The girls and the boy are NEEDY!!

I survived another day! Actually, it wasn't too bad once I got all the equipment set up for the second Zoom call. When the Zoom session is about software, the set-up is easy because everything is on the computer. But when it comes to showing the sewing machines, I need to do a bit more work. This is what it looked like last night behind the scenes. 

Behind the scenes on a Zoom call

I was too far away from my computer for my liking, so I need to rearrange that a bit. It gets tight with tripods and tables to hold things. And then, for the life of me, I couldn't get one camera to work. I tested it, so what's wrong? After the call, I realized that I had plugged it into my switch box and needed to use the box, NOT the computer, to switch it. Sigh!! I'm smarter than I know I am!

I have two more Zooms tonight, which will be better because I'll remember that camera. It drives me CRAZY when people hold things up to their cameras on the computer, and that's what I did last night. Sigh.............

I've been using Grammarly for quite some time to assist with spelling and grammar for everything I write. I was always bored with grammar in school, and I wish I had paid more attention. While Grammarly is NOT a learning tool, if you pay enough attention to it, you can improve, which is what has happened over the years. 

While the writing may not be perfect, it's better, and I must say that I read things in a different light. Some writing is terrible, especially from years in the past when writing styles were - well, different. 

For the most part, I like Grammarly, but it keeps changing its format, and sometimes, it makes things worse than they were, and their suggestions could be better! They now add this cute little message at the end of an editing session. The other day, it said I did a good job and could have a cookie!!

My "good job" message on Grammarly

I don't know what was going on at our house yesterday, but all the dogs were NEEDY!! I've never seen them so clingy in my life. I suspect Murphy is getting jealous or fed up with Bear and needs MORE attention. 

MOM -- PET ME and ONLY ME!!!

They each get their separate walk, and they want more! They all want to go first, which is impossible. They all want to be fed first, which is also impossible. None want to stay outside for a long time; they must be in the house with ME! DH is away this week, so that may have something to do with it. 

As I was in my meeting yesterday, Bear had to sit on my lap or make noise!! As I was on my final Zoom call, he stood behind me and started barking, so I had to sit with him on my lap during the call!! What a fluff ball!!

Curled up and quiet

And then, while I was at the table, reading over some sewing machine manuals, the three surrounded me like I was holding food for them. I wasn't even eating at this point, and they were there!

Help - surrounded by dogs!

And afterward, when they retired to the family room, they were still watching me. 

MOM -- we're watching you! 

They sure are funny! But I could do without such clingy dogs! It's not like they don't get attention during the day!!

Maybe they were worried because, at one point, when I was downstairs, Murphy "attacked" the back door again. That girl goes crazy when she sees a squirrel and knows she can't get out, but she thinks she can. She has a deep, throaty bark and did this multiple times while I was working downstairs. So I yelled at her. Yep --- a loud yell since I was downstairs and no one else was home. Perhaps I scared them all! 

Needless to say, Murphy did NOT bark for the remainder of the day! Murphy is like that, though -- so full of enthusiasm, and the only way to get through to her is to be LOUD and in her face. Otherwise, she just thinks you are talking to her!! Muprhy is so much better on our walks. Whenever we see someone on an e-scooter, I make her sit, and she watches, but she no longer tries to go for them. 

But from time to time, I make her sit down, and we have a chat on the walk! I bet in her head, all she hears is BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, Murphy, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!!!! 

I swear, as much as I try to keep this guy clean, it doesn't work. His legs are grey again, and that's after just a few days from his bath. Hey -- he walks in the forest daily, and keeping him white is impossible! And I have to keep the gunk out of his eyes. That's not a pleasant job, but we're trying!

GRANDMA doesn't do the same job as my MOM does!!!

But he is cute whether he is dirty or not! 

Are the mall people happy with this giant ball they built? I mean, it sure opens up the space and provides light, but what about maintenance? Who cleans that thing? Can you even clean that thing? I had an errand at the mall, and as I went up the escalator, I'm always fascinated by the escalator. 

The mall ball

I didn't get a chance to sew anything, but I managed to take those last two blocks apart that I had switched around. It didn't need to be done, but they will look better this way. My two presentations are this evening, and while I have to zip around and find some samples and prep a small demo or two, there is little to do. So that means I'll be getting a writing assignment done. 

For the life of me, I did a project a couple of weeks ago, and I can't remember why I did it. OH -- as soon as I wrote that, I remembered. I got my topics and sample supplies ready for a week of writing and will work on that this afternoon. I MUST get a few paperwork things done this morning. 

Did you see the GIANT Cutter yesterday? It'll be available in Canada starting April 1!!!!!!

On that note, I'm off to spin class!! 

Have a great day!!!

Ciao!!!

Delete, delete, delete

A lot happened yesterday, so it was a very productive day. I decided to putter around with the files on the computer, and there's one thing I do not understand. There's much I need help understanding, but this one is weird. 

I have a folder where I put RANDOM items that didn't have a home. I've been going through that folder, which has MANY items, and I think almost everything I looked at was deleted. I'm not even close to going through that folder. That tells me something! And I've found many DUPLICATES of the same photos. Sigh...............

But after all that deleting, the storage on my computer actually DECREASED! 

I found not one but TWO backups for Outlook - both of them would have been better than the one that Microsoft restored for me, but neither was the one that should have been restored. I'm not going there. 

A backup file

One was dated 2017, and the other was dated 2021. 

From years ago! 

Look at the size of BOTH -- one was almost 10 GB, and the other was 6 GB. I should have seen some kind of improvement, but I did not. 

10 GB file! 

6 GB file

So I went into the recycle bin, gasped as I glanced at the list of files, and prayed that as I hit delete, I was doing the right thing. 

Just say YES

I look at it this way -- if I haven't used something in a while, I probably do not need it, nor will I miss it. So I hit DELETE and then YES. 

A major delete! 

I deleted many files - some of which had been sitting there for a while. I might have to reboot my computer to see any changes. But when I returned to that listing, I had LESS space than before, which just doesn't make sense. I need to hire someone for ONE hour who knows this stuff so they can explain how the storage and memory work so I can get on top of it. 

But it was good to get that much done, and there's much more to deal with. So I am dealing not only with email but also with all the files on the computer. Yep -- what fun!!! But it was time to clean the stuff up, so I'm not complaining, and I find it quite relaxing! Except when I don't see a positive change. 

As for syncing -- yes, I use multiple devices - -two computers, an iPad, and my phone and they all sync to my email account. But they all use the same account, so there should be no problem with duplication other than OneDrive backing up to my big computer. 

The weather is pretty nice these days, although we had fog yesterday morning. But reasonably mild for this time of year, and no snow and no ice on the sidewalks, which I love! Our pond is one giant bird bath; many birds were hanging out yesterday. 

I watched this cardinal for a long time, and I swear he got closer and closer to the edge of the rock so he could admire himself in the reflection! 

The pond is a birdbath

And he flew close to the house to shelter in the bushes outside the back door. 

Mr. Cardinal

But how the heck does one keep the bird feeders from getting wet and then freezing? I have tried numerous designs, but none seem to work well. So, I'm looking for tips on bird feeders or a specific design that is squirrel-proof and stays dry. Or tips on keeping it clean? 

This was my lunch and dinner companion for the last two meals. 

The 2022 EXIT Game Advent Calendar

This is the EXIT Game Advent Calendar from 2022. I had to use the clues to solve the first puzzle back in December 2022. I moved to day two and was totally stumped, so I put it away. I remembered how to solve clue one, so I let DH do that. Then I opened up day two, and a whole year later, with a few Exit Games under my belt, I was still stumped. 

DH is quick to give up! Not me - I often say that we need to sleep on it. Well, we did, and that didn't help. Then I sat and stared at it for two meals. I had tried MANY different codes, and none of them worked. Thoughts went left and right, but nothing concrete came. And then POOF --- I had the answer. I tried it, and it worked, so I let DH figure it out last night. I coached him a wee bit. If the going gets tough, don't throw in the towel -- the answer is there - you just have to wait for it to come! 

Then we moved on to the next clue, which we solved after a bit of discussion, and then I had my Zoom call, so that was it for the day. 

I was trying something different and attempted to do almost everything LIVE. Yikes -- that meant having to find the actual items, the accessories and tools, the sample stitchouts, and the samples. Then, I had to figure out how to get two sewing machines, the computer, and all the bits into one place where I could easily reach them. 

Prepping for the presentation

It was a bit chaotic, and I dropped stuff a couple of times, but it was a good practice run for my Facebook Live in a couple of weeks. 

As I finished with stuff, I put it on the floor, which was a total disaster. I thought it went well, but I need to try a couple different things with the camera. My head doesn't work too well around the camera and moving my hands left and right, so I've got to work on that. 

The chaotic mess once I was done!

And as I finished up the customer quilt of the day, I put everything away!! I couldn't leave it out as I will need the space later today, and it was pretty bad. Plus, starting the day with a clear space is nicer than facing a mess the minute you walk in. 

Speaking of customer quilts, here's the one I finished yesterday. It's so cute!!!

I have the next one on the long arm - another GIANT. I see a few waves in the border, but hopefully, it'll quilt up OK. I understand it's challenging to measure and pin borders on a big quilt, but I bet I could remove about 3 inches of excess fabric from each long border! But I'll make it work. 

So what have the girls and the boy been up to? Lexi was up to her usual antics in the forest. There are squirrels in those trees, and she wants them!

Hey SQUIRREL! I can see you!

Bear is happy to be able to get up into the bed by the front window on his own! When I left to walk Murphy yesterday, I looked in the window from outside, and LEXI was in the dog bed. That NEVER happens. Did Bear tell her not to be afraid? Did Bear coax her up there? 

Grandma -- I LOVE it here! 

And this was the situation at dinner. OK -- so I encouraged Murphy to sit there, but can you believe she can curl herself into a ball and fit in that dog bed? Yep -- she does! Of course, the Princess is too good to sit in a dog bed!

The girls and the boy

I've got loads on my plate for today - the most significant task is to prep the two presentations for tomorrow. I've made good progress on both, so it shouldn't be too difficult. Plus I have an article to write and to drop something at the post office. 

On that note, I'd better get moving as the girls and the boy will want their walk soon. 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!!

What do I do with my free time?

Phew -- both of the Zoom classes went off like clockwork! I knew the applique class would be fine. I swear - they have been inundated with so much information about applique, and in the words of one student - "I never knew there was so much about applique!" And yesterday, we only touched on different stitches and machine functions to make the job easier - and that was just for fused applique. 

I've been doing this for 25 years, and I've made oodles of samples in my time, and I NEVER threw any of them out. Now, there are NOT tons - they are all nicely stored and sorted in a pizza box! But those samples have saved me tons of time, and I learned so much from making them. 

The Tequila Lime class also went well, but that topic is a bit more confusing. The class participants will have to think a bit about the information provided, although I see someone posted part of the homework on our Facebook group last night, so I know she got it! The class was advertised for those with EXISTING paper piecing experience, so I didn't have to show them how to paper piece, although I provided my tips. 

I have two more sessions this morning - the presentations are NOT quite finished, so I must get that organized right after the blog. The follow-up to those will be small, so I should be able to get that done early this afternoon. 

I didn't need a nap, but I had trouble sleeping, so I was up in the night and then back to bed. I HATE when I do that, but it's part of life. My problem is that if I go to bed with things "unfinished" in my head, my brain will focus on that, and I have no choice but to get up and do it. I should try putting it on paper and then go to bed? I must try because this isn't fun!

After the class, I spent the afternoon sewing. I was working on my Tequila Lime paper piecing and trying to finish it off. I still have 6 sections to finish (out of 16), but I was getting tired. My back was getting tired, so I threw in the towel. I'm also listening to an audiobook, and I have 2 days before it gets automatically returned, but I still have 3 hours and 40 minutes. I should be able to get half of that done today and half tomorrow. 

But when I decided to stop for the day, do you think I could find my phone? Nope! It was in Studio B somewhere because I was using it to listen to the audiobook. It wasn't in any of the usual places - not on the cutting table or the charger? Where is it? 

I finally decided to call it, and since it was on silent, I heard one little buzz, and that was it. Good grief! Then I remembered!

I had lent it against the sewing machine, and it literally blended right in! Good grief -- I won't do that again! You can't see the phone because I needed to take the picture! 

My phone was leaning against the sewing machine

I find paper piecing intense, so once those pieces are done, and I'll share them tomorrow, I can move to sewing and embroidery, and things will go faster! 

But that leaves the issue of what to do in the evening? I was tired of sewing, and the entire evening stretched ahead. I did some Suduko and read a bit, and I hate myself for this - I spent too much time on social media looking at pictures of golden retrievers. Do NOT tell Lexi about this. I promise to get myself organized to NOT do this again. It's such a time waster, and while I know we all need downtime, I have much better things I want to do in my downtime. 

I think Lexi is trying to send a message! Thank goodness for big, bushy tails!

MOM -- it's cold in the house! 

Murphy just amuses herself with watching! These are her social media channels. She's fascinated by everything in the backyard, and lately, the bird feeder is crazy with many birds. They are little pigs and eating my suet blocks like mad! 

Mom -- the Nature Channel is fascinating!

Or her favorite commercials or shows are on TV. Thankfully, she's not so much into the Christmas ones, she likes the commercials with dogs! And she recognizes the word TV because if you say it - she looks directly at the TV regardless of what is on! 

MOM -- busy watching TV!

But look what happened! DH was sitting on the sofa in the living room and left to make a call. He did NOT put the basket on the seat; someone decided it was hers! She is NOT supposed to jump up there - she has her own bed in the window, and she can jump up on the sofa in the family room, although she will not. The living furniture is HERS, or so she thinks. 

MOM -- Dad said I could sleep here

I spotted these weird-shaped stones in the construction area near the community center. Because of their shape, I'm guessing they are NOT natural, and I wonder how they will be used in the new space. Seating? Decorative? 

New stones for the new community space

I didn't take a picture of my jigsaw puzzle advent calendar, but at dinner last night, DH and I tackled Day 2 of the EXIT game advent calendar. We got the clues quickly enough, but nothing happened when we did what we were supposed to do. 

I checked with a friend, and the same thing happened to them. There were six possible solutions, so we went through them one by one and found the answer on one of the tries. Then, I did some investigating. I tried digging underneath to see what I could spot. NOTHING. 

A minor demolition in the Advent calendar

Then, I watched a video on YouTube of someone following along and doing the reveal. OK -- so he had the same issue. He took it apart (the one little "room"), and I saw what was supposed to happen and how it was to happen (very clever), but the little disk that we were supposed to see was not there. It appears that NO one got that little disk. Oh well --- I consider we solved it without any hints, but it would have been fun to see if we could make the little disk appear. 

Maybe it's in the box somewhere and somehow escaped from its slot? 

I see we have rain AGAIN today. But it was nice yesterday afternoon -- cloudy, but the rain stopped, and I got out for a nice long walk. Despite a few days when I didn't meet my daily goal, I'm still ahead of my new schedule! 

 neighbor

On that note, I'm out of here! I've got pictures to take!

Have a great day!!!

Ciao!!

Home Again

 Well, that was an interesting trip home. I traveled to the airport with two people from my group, and we had loads of time to have breakfast and get to the gate. The airport was pretty much deserted when we arrived; our flight was 7 AM. The plane left on time, although I was fast asleep before the plane left the gate. 

Yep -- I do NOT do well on sleepless or near-sleepless nights. I had an aisle seat which is unusual for me, and of course, I was in the row where people needed to go to the washroom. Poor them! But I did wake up twice, so they made it out!

And yes -- I was able to check my carry-on at the gate, leaving it at the door of the plane so I didn't have to worry about finding a spot for it when I got to my seat. But the fact that you can now board in Zone 2 takes away all that stress anyway! 

The luggage arrived pretty quickly, and then I was in an Uber on the way home. I had two Zooms in the morning and was able to make both of them - just! I know -- totally chaos, but that's OK. I am now realizing that my inbox for Outlook is having issues, and I'm getting a message that I need to delete some files, but it won't let me delete files. 

The inbox is stuck on last week, so there will be NO pictures this morning. 

Murphy was beyond herself when I arrived. Holy -- I was NOT away that long, but in her eyes, I was gone forever. 

Things were pretty quiet around here while I was gone, except our Princess Lexi decided to go on an adventure on her own. Two days ago, DH was in the house and heard a knock on the door. A man was standing there with the Princess on a leash. Yep - it appeared that the side gate was unlatched. At one point, the wind must have blown it open, and she decided to go for a walk. She would NEVER have pushed the gate open herself. The gate could have swung shut, and she was trapped, so she did what Huskies know best -- she jumped the second gate, and he found her in the forest. 

Of course, she's docile as ever for others to catch, and thankfully, her home address is on her dog tag. Someone called me while I was away, but I didn't answer it, and I think he may have tried to call. I think it's hilarious that she needs her address and a phone number, but it's come in handy on more than one occasion.  

I ended up having a wee nap (in the gazebo, of course), and then by 8 PM, I NEEDED to go to bed. However, I did something I hadn't done in years. I lay on the couch and watched TV. What? I was watching the end of the PGA Open and saw that incredible 72-foot putt by a Canadian. It really was a magical moment. He deserved to win after playing four playoff holes, and his opponent gave up two really good chances to win. 

I can't say that I did anything earth-shattering yesterday. I didn't even tidy anything up. Well, the Zooms didn't finish until almost 1 PM, and then a walk, a nap, and that pretty much filled up the day. 

Today is our Monday sewing, and then I have to get back to work. I'm at Groovy Threads in Trenton tomorrow and home the rest of the week, but loads to do, so it'll be heads-down for the rest of the week. 

OK -- so it appears that the hiccup on the email is now fixed. Sometimes that thing glitches and is very unreliable. Of course, it is -- it's technology and me! 

I don't have time to put the pictures in now, as I'm off to spin class, and I see that it's raining outside. No worries, we desperately need the rain. 

Murphy stuck to my side when I was on Zoom! Poor thing she was beside herself, and I'm happy to report that her head wound is healing nicely! WAIT -- here's one picture for you! 

MOM -- thank goodness you're home - I MISSED you! 

I'll be puttering today as I need to unpack the suitcases and repack for tomorrow. and then start prepping for when I'm in Winnipeg next week. So if you live near Winnipeg, check out the classes at Carellen's. 

Tomorrow at Groovy Threads, I'll be doing applique and garment sewing techniques, which are popular these days! If you are in the area  --- here's the info on the Applique class, and here's the information on the Garment sewing techniques. 

Well, I'm off to get to the gym -- that will be tough as I haven't been there in a couple of weeks. Ouch! 

Have a super day! 

Ciao!!!!

Quilt Show alert!

OH, GOSH  - There are quilt shows this weekend, and I haven't had time to think about them. But there's the Region of York show today and tomorrow!!!! Here's the link to their website. I don't know if I can sneak that in because of my classes, but maybe tomorrow? 

There's also a quilt show in Cornwall. The first day was yesterday, and it ends TODAY. 

I have three Zoom classes today and am happy to say that all three presentations are ready! Just made that deadline in the nick of time! The homework for one class still needs to be completed, but it's as done as it needs to be!

I had lots to prep yesterday and had an excellent Zoom session with a store about sergers, particularly the cover stitch! Yes --- this is fast becoming one of my favorite machines, and I'm tempted to go to my upcoming sewing retreat and ONLY take a serger. GASP!! We'll see how it goes -- I may take a sewing machine because, while many things can be done on a serger, not all that needs to be done can be. 

Yes --- in 16 days, I'm off to another quilt retreat. And this time, there is absolutely NOTHING work related scheduled during the retreat. I can go and sit and do absolutely nothing, prepare nothing - just veg out. While I'll be a busy bee, it's nice knowing there will be no work interruptions. 

We had our remedial Jen Kingwell last night (I had to prep for that, too), and I don't have time to chat about it this morning, but I'll share what's been happening! So much exciting stuff going on! 

OK -- raise your hand if you own (or owned) this book. It's The Vogue Sewing Book, and it was my bible for sewing when I was learning MANY years ago. There's so much valuable information in there. I mean - how many ways are there to sew on a button? And interfacing is interfacing! 

The Vogue Sewing Book

So -- I have a LOT of reading to catch up on, and I need to locate my sergers books. I have put some of them in a safe place for reading, and do I know where they are? Nope -- as a matter of fact, I bought a very good one last year, and I haven't had a chance to read it, and it went to a very safe place because I haven't seen it since the day I bought it! It's time to have a concerted effort to locate it. 

But the state of my house is - well, a lot of tidying needs to happen after those last couple of days. 

The kitchen table is a disaster

And those darn suitcases need to be unpacked AGAIN! 

The suitcases that need to be unpacked - AGAIN!

After the Zoom ended at 2 PM, I decided to go and sit in the gazebo. I usually walk first, but I thought it might be too hot. Within seconds, guess who was outside. The "good" dog, Lexi, was lying peacefully on the deck. Murphy, the "not-so-good" dog, immediately grabbed a ball and threw it in the pond. 

MOM -- that darn ball jumped in the pond

Then she sat and looked at or barked at me until I caved! 

MOM -- a little help here! 

But before I got up, I let her struggle a bit, so she could try to figure out how to get it out of the pond. She tested those logs repeatedly to see if she could step on them, and nope - that wouldn't work! 

MOM -- I need a longer nose! 

I might try putting a string on the ball to help her retrieve it? I doubt that will work because she would prefer I get out of my comfy chair and help her. Meanwhile, Lexi just sits and watches, and I can only imagine what is going through her head! 

I did get out of the chair and walked to the grocery store. I have ten days in which to finish my Virtual Challenge. Usually, I'm way ahead, but this time, it will be tight to make it happen. It WILL happen -- it'll just be tight. And with all the stuff going on in the last couple of weeks, some days it's been hard to get 14 KM in -- I can get 12 KM, but I'll make it up now that things have settled down. 

I have two Zoom tomorrow (and yes -- I haven't done my homework yet), so I'll do that later today, but I'm on track! This coming week will be cooler and quieter, so I can easily make up the distances. 

And I love this weather, but it ends tomorrow evening. Then we are back to normal, cooler temperatures. It doesn't matter -- life goes on despite the weather, but enjoying the hot days has been fun. 

On that note, I'm out of here -- the girls are anxiously waiting for their walk!

Have a great day!

Ciao!!!

This couch is MINE!

Phew -- for a minute, I thought there wouldn't be a blog this morning. I clicked NEW, and I got a blank page. Well, I always get a blank page, but a REALLY blank page, as in I didn't get the screen to enter the words! 

Severaltriesd later, and here I am!

What a whirlwind day yesterday was, and something "bad" happened. I only managed to get 9.5 KM in as I couldn't get out for that afternoon walk to tip me over the 12.5 KM. I had several errands to do, and I really wanted to get them done yesterday, so I did those instead of walking. However, I tried to park the car away from the entrance of all the locations so it would help make up some mileage, and it did. 

So it's OK to not walk as much, but I have an aggressive goal to meet, so we better not let that happen too often! 

I've figured out the coloring for my Barn Star Sampler (hopefully today, I will send out the confirmation email), which happened very strangely. I'll leave that story until tomorrow, when I can share the inspirational photos with you. I didn't have time yesterday to take them. OK -- let's face it. It wasn't until I was leaving the house for my errands that it hit me what colors I HAD to use. You'll see, and you'll get a laugh. Someone is sending me a message! If you want to sign up, send me an email. elainetheriault@gmail.com

Barn Star Sampler

Now I need to find a light (white) batik. That sounds like an oxymoron, but that's what I need. I did a quick Google search, and I'm in business, and the store is Canadian, although this is the first I've heard of it. I'll figure out the quantity later today and place the order so I can get started. 

I've already made a list (not super long) of things that must be done today! I had three presentations yesterday, and it takes time to get them prepped. However, the feedback that I'm getting from my presentations is AMAZING. I had one lady ask me if I took classes to teach adults, and she said I'm doing everything that makes the classes interesting. WOW --- I was impressed!

When you find your passion and your vocation, everything slips into place. I was meant to do this, and I love doing it. Is this work? Well, yes, it is -- quilting is much more than a hobby to me. But when you love what you do  - it feeds my soul, and that's why I'm so "busy." If I wasn't doing this, I'd be moping on the sofa (with Lexi) and not getting much of anything done! 

Speaking of Lexi on the sofa, this is what I found yesterday after my first Zoom call.

MOM -- Dad said I can sleep on the sofa whenever I want

After the walk, that sassy girl just made herself at home despite the fact there was a table on the sofa. I think she misses her Dad, and I didn't have the heart to move her. OK -- so I caved as well! No wonder she thinks she's entitled. 

We've discussed this before, but DH has two key fobs for his vehicle. The battery died in one and just recently went in the other. Well, give those to me -- I can change the battery. I think he was going to take them in to have that done or suffer with the key. Who uses a key to get in their car these days? 

Dead key fobs

I pried them open, and voila -- there's the battery. I don't have that number on hand, so it's off to the drugstore later today to get new ones. I might as well do both of the key fobs at this time. 

Changing the battery

I don't know what the dealership charges to change them, but I bet it isn't cheap. And all it takes is a screwdriver to open them up. 

I have a bag of fabric to take to Diane sitting at the door (more on that bag tomorrow), ao I HAVE to do walking errands today. I took the car yesterday because I had four places to go (all close to each other), and none of them were within reasonable walking distance. Cycling distance, but it was cool and very windy yesterday. As I sat in one building waiting for something, the wind was creaking around the glass walls, and I thought the building would come crashing down. 

I finished my last Zoom close to 9 PM, left everything, and went to bed.  

My Zoom area is a mess

It's a total disaster with products sitting around as I didn't put anything away -- I'll do that later today when I've gotten through a good part of my list, although I have another Zoom session starting tonight. This is a four-part one on quilting, so if anyone wants to sit in -- you can contact Sew Productive in Milton. It's related to the Husqvarna Viking brand of sewing machines. 

Apparently, I'm a good presenter! But it can be a challenge, especially at the beginning when they ooh and ah over you, and then you have to live up to those expectations. 

I'm not sure where I learned all this stuff, but many years ago, I was a sales rep for a computer company, and we went through numerous courses on selling and presenting, and we had to practice. And if I don't know my stuff, I look it up before, and if I don't know during the presentation, then I say so and look it up for next time. DH and I have had numerous conversations about this as he sees many presenters, and their quality is TERRIBLE. The number of "you know," "like," and "um" is bordering on sad, and I can only imagine how the people on the other end feel. 

If in doubt, tape yourself and watch it, however painful it is. You'll get over that soon enough. It's amazing to watch yourself and see how you are perceived. As I mentioned before, my biggest issue is touching my face. I'm trying very hard NOT to do that, but it's a habit, and I need to break it! Just talking about it makes me want to touch my face! 

And as the day drew to a close, what did I find when I came upstairs? 

MOM -- I did get off the couch and went outside once! 

Yep -- Lexi was back on the sofa! This is her spot; she used to sleep tentatively on the end, but now she snuggles right into those cushions. Oh well --- this is her sofa now, and DH shares it with her. Murphy would rather be tucked into her tiny bed in my office bed with me! Yep -- those dogs have their favorite people!

I don't know what it is about the weather forecasters these days. Two days ago, they were predicting snowmaggedon. 20 centimeters of snow or more, and it would be a disaster. Well, it's been downsized, and let's see what comes of it. I'm off to spin class and parking my car in the garage when I return. I don't need to use it until Monday! When hopefully, everything is cleared up!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

It's Zoom time!

 Oh gosh --- it's a good that I did some tidying up the previous day cause it looks awful this morning. 

I had two Zoom sessions yesterday, and while one was the same content (sergers) as I offered last year, it was in a different language from the previous time, so a few things had to be changed to accommodate that. The other event (applique) is brand new, and resulted in tearing the place apart, looking for specific pieces or examples of stitching. 

I've ripped the tubs of tops to be quilted apart to find one quilt. TWO tubs need to be labeled as to their contents, which is bad. So I must get that done because it'll save this from happening in the future. 

Looking for a quilt

However, on a positive note, I found this table runner. I was trying to find it for my presentation, but I thought it was quilted, so I wasn't technically looking for it in this spot. Nope -- it's only partially quilted. However, this is perfect for something I need to quilt for some pictures, so that was a good thing. The table runner is cute, and it's time it got completed! Can you believe I even found a label with it? This is one I can travel with, and I need it! 

My unfinished table runner

One of my events was to do with sergers; they were sitting on the floor as part of the stuff I brought home last week. So they got unpacked and put in place. 

The sergers in the "film" studio

OK --- I realized last night while setting up the sergers that I can use my three portable design walls to make a "studio" with blank walls. 

Yep --- you can see the bookcases behind in this shot. 

I love the "blank" wall look

These are the air-threading PFAFF sergers. My camera is on the left, and I thought I'd be brave and try a LIVE shot of threading them! I am daring, but I also know how trustworthy these sergers are. Did it work? You bet! On the first try. That's how beautiful these sergers are -- one shot of air. The one on the left (Admire 5000) is NOT computerized, but the one on the right (Admire Air 7000) is, and it's also a cover stitch. Since I'm becoming more familiar with sergers, that's my GO-TO serger. I WANT a cover stitch serger always!

I dug a few things out of the suitcase as well. At Verbeek Glass Studio, I purchased a few things from the gift shop. This is a cardinal, and I couldn't let it stay in the shop. They are so beautiful. It now sits on my kitchen windowsill. I don't like having a lot of stuff around, but this was too pretty to leave behind. 

A cardinal for the kitchen windowsill

I was supposed to have an event later today, but it had to be postponed, so that leaves me free the entire day. I'll be writing and quilting all day, and I have classes to prep for the weekend. It's still going to be a busy day, but I won't be running around taking pictures and making presentations. 

It was pretty easy to get back into the swing of things. Oh, and then I had a conference call on top of everything yesterday. That took longer than I had hoped, but all good information and some work came out of that one. But nothing I can't handle. 

I don't know about you, but I hope you get out in this glorious weather. Even the large snowbanks are disappearing quickly. The temperature is out of whack, and it didn't even go below freezing last night. So I'm outside walking without a hat, mitts, or scarf, and my jacket is wide open. Even then, when I got home, I was sweating, which was unusual! 

OH --- if you want to download the FREE issue of QUILTsocial, here's the link. I sure hope you all follow QUILTsocial. It's a free blog, and there is a lot of helpful information there, including techniques and projects. Carla has lined up some great talent for the blog posts, and they cover projects or techniques or whatever. From time to time, she will compile some of the articles into a digital download. I don't have anything in this issue, but that's OK because my stuff was dominant in one of the previous issues. It all works out, so be sure to check this out. 

And yes, it's Wednesday, and I'm off to spin class! Yeah! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

The joy of technology

I don't even know where to start with my "joys" of technology. My biggest question is, AM I ALONE? Certainly, I can't be the only one who has issues with cell phones working or not working? 

The story began months ago when my phone started cutting out, resulting in many visits to various places. The result is that I paid the insurance deductible (I NEVER buy insurance, but this time I did), and I got a phone replacement. 

Yesterday was the day to transfer all the data to the new phone. Yep -- you know where this is going. I should have been SMART, taken it to the Bell store, and had them do the transfer for me. How hard can this be? 

I downloaded my photos to my computer, backed up the rest of the stuff to the cloud, and switched over the SIM card. It should have been a straightforward process of restoring the backup, and off I would go. Nope -- the restore was challenging. 

Most apps now use a two-step authentication where you send a code to your phone. So when Google asked for the code, and I didn't have the phone set up -- what then? I won't go into the gory details, but it was an ugly day. I managed to get the restore to work, but I didn't get all my data back. Not that it mattered. Everything for Text came back, but not What's Up. Some of the apps were restored, but most were not. It was bizarre, and yep - I should have let the experts do that. 

So I spent the rest of the afternoon downloading and logging into apps as I needed things to be working. And then, of course, NOTHING was synced to the new phone or paired to the new phone. I was able to quickly restore Libby by syncing with my iPad. But then I had to pair my earbuds and FitBit with this phone. So it's a total pain to be sure, and well, I chatted on the phone from the BASEMENT for a half-hour call, and it worked beautifully. Let's hope this was all worth it. 

I got two more bindings done, but they were late last night, only because I needed some photos for today! This blog is total accountability!

This is the last of the Quilts of Valour quilts, so there are now 13 in the stack to be delivered. I'll make arrangements today. 

The last of the Quilts of Valour quilts

And one more of the Project Linus quilts is done! 

Project Linus quilt

The stack on the table is positively puny at this point! I hope to get a couple more done today, as my focus will be on something other than that darn phone. 

What's left to bind

I also spent a couple of hours on a Zoom call yesterday. I was a participant, so I just had to sit and listen. There were close to 300 on the call, and people need to learn Zoom etiquette. 

Lots of people like to announce their presence and where they are from. And this is OK, but not during the session. Those chat messages pop up on the screen and can be totally distracting to the instructor. And if you arrive late, you do NOT need to announce that. Yep -- one lady popped in twenty minutes after the start and announced in the chat, "I'm here -- so sorry I was late!"  All the attendees can also see those messages, and why do we care? 

Chat messages on Zoom

I took that picture to remind myself to chat about the messages, but she received hundreds of messages. 

And then you have those that DO NOT listen. I won't mention the session or the instructor, but I was NOT impressed. Yes -- she knew her stuff -- I'll give her credit, but she seemed disorganized, and I thought the topic was WAY beyond some of the people attending. However, in her credit, this was not technically a class, and it was not targeted to any one skill level. But if it was a demonstration of how she teaches, I didn't like it. 

Let's face it, it was a selling tool to sign up for her classes, costing $250 a year per student! 

OK -- back to the listening thing. She provided a handout to the students, sent one hour before the class started. A handout? I didn't know we had work to do before the class. Then I realized that we would be following along with her. Oh, when she started, she said we would get an edited version of her presentation that we could use with the handout to repeat the lesson. That handout should have been sent AFTER the class; there was ZERO need to put everyone in a panic. Because I don't know how many people then said in the chat -- "I didn't get the handout." 

But of course, someone asked the question (even AFTER the instructor very explicitly said -- "DO NOT follow along"), are we supposed to be following. You would think by now that people would understand the concept of most Zoom classes -- they are NOT hands-on. 

And how the students think they will keep up with the teacher when she goes about the class as if we weren't there. She didn't repeat the steps as you would in a hands-on. OK --- I know I'm being picky but serious people --- this is NOT a hands-on class, and can you please listen!

And several times, she had to mute people because they unmuted themselves. They weren't asking a question; they were yakking in the background with someone at their house. You know that is super distracting to the teacher. She didn't acknowledge any of the comments or the muting, and I realize now -- because she'll clean up that video and send us a link. If she had made comments, that would have required much more editing. 

The bottom line is that this person is knowledgeable, but I do not need to pay her $250 a year to learn what she knows. I don't like her style, I HATE her voice, and I'll make out just fine on my own! However, in all fairness, I learned one thing, which made it worth my while! Wait -- I learned two things. 

Yesterday was a 14+ KM walking day, and I'm off to spin class, where I'll add another 30 KM to my total for the year. As of this morning, I'm down to 79.7 KM, so I'm going to make my goal, but I'll still have to walk at least 12 KM a day for the next four days. The weather is warming up, so it's going to be perfect! 

Well, I see it's time to get myself moving. 

Have a super day!

Ciao!!!