Thursday, November 21, 2013

Spent most of yesterday..........I

Part of Westfield State University - which is located not overly far from me

Yesterday I decided to work on my long neglected (and boy are they!) studies!

Picked up my math book and worked on that - NO PROBLEM! (actually this is the one that made me decide to Get Moving! - I have a new text that is On Its Way!  Next level higher!

My Creative Writing was doing fine (hmmm - Wendy is SUPPOSED to have sent me an URL for a writer's group online!  Hasn't yet so far! Hope there is no problem!)  and I was actually a bit ahead of where I had planned!  Today I start on a new assignement!  And this book is also on my gotta get moving because a new text is coming list!

Religion - yup - I'm behind!  WAY behind! It's an easy peasy course - just that I need to create these little booklet thingies!  (lapbooks) - and I have this mental block about it!  Probably the same one I have re quilting too!  Well, am working on that today and should finish THAT little job!  I think I need to figure out how to circumvent the "gotta be absolutely right" bottleneck and just go for the gold and GET 'ER DONE!  After all, that's my goal (well, that and actually learning what I'm studying!)

Science - OH MY!  So far way behind that I've almost lost sight of the potato wagon I fell off of!  However, I DID get moving - worked on the college level Coloring book! Not sure that I remember anything - but I did work on it and get my task done!  Am reviewing over this too - lots to remember!

It's the High school text I am running into problems with - and, of course, the content is very needful! It isn't difficult by any means - and should be interesting!  After all I do science experiments, research - and the activity is quite varied and very hands on - which may or may not be the problem!  And, of course, I am saving all I work on in the form of a lapbook which I am NOT uptight about working on (go figure!)

Maybe it's because I truly did NOT like High school - and this IS a high school level text!  which is silly on my part!  Need to think about this because I truly do need to get past whatever it is that is slowing me down to a standstill and then work like mad and GET 'ER Done!

the Earth course  - I'm still working on - slowly but it's going!  And the lapbook for the Earth (PreCambrian) is coming along!  Slowly!

Yoga - ummm - let's just say that it NEEDS to happen - so maybe I just need to SCHEDULE when I am going to do it - and then just DO YOGA!  Yup!  Sounds like a plan to me!

Russian - having some problems here!  OK - I am working on the new lessons - BUT I've forgotten some of the things I worked on last Spring (especially numbers, grammar - all the "good" stuff!) - so I'm also reviewing over and over what I've learned AS WELL as continuing ahead - approx. 1 lesson a week!  Geesh!  I remember WHILE I am reviewing, etc.  But is there something that says my brain cells have to atrophy after a certain age?   Because I sure as heck am having a problem retaining all the "good" stuff - that is, the hard parts!  Oh well - again - I need to just review AND proceed ahead and do it at a certain time DAILY! (probably right after - or almost after - I do my yoga that I haven't been doing!)

And, of course, I've been VERY CAREFULLY ignoring the part where I am supposed to be QUILTING!!!!!  That is the FINAL quilting - the part right before the BINDING!

And I've got swaps to do too!

Geesh!  Of course the quilting part - and the swaps - have to do with the "gotta be perfect" bottleneck - and mine sure isn't!  I need to remember this is SUPPOSED to be fun!  And most of all - to remember - that DONE is DONE and NO ONE can see the mistakes or crooked stitching as you go driving by at 60 miles per hour!

Yup - that's what I need to remember, all right!

Let's just say - I'll work on  it!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Whew! Have been working on.............

Back to Square One - am seriously SERIOUSLY behind!  In part due to my frustration with doing square in a square WITHOUT chopping points or coming up with wierdly shaped blocks!

So - I finally chopped some points, some I didn't - sewed it together - and will probably take it apart again some day in the far distant future (or NOT take it apart!  after all - done IS done!).


Step 5 - ALMOST completely done!
Picture is NOT accurate since the red is really a red -brown floral but it "glows in the dark" here!
And, no, we will NOT count all the chopped points!
LOL - I think I also need to remember to NOT take pictures against my blue and white bedsheets!  Maybe against plain WHITE bedsheets, though!

HAD thought I might have completed the chanukkah tablecloth and napkins by now.  Also thought I might have done the same with the 2 Christmas type fabrics I found and want to give away.

All of which brings up an interesting point....  and it isn't just limited to quilting.  It has to do with planning more than is humanely possible for 3 - 5 people in a very limited time span (one week in this case).  And I will persistently do it!

BETTER would be to plan just 1 - 2 things - maybe small things - and make sure I do those - then plan 1 - 2 OTHER things and work on those.

However - I seem to have a REALLY bad case of "want it all and want it all NOW!" - whether the house being done, quilting, my studies (which as you can guess - are definitely suffering - and I just got done ordering the next level up on some of my books!) (Oh yeah - son wants me to enroll in college for a course or two.  Hahahahaaaa!!!! WHEN?????  I AM in a learning program - albeit a VERY relaxed program!  I still hope to teach this year - IF this cough would go away!  and I am having problems scheduling in the stuff I NEED to do - like cleaning!  Oy vey! or remembering to make bread!

Well, maybe the answer is - choose just the one or two things and work on those - and as for the rest - just muddle along like the rest of humanity and hope that's good enough!

Monday, November 18, 2013

Design Wall for Week 46 - 11-18-13

Baby quilt - Yellow Brick Road
Machine quilting - Free motion quilting
Tues eve project (need to get it ready tonight!)

Back to Square One - Step 4 is FINALLY done!
Step 5 is ready for the outside corners to be added - and then both joined together!
Want to get Steps 5, 6 DONE then add in steps 7, 8, 9 if possible this week

Halloween wall hanging - the grinning big pumpkins as center
and then smaller "pumpkin-y" ones on the outsides!
The book gives some other ideas - 4" paperpiecing blocks!
Should be worked on Thurs

Improv placemat - this one has to be finished (hand applique and embroidery)
I want to work on the second one this week (different placemat and different design for applique)
To be worked on tonight while I listen to audio books and after I do a slice and dice session!

QOV - would like to get this done and on its way! - on wait and see if I have time list!

ALSO I have an additional border to add to another QOV - and then to check and see if there are quilters for the QOV quilts - otherwise they go in line to be quilted here! - probably Wednesday

Santa blocks - need 6 for swap - may do a lot more! - either today or Wednesday

Thanksgiving table runner - my channukkah (chanukkahgiving?) gift to Nathan and Lynn -
should also finish this one today - except final quilting (tomorrow?)

ALSO have last year's turkey hexies to find and finish up - first I have to FIND it!

Chanukkah tablecloth with 2 sets of napkins - want to get this one done today!

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Goals for WB 11-17-13

Westfield Atheneum (public library) across from the downtown "square" park!
Children's library is around the corner!
GO AND DO
  • DONE Post Office
  • DONE DONE  Library (books and DVDs return)
  • DONE Menues
  • DONE Walmart
  • DONE DONE Grocery store
  • DONE Vet for Widget - monitor insulin level
  • DONE Landlord meeting
  • DONE Pineapple quilt block workshop
HOUSE - 
    • ZONE 1
      • Front porch 
        • DONE WHB
      • Entrance
        • DONE WHB
      • Side Porch
        • Declutter - super fling
        • DONE WHB
      • Back Stairs
        • DONE WHB
    • ZONE 2 - 
      • Kitchen
        • DONE WHB
      • Dining Area
        • DONE WHB on Thurs
    • ZONE 3 
      • Bath
        • Zone - 
          • DONE WHB
      • Laundry Room
        • DONE WHB
      • Sewing Room
        • DONE WHB
      • Study
        • DONE  Declutter 5 minute room rescue
        • DONE  Home office area - 5 minute room rescue
        • DONE Super fling
    • ZONE 4 
      • BR - 
        • Zone
          • DONE Put away things not belonging in bedroom
          • DONE Clothes pile
          • DONE Straighten closet
          • DONE Nightstand - declutter and clean
          • DONE Declutter dresser top (plus one drawer as well, if possible)
        • DONE WHB
        • DONE change
    • ZONE 5 
      • LR - 
        • DONE WHB 
    GARDEN
    STUDIES - 
    • RELIGION
      • Rosh Hodesh
        • DONE DONE   Lapbook 
        • DONE Plan next section (2 days) - Chanukkah
    • SCIENCE
      • WOP (World of plants)
      • CB (Coloring book - college level)
        • DONE  CB 6 
        • DONE CB 7
    • THE EARTH
      • Thread of Life (TOL)
        • DONE DONE (LOE)  DONE (EH)  DONE Work on mini booklets and catch up
    • MATH
      • DONE 67
      • DONE 68
      • DONE  69
      • DONE 70
    • LIFE SKILLS
      • Tasks
        • DONE Zone 4
        • DONE Menues
        • DONE WHB
      •  OY 
        • DONE Ch 41, 193-196
        • DONE  Ch 9, 37-44
        • DONE Ch 24, 101-104
      • EFS
    • YOGA
      • DONE Week 1
    • CREATIVE WRITING 
      • DONE 11-2
      • DONE 11-3
      • DONE  11-4
      • DONE 12-1
      • DONE 12-2
    • RUSSIAN
      • Lesson 18
        • DONE M
        • DONE  T
        • DONE W
        • DONE R
      KITCHEN
      • DONE MAKE MENUES for the week (do Monday)
      QUILT
      • DONE STASH REPORT (do Sunday)
      • DONE DESIGN WALL (do Monday)
      • SLICE AND DICE DAY (Monday) - need 1.5" and 2.5" squares for Bow-dacious!
        • DONE Pinks (some)
        • DONE Oranges
      • PIECE 
        • Working on it! Improv - applique
        • Working on it! Bow-da-cious - LE
        • DONE Back to Square One - Step 4 
        • DONE Back to Square One - steps 5 (nearly done
        • Worked on this for a bit Runnermania - Thanksgiving table runner - class

      Menu for WB 11-17-13


      SUNDAY
      B:Apple fritters
      L:PBJ,on whole wheat bread (fresh made)
      D:leftover chicken pot pie with veggies

      MONDAY
      B:Toasted Bagel, scrambled eggs
      L:Green bean soup (beef base), homemade crackers
      D:Bulghur Pilaf with mushrooms

      TUESDAY
      B:Kasha
      L:Egg salad sandwiches
      D:Crock beef sandwiches, cole slaw, carrots

      WEDNESDAY
      B:cottage cheese and peanut butter toast
      L:Cheese/olive or cheese/onion sandwiches (made with cream cheese) on boston brown bread (homemade)
      D:leftovers,

      THURSDAY
      B:toasted oatmeal with raisins, apples
      L:lo casserole
      D:Red beans and rice, salad

      FRIDAY
      B:Waffles and maple syrup
      L:lo lunches
      D:Asian Orange Salmon, challah, baked potatoes, greens,carrots

      SATURDAY
      B:coffeecake
      L:Chicken and Rice Chowder, salad, challah
      D:Baked Rigatoni (meatless), salad (spinach?).

      SUNDAY
      B:Omelet with mushrooms, cheese
      L:Hot dogs (turkey)
      D:Stuffed quesadillas

      Stash report for Week 46 - 11-17-13

      Westfield park "square"
      This was renovated just last year.
      And yes, I'm STILL mad about all the trees that were removed.
      However I DO like the square now - and all the flowers and so on.
      Summer concerts are held here - just across from the public library.

      ............................................................................................
      11-17-13 -Week 46 - FQ in!  FQ out! I had the last FQ to turn in for a swap - and of course, didn't have anything that I felt would work!  So I purchased a FQ - and sent that!  Not even changing anything!
      Used This Week: 0 yard
      Used This Month: 0 yard for November
      Used Year to Date: 23.513 yds.

      Added This Week: 0 yards
      Added This Month: 2.75 yards for November
      Added Year to Date: 38.34yards   

      Net Used for 2013: -14 .827 yards 

      Tuesday, November 12, 2013

      Colors for the Mystery!


      Someone commented how lucky I was that I had the colors for the mystery!  Actually one of the things I am trying to do is to NOT spend $$$ on more stash! and to use up what I've got!

      The one color I didn't think I had enough of was orange.  And that would be very true - I DEFINITELY don't have enough orange!

      BUT then I saw the colors are orange or RUST!  Rust I have!  Yeehaw!  home free!

      And then greens - ummm - I can't say my greens are automatically color swatch whatever - but they ARE green - and they are the cheerier side of the green spectrum!  My muted shades I put away!

      Yellows, strangely enough - and it IS strange, trust me on this! - these I have as well!  And definitely I have blues - navy is a bit tricky since I've made 2 quilts featuring a LOT of navy - so I'm down ALMOST to the nubbins on this - but I'm still ok.

      Whites - yes - I have enough - and even for WOW - barely - but enough!   (I need to remind myself - the NEXT purchase needs to include some orange and definitely white!)

      All this from FQ!  Yup!  While I had hoped to delve into my yardage - that didn't happen (excepting the blues and brown or rusts!)

      Monday, November 11, 2013

      Design Wall for Week 45 - 11-11-13

      Mystery Block of month - catching up - I want to be DONE by Dec!
      Catch up - hopefully 1 step a day! - or 2 days!

      Improv placemat - applique - work on it a bit a day! one placemat a week!

      Wendy's QOV - I need to put it together and put on borders.l  This week - see where it is - and put it together - by Mon eve?

      Bowdacious - I need to work on the connecting blocks
       - probably LE style!

      Eons old sampler - MAY have this finished by Monday!

      Holy Toledo - MIGHT have this finished by Tuesday!

      And then there's the Runnermania - the table runner I'm doing for Thanksgiving!

      Sunday, November 10, 2013

      Widget and day 2

      Our newly (last year) renovated park.
       This is where there are Concerts on the green and speeches, craft fairs and so on.
      It's quite pretty - especially in the summer with the fountain going and all.
       (But I miss the old park anyway!)
      Day 2 of giving insulin shots to my Widget kitty.  That part isn't hard!  What IS hard is NOT having open choice feeding like usual.  Widget has to be on special foods now and while his diet wouldn't hurt the other kitties - his diet kitty food is a LOT more expensive than theirs!

      so - now I allow all kitties 30 + minutes to eat - then pick up all dishes and put them away!  Not a big problem in daytime.  BUT starting at 4 AM - ALL the kitties want to eat!  And I am NOT getting up for them at that time!  Plus Widget is supposed to be on as close to a 12 hour twice a day schedule.  So - that means 8 and 8 for him -and you had best believe, it is now the same for ALL of them!

      So far, my Widgers has been shoved off my bed for patting me in the face - MANY times, despite my saying No in increasing tones of firmness!  Finally I shoved ALL the kitties out my door and went back to bed!

      then I overslept by an hour!

      At any rate all kitties have been fed, medicated (except for Chai who needs her asthma medicine!) and here it is only 831 PM!  Wow!  Whatever shall I do!

      Menues for WB 11-10-13

      MONDAY
      B: Bulghur wheat
      L: lentils - sweet sour lentils, tossed salad, fruit
      D: Sweet sour lentils, vegetable plate, baked apples

      TUESDAY
      B:Couscous, brown sugar and butter
      L: Egg salad sandwich, juice
      D: Eggplant parmesan, raisin apple salad

      WEDNESDAY
      B: Omelet with a little jalapeno pepper, cheddar, onion, mushroom
      L: Cheese sandwich - grilled
      D: Penne with gorgonzola sauce, tossed salad, apples and raisins

      THURSDAY

      B Bulghur wheat
      L lo casserole
      Chicken stir-fry (provided today I remember to get the cabbagey greens and broccoli from the garden BEFORE dark!), apples

      FRIDAY
      B: Apple fritters
      L: leftovers from lunch menues
      D: Grilled salmon, Potato kugel, carrot apple tzimmes, sweet potato pie, challah

      SATURDAY
      B: coffeecake
      L: Chicken pot pie, applesauce cake, challah
      D: Beef mushroom-barley soup, challah

      SUNDAY
      B Brunch casserole, fruit or juice
      L Balogne rollups, fruit
      D leftovers

      MONDAY
      B Kasha and yogurt
      L Corn chowder, grilled cheese sandwiches
      D Cheese Knishes - unsweetened filling, carrot-cabbage-apple-raisin slaw

      salmon bisque, piroshki with cheese filling

      Spinach cheese pie, sweet potatoes, fruit

      Stash Report for Week 45 - 11-10-13

      At Westfield State College!
      I love the colors - red, brown, light and dark green, gold, blue
      definitely fall!  And very Scrappy!  : D



      11-10-13 -Week 45 - Nothing in!  Nothing out!  And boy was it hard!  would LIKE some reds - and whites - BADLY!!!!!  DO have enough for the Bonnie Hunter Celtic Solstice mystery though!  DID finish 2 swaps this week - but some comes back in as goes out - so I'm not even counting that!  It's just a trade-around!  DID get my Scrappy Happy Houses - but it's also just a trade-around - this is the part that comes back to me!

      Used This Week: 0 yard
      Used This Month: 0 yard for November
      Used Year to Date: 23.513 yds.


      Added This Week: 0 yards
      Added This Month: 2.75 yards for November
      Added Year to Date: 38.34yards   

      Net Used for 2013: -14 .827 yards 


      Goals for WB 11-10-13 - WB Sunday

      I'm not sure you can tell - this is a clock tower in the meridian (is that the right word?)  I'm not sure whether this is an old one re-positioned from a demolished building when they were building the other bridge - or whether it is a new one set there to look nice!  Regardless - I like it!  (Again, picture taken from my car with a hopefully aim and click of the camera - as I drove past - slowly - and with traffic car horns going behind me going full blast!)
      GO AND DO
      • DONE Post Office
      • DONE Library (books and DVDs return)
      • DONE Menues
      • DONE Veterans day - day off!
      • DONE - we went out for dinner! Nathan's birthday on the 16th!
      • DONE Walmart
      • DONE Grocery store
      HOUSE - 
        • ZONE 1
          • Front porch 
            • DONE WHB
          • Entrance
            • DONE WHB
          • Side Porch
            • Declutter - super fling
            • WHB
          • Back Stairs
            • DONE WHB
        • ZONE 2 - 
          • Kitchen
            • Zone 
              • DONE Pantry straighten up
              • DONE Broom and mop sweep up!
          • nope - had new - then old DW sitting in the middle of it!  hopefully will EVENTUALLY get N. to move that OUTSIDE! Dining Area
            • WHB on Thurs
        • ZONE 3 
          • Bath
            • Zone - 
              • DONE Fingerprint patrol
              • DONE Bathroom vanity 
              • DONE Inventory list
              • DONE Baseboards and floor
              • DONE WHB
          • Laundry Room
            • DONE 5 minute rescue - room patrol
            • DONE WHB
          • Sewing Room
            • DONE 5 minutes room rescue
            • DONE WHB
          • Study
            • DONE Declutter 5 minute room rescue
            • Home office area - 5 minute room rescue
            • Super fling
        • ZONE 4 
          • BR -
            •  DONE WHB
        • ZONE 5 
          • LR -  
            •  DONE WHB 
        GARDEN
        STUDIES - nope - didn't happen!  would LIKE to say it was because of this stupid cold (I HATE colds!) which is still hanging in there! - but the reality is - uh, I didn't wanna!
          KITCHEN
          • DEHYDRATE
            • some cut for stir fry collards/ cole greens
          • SOUPS (serving kept out for Monday - freeze the rest - portions)
          • DONE MAKE MENUES for the week (do Monday)
          QUILT
          • DONE STASH REPORT (do Sunday)
          • DONE but scheduled to post on Monday! DESIGN WALL (do Monday)
          • PIECE 
            • all pieces cut for #1 placemat - and ready for applique Improv - applique
            • Step 4 completed and MOST of step 5 is done! Back to Square One
            • worked on it a bit - missing one piece though - grrrr!  Runnermania - Thanksgiving table runner - class
          • SWAPS
            • library visit done - BUT will need to hand draw - blast it! - Paperpiece Christmas Block Swap
            • DONE Southhampton quilts 4-patch?
          • SEWING
          • KNITTING (Friday!!!)
            • I knit - and reknit and re-re-reknit - and ripped out everything I had knit! Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief

          Saturday, November 09, 2013

          Widget - my disappearing male HULK kitty

          A picture of Widget (aka Widgy, Widgers, Lad) in his favorite place in my sewing room!  This picture was taken last January when he HAD gained weight (he has now lost 4 pounds - which is like losing a fifth or even a  quarter of a human person's weight - which is an enormous amount!)
          I've known Widgy hasn't been feeling well for a while - and had seemed to lose weight.  I also knew he really HATED the dry cat food I had gotten (used to be a favorite - BEFORE the company changed the formula!).  He had been drinking water like it was going out of style! (uh oh - BAD sign!) and the kitty litter box would resemble that which someone had taken a bottle of water and just poured the water into it - to let it set up like concrete! (not to mention the frequent costs of more litter!)  He had also been pulling out tufts of hair (complete with hair follicle attached).

          So I had been feeding him open choice dry cat food (a different brand - one he DOES like) as well as trying to entice him to eat with wet cat food.  But he still appeared to be losing weight - except after he had been drinking water - at which point I swear he sloshed as he walked!  And I was still finding little tufts of hair (not the regular shed stuff - this was pulled out!) in various places.

          Because sometimes kitties will drink water if hungry and they can't STAND the cat food at first I hadn't been alarmed. However pulling hair like that is usually the sign a kitty is hurting somewhere or that there is something seriously deficient in their diet.

          So I took him to the vet (has to be a woman - he totally freaks with a man!)  They drew blood and sent it off to the lab for testing.  3 possibilities - two of which I had also thought of (along with other possibilites!)

          1. that he was in acute kidney failure - and was HURTING - in which case there was really only one kind thing to do because other alternatives were NOT as helpful - somewhat - but not really and not long term.  This both my dd and I had envisioned as a possibility.  And it upset my dd since she had a beloved family member in kitty form who had died from kidney failure created by that cat food sabotage done a few years ago.  This would mean choices I really didn't want to make but which were to keep Widgers from hurting more than he was already.  I'm not into selfishness!
          2. that he had thyroid problems - which NO ONE in the family or friends had thought of - but which I have treated a puppy with a few years ago.  VERY treatable.  And I've treated before - although with a beagle dog!
          3. that he had Diabetes - which a friend and I had also thought of - and which is treatable - although the cost initially is NOT cheap- but is very maintainable once the level of dosage has been determined. And determining the dosage level is what makes the initial costs so nasty!  Expensive at first - but do-able - mostly.

          I talked to Nathan about this - and he was VERY much for Widget being treated no matter what - despite his having seen Widget maybe 4 times since I've had him (Widget "vanishes" when ANY male figure comes in the door - funny thing is when Widget brushes up against Nathan thinking he's me - since we sound very similar - and then realizes that we aren't!)

          I called back this AM.

          He has diabetes.  Different diet, insulin dependent (I give him insulin twice a day - approx. 8 hours apart) and he gets tested again in a week to see how he is doing.

          Diabetes is a nasty thing - it can affect just about every organ of the body - and felines are no exception.  Widget has lost a LOT of his vision.  Hopefully some will return as time goes on - but I'm not holding my breath!  His heart murmur is still at about the same point as it was before - for which I'm thankful!

          Other than that and lots of TLC - and the fact that he acts like I do when morning arrives and I have to stand up - meaning that his bones, just like mine, creak and complain!  I do love that kitty - and hope this helps!

          I tried it - BUT......

          One of two bridges going from north Westfield into Westfield - the main part!
          Picture taken by my holding the camera up with fingers on button
          and randomly taking pix (hopefully without my fingers in the way) as I drove!
          ok - re the WAIWO DAILY posts - I think I'm going to change stuff BUNCHEs - hopefully!

          Yes - I will continue the weekly goals post.  NO I will NOT continue the daily goals post - that is MY problem!  BUT at the END of the day I can post what I did and didn't do - on the weekly goals!  And as for a daily post per se - just post those things that were interesting (to me!) or fun (to me!) or were bothersome or whatever!

          All this is in an attempt to relieve the ever burgeoning boredom that tends to go with my posts!

          Yes - I will continue the weekly menu post!  Also the stash report and design wall.

          All these things were in an effort to GET ME GOING - and then to KEEP ME GOING!  and FORWARD - NOT backward!  Did it work?  Yes and no!  It made me aware of what I was doing.  It also made me aware of areas I have been, if not ignoring, doing my lily-livered best to ignore - and fairly successfully!

          So - then - what to do?  Several possibilities....
          1. Accept that I can and will ignore those areas - and just accept that and go on.
          2. find ways to make those areas MORE acceptable and do that
          3. Change from what wasn't working to what MIGHT work
          4. Continue with what I was doing and just hope for the best

          And I am sure there are other possibilities as well.

          Re what I view as possibilities.... - the first and 4th really aren't that acceptable to me.  we don't grow within if we refuse to accept the idea of change or refuse to strive for growth.  And inwardly I need a LOT of growth!

          The second and third possibilities really are different facets of the same thing.  find out what WAS acceptable (what works) and change the areas where things aren't working (what doesn't work) to something that MIGHT work (making more acceptable).

          Then too - change itself may be a key - sort of like jumping from one diet to another - it is the NEWNESS or jumping on the bandwagon for specific goals that is what's working - NOT so much the thing itself!  At least initially - it may work, even though ultimately over long periods of time the word would be No!

          Housework - pretty much a given as far as I am concerned about what is SLOOOOWWWWW about working!  Flylady is fantastic, so are little games I play - like Flylady Bingo, beat the timer, Need to do this before I can do that, - things like that.  And they work!  Mostly!  Still after having belonged to the flylady.com group for eons - I still remain a member and periodically I go back to ground zero and review over everything.  Admittedly I don't have as much decluttering, changing attitudes, or whatever to do as I used to - and I know it works!  for the most part - this IS a fairly peaceful, unstressed place - excepting my study and the dining room which I do NOT want to discuss at present!

          So - maybe I can explore possibilities on this blog and see what can be done!

          Saturday... WAIWO 11-09-13

          GO AND DO

          • DONE Follow up on tests for Widget - he is diabetic and will need insulin and special foods.
          HOUSE - 
          GARDEN
          STUDIES -
            KITCHEN
            QUILT

            Friday, November 08, 2013

            Friday! What WAS I thinking of last Sunday!!!! WAIWO 11-08-13

            GO AND DO
            • DONE Post Office
            • DONE Library (books and DVDs return)
            • DONE Dr. appt on 8th
            • DONE Veterinarian with Widget
            HOUSE - 
              • ZONE 2 - 
                • Kitchen
                  • DONE WHB
              • ZONE 3 
                • Study
                  • DONE WHB
              GARDEN
              STUDIES - 
                KITCHEN
                QUILT

                • DONE Open Sew!
                • PIECE 
                  • NOT DONE - left book home!  :( Runnermania - Thanksgiving table runner - class
                • SWAPS
                  • ALMOST dONE Southhampton quilts 4-patch
                • SEWING

                Thursday, November 07, 2013

                Thursday - Thursday's child.... nah! Only one more weekday - not far at all! WAIWO 11-07-13

                Sign of the golden arches!   LOL - this is my 3rd home away from home!
                Grocery store is my first, Walmart is my second!
                Have I ever said how MUCH I hate colds?  and this one is a really nasty one.  I can't take cold meds - do drink Echinacea tea - but STILL have fun breathing, coughing, and getting VERY sleepy after virtually doing NOTHING!  (except cleaning up after myself when I have a cold!

                Riddle!!  Why is it that a house that has only ONE person in it can become a total disaster - and I DO mean total disaster! - when that person has a nasty cold or does not otherwise feel well?
                Yesterday I did get a lot of pickup/clean up things done - despite showing only one item on my list - but had to have a 3 hour nap (which is short compared to the ones after surgery and with the worst part of the cold hanging in there at the same time!)  I mean since I was sleeping most of the time - WHO turned this house into total disaster????

                BTW - I want to buy stock in the Kleenex corporation!  I should make a mint!


                Pumpkin block!  I removed the areas with the Y seams since they either puckered or dimpled and were driving me crazy.  Not wanting to be committed I thought it would be better to go for simpler!  This is the result.  HOWEVER - the stem COULD have been smaller (I think it was on all the others!) and the block COULD have been centered more - a lot more!  This was the block i kept at home.  Others are GONE and on their way to the swap hostess!



                GO AND DO
                HOUSE - 
                GARDEN
                STUDIES 
                  KITCHEN
                  QUILT

                  Wednesday, November 06, 2013

                  Wednesday - ANOTHER week half over.... WAIWO 11-06-13

                  I-90 exit/entrance station ahead (green roof -
                   and I probably should have tried to get closer
                  goes from Albany, NY to Boston - and yes, it IS a toll road! and fairly heavily traveled!
                  Just don't get on this road right before or after the holidays!
                  Around Sturbridge you may have 2 - 3 hour wait!
                  GO AND DO
                  • DONE Post Office
                  • DONE Library (books and DVDs return)
                  HOUSE - 
                    • ZONE 2 - 
                      • Kitchen
                        • Zone 
                          • DONE Clean out plasticware (esp. the lids without bottoms!)
                    • ZONE 3 
                    GARDEN
                    STUDIES - 
                      KITCHEN
                      QUILT
                      • Bonnie Hunter re-play quilt cam day (Wednesday)
                        • DONE Played last two instead while I sliced and diced! Start at the beginning of quilt cams again - My sister blocks
                      • PIECE
                      •  SWAPS
                      • SEWING

                      Tuesday, November 05, 2013

                      Tuesday - why doesn't sleeping late when you're retired feel like such a treat??? 11-05-13

                      Scrappy Geese pieced border 
                      GO AND DO
                      HOUSE - 
                        • ZONE 2 - 
                          • Kitchen
                            • Zone 
                              • DONE Clean out undersink
                        • ZONE 3 
                        GARDEN
                        STUDIES - 
                          KITCHEN
                          QUILT

                          Monday, November 04, 2013

                          Menues for WB 11-03-13

                          MONDAY
                          B: toast and jelly
                          L: roast beef sandwiches with horseradish sauce
                          D: Vegetable Beef soup, Cinnamon apples

                          TUESDAY
                          B:Couscous, brown sugar and butter
                          L: Tuna salad sandwich
                          D: Eggplant parmesan, raisin apple salad

                          WEDNESDAY
                          B: Omelet with a little jalapeno pepper, cheddar, onion, mushroom
                          L: Cheese sandwich - grilled
                          D: Chicken stir-fry

                          THURSDAY
                          B: Corn meal mush
                          L: leftover casserole
                          D: homemade pizza

                          FRIDAY
                          B: French toast
                          L: leftovers from lunch menues
                          D: Grilled salmon, Potato kugel, carrot apple tzimmes, sweet potato pie

                          SATURDAY
                          B: coffeecake
                          L: Chicken pot pie, applesauce cake
                          D: Beef mushroom-barley soup,

                          SUNDAY
                          B: Fried eggs, hash browns, toast, jelly
                          L: turkey burger!!!
                          D: leftovers

                          MONDAY
                          B: Bulghur wheat
                          L: lentils - find a good vegetarian recipe
                          D: salmon bisque,

                          Design Wall for Week 44 - 11-04-13

                          Baby Quilt #1 - gets quilted on Tuesday!

                          Improv placemat - working on the applique part - hand applique

                          Bow-da-cious - my Leader Ender

                          Finish up - and send ALL the swaps!

                          Holy Toledo - need different setting - and to attach either setting triangles - OR to figure out where I put the REST of the blocks, attach those plus pieced border I did last weekend

                          Judy L's BOM - Back to Square One Medallion - will post further pix this week - AS I DO THEM!!!! (yup - I'm behind!)

                          Monday's charms..... Monday - does it have any? WAIWO 11-04-13

                          GO AND DO
                          • Post Office
                            • DONE Mail pumpkin blocks
                          • DONE Menues
                          HOUSE - 
                            • ZONE 2 - 
                              • Kitchen
                                • Zone 
                                  • DONE Countertop scrub
                            • ZONE 3 
                              • Study
                                • DONE Declutter 5 minute room rescue x 1
                            GARDEN - still sick
                            STUDIES - 
                            KITCHEN
                            • SOUPS (serving kept out for Monday - freeze the rest - portions)
                              • DONE vegetable beef soup
                            • DONE MAKE MENUES for the week (do Monday)
                            QUILT
                            • DONE DESIGN WALL (do Monday)
                            • SLICE AND DICE DAY (Monday)
                              • DONE greens sliced - not blacks! blacks (some)
                            • PIECE 
                              • worked on it! Holy toledo (from Bonnie Hunter's Holy Toledo in Scraps and Shirttails II) 
                            • SWAPS
                            • SEWING

                            Sunday, November 03, 2013

                            Sunday .. that week DOES roll around again - doesn't it! WAIWO 11-03-13

                            GO AND DO
                            HOUSE - 
                            KITCHEN
                            QUILT
                            • DONE STASH REPORT (do Sunday)
                            • PIECE 
                              • Worked on pieced border.  Can find ONLY 40 blocks!  Holy toledo (from Bonnie Hunter's Holy Toledo in Scraps and Shirttails II)
                            • SWAPS
                            • SEWING

                            Stash Report for Week 44 - 11-03-13


                            Small farm - in the middle of Westfield!

                            11-03-13 -Week 44 - 

                            Worked on Holy Toledo. Now working on border and sewing it together! 

                            Used This Week: 0 yard
                            Used This Month: 12.433 yard for October, 0 yard for November
                            Used Year to Date: 23.513 yds./


                            Added This Week: 0 yards
                            Added This Month: 2.75 yards for October
                            Added Year to Date: 38.34 yards   

                            Net Used for 2013: -14 .827 yards 

                            Goals for WB 11-03-13

                            Newly remodoled Super store Walmart -- my home away from home!  
                            One of them anyway!
                            GO AND DO
                            • DONE Post Office
                            • DONE Library (books and DVDs return)
                            • DONE Menues
                            • DONE Dr. appt on 8th
                            HOUSE - 
                              • ZONE 1
                                • Front porch 
                                  • DONE WHB
                                • Entrance
                                  • DONE WHB
                                • Side Porch
                                • Back Stairs
                                  • DONE WHB
                                • ZONE 2 - 
                              • Kitchen
                                  • Zone 
                                    • DONE Countertop scrub
                                    • DONE Clean out undersink
                                    • DONE Clean out plasticware (esp. the lids without bottoms!)
                                • Dining Area
                              • ZONE 3 
                                • Bath
                                  • DONE WHB
                                • Laundry Room
                                  • DONE WHB
                                • Sewing Room
                                  • DONE WHB
                                • Study
                              • ZONE 4 
                                • BR - 
                                  • DONE WHB
                              • ZONE 5 
                                • LR - 
                                  • DONE WHB 
                              GARDEN Between leftover surgery and a truly NASTY cold - this just did NOT happen this week!
                              STUDIES - This didn't happen this week either.  I spent MOST of the week sleeping!
                              • RELIGION
                              • SCIENCE
                              • THE EARTH
                              • MATH
                              • LIFE SKILLS
                              • YOGA
                              • CREATIVE WRITING 
                              • RUSSIAN
                                KITCHEN
                                • DEHYDRATE
                                • SOUPS (serving kept out for Monday - freeze the rest - portions)
                                  • DONE Hot vegetable beef soup
                                • BREAD
                                • DONE MAKE MENUES for the week (do Monday)
                                QUILT
                                • DONE STASH REPORT (do Sunday)
                                • DONE DESIGN WALL (do Monday)
                                • SLICE AND DICE DAY (Monday)
                                  • DONE green
                                • PIECE 
                                  • DONE - well - worked on it! Holy toledo (from Bonnie Hunter's Holy Toledo in Scraps and Shirttails II) Now to sew it together!
                                  • NOT DONE - if only because I forgot the bloomin' book at Open Sew! Runnermania - Thanksgiving table runner - class
                                • SWAPS
                                  • Almost DONE Southhampton quilts 4-patch
                                • SEWING

                                Saturday, November 02, 2013

                                And it's ..... SATURDAY!!! Hooray! WAIWO 11-02-13

                                My favorite trees - outside my apartment building

                                I'd like to blame it all on the cold and my boob surgery - but, honestly, I can't!  Let's just say that if wiring was all that was needed to light up all the holiday lights for Westfield for the holidays - and that since I'm the one who ate something like 2 pastries, 2 cups hot chocolate, and 4 doughnuts and was considering a 5th - then I should have the lights up and running - for the next TWO years - at least!

                                Am about to head out and take some pictures - mostly because I am totally T-bored with everything I have.  Not that these will have to do with flowers.... but - there IS a lot of other scenery... isn't there?

                                Have found - it is REALLy hard for one person to take pictures - especially since weekends are heavier traffic times - and almost every place (excepting for this tree) has NO WHERE you can really stop and take pictures!  Re pictures of the college - there were events AT the college (football game) and at Stanley park across the way - both today!  I had NO idea how the pictures turned out - until now - especially since most were drive...hold camera outside window with one hand.... hope a lot!..... and take the picture and keep on driving!  So - we'll see!  NOT done - will continue to working on taking pictures as time wears on,  I think.

                                STILL haven't made up my mind on the setting for Holy Toledo - but am thinking of Barrister's block - which is VERY VERY similar to Bonnie's!  Still would like to put this on point - but honestly - I don't have any of the same kinds of green I used and I'm VERY jealously hoarding all the rest of the greens while waiting for the mystery!

                                GO AND DO
                                DONE go take pictures of sites in Westfield
                                HOUSE - 
                                GARDEN
                                STUDIES - 
                                KITCHEN
                                QUILT
                                • PIECE 
                                  • DONE - well, worked on the border blocks a lot! Holy Toledo

                                Friday, November 01, 2013

                                Friday - And ANOTHER month is gone!! WAIWO 11-01-13

                                I truly do NOT like colds!  Do not like surgery either!  Between the two - I feel ouchy, congested, and my brain is so gone I have NO sense whatsoever!  Worse yet, I have NO DESIRE to study - or clean or whatever.  DID get up, straighten my room and do the dishes however.  Noted that the dishwasher is STILL a problem.  Son said he would come around and fix this.  Strange thing is, though - he didn't remember saying the SAME thing 2 nights prior to this!

                                Mostly I read a little, then drift off to sleep - and drink a LOT of fluids - and - oh yeah - visit the little room out back, which is what happens when you drink plenty of liquids!

                                GO AND DO
                                • DONE Post Office
                                • DONE  Library (books and DVDs return)
                                HOUSE - 
                                GARDEN
                                STUDIES - This is a repeat of last week - with additions.  I will add more as week wears on. NOTE:  No, I won't!!!
                                KITCHEN
                                QUILT

                                Followers