Weekly Roundup

 

This week has been one of getting little things completed by putzing around the house, taking my time and working a bit here and there to make life a tiny bit simpler and a tiny bit more organized.

I filled some baking containers with the items I bought to restock those. 

Used leftovers to make lovely meals that fed us a couple of suppers and even a couple of lunches. 

Cleaned the stove and oven, did some decluttering, rummaged through my fabric drawers to see what else I could find to use up in clothing making. 

Cut out three patterns to sew next month.

After rummaging through my fabric drawers I found a few more larger sized pieces to make a couple more items and will get those cut out tomorrow. 

Lots of leftover bits and bobs, but I believe the one on top may be enough to make a small jacket with. We shall see once I find that pattern. 

The rest are really too small unless pinned together in a patchwork design, and I found lots more like that which I will probably cut into squares and or strips. Hmmm, perhaps some yarn will be fashioned from these remnants. 

I finished the size 8-10 mittens.

Filled the cookie jar with Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies.

Filled my yarn basket with more yarn, mostly orphan balls and a few that a good friend gave me when she moved away.

There should be enough there to make lots more mittens to send back with Kurt. I believe I now have 80 pair made and I am hoping to reach at least 120 pairs by the time they are needed. I think my next task will be knitting some toques for them as well. Should have enough mittens now to last a good long while. 

Projects are slowly getting completed, though only one scarf will be woven this month, with the second one carried over until next month. I may manage to get the loom warped for it though. 

Thinking through what needs to be used up and planning some meals in my head for next month (though I will have to get those down on paper very soon). I will know more once I get my chest freezer organized and the inventory completed on it. I think there could be many items I have forgotten about hiding in its depths. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Sunday Ramblings

 Slowly but surely Harvey and I are getting the old homestead ready for the winter. There are still a few things to do as I got a bit carried away working on those last projects for the month and just getting the tasks done for today, leading into next week. 

I am actually quite happy with what I have accomplished on those projects today and foresee a finish to at least one of them before too long. 

I have been reading some of the family Facebook posts and I laugh at how hypocritical some of those who live in Alberta are. Let's put it this way. Many of them thought D. Smith was the best of all provincial Premiers. Talked about how great she is and were all gung-ho over how wonderful the things she was doing were. Fast forward to now and since one of them is a teacher (her entire family was Smith supporters) and things have changed. Our niece and her family can't stand the Premier now and it is mainly because L is a teacher and they are being legislated back to work come Monday. I just wonder how long this about face will last with this section of the family. We shall see. 

My hallway is almost completely cleared now just from picking things up and putting them in their proper places. The craft pile beside my chair is dwindling, and the sewing/craft room is clearing up nicely. A bit here and there makes a difference and surprisingly enough makes me very happy and contented. 

Yesterday I did the filing of recipes, and patterns and cleared out a great deal of paperwork that was very old. I also got rid of some very old appliance manuals. My desk area is almost as clean as I would like, just a bit more needs doing and that will also be completed this week. There are a few item to be gone through under the desk and put in their proper places as well. 

Enough of my rambling.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

 

Shhhh

I don't want to jynx myself but I seem to be actually getting things completed this month. Shocking, I know, but I am pretty sure it is because I did not list quite as many projects as I usually do.

There are only two items left on my project list and those could hopefully be completed over the next week. This would be the first time in I cannot remember how long that this could happen. I may just have to limit projects for awhile and if I actually finish one add another to the list. Kind of did that this time with the dishcloths.

I am also very happy at how tidy things are becoming here with just an "Oh that does not belong here, let's put it where it does." attitude is going. When I head out of a room I glance around and if there is something out of place I grab it and take it to the room it belongs in. Then while in that room I see if there is anything I can put away or move to where it belongs. Some items automatically end up in the donation bag, or in the case of papers the recycle bin. 

Really the only slightly untidy area in the main part of the house is the area beside my chair as that is where all my project bits and bobs reside. As I finish them what is left over is taken and put away so gradually the pile disappears. I have even gotten to the point when I enter the sewing/craft room with the leftovers from said projects I put them away immediately. 

The sewing/craft room is coming along. As things are used up and items put away I can actually walk around the room. No more little piles all over the place, and as things are used up there will be even more room to move around. 

I am still trying to devise a way to have more counter space as that is very limited in my kitchen. Makes cooking difficult at times, but does make me clean up after baking or cooking so as to have some room for the next batch of whatever I make. I really miss all the counter space I had in the mobile home we first lived in. 

I am trying to hit more no spend days this month and next month to make up for the rather spendy September and August. I do not spend more on the days I do spend. Spend days are groceries, allowance day, gas/fuel, and bill paying and I really try not to overspend on those days. I found out they are raising the cost of banking (not too sure as of yet how it will affect us) so I have talked to Harvey about instead of using the debit card so often, he should use his credit card as that is only one payment out of the account. I really don't think it will sink in until he actually sees how much it's usage is costing us. 

Life is getting much more expensive for everyone.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Sunday Ramblings

 Trying something new here, and I do hope it works out.

I am really worried about getting everything completed before we leave, but have decided that I can only do what I can do. If things are not completed, well they will have to wait until we get back. Still I will definitely keep plugging away at what I feel is necessary to be done.

When I quilt, cut fabric, or sew bigger items I pull out a folding table, move my sewing machine and work in the living room. A couple of days ago I moved all that out for a bit. Well at least until we get home.... I mentioned that to Harvey, and he was quite concerned that perhaps it was too much work for me. Hmmm, this from a man who always told me to tidy my piles up when I was crafting, or to move my piles of books out of the living room. When I mentioned that to him he told me he has mellowed and whatever makes me happy in "your house" is fine with him.  I almost felt his forehead to see if he was running a fever. What a relief to know that my "piles" don't bother him any longer. He also went on to say that he knows I would tidy things up eventually so why sweat the small stuff. Got to love someone who realizes that hobbies can take up a great deal of room and is content to let me create where I happen to be.

I have a feeling that I will no longer be helping with the Bible Study at the church. Seems everyone else got an email saying that someone else will be taking over. I will wait and see what happens.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

And Winter Will Arrive

 I don't want to admit this, but winter is supposed to arrive sometime this evening or overnight. We won't be getting as much snow as some areas of Saskatchewan, and hopefully it won't stick around for long, giving us a few more days or weeks of cold but not white days.

My back still feels a bit funny, but is getting a bit better as this day has progressed. I am thinking that I will message the other leaders and tell them I won't be there tomorrow. I would like to give it one more day of not sitting for extended periods of time. At least at home I can get up and walk for a bit when the aching begins.

I did manage to do a bit of cleaning in the basement to help Harvey clean out one section. This is the section where my totes of yarn are stored.... I did manage to empty one tote and now I am down to 7 totes instead of 8. This storage does not include some plastic storage drawers up in my sewing/craft room, that also are full of yarn. I think I might have turned into my mother as she had bags and bags of yarn, which of course as the only knitter in the family I inherited. I always say no more yarn purchases, but this time I really think I need to stick to that. But on the good side, at least one tote was emptied.

Still using things up and enjoying the empty places in the fridge and freezers. I was going to make turkey veg soup tonight, but ended up using up more of the leftover roast beef making Beef Veg soup. I have three containers cooling on the counter and will be putting them in the freezer soon. Plan on making the Turkey soup tomorrow and using up the turkey legs as well as stock. More ready meals in the freezer. And if the weather is miserable I can at least enjoy the smell of homemade soup.

Well off to do some more knitting. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.