it off my list.
I’m making excellent progress on the afghan. There’s another hockey game tonight so I’ll be even closer to a finish.
Author: Waubgeshig Rice
Many thanks to Dylan for this recommendation; he had to read the book for his college English class. His review was that it was okay – high praise as he is not a reader. I, on the other hand, absolutely loved it and I have the sequel on my night table to start reading tonight.
The book reminded me so much of the lives of the First Nations people I knew in the North, particularly Fort Smith. There were also incidents in the book that brought back memories of things that actually happened – teens freezing to death and a hint of cannibalism.
Evan and his family live on a reservation in the northern part of Ontario. One day, as winter is approaching, they lose electricity and, soon after, all contact with the “outside”. Only when two young people return to their homes from college do they find out that the situation has been experienced beyond their community. As the elders and council attempt to keep order and make sure everyone is safe a southerner arrives in the community, bringing a disruptive influence in their lives.
Goodreads Rating: * * * * *
Sunday, February 25, 2024
I went out to the back deck to put away some recycling and noticed the first bit of colour in our crocuses. It felt like a sure sign of Spring but then Pat was looking at the forecast and there is a chance of snow this week. Since the crocuses are in a pot on the deck they should be fine.
I spent the morning doing some accounting work. We’re getting lots of mail these days as the T4s and T5s and all the other receipts come in. The accountant has sent out her notice about tax prep so it was time for me to catch up on Pat’s accounting. It shouldn’t be so difficult to keep it up to date but I put it off as long as I can. All done now though so I can take it off the list.
I got some prep work done for my March birthday cards and, hopefully, I’ll get one put together tomorrow. My April notifications will be coming up in a few days so I should at least try to get the March cards off the list. I got an early reveal of the March UFO Challenge – a scrap quilt from a pattern I got from Stacia (Pinwheels for Caroline).
I’ve taken a few stitches on my chicken block. As I said to Pat, it would go a lot faster if I didn’t take everything out at least twice before I was satisfied with the look. I wish the pattern told you what stitches to use where. No guarantee but I think I could learn a new stitch if I knew the best place to put it. The stitches are all new to me and I’m not very creative with them. At times I wish I had just stuck with whip stitching the pieces onto the background but it is too late for that now.
I’d better get back to it.