My Diary: January 24, 2022

I woke up this morning: and stumbled to the bathroom with my eyes closed.  Kinda ready to get up but not quite ready to wake up.  Still cold in the mornings... 26° when I let the dogs out this morning.  It got up to the mid 60s yesterday and is expected to do the same today.  Wanted to climb back in that warm bed, but decided if I did I wouldn't want to get up again until at least 9... lol

I look out my window:  and it's still dark.  The skies are relatively clear so the stars and moon are shining like glitter in the sky.  March13, 2022 daylight savings time will begin again and the sun will be up by this time.  

I am hearing:  the squeak of my chair as I rock back and forth.  Fixing that squeak is one of those procrastination things that I've put off for ...  oh ... 4 or 5 months.. lol  

I am thinking: not much this morning.  My brain seems to be on vacation without me.. sigh   I think I need more than my usual 1 cup of coffee this morning.  May need to add some strong chocolate with it to build up the caffeine.. 

I am thankful for:  the different blogs and posts I read.  Soooo much information... so many new ideas..it's hard to stay stagnant in your thoughts and ideas when confronted with so much new information. So many people now willing to share their ideas, their grasp of new crafts, new how-to information on the use of tools.. sometimes it's mind boggling. 

I am wearing: a plain, pink Walmart house dress.  No touchy anywhere.. just a loose, comfortable, very ugly dress..lol  My sister Tina introduced me to these dresses.. Her words?  "They're so ugly, but so comfortable!" 

I am hoping: that I can figure out a personalized pattern to make my own clothes.  As I've grown older the shape of the body has changed and generalized patterns just don't seem to do it.  

I'm also hoping to start knitting or crocheting again in the evening while watching television.  I miss having something to show for that time instead of Level 450 of some game on my phone.. sigh

I am reading: the 3rd book of the Riftwar Saga books by Raymond Feist.  I finished the second one last night.  I suppose at some point I will be tired of them, but not yet..lol  

I am learning: that it's a lot easier to square up your quilting before you start quilting than after.. sigh  

I am creating:  another full cloth quilt.  I've got the sheets almost ready for the batting to be added and then the tying begins. 

One of my favorite things: that little ceramic bowl in the picture.  My friend Pat and I made yarn bowls a few years ago at a ceramic shop.  I loved it...still love it.. has function and memories..

A few plans for the rest of the week:  include working on the quilt, spending some time finding the bottom of my desk (if possible..ugh),  and making a rug from the strips of fabric torn from 4 sheets.  Not sure I want a totally faded blue rug, but sometimes ya can't have everything.. 

Last thought:  I'm having a very hard time in this second year of the covid stay at home.  I've decided the only way I will survive is to spend more time outdoors, keep working on my crafts and use the phone a LOT to keep in contact with everyone I care about.  Hope you have a wonderful week.. Hugs.. 

Good Morning...January 19, 2022

 Good morning.  Up at 4:30am this morning.  Don't know what's up with early morning rising, but seems to be a new pattern for me.  I have to say that I do enjoy the quiet time.  

Found out yesterday that Covid Omicron is so prevalent here that most in our doctor's office are out with it.  Daughter who is working for one of the drs. in that clinic says we should stay home... go nowhere.  So once again there will be no beauty shop or nail appointments for a while.  This is the second year for the Covid threat and have been out to eat once in those 2 years,.  Not to say we don't order out and use the pick up window... but sometimes it's just nice to sit down in a restaurant and have dinner and conversation with someone you love.  I'm sure that most health professionals are aware of the mental health issues with this pandemic, but sometimes I wonder how much we are actually saving (as far as health is concerned) by the stay-at-home idea since the increase in depression is so markedly on the rise.  We have not seen our grandchildren for almost 2 years.  Not a good thing.

Several years ago I started this egg.  The idea was to see if I could do a Russian style icon.  It didn't turn out too badly, but then I was stymied on how to finish the back side of the egg.  Needless to say... I am still stymied.  It occurs to me that a lot of Russian art contains at least some geometrics, so I'm thinking I may get out the acrylics and do a geometric of some kind on the back.  Any ideas would be welcome.. :)

We're in for a bit of relief from the horrible cold...welcome relief.  Up in the 40s and 50s and then on Sunday and Monday it should be almost like spring with temps in the high 60s and even 70s.  That's always welcome, but the cold that comes after always seems even colder.. sigh 

When we take our dogs to be groomed, they always come home with a little triangle of cloth around their necks as a scarf.  Since our dogs are so "graceful", we always take them off to prevent them from tugging and pulling on them.  This time we cut the collar off Katie with the scarf!  We immediately ordered another one that comes with her name on it and other information, but it would take 3 weeks to get it, so enter the trust sewing machine... I really prefer this little collar for her than the new one she has now.  It is much softer and just as strong.  I'm sure it's more comfortable for her, but her new one has her name on it.  Anyway, I'll put up a tutorial to make a collar for your dog on Fabric Follies Too... very easy to do. 

Must get around.  Coffee cup empty and it's 6:10am.  Have plans for the day, just not sure what they are yet..lol  Have a wonderful day... 😊

 

My Diary... Jan 12, 2022

 

I woke up this morning:   with a little wet nose on my cheek and bell ringing in my ear.  It was not quite 5:30am but I got up anyway.  Sweet Katie was telling me it was time to rise and shine...so I rose, but definitely did not shine.. 😉

I look out my window:    and I can see the sun beginning to shine.  The thermometer outside says not quite 30° and it's definitely feeling it.  The trees are bare and the earth is definitely in sleeping, resting mode.  The winters have been cold and not my favorite part of the seasons until I realized one day that it is not a dead season, but a resting season needed for the revitalization of life.  Time to slow down a bit and revitalize myself. 

I am hearing:    the whirring of my printer.  It's enough to make me want to turn the thing off.  But the ringing in my ears helps to cover it..lol  

I am thinking:   that I can finally see patterns in my life... and as I do all those things one hears as child are true.  Be careful who you spend time with.. family is all important...early to bed, early to rise...and on and on.. I have heard and smiled at all my life.  Today, they don't seem so rhetorical at all.  

I am thankful for:   first and foremost..my sweet, caring, thoughtful husband who helps me through good times and bad, takes care of me even when he doesn't feel well himself.  My children..there is not a word that comes close to covering how thankful I am for my children.  Coffee.. lol.. what can I say about coffee..sigh

I am wearing:    My gown (black with tiny roses around the neckline) and my robe (horrible faded black t-shirt material with huge pink flowers on it.. ughhh).  But.. it's very comfortable.  Flows without any binding anywhere and I may just wear it all day.   

I am hoping:    that my children are well.  That Covid will soon pass into that thing that happens during flu season instead of all year long.  2 years stuck inside the house is enough already. 

From the kitchen:    doesn't come very much these days.  But I did put a corned beef in the crock pot a day or so ago.  LOVE THAT!  Still having corned beef sandwiches.  Made a couple of batches of chocolate covered peanuts and some peanut butter cookies.  Yum...

Around the house:   It seems the older we get the more often we don't feel well, so the house could use a good deep cleaning and de-cluttering.  You would think that being stuck inside during the Covid mess some of this would get done...but no.. hmmm

I am reading:    For the 5th or 6th time.. Magician Apprentice.. by Raymond E. Feist.  This is a series of fantasy books I read for the first time many years ago and have re-read many times since.  

I am learning:   seems to be not much lately.  I'm going to have to re-learn how to spin with a spindle since for the last several years I have used only my spinning wheel.  sigh... 

I am creating:   not sure I would call it creating.. but.. anyway I managed somehow to lose my coat!  Now.. how does a person lose a coat?  ughhh  ... so I had to make me another one.  It's not as warm as the one I lost, but it works in a pinch ..lol   I will make another one with some closer woven fabric, but I do like the way this one drapes. 

This is the coat and the pattern that I use.  I have had the pattern for years and am considering making it with very light material as a matching cover for just jeans and a shirt.  Anyway... the number of things I consider in just one day would fill a month's worth of time if I made them all. 😏😏😏

Now.. on to other things. 

One of my favorite things:  is following my children, grandchildren and friends on facebook.  Sometimes I think I should just get off it, but somehow that lasts about 1 day.  I love the photos.. what the kids are doing, what the grands are doing.. just LOVE it.. 

A few plans for the rest of the week:   not many.  To the beauty shop today but as far as plans, that's it.  Whatever gets done will get done when I decide.  Haven't felt too well for the last few days, so will see what happens later on.. 

Remember to smile at stranger, hug your friends and have a wonderful day. 

A New Year

Well, the New Year has started like the old year ended... with me erasing my entire blog post thinking I had already posted it on my laptop... but no... didn't happen.  

Anyway... I learned a long time ago that New Years resolution thing was not a happening thing around here... usually lasted about a week .. or at the most, two.  But there is one thing that I hope I will continue into this year.  I found a blog a few years ago on another blog that I was following and it was called (and still is)  The Simple Woman  .  I found it very calming and decided that while I did not want to join the group that she has, I did want to try something similar.  I did for quite a while and found that my day started much more smoothly as I found so many things to be thankful for and it caused me to pay attention to my life today and not what was yesterday or tomorrow.  I will try to do something similar here. 

It has been so very cold here for the past week or two.  We have enjoyed the fireplace immensely. 

Sam (apricot) and Katie (black) enjoy it as much or more than we do.. lol  The last 3 years have not been easy for us and these two lovelies have made all the difference for us.  Watching them play, running around chasing a ball or just hugging and loving on us has absolutely made the days pass easier. 

The groomer we take them to always puts a little triangular bandana on them and when we get home we have to take them off or Sam will choke himself tugging on it.. So Hubs was cutting Katie's off and also cut off her collar!  So I am now working on a collar for her until her new one comes in.  Have it about 1/2 done and trying to figure out how all the hardware goes back on.  We'll see if I'm smart enough to get it done.  :)

Hugs to all. Stay warm and enjoy this day.