When the clock counts down on a travel day

I slept with Mr. Bear on the sofa, and he's so darn cute. When he gets cold, he just comes and snuggles under the covers! When he needs a break, he comes up for air. But when he heard the kids get up in the morning, he needed to be part of their action, so he was gone! 

I helped do some more unpacking. A few more things were on the truck to unload, and they got brought to the apartment. Then we had to get rid of the garbage and recycling, so everything went down. They rented the second floor of a house with a fantastic view. 

OK—my family has a thing for finding a place with an amazing view. Off to the left is the Lion's Gate Bridge, and to the right of that is Stanley Park. 

The view from M's deck

Here's the same view a little later in the morning. 

This was the same view from the pier

Then we went for a walk in the neighborhood, and Mr. Bear was beside himself as he checked out the new smells. And they are three blocks from this amazing waterfront area. 

Bear and M

There's a hill to the water, but not too bad. It's a great walk to improve your cardio.  

Then it was back to the apartment and we sat and had a very good chat! It's so nice when your kid is grown up and you can have some real adult conversations. While I thoroughly enjoyed the entire trip, those last precious hours with M were the best! 

I think someone wanted to come home with me! He has zero issues popping into the suitcase! 

Grandma -- can I come home with you??

Then it was time to leave but not before I packed more stuff into those suitcases of mine. I got a request to make a T-shirt quilt and I said that this was the perfect time to bring the T-shirts home with me, as I had three suitcases that I was checking in and I could go up to 70 pounds with each. 

I didn't even remove the suitcases from the car, I opened them up and filled each suitcase as much as I could. I didn't count the total number of T-shirts, but there were many. 

Loading the T-shirts into the suitcases

In my small suitcase that was off to the side, I was able to put TWENTY-TWO T-shirts in there. I counted those when I unpacked it when I got home. 

Unloading the suitcase at home

There was a projector in there, a pair of shoes, and my clothes. One does NOT need to travel with lots of clothes and hence you can put 22 T-shirts in the suitcase as additional stuff. Thankfully, that was going in the cargo area and not in the overhead bin as it was a bit heavy now. 

Then began the adventure to the airport. On the scale of one to ten on "harrowing", this was a 12. I had originally planned to leave two hours before the flight to get there in plenty of time to drop the bags. I left earlier than planned because it just felt like the right thing to do. Well....

First off, I couldn't get the GPS to find the airport. Seriously??? So a few precious minutes got wasted there. Then it must have taken me on the scenic route to the airport. I could see signs saying I was on the way to the airport, and then it veered somewhere else and I must have taken every major (traffic clogged street). We went right downtown, instead of on the somewhat highway that leads to the airport. 

With the traffic and that scenic route, it ate up another precious TEN minutes. 

I knew I needed to fill the car with gas as I was almost empty, but as the minutes ticked away in the traffic clogged streets, I contemplated how much it would cost to drop the car at the rental with no gas. I was certain there was a gas station at the airport, but boy -- it was almost at the terminal and I was watching that clock. 

It was a full service gas station -- not sure why, but of course, when I drove up, I drove up on the wrong side, so I had to turn the car around so it could be filled. As it filled, I emptied my water bottles from the car, so I'd have one less thing to do at the airport. Then the attendant was talking to someone and I said - I do NOT have a lot of time, let's get this done. And soon I was on my way, but a few more precious moments were eaten away. 

Then I arrived at the car drop-off point. Of course, I had the company that was the LAST in the long line of cars. I misread the drop off line and got into the wrong line, so I had to get out of there and into the correct line and of course, I had to drop the car at the end of the line, which was the furthest from the airport. While the guy checked out the car, I had to walk all the way to the front of the line to get a luggage cart and then get those three, now extra heavy suitcases onto it. 

I pushed the cart to the front and OH GREAT - I have to take an elevator to get to the departures area. Once I was on the correct level, I practically ran with the cart because I was NOT in the airport, but still across the road where the rental cars are located. 

I found the Air Canada terminals just inside the door and all the while the minutes are ticking. I arrive and attempt to scan my passport, but it won't scan. Of course it won't!! So I moved to the next terminal and VOILA -- it scanned, so I got my three bag tags and I breathed a sigh of relief. I could have gone to the counter, but there was a few people waiting, so thank goodness we can do that ourselves. I'm getting good at putting the tags on and I went to the bag drop and there is nothing more exciting than see your bags get weighed, and scanned, and then go into the depths of the airport. 

Printing the bag tags

I now had ONE hour exactly before the plane was to leave. I went through security which was pretty empty and for some reason, my bag was flagged for a hand search. She found nothing in the bag and just opened my iPad and laptop. No idea why - there was nothing in it that would cause them to flag it. 

I stopped to pick up some food for the plane because there was NO time for lunch. WOW -- $15 for a sandwich. Airport prices are just insane. 

Insane prices at the airport

Then I arrived at the gate and got into the line and was on the plane. DH thinks that a perk is to have access to the lounge. Well, I NEVER have time to go to the lounge (or rarely) so that would NOT be a perk for me. 

No one was in the seat beside me and I didn't get an upgrade, so it was a very comfortable ride. I binge watched Season One of Modern Family all the way home except for an hour nap along the way. 

Binge watching Modern Family

It's become a standing joke as to how many escalators or people movers aren't working. This is the first time in a long time I have seen a people mover not working. But I don't use them, so I don't care. And you have to wait for your luggage on the other side, so it's not like one needs to be in a hurry. 

People mover not working

OH -- wait one more picture of the view from M's deck. We watched a freighter come in. It's a beautiful view and if I lived there, I'd have a sewing machine on that deck! And this is where the cruise ships pass. 

Freighter coming in

By the way --- the airline has technically changed their luggage drop-off cut off from 45 minutes to 60 minutes, so I need to adjust myself accordingly. I was aiming for the 60-minute, but had so many silly things happen. OH -- I forgot to mention that when I realized I was in the incorrect lane at the car drop-off and I went to get out of the car, my little purse was open and spilled all the contents on the ground. Of course that happened!!!

I noticed that the app still mentioned 45 minutes, so if the kiosk wouldn't take my bags, I could technically have argued my way through that. And DH sent me a text about timing, and he said I was cutting it close. Like I needed to be reminded of that! Was I getting anxious? I will admit that my heart was going pitter patter a wee bit faster than it usually does, especially as I got closer to the airport. 

So the lesson learned, and especially in Vancouver -- check the damn map so I can override the GPS, and leave a few minutes earlier!!!

DH picked me up at the airport which was a total zoo for pick-ups. I ended up walking to the end of the airport (international side). What I detest are those people that get to the curb in their car and sit there, waiting for their people. There is a CELL PHONE parking lot for you to wait until your people arrive. It's a huge issue and people just don't get it. 

I will say that Air Canada has stepped up their game. All flights were on time and we pushed back one or two minutes before we were supposed to!! 

The girls are happy and we're off for our morning walk. 

Have a super day!!!!!

Ciao!!!

Mr. Bear!!!!!

For those who signed up for Spice Market at any time, YES—you are in. I'll be sending out an email tomorrow. I'm so sorry about that! I'm excited because I found my main fabric yesterday, and it's bright! I don't know if there are pink spices in the world, but I'm sure there are. Now, to find the fillers, which I'm sure I can find in the stash. 

As I sit here and write this morning, I have company. Well, not exactly company, but a companion. Yep -- Mr. Bear is sleeping under the covers! That little guy -- he's so darn cute!!!

I'll get back to him in a moment. 

It was another exciting day at the events in BC, and it was the last day. I get to go home today. The turnout at the stores was unbelievable, and there was so much energy in the room. I'd love to return to all three stores and look around, but there was no time. There was lots of cute stuff, and oh my—I'm chomping at the bit to get some embroidery done, and I need to be writing. 

I can't say enough about my hosts - Yvonne at Black Rabbit Fabrics in Penticton and Tom and Kerry at Tom's Sewing Center (Surrey and Chilliwack) -- who made the events so much fun for me and the attendees. The store in Chilliwack is called Country Folk, but it's one of Tom's stores. 

Oh shoot—I took a picture of what happened in my hotel room yesterday but didn't load it. But I brought my suitcases in one by one and emptied and sorted them. I had projects all over the bed, but they went into the suitcases in categories, so it was easy for me to unload them in the store. 

I tried really hard to keep track of things and put them in the appropriate boxes for the trip home. So it didn't take too long to pack up, and hopefully, I haven't left anything along the way. I think I'm good. 

I have a few more things to pack up this morning as I acquired a job along the way—a T-shirt quilt to make, so all the T-shirts need to be put in the suitcases. That is going to add to my weight, but I can handle it, so I'm not worried. That's what status is all about—airline status, that is. I don't usually care much about perks, but this airline status helps. 

After I checked in last night for my flight home, I was in the number 10 position for Business Class and number 6 for Premium Economy, so it looks like I'll be sitting in Economy as I'm too far down the list. That's OK—I can live with that. I'll probably sleep most of the way home anyway. 

And I'll confess that I found a Tim's for breakfast. I was so leery of what I would find in that restaurant that I didn't want to take a chance. Again, it was not so horrible that it was unedible, but it was so unappealing, and yes, there was a SKIN on my soup. Thanks to someone for mentioning that in a comment. 

So, I enjoyed Tim's for breakfast. But here's something I've noticed. They have those Dream Cookies, which are quite pricey and named after various chocolate bars. OK, so it's a treat. But have you noticed that you get a little dollop of the flavoring, which often sticks to the paper bag they put it in, and all you are really getting is a cookie?! Why can't they have oatmeal raisin cookies? That's my favorite. 

After the event, it was time to pack up and leave again. This time, I was traveling to M's new apartment. She and Dillon had been moving in all week and had just spent their first night together in the apartment the previous night. I know—Mom doesn't have very good timing, but it is what it is. 

I'm somewhat familiar with the area they live in since I was just here for the engagement party. But the hills! And some of those driveways are insane! I arrive at the address she gave me, and hmmmm—there is no house. I see a number 1130 and a number 1116, but there is no 1128. Oh, she made a mistake on the number, and it was in the next block!! Oh, dear!!

I expected to see a massive pile of boxes strewn around the place, but to my surprise, they were mostly unpacked. WHAT??????? Yep, they have been hard at work and hired two people to help them unpack and organize. OK, that might have cost a bit more than just moving, but holy cow, it was well worth it. Now, they don't have tons of stuff anyway, but still. 

M was out supervising loading some of the reusable bins they used for packing. Another reason they had to be emptied pretty quickly. But no damage to the goods inside and no collapsed boxes. Who did I see running towards me when he heard my voice? Yep -- that would be Mr. Bear. He was squeaking, and I picked him up, and he settled down and stayed in my arms for a very long time. Quiet as a mouse and content as a bug in a rug. He's so adorable!!!!! 

Grandma!!!! I missed you!!!!

They rented the top floor of a house, and this was the sunset view last night. 

Sunset in West Vancouver

This is their view of Stanley Park. This morning, I took a picture of the Lion's Gate bridge all lit up. 

Stanley Park

It's an older house, but it's very nicely done up. So they are madly trying to establish themselves in their own place. It's so cute to watch the two of them, as this is their first home together. I'll be gone by noon, and then they can get back to work. 

However, M and I had a job last night, and I got such a chuckle. There was a box of ODD things, and M's job was to sort it. It was such payback for all the crappy stuff (some of it still hers) that I'm dealing with at home. 

Sorting through crap

The worst is those silly little things that don't have a home, and you're unsure how to deal with it. There was a large garbage pile at the end of the exercise. I will confess that Bear and I only watched and offered some advice here and there. But we mostly cuddled and watched M do all the work! 

Then we tackled one of the bedrooms and got some stuff sorted out. I was itching to get some boxes unpacked and on a couple of empty shelves, but well—I'll let M do that later today. Mr. Bear would find himself a spot to rest, and he supervised the work.

The supervisor

I won't go into details or take pictures, but Dillon has a "few" pairs of shoes, and I think he would like his own dressing room like my brother. Holy --- more incentive to get home and cull!! I do not want to have all that stuff to manage. I need a new pair of shoes for work, and I've been looking. But if I were to count all my shoes and boots, I probably could count them on my two hands. And there are a few pairs that need to be culled as they may no longer fit. Hmm -- that's a good and easy thing to do when I get home. 

But first, I must get that writing done, or I'll get fired!!! I thought I would have more time here, but I've been so exhausted (which is rare for me), or more the case, I didn't have time. Even my walking has almost become a thing of the past (only temporary) because of the time constraints. I have a much easier schedule this coming week and should be able to get out. And then I can get back into my routine. I do NOT know how someone could do this type of job with this crazy travel for any length of time. I'd be dead! 

I love their new dishwasher. It's very silent—so much so that a red light shines on the floor to indicate that it's on!! How cool is that? Ours is quiet but not entirely silent, and we run it overnight, so we never have to worry about the noise. 

The sign that the dishwasher is on

And I want to say hello to everyone who reads the blog - OK -- that's a given. But I saw a couple of people yesterday and met Anne for the first time, and got to visit with Betty, who I haven't seen in a couple of years. I met with a few people that I knew from Zoom calls. But I had to laugh when Anne came up and introduced herself. Guess where we first met? On Zoom with Thimbles and Things, she even had a green bag to prove it. She now lives in Vancouver. Why? Her son and kids are here. OH!!! I'm unsure if this is a sign, but someone may be trying to tell me something. 

And that's a wrap for today. It's another whirlwind trip, and soon, I'll be off to the airport. It'll be a long travel day, but I'll be in my bed tonight. Mr. Bear poked his head out of the covers when he heard someone use the washroom, and now he's asleep again. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Too tired to care!

We had a fabulous day yesterday!!! I took no pictures as it was a hectic day. I had all my stuff sorted in the classroom, so it was super easy to get set up. All I had to do was connect the computer. I forgot to bring another piece of cable equipment to hook up my camera. It's been a while, so I must make a list and put it in the cable box for the next time I travel. But no worries—it all worked out. 

There was an excellent restaurant/market beside the store, and we had yummy sandwiches for lunch. The moment you walked in, you got a whiff of fresh apples. This is apple country, and I wanted to buy lots, but there was no way to transport them home. 

I did not even get a chance to shop at this store, and we had a huge crowd of people—well, it's easy to feed off the energy in the room! We had a grand time, and I couldn't feed them information fast enough!

Then I packed up my suitcases and put them in the car. I confess that I did not repack the suitcases well, so I will unpack them this morning and sort them as I'm doing the same two presentations today at another store. I won't have much time when I arrive at the store, so they have to be in piles, more or less, to get them in order. 

One suitcase is in my room, and the other is still in the car. 

But I have to share this hotel story with you. I am not a complainer, as a rule—I can eat almost anything and sleep anywhere, and nothing really bothers me. But this is a bizarre place—not really in a bad or creepy way, but it's just so different. 

Thanks to Sharon for mentioning the Holiday Inn website ihg.com. I always forget that and search, which always takes me to a redirect. I need to go there first!!

Before I tell you this story, let me mention those redirects. I think this is true for almost anything you search—you need to be very careful when clicking on the sites that come up after you search. So many of them are sponsored, so they get bumped to the front of the line. And they are not what you are looking for. 

The other thing that drives me crazy about searches is that I might be searching for something very specific, and all these sites come up that don't even sell that product. They come before the site that sells that product. It is such a waste of time!!!!

OK—now for the story, and this is going to sound so silly. The picture of the hotel on the website looks like a typical Holiday Inn. I had to deal with traffic as I drove from Chilliwack to Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver. I was starting to get hungry on the drive but had no food in the car, as I had eaten everything the day before on the drive from Penticton. 

I really should have delayed my start and gone back to that restaurant/market to get something to eat. I did not. 

Anyway, I arrived at the hotel, which I had called in the morning to book a room, as I'm not sure what else is around here. I got quoted a price, and then the guy on the phone dropped the price by $50. I have no idea what that was all about, but I'll take it. 

The rooms are a bit dated, but I can live with that. This is the first Holiday Inn in a long time where the furniture is not the same as other hotels. It's like going to McDonald's to discover that the Big Mac is not the same! I told you it's bizarre. 

When I got in the room, I was so tired that I went to bed. I had plans to work, but that didn't happen. I was on the second floor, and there was a light shining in my room, and I was too tired to even close the curtain. Thankfully, I can sleep just about anywhere. 

I still think I got the worst room in this place, though, because I can hear the thrum of the air conditioner or whatever it is, and there is a fan in my room, so it's as noisy as ever. 

But the interesting thing was dinner. Again, I'm not a complainer about my food, but last night? Well, that was interesting. Oh, and I forgot to mention that they are renovating the hotel, so two guys were standing in the lobby with armfuls of tiles that they were moving to another floor. Do they not have a cart or something to do that? The tiles looked very heavy. Only one elevator was working, and it was slow. 

OK—so there is a restaurant attached to this hotel, which is unusual for a Holiday Inn. I'll go there—it's easy and close. It took a minute for someone to see me at the desk, and then I got seated and got the menu. 

I was hungry, but yet I was tired. I got a sprite - just because I wanted one. But it was filled with ice, and I swear it was so watered down that it barely had any fizz. Yes -- I should have said something, but I was so tired. I ordered clam chowder, and while it was good and very hearty, it did NOT look appetizing. And it had a - what the heck do you call that on the top. It looked like the dish had been sitting for a while, and all they had to do was heat it up. The temperature was fine, but not great to look at. 

Then I ordered a spinach and artichoke dip with some chips. OK -- the cheese on top of the dip was so hmmm -- what's the word -- I could not break it up with the chips as it was too hard, and I struggled to cut it with my knife. The taste of the dip itself was good, but it wasn't the best I have ever had. 

Oh, and there were some thin bread crisps with the soup, and they were awful! It is so unlike me to complain about food, but this was not a restaurant that I would recommend to anyone!

Let's say that it is completely unlike the Holiday Inn in North Vancouver, where the food at the restaurant was amazing. However, the omelets did not sit well with me, and I couldn't eat anything else the entire day! Hmmm—maybe I need the cafeteria restaurant most often found at the Holiday Inn for breakfast only. I do like the cinnamon bun! 

So, I have a coupon for a complimentary breakfast at that same restaurant this morning. I think I might just find the nearest Tim's. It will be a different chef (hopefully), but I don't want to chance it! 

I don't often get a dud, but this was a dud!!!

And that's it for today. I think I might need another quick nap before I really get organized for the day. The curtain is now shut, and the fan is off. AH—so much better. 

Have a great day!!!

Ciao!!!

The view is breath taking

Jeans—you have to love them!!! But yes, that was NOT a typo—an entire bedroom (two of them) to store their clothes, and it looks like a closet with proper double hangs and shelves!!! I'm dying to get home and purge!!! 

Funny where our priorities lie! 

Yesterday was a day of travel by car, and I wasn't in a hurry to leave Penticton. My brother lives on the hill (perhaps I should say mountain), and they have been there for years. It's a fantastic location, and now that my brother is semi-retired, he has started walking/hiking around the area. They live almost on the perimeter of the residential area, so it takes little time to get into the natural hillside. 

My younger brother and I are very much alike, and perhaps that is why we get along. Of course, we don't spend a lot of time together, and his wife is pretty laid-back. 

Oh, my goodness—I just loaded some pictures from my laptop, and they were from a seaplane. WHAT??? Oh, I was here last year at this same time, and I got the incorrect year. 

There are many stairs to get from one street level to the next. My brother and his boys used to do the newspaper route in the area. They got loads of exercise doing that! Let's say you would have excellent cardio living in this area. Yes - this set of stairs takes you from ONE street to the next. That's how steep this area is. 

The stairs from one street to the next

It's incredible to see how some of these houses are built. They are sitting on deep piles into the ground to hold them in place, and quite frankly, I'm not sure I would feel comfortable in them. These houses look like small single-story houses from the street side, but on the other side, three floors of glass windows are looking over the valley. My brother's home isn't quite that spectacular, but it still has a fantastic view. Sitting on the huge deck off the kitchen, you don't see the houses below. I took this picture standing up so you can see the rooftops. 

The view from my brother's house

He has to keep that cedar hedge trimmed to maintain the view, and it's a very high hedge. Like my dad and our other brother, he's a tinkerer, so he does it himself. He could (and does) repair pretty much anything and often buys or acquires "junk" from someone who doesn't want it. He fixes it and sells it for lots of cash! He is a true wheeler/dealer, but he loves it!

One thing that I would NOT like in this area, or any location with hills (mountains), is the steep incline for the driveway on one side of the street. Can you imagine what this driveway would be like to shovel in the winter? What if there is snow or ice? They do get snow in Penticton. Glen said many of them have heated driveways, but at what cost? And how does your kid learn to ride a bike in this area? Or how do you wash your car? Oh yes, it was a beautiful view, but not for me. I'd pick the side of the street that my brother is on where you may have a slightly lower view (OK -- a lot lower), but you get a flat driveway. We saw driveways like this in West and North Vancouver when I was here two weeks ago. 

That's a crazy driveway

Once we got away from the houses, we walked in the grassland, which is just beautiful but very hilly. I felt like I was back on the Camino!!! But this is the view over the valley towards Pentiction. House prices are relatively reasonable compared to Toronto. Hmmm --- do I want to live here? The one thing about Penticton is the location. Look at the map -- to get here, you have to drive up north or down south to get to it. So it's about 4 1/2 hours from Vancouver, but if you could drive straight - it's like 2 hours. This photo does NOT do justice to the view. 

The view over the valley

I had to leave right after lunch to get to the next store before they closed. I went back to Black Rabbit and purchased something I am unfamiliar with. I didn't take a photo, so I can't share it yet, but I'm super excited to get home and try it. 

Then, I was on my way to Chilliwack. I decided to take the other route and drive the Cocahalla Highway. Now, this is the strangest thing in the world. The speed limit on that highway is 120! Yes, through the mountains, and yet on some of the straightest roads in our country, the limit is 100. Can you tell me why? 

That highway is very decent, although there are lots of signs that snow tires are required from October 1 to the end of March. It's a high mountain road—anything can happen. Chain-up and brake check areas are frequent, as are the runaway lanes. Traffic was decent, and I made good time, although I stopped twice to take a quick break.

As I was driving towards Vancouver, I had many thoughts of the times I rode my bicycle through here, and I can't believe I did that. It's miles and miles of LONG and, in some cases, steep (but not too steep, as it's graded for transport trucks), but holy—I'm impressed. I've ridden my bicycle through these mountains three times!!!! 

I arrived at Country Folk Fabric (Tom's Sewing Center) in Chilliwack with an hour to spare. I have most of my stuff set up for this morning and then I popped over to the hotel. I had some work to do and this is my portable office. It doesn't take long for me to spread myself out!!!

Working from the hotel

I thought it might be a bit noisy as I'm right beside the highway, but I was tired and heard NOTHING all night. 

I need to book a room for tonight as I'm at a different spot for the next two nights. It's not my favorite thing, but that's the schedule. I HATE when you go to reserve a room and get taken to a third-party booking site. Why is that?? I want to book directly with the hotel. The problem is that you have ZERO recourse with the hotel if there is an issue. You must go to the booking company. I don't think they give you points, either. I want to book direct!!!! Holiday Inn -- are you listening? 

Thank goodness we walked yesterday. My Fitbit is going into shock at the lack of use over the last couple of weeks. I'm a slug. I hope to get out this morning - I don't think it's raining. When I arrived in BC, it was beautiful and hot. Now it's cold and rainy, but that is BC weather. 

I must get myself organized as I have more work to accomplish this morning before heading to the store. 

Have a super day11

Ciao!!!

The apples did not fall far from the tree

I've been totally lazing in bed this morning and not getting my butt up to write the blog! It's OK to be lazy every once in a while. 

My presentations went well yesterday, except that I brought the WRONG cable for the projector, so I had to run out at lunch time to buy a new one. That irks me as I have plenty of these cables at home. So it's a lesson, don't just grab and put in the bag - double check the ends! I have no one to blame but myself. 

At the end of the day, I literally threw everything into the suitcase and now it's a bit mess, so I'll have to sort it out before the next presentation. So many samples cross various topics - it's not just a clear cut preocess. And sometimes, you're not sure what you are going to need. 

OK -- so you all know about my Mom and her hoarding tendancies. Actually my Dad is probably up there as well. 

I have struggled with hoarding, but never in a huge way. Or am I kidding myself on that one? Anyway, I recognized it a number of years ago for two reasons. One, we had the water leak (the first one) in the basement, where we were super lucky as nothing was damaged. We had a second leak and again, nothing was damaged, but we are on our third floor in that space. 

The second wake-up call ws when we had to start moving the parents and cleaning house. 

I wasn't sure when I started this entire decluttering/organizing thing, but it's been a while. At least ten years. 

Last night, I was chatting with my brother and his wife and we were talking about the purging thing. They asked if I had seen their dressing rooms. WHAT???? I did NOT take pictures to protect them -- LOL. But seriously -- they have converted TWO of their bedrooms into dressing rooms - his and hers. Let's just say that my jaw dropped when I saw that. It is beyond my comprehension. 

What is worse is that many of the clothes they no longer wear or won't fit and yet, it's difficult to get rid of them. I was speechless. So that prompted me to find the blog post where I purged my closet at home. That was in 2014. Here is the link if you want to see that exercise.   OH -- dare I say that they have already given away some of their clothes. Yep --- they have a LOT of clothes. 

After that conversation, I am itching to get home and repeat that process as there are a lot of clothes in the closet that I'm not wearing. Yes -- it's time for a complete overhaul on what clothes are remaining. I'd like to get it down so the amount of clothes will fit into one suitcase. I know that sounds a bit harsh, but I mostly wear the same thing day in and day out, so I don't really need much variety! 

Around home, I'm usually in a t-shirt with a bicycle on it. Sadly, some of them are starting to show their wear and I really want to make a t-shirt quilt from them. So it's time to retire them. And there are some t-shirts in the drawer that I constantly pass over, so those need to be culled. Yep --- I feel a purge coming on, but I won't have time until October to make that happen. I have ZERO issues to keep stuff if I'm using it. And I've noticed brand new clothes in my closet still with price tags on. So I either get rid of them or I start using them or they are gone!!!

So during our upbringing, those apples fell right at the trunk of the tree. Now if I were to rank the siblings in order of who has the worse hoarding tendancies - older brother first, younger brother, and then me. Based on what I've seen over the last couple of years, I'm miles ahead of them in getting rid of stuff and how much stuff is in my house. It will take them a long time to catch up to me!!! I might just even tackle that office. 

I have to be home in the month of October as DH is having some surgery and will need some assistance, so I have an entire month in which to get things tidied up!!! Phew -- that makes me feel so good and knowing that I'm going to be getting rid of more stuff? I'm practically chomping at the bit to get home. 

Yes -- it's time to get realistic about what is left and I bet I can reduce what I have by 50% or more. So I'm going to use that blog post as my guide and go through. I reread that post and I think there are some things that got put into those baskets in the closet and have NOT been touched since I put them there ten years ago. That is NOT good. 

WHOA -- that was a bit of an eye-opener!!!!!

However, one thing that my SIL kept was this. 

One of my first quilts

This is a quilt that I made for their first born - back in 1999. It was one of my first quilts and they kept it! I had always wondered if they kept it and once you give it away, you can't ask. It looks like it has been used and hopefully they will give it to their son when he has kids. Of course, he may not want it, but you never know. OH -- and it's hand-quilted!!! Not a lot of quilting, but still!

Here's the label. Hand decorated and written!!!

The quilt label

This is one of the samples in the store (Black Rabbit) and it's an embroidered Halloween quilt. It's so adorable. I need to get home and get out all the rest of my Halloween stuff!!! I need to hang up my Haloween quilt that took so long to do!!! I need to get home - I'm motiavated and I'm not home for days!!! 

Halloween quilt

Now here's a cool idea that the local (to here) teacher made to protect the screen on her Designer Epic. She made a quilted wrap. I love it!!!  I need this as I'm not one to put the machine back in the box for transport, and I use a quilt to wrap it in. This would be a lot easier!1!!

Screen protector

OK -- so here is my task to you! Get prepared because (if I can remember) we're going to have the second edition of the great clothes purge! And it's going to happen in Otober. It means you're going to have to empty all your dressers, closets, under-the-bed-storage tubs and wherever you have squirreled clothes away. 

We are going to sort them and then decide what stays and what goes. This is something that has to be done for almost all of us. I'm going to compare pictures from this time to ten yeas ago. Hopefully that initial pile in the middle of the floor will be a lot less that it was ten years ago!! I also need to buy a new pair of jeans because the ones I'm wearing now have a big hole in the knee - yes - I kow it's the style these days, but the rest of them are becoming a tad too thread bear for me. So new jeans are in order. 

Get prepared!!!! 

On that note, I'm out of here. It's a travel (by car) day and so I'm hanging out here in the mountains until lunch time. Hopefully I can remember to get some pictures of the view!!!! And I might stop and take a few pictures on the drive. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Driving through the mountains

I hope you also check out the comments, as there are some good ones. When it comes to decluttering, there is an excellent comment on the blog yesterday. For memories like high school or any other topic, designate one box as the memory box, and when it's full, that's it!!! I need to do that as I have two medium-sized tubs with stuff from high school and a few other mementos from when I was a kid. I don't really have a home for two - I have a good home for one. I need to consolidate those tubs! 

Thanks for the great tip!! 

So yesterday was a long travel day! Regarding travel days, this one was boring as everything worked as it should have! DH dropped me and all my luggage at the airport, so that helped.

My luggage

 Then I zipped through the business class check-in, where they do all the tagging and whatnot. Within a few minutes, I was through security and in the lounge having oatmeal for breakfast! 

I was right—one of the bags was over 50 lbs, but it was 55, so I easily could have distributed it to the other two, but since I didn't have to, there was no worry. 

The boarding for the flight was 7:10, but when I arrived, they were already boarding Zone 3. Not that it mattered, but they were on the ball. I goofed, and the seats were NOT the lie-flat beds. Don't worry- I still had a great seat. I slept a bit on the flight as I was tired. I watched a movie (not a great one), and then I started watching some episodes of Modern Family. When I watched TV, it was one of my favorite shows, and it might be fun to go back and watch them. Like I have time!!!!

The flight path was one that I don't think I've ever been on before, or I didn't have a window seat. But we flew over the northern US states. I didn't have my map on when I took this picture, but I suspect this was North Dakota or Montana. 

The view from the plane

Then there were the mountains. Again, this was more in the US, as we did not fly over the Canadian Rockies. 

Mountains 

I should mention that the plane backed away from the gate about two minutes early, and then we were off. 

When I arrived in Vancouver, my luggage was there. Of course, I had to wait a few minutes, but not long, and then I was off to get my rental car. 

I was actually at the car rental place before I was supposed to be. What the heck happened? I asked if I could get a car with Android Carplay as I needed it for navigation. He couldn't guarantee that as he didn't know what cars it was in. Sigh....... So I took my chances. I was offered an electric car. I said, "No thanks." Can you imagine me driving an electric car through the mountains, and it being my first time with an electric vehicle? Nope!

I got into the car, connected my phone, and VOILA --- Android Carplay!!!!!

Android Car play!!!

This made my day!!!! I was a little concerned about the next leg of the journey as I had to drive to Penticton, which was about 4 1/2 hours away. Through the mountains! But it was a super drive, and I stopped briefly twice just to stretch my legs and have a potty break. It's been a long time since I haven't driven through the mountains, and some of the roads were roads I rode my bike on years ago. And the weather was glorious!!!!! It took me five hours, not 4 1/2, to make the journey, as traffic was a bit congested for the first hour and with my two stops. But still, that worked well. OH -- I had downloaded an audiobook, but I guess it wasn't sitting on my phone and I was streaming it. Well, guess what? In those mountains, I didn't always have a signal and I couldn't listen to the book at times!!! 

Before I knew it, I had arrived at the store, dropped off my samples, and checked the store out. It's called Black Rabbit Fabrics, and it's located in a funky converted cannery, which is amazing!!! I think I found the main fabric for my Spice Market quilt, and it's on sale!!! 

Then off to my brother's house. I haven't been here for many years and they have an amazing view of the city from their house. I haven't seen my SIL for a number of years and we all had a great visit. 

I try to ignore the time change when I travel because it just messes me up. So I went to bed at my usual time and up at my normal time, but by the clock HERE, not back home. Which is why the blog is late today! It's a three-hour time difference! 

So, as for travel days? That was a good one. 

Now, it's time to get a few more computer things done before the day, and then I'll be ready for my presentations today. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

Spice Market

Oh my! I haven't responded to the comments lately, but I hope to have a wee bit of downtime as I travel from city to city in the next couple of days, so I will attempt to make that happen. But oh boy -- the books! Yep -- if you introduce your children to books, you never know what they will dream up!

For those who signed up for the Spice Market class, YES—there is still room if you haven't signed up yet. My goal this morning is to make the distribution list and then send out a quick email, but I don't know if that will happen as I have to leave the house at 6 AM. So, I will cheat and do some of the work here. 

First, if you know nothing about the Spice Market class and want to know more, check out this link, and you'll get all the details on how to sign up. The dates and where to buy the pattern are in that blog post. A link in that blog post sends you to a webpage to purchase the pattern. Hyggeligt.ca is the cheapest place I've seen to buy the pattern, and they have free shipping. If the link doesn't work, then call the store. I just tested the link in the blog post, and it still works, and the patterns are in stock. Remember -- this is the BEST price I've seen and FREE SHIPPING - you cannot beat that deal!!!

I have to laugh because some people seem adverse to making phone calls. I got notes from some people that they couldn't find the pattern (I POSTED THE LINK in the original blog post) or that it was out of stock. CALL the store (Chantal) to find out the situation. I asked her if she could help, and she agreed and advertised the class on her site. But as long as you have the pattern, that's OK. 

The class starts at the end of October (October 26th), so there is still lots of time to get organized. We will discuss color options in that first class, and while you'll have homework, it will be manageable in case you need to get your fabric. 

OK -- so if you want to sign up and still need to, that's how you do it. 

Now, for those who have signed up and are anxious to pay to reserve a spot, there are 100 spots in my Zoom class. There are NOT 100 people in the class, so if you are worried about saving a place, everyone who has emailed me is in the class. And there is plenty of room for more people to sign up. Feel free to share that original post with anyone you think might be interested. 

Some people have already paid (I have NOT asked for payment, so you are NOT behind). To pay, you would simply send me the class fee ($30) by e-mail. Again, those instructions were in the original email I linked above. My email address is elainetheriault@gmail.com.   

To recap, if you sent me an email for Spice Market, you are in the class and will have received an email acknowledging your email (hopefully, that set-up is still working). Instructions on how to pay and buy the pattern are also in my original blog post. The only thing missing was my email address, which you now have. 

If I don't finish the distribution list today (which is not looking good), it will be the first thing I do next week when I'm back. That will still be almost four weeks before the class—everything is good!!! 

Can you believe it? We had Monday sewing, and we usually finish at 2:00 PM because I go for my walk. I didn't walk in the afternoon, but I had cranked out 30 km in spin class. I put on a few km in the house as I powered around packing suitcases later in the day! 

I hope to get back on track for walking, but I'm doing OK. I can see where someone with a "real" day job can fall off track. There's just not enough time in the day. 

And the Monday call went on until 3:30!!! That's unheard of! But I had some sewing to do, and I might as well continue sewing with the others rather than sewing by myself. However, sometimes, when I'm by myself, I'm much more productive!!! OK—make that ALL times! 

I had a small sample to finish, which I did, and you'll see it in a bit. Then, I had some projects to get the binding on. Last week at the dealer meeting, we discussed the condition of samples shown in a store during an event. Should they be completely finished or not? Should they be perfect? And how many samples does one person need? 

It was an interesting discussion - too many do not make up for the lack of quality. Not finished or too perfect is NOT a good thing. However, having some of them as works in progress is good so people can see the inside, but most should be finished. And the biggest downfall of credibility is quality. If the quality isn't high, the educator will lose a lot of credibility. I couldn't agree more. I've been to some events, and the quality of the samples was horrific. I don't care what they are selling, but I've tuned out if they can't produce some good samples!

So -- here is one of the samples I finished yesterday. It's a trivet that was sewn in the hoop with machine embroidery! It was trimmed, and it needed the binding. I quickly made the binding and was ready to sew it on when I remembered I needed BIAS binding for this one. Thankfully, I still had enough fabric, so bias strips were cut, and it got stitched on. It's super cute!!!! I have another that is NOT finished, but it's an excellent example of what it looks like when it comes out of the embroidery hoop! So finished is NOT always good, but there has to be a reason for it to not be finished. I LOVE this!!! 

Project in the hoop

Then I put binding on some placemats and made a demo using the 5/8" Quilt Binder, which I wasn't so comfortable with. However, after yesterday and the two tricks I was shown, it worked pretty slick. Now, I need to use it more to finesse my technique! Even my corners were pretty darn good. I'll share those another day. 

After the Monday Sewing call, I grabbed my suitcases and laid them in the hall to start filling them. I was worried that there wasn't room, but everything fit! I've likely missed a bunch of stuff, but I have enough to keep the groups entertained, so I'm not worried. 

Filling the suitcases

Then I was off to find my presentations, and I found everything I needed, but I have to admit that they are in a bit of disarray. I need to get those organized and delete the duplicates—which will be a challenge!!! 

All is ready - laundry was done, and clothes were packed. That happened last night, which is rare - I usually do that in the morning. I'm checked into business class, and with my status, I don't need to pay for the luggage (three suitcases) or worry about going over 50 pounds. I didn't even bother to check the weight. I will make that same status again for next year, and well --- it's kind of nice. I'll enjoy it while I can. 

Shoot—as I was moving files around, I found a picture I wanted to share, but I can't find where I saved it. I must have been tired. I also need to start going through my USBs and eliminating duplication. I am not looking forward to that task, but it must be done! 

Look at my little Princess. She was so skittish that she would NOT even walk into the office. I think she was trying to tell me that she doesn't like clutter! This closed room felt too confined to her, so she would never venture past the door. The same goes for DH's office. She would never go in. Then, she would gradually come a bit further. Now, she has no issues with coming in away from the door. But -- she will NOT go into the bathroom. That's a bit much and too tiny for her! Murphy? Total opposite! She would go anywhere!

MOM -- I need to be close to you! 

And yet Lexi likes her kennel as her safe space - until Murphy gets too boisterous and tries to push her head in! But Lexi is happy to sleep here - it's what she knew from the day she arrived. 

MOM -- I'm sleeping! 

Meanwhile, Murphy has to be on display so people can see her, and she can see them! 

MOM -- are we going somewhere? 

We went for a walk in the morning, but they are NOT going to get one today, and they don't know that yet, although they saw the suitcases in the hall! Poor things—everything will be somewhat back to normal in less than two weeks! Yeah, there are still two major trips in that crazy marathon of a schedule. Then, at least I'm home, so I can accomplish more. 

I still have writing to do and had zero time, so things are a bit behind, but I've got everything prepared and should be able to get back to that quickly. I need to move on!

At one point last night, when I was getting the corners on my project using the Quilt Binder, look who dropped in! She got aggressive with the foot licking—so much so that I couldn't concentrate!! I had to stop her for a bit. Then she laid her head on my foot pedal, and the machine was sewing all by itself!! Sigh.

MOM -- your feet are so tasty!!

Well, that's the crazy way things are at my house. I'll be in a different time zone for a week, so the blog might be late. I'll see what I can do to keep things on track!!! I need it for my sanity! I think I would explode if I didn't write!

 And WAIT ---- remember to keep decluttering. I get pictures from people cleaning out stuff they had from their jobs and even high school papers. Yep, we seem to be very good at keeping it all and not getting rid of it. So good luck with the decluttering—it's a lifelong thing! 

Have a super day!!!! Keep smiling!!!!

Ciao!!!!

UFO updates

Oh my --- I may have "wasted" some free time last week, and today will be a scramble to get all the stuff prepped for tomorrow morning! 

Yesterday was super productive, but I can't share anything yet with you. It was a good day, though, and I learned a ton. 

Let's chat about the UFO club. Despite the three-month hiatus since our last meeting, everyone stayed pretty productive, and lots and lots were accomplished. Few unhappy faces were handed out! 

I want to share this photo of one of the attendees' quilts with you. It was made by Linda. Can you guess whose pattern it is? 

A beautiful quilt by Linda 

Well, it's NOT a pattern—she made this from orphan blocks. It's her design, and I absolutely love this quilt. She very artistically assembled the quilt, adding those two blue lines as fillers, balancing the lights and darks, and using those red blocks as a focal point. 

Now, here's the thing I want to emphasize about Linda's quilt, and I need to take this advice to heart. If you stumble across a UFO and you feel obligated to finish it, PLEASE ask yourself why. If it was abandoned many years ago, with only one or two blocks done, there might be a good reason why you didn't finish it. 

This is what Linda did with this quilt. There are blocks in there from quilts that she started but wasn't happy with or didn't want to finish, so she grabbed her orphan blocks, sorted them into groups, and made this quilt from a grouping. 

I think we have more to learn from this exercise, than finishing a quilt that we may no longer like or have moved on from that style or whatever. 

I must take this lesson to heart because I know I have several quilts I've started, and I must ask myself if I really need or want to finish them. 

I have admired this quilt from the first time I saw the flimsy, and now it's a finished quilt. While I like and appreciate the colors and design, I admire where those blocks come from the most. Linda did a super job and should give herself a huge pat on the back for a job well done. 

So, now let's visit my UFO. You remember that I've been working on Cabin in the Woods for quite some time. I pulled this quilt out in January of this year, and it was a long way from being finished. Oops—I pulled it out in November of 2023. No wonder I'm tired of the darn thing!

Anyway, this is a picture of it when I started, and there is another top, but I couldn't find the image. Both were about this stage. 

The center of Cabin in the Woods

I set a goal of finishing both tops by yesterday. People have asked why there are two tops. Back in the day, I would have the block finished for the class and then another partially completed to show the steps. I learned very quickly that this is NOT a good idea. 

When I got back from my walking trip, I set aside time every day for three weeks to do the applique as that was all that was left. Sometimes it was easy, and sometimes it was a struggle to continue. But I set a specific goal for each day, and I could work on something else guilt-free when that was done. That was a HUGE mindset change for me, and it worked beautifully. I did NOT miss a day, even though there were days when I didn't feel like working on it. I would finish the applique after dinner which is usually a no-sew time for me. I was determined not to let MYSELF down. However, I had to get to work on other priorities, and some of the appliques were left. 

I finished it this weekend, and during the Virtual Retreat on Saturday night, I quietly sewed the last seams together. I'm sorry I made such a big ordeal out of it, but let's have a look. Here is quilt number one—all the applique is complete, and the borders are sewn to the quilt. 

Cabin in the Woods - the quilt top is done!

WAIT --- The second quilt is in the same state! All the applique is stitched in place, and it's sewn together. There are a few ripples in the bottom row because of the curved seams, which will quilt out!!!

Cabin in the Woods - Number Two

And just in case you think I used the same picture twice, here they are together!!! I know you trust me, but just in case!

Both quilts on the design wall

I used a buttonhole stitch with cotton thread for all the applique. It's a bit hard to tell, but the applique is gorgeous, and I got the edges for the most part. Like many of you, you have terrific functions on your sewing machines to do great applique. 

The button-hole applique

I use the needle up/down function ALL THE TIME. I also used my Tie-off and Stitch Restart functions, which I programmed into the foot pedal, so I just swung my foot left and right to get to where I wanted to go. I never use my scissors, so I can keep the bobbin thread long enough to pull to the top. Anyway, I'm thrilled that the quilt tops are done. 

Both quilts are still on the wall and not my priority today, and I'm almost afraid to take them off the wall. They have been my scenery for almost a year. I'll miss them!!!!

The backing and binding for ONE quilt are also ready, and in my wildest imagination, I thought I could have at least one quilted by yesterday. LOL. What a dreamer I am!!!!!

The backing and binding for one of the quilts

I've pulled out a "new" UFO, and I can't wait to get started on it. It's one of those that should be done in one month, and I'm going to work on some of those for a while. I need a change of scenery. It's a T-shirt quilt, and the T-shirts are mine from volunteering for the Sick-Kids Telethon. Here's the top—it needs a border, and then the backing has to be made. 

My T-shirt quilt

Here's one of my biggest downfalls. When I often pack a project away, I put tools, supplies, and books with the project. I found four books on T-shirt quilts in the bag. So if I had wanted those books, I would never have found them!!! I must rid myself of that habit!!!!

What I found in the project bag

Oh -- this picture is for Linda. In the background on the Zoom call, I could see she had hung up a Halloween quilt. I said it was too early, and she said NO, it was not. So I dug out a Halloween quilt and threw it on the bed. It's a bit warm to actually uses the quilt, but at least I can smile when I walk into the room. Or the quilt can put a smile on my face!!! This quilt has such a cool story - I should share it again at some point. It's from the same "workshop" from which Linda's quilt came. 

One of my Halloween quilts

This was the message in my tea in the morning. Oh boy, this speaks volumes. How many times are you in the presence of someone, and yet they are NOT there for you? Yep, they are on their phone. If we plan to spend time with someone, we should only pay attention to the phone if we are on call for our job. We have texting and voicemail for a reason. 

An important message

For the book lovers in the group, this is such a beautiful thing. We need to teach our children and grandchildren this: You can go anywhere by reading a book. 

Yep -- the world is at our fingertips

Speaking of reading, I'm reading a book about someone walking The Camino, and I'm struggling for many reasons. I'll share that story another day. 

It's pouring outside, and I'm off to spin class shortly. Hopefully by the time I finish editing the blog, the rain will have stopped! I do not have ombrophobia (fear of rain); I just didn't want to dig out an umbrella. 

Have a super day!!!!!

Ciao!!!!