Really Neat Giveaway!!!!!

Wow! In case no one has seen the really neat giveaway - in honor of Hoki quilts 2nd birthday Miche'le Armstrong Hokitika from Westland, NZ is giving away a Moda Jelly-roll plus a matching set of charm squares!

http://byhokiquilts.blogspot.com/2010/05/birthday-give-away.html#comment-form

In order to enter this contest (drawing is on June 3rd) you have to (1) follow along in her blog, (2) Make a comment on her blog (I think it is moderated - at least mine didn't show up immediately), (3) post about the contest on your blog. Each item is a chance to win in the give away.

As I said - it's a really cool drawing!

This weekend.........or ........... the laundry says it all!

My son was nice enough to mow and till my garden (or most of it) for me on Thursday! Yesterday - Saturday and today I worked on preparing and planting the 3 beds he didn't have a chance to get to - the perrenial bed - which already had strawberries and asparagus in it - and down along the bottom rhubarb plants (which with the new rhubarb plants bought in makes a total of 4 plants. Yum!) I put some horseradish in the perrenial bed - but did NOT put (against my better judgement) the horseradish into a large pot for growing. What plants are growing there are VERY healthy looking - despite a major covering of leaves from last year. They now have added peatmoss, more leaves, compost as well.

The bed between the future tomato (after pay day this week) and perrenial bed I planted with potatoes - the new bought in, the store bought that was eyeing me quite well, and last year's potatoes - which I had forgotten about and - OH MY were the sprouts definitely overgrown there! The only ones I am truly worried about there are the ones I had grown - because I think the sprouts are TOO overgrown and may dry up and wither away - and not enough potato to start any more eyes.

After mentioning to everyone about the Sew in this last Friday - of course, I forgot! :( will have to make up for it probaby either tonight or tomorrow night.

DID however work quite a bit on a baby quilt - doing the final quilting, etc. Hope to finish that either tonight or tomorrow.

Managed to pick up either an allergy (as in hives), stinging gnats (I'm also allergic to them), a rash on tiny mosquitos (same here too!) - and my arms are nicely swollen and red and itch like fury! Even my favorite cure-all of vinegar is not helping completely. The reason I think this is allergy-allergic reaction to some sort of contact whatever - is that my innards feel scraped raw, throat sore, and inside my mouth feels like someone sanded it raw. Can I say whatever it is - it is throughout my system? UGH! Am trying to NOT head to the Dr. - but may have to after all if this gets a lot worse.

Haven't gone hiking at all this weekend - although I had vaguely (very vaguely) mentioned that as a possibility. I think if I am going to exercise I shall have to make appointments with myself - date and time and all. WOULD like to get it done say around 6 AM - however I like sleeping more! Thinking on this!

And to that end - I may stop this eat a thon I'm on and actually start dieting again!

Apparently I started something when I mentioned on one list that I had the Dear Jane book (actually I have 2 - totally by insanity - I wasn't paying attention to what I had JUST ordered - and did it again! :( ) Found a website on doing this paper piecing style. I have several problems with this quilt - one is the precision which everyone else does this (and which Jane did NOT do! - her points are as broken off as mine are, and seams look like I did them! Her knowledge of patterns however was great!) Then too - I think that although it is so neat and all I can't really appreciate each block in and of itself - it's too busy - thinking on this - and may do a much more liberated version (to do away with the precision Jane didn't do but her followers attempt), and perhaps not quite as many blocks (hmm - a series???? placemats, tablecloths????? Hot pads??? Wonky letters on the bottom saying Dear Jane or Dear Wendy???Dear Nathan????)

Oh yeah - my house sure needs it - cleaning and cooking - and laundry time! Tonight laundry and some cleaning. Cooking is on it's own! LOL

New Quilting things!

Oh wow~ Oh wow~ Oh wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This week I recieved a FMQ CD from my dd - FANTASTIC! And then today in the mail I recieved an autographed copy of Dear Jane by Brenda Papadakis - AND have been recieving garden seeds all week!

WAS going to do the lasagna gardening thing (think sheet composting) and may still - at least in some places - BUT if possible someone else is going to rototill the main part of the garden - maybe! Regardless I want it DONE tomorrow!

My strawberries do look soooooo cute popping up out of the mulch - and the rhubarb is so robust looking (about time for me to harvest some! LOL) Asparagus - some I've been munching on already - but by and large it needs to grow another year - and I need to figure out where the REST of the plants are!

Oh yeah - the leeks that I thought were goners - came through the winter in FINE shape - having cream of leek soup tonight! And even so have a LOT that needed to be separated out and transplanted for optimum growth! Carrots I am still harvesting from last year too! Brussel sprouts have gone to seed however! MAN I'm anxious to get the garden in!

Also - made shopping list on line and printed it - and bought - and bought and bought - spent entirely too much but my little bitty pantry is full again! Do need more fruits and veggies though! And chicken!

Oh yeah - exercise - this is day 3 this week no less - that I've been walking with friends at work - 15 - 20 minute walk - has been lovely! And we're going to explore a different direction on Monday - has been nice!

ALSO - was asked by a couple of folks to attend a civic meeting this coming Monday evening - has to do with the major shock I got when I drove downtown here - and discovered that ALL the beautiful trees were chopped down, hauled off, and the square or roundabout looked like a dirt parking lot - and in fact will be one - for the bulldozers, etc. working on our streets! I am soooooooooooooooo mad! I loved that little park! And now it's gone! I came home and just cried! Anyway a couple of folks overheard my moaning about the trees and park and told me to come to the library for a town meeting on Monday. Darn it anyway!

Yesterday's Tomorrow which is Today!

staying home today - hopefully. Am so dizzy with the whatevers and hacking and sneezing - that I would be a danger to myself and others on the road, let alone being a typhoid Mary if I were at work!

Even so - in an effort to "get my head together" as it were (WHERE did that expression come from?) I am going to be doing things SLooooooooooooowly to eliminate possible in-house allergens (the outside is on its own! Besides I figure that if this IS allergen related it is probably allergen overload! if I dump some of the overload that hopefully my system will be able to handle it!

Also - I hope to spend some time quilting - since otherwise I would be sleeping in an effort to sleep this stuff off!

Appointments to be made - Kitties - their fur is doing its level best to take over the house, poor things. Definitely well beyond my usual brush and comb - so it is now time for their annual ..... SHAMPOO and SHAVE!!!!! YAY! (Yay because I'm not the one having to do this! I value my life entirely too much!) Garden also falls under the appointment category - maybe!

Also decided to do week 1 of yoga routine - let's see how sore I can make myself by tomorrow!

Today - in May..................

Yesterday and today I haven't been feeling good. We had a team "huddle" yesterday - and to day was jam-packed with meetings - first a really awesome training class - and then a team-meeting. Now this team - let me go on record - to me, at least is one of the most important teams in the entire work facility - and truly I'm honored to be on it! I do wish though that I could get caught up with some of the items that need to be done!

Anyway - yesterday - I almost passed out - several times. I know I scared folks - I must have been as pale as a sheet! And went to stand up - and almost passed out then! And if there are 2 things I hate in this world - one is nausea and tossing my cookies - and the other is feeling dizzy (which is why I don't drink!) Felt a little better today - earlier - but now - Oh MY! And I can think of all kinds of reasons from out of whack blood sugar to out of whack blood pressure to nasty allergens in the air due to spring, to allergens of mold and dust spores which abound in plenty here - especially since I've been focusing on either work, sleep, or cleaning upstairs (which is another whole ball game in and of itself - plaster dust! UGH!!!!)

What am I going to do about it other than kvetch?
1. Clean my house - slowly to be sure - but clean it - to get rid of allergens and any problems
2. spray any possible places where mold could abound inside (I think it is coming from outside - warm humid weather and LOTS of leaves!) with a clorox type of compound
3. Make sure my blood pressure is relatively normal
4. FINALLY get around to getting that blasted blood sugar test - yup - the 14 hour fasting one (the 14 hour is the part I have the problem with!) and find out what my blood sugar level truly is!
5. Get the back yard either lasagna mulched (preferably) or tilled and then lasagna mulched (very preferably) with someone ELSE doing the tilling (DEFINITELY preferably!)
6. Oh yeah - get around to searching out and discovering a new to me doctor! and then setting up an appointment. I am not in this world to be ANYONE'S person to be picked on, made fun of or be yelled at or be sneered at! I deserve better than that!!

Oh yeah - other things -
1. Garden - placed orders online last night and followed up on one that didn't go through today (was true - didn't go through - I probably screwed up something! was hard to see keyboard at the time!) Son and I also collaborated on some plants - I will probably pick up any remaining plants this weekend.

2. Quilt - um,..... - I bought a Dear Jane book. Am hesitant to mention - because I KNOW what my family will say - especially since I have so many books and WIPs now! HOWEVER I have truly lusted after a Dear Jane quilt for some time now - so it is time to make that a reality!

3. took a nap today. Wasn't sure I would make it home without falling asleep - despite my sleeping for a total of 10 hours yesterday. AM tense though - so tonight before bed - will do yoga, and then maybe take a pain reliever because that is why I wake up every so often through the night!

Geez! It doesn't take a rocket scientist..........

Geez! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out a seed order! At least one would think so! But then one wouldn't be LATE.... or greedy..... or want every seed in the book ...... or one would have the money - and space - to be able to do all this stuff!

Even so - I was SOOOOOOOOOO glad to hold the veggie seed stuff down to less than $100. Of course - this includes seed I have held over from last year (still good) and does NOT include plants - nor really take into account that I have to prepare the planting space (lasagne gardening? I sure have the leaves!) Nor does it take into account that I have a job, I'm ancient, have an ouchy back, and have a life other than gardening. Otherwise - who is going to pack away/can/freeze/dry/salt - or otherwise preserve this wonderful harvest (provided it makes it that far!)

Still - this is what I'm ordering - and have reviewed ad nauseum and ad procrastinatium (is there such a word? If not, there SHOULD be) this list. And have sent it off to son Nathan - who will promptly have apoplexy about the size of it all. I DID keep a copy of it for after son refuses to get 90% of the order - so that I can order the rest myself. And I DID order from Pinetree this year (has smaller amounts than the usual packet - and costs about half as much) - thank goodness - or the $$ amount would definitely be in the 3 digits! As it is - I am going to have to delegate space strictly!

Other chores for today - um... did laundry - EARLY this AM (before work!).

Also - news - the city road construction folks who are working down at the end of the block - not content with wiping out my phone last week (they had the phone guys down there earlier showing where NOT to dig - now reconnected TG), today sliced through a gas pipeline - had to evacuate all the houses on this block - and probably the next - Oh joy! Also had to re-route traffic (around the OTHER end of my block - took FOREVER to get out!) And - yup - the gas guys had also mapped out where NOT to dig! (And of course, I forgot that having all gas for the block radius shut off so they could prevent explosions - meant that my pilot light was NOT on!) My concern is that NEXT they will ignore where the electric lines are buried - despite clear enough signs! Ugh!

YAY - another Sew-in - Friday, May 21st!

What to work on????????? Hmmm - WIPs of course, Apple Cider quilt, Double Duty - or - ummm - square in a square charm? Have to think about it - probably the AC or DD though.

Grateful list.....
1. Thankful that my house did NOT explode!
2. Thankful that I FINALLY got my seed order together - and sent
3. Thankful that I FINALLY got at least most (except sheets and reds) of my laundry done

It's DAYTIME!!!!

Today I have to set priorities! Unfortunately not necessarily the priorities I want! I have 2 rooms to finish up cleaning upstairs (paint removal and all!), a basement I don't want to clean (think maybe Monday or Tuesday?), a garden that MUST be done (think maybe an hour a day?) and 3 baby quilts needing to be done yesterday - actually several weeks ago!

I DID get the friendship quilt sent off to Wendy - unfortunately it needs some adding to (this is why God invented tape measures!) - and I am now sending the "extra" friendship stars, extra fabric, the backing to Wendy. Wendy is to embroider the names on the quilt of the folks who sent the stars. And it was Wendy who discovered that my quilt was too narrow and too short! She has offered to add to my quilt for me - hence the extra stars, etc. going her way! And will do any extra stars as needed. When done - she will do the quilting overall. I suspect I will owe her my first born - except that she IS my first born! I am thinking this one is definitely a joint effort! Love ya, my daughter!

OK - priorities for this week........
1. Finish upstairs 2 rooms
2. post remaining fabrics, etc. to Wendy to Canadian addy
3. Baby quilt #1 - rest of quilting, binding, trim and finish.
4. Baby quilt #2 - borders, quilting, binding, trim and finish
5. Baby quilt #3 - the whole magillah!
6. House - actually this one fits in here with # 3 - 5 - it HAS to be cleaned. Same with.......
7. Laundry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This time put it AWAY!
8. Garden - set up beds. Will post more as I get to this one!

Grateful list -
1. For my 2 kids - son who has been terrific and put up with a LOT from me - and who has worked his franny off getting this place ready for tenants, etc. - daughter who has provided encouragement, and is working on one of my quilts for me. BOTH of them are a source of inspiration, amusement, moral support, - and just about anything else that's positive for me! I love them dearly!
2.

The Sun will come out Tomorrow... Bet your bottom dollar.... (on second thought - hold ON to that dollar - with today's economy you might need it!)

Tomorrow's goals (tomorrow being Monday, a workday which is no fun!)

1. work
2. post office and mail all packages/squishy envelopes, etc.
3. Finish up baby blanket #2 - at least to the hand quilting part!
4. Carpenter star.... - figure out the challenge there and fix it. All it really needs is to be sewn together - AFTER that one block is sized down! Once that's done - do the borders and set in bag to take to SH quilts for pinning.
5. Garden for an hour - do lasagne method in setting up bed. Perrenial - side and bottom
6. Finish up zone work in my room - which means catch the 2 windows, sweep and damp mop floors - the rest is done, done, done!
7. Paperwork - 30 minutes - Pay those bills! And file!

Helen's do-list (my "take" on Cindy's do-list)

Hmmm - seems to me that I had joined Cindy in her March Madness some time ago. But then it is no longer March and I'm NOT going to comment on the Madness part - save that it appears that April frenzy is finally calming down! TG!

Sooooooo - thought I would pick up again on the March Madness (Cindy's theme) and for this last week - and possibly through May (May Meanderings????) I would continue it.

Idea is that this is sort of a scavenger hunt - and I need to post the pix of whatever it is I see (provided my cable for my camera appears within the next century!)

1) Shop at home (credit/debit cards on vacation - YAY!)
2) Eat healthy (I'm sure there is a fancier way to say this - however........) and BE healthy (exercise) (Sparkpeople.com for each)
3) "Flylady" cleaning
4) Quilt for 30 or garden for 30 or whatever - I can choose here - whether it is something I procrastinate on (I procrastinate quite well) or is a new challenge. Theoretically something different every day.
5) Grateful 3
Cindy's list was for a month. I think I lasted 3 days on the month part. I'm working on a week for now - and then we'll see. Plus as per my dd suggestion I pared it down (from 8 - 9 items) to 5.

EGADS!!!! It's almost the end of April!!!!

and I feel like I've just started this month! Good grief!

Melissa and Nathan stopped by today to change into clothes for wedding they are going to. They looked soooooooooo nice! When I asked them where they were going - Nathan piped up with" We're going to get married." I came back with "and you didn't invite me??!!!????" Turns out Nathan was joking. I think if I'd been Melissa I woulda smacked him on the arm! Love him but he's a rotten kid!!!!!


Goals for this month SO far - NOT MET! and I need to see what I can do to change that one for sure!

* Baby blanket #1 SHOULD finish this one today!
* Baby blanket #2 SHOULD be ready for quilting tomorrow
* blocks sent to group. SHOULD also have this one ready to mail Monday AM
* Carpenter star quilt (Karen?) I would LIKE to have this ready to sandwich - almost there!
* Friendship quilt sent to Wendy THIS one is ready to mail Monday AM
* Garden plans THIS to be completed today
* Garden seed ordered TENTATIVE order set up - will finish order online tomorrow
* Order cable for camera TO be completed today
* Remodeling area CLEAN TOP floor is done! YAY! 2nd floor mostly done - will finish tomorrow - YAHOO!!!
* Remodeling done - all floors almost all of it is done!!! YAY!!!!

FAB 4 for today anyway -
Baby Blanket #1
Baby Blanket #2
Blocks
Friendship quilt

Spark diet and food journal
15 minutes - yoga for stretching
15 - 30 minute walk
Read the next chapter (2) and begin activity - collect points for reading and for activity.

Garden - finish perrenial bed (sliced paper strips and "lasagna"
Set up Peas and beans bed - lasagna.

Grateful list
1. Am grateful for son who feels free to tease me (and for my dd who is the same way!)
2. Am grateful for the GORGEOUS day outside! It is just lovely!
3. Am grateful that we are almost done remodeling - and it looks great!

Today..........

1. Garden - strawberries, garlic, perennial fruits/veggies )

Last of strawberries planted. Still have garlic, onions, and a gazillion other stuff to go.

2. WORK Oy Vey was there work!

3. THIS apartment clean Hmmmm
4. Quilt-a-thon Working on it
5. quilting for 30 (at least) Playing quilt a lot, clean a little with Wendy
6. paperwork Got much needed paperwork mailed, picked up mailer envelopes and box to send to Wendy
7. Stick to nutrition plan! Hmmmm
8. Shine my sink! DONE
12. Zone - Bathroom DONE
13. Declutter 15 minutes - living room - trash, declutter DONE
14. BLOG some more! Working on it!

Planning a movie and Press blocks and quilt night! YAY!!!!!!

What I'm Grateful for -
1. I have a fantastic son and daughter who are VERY supportive of whatever I want to do and each of whom are very talented as well.
2. As much as I gripe about my job (and boy do I!), I'm glad I have it - especially when I consider some folks who don't have any job
3. When I complain about dieting or exercise, it could be worse - I have the opportunity to exercise whether or not I choose to do so, and at least I have foods.

ok then - TOMORROW.............

1. Garden - strawberries, garlic, perrenial fruits/veggies (tomorrow - peas, early beans, etc. Saturday - cabbage, broccoli, etc. with onions, Sunday - Potatoes, roots, Monday ready for squash group, Tuesday ready for tomato group, Wednesday ready for corn group, Thursday - the Other border and fence area. Friday - dig in bushes, Saturday - dig in trees. Sunday - new flower beds, Monday - herbs That's the game plan anyway!)
2. WORK
3. THIS apartment clean
4. Quilt-a-thon
5. quilting for 30 (at least)
6. paperwork
7. Stick to nutrition plan!
8. Yoga for 15 - A group
9. Walk - for 15
10. Morning routine - focus - kitty litter.
11. Shine my sink!
12. Zone - Bathroom - cobwebs
13. Declutter 15 minutes - living room - trash, declutter
14. BLOG some more!

Today...........

Oops!!! Forgot to plan for today!


To Do:

MOST IMPORTANT......... CALL WENDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 (Yay!)

1. Garden - strawberries, garlic, perrenial fruits/veggies (tomorrow - peas, early beans, etc. Saturday - cabbage, broccoli, etc. with onions, Sunday - Potatoes, roots, Monday ready for squash group, Tuesday ready for tomato group, Wednesday ready for corn group, Thursday - the Other border and fence area. Friday - dig in bushes, Saturday - dig in trees. Sunday - new flower beds, Monday - herbs That's the game plan anyway!)
2. Upstairs apartment - finish cleaning
3. THIS apartment clean
4. Car appointment -
5. quilting for 30 (at least)
6. paperwork
7. Stick to nutrition plan!
8. Yoga for 15 - A group
9. Walk - for 15
10. Morning routine - focus - kitty litter.
11. Shine my sink!
12. Zone - Bathroom - cobwebs
13. Declutter 15 minutes - living room - trash, declutter
14. BLOG!

Sigh! The list gets longer and longer and.........

My list of things to sew!!!!

AM reposting (where I can see it) my list of things to do.......


1. Send quilt to Wendy - Friendship stars
2. Finish handwork on one baby quilt.
3. Last of the baby quilts finished (have more planned - can't start THEM until these are done!)
4. New Year's Mystery quilt done - at least for the upgrade - will send this off to be quilted - maybe.
5. Get a LOT of squares ready for hand work on Grandmother's flower garden - this will go to work with me.
6. Carpenter Star (needs rows sewn together and borders, then get ready to send to quilter)
7. Umm - next part involves several sampler quilts with the same patterns - so doing each block for each quilt - Nathan's, Underground Railroad, and another quilt - spring sweets
8. Apple Cider Quilt (aka Sweet and Sassy)
9. A charm quilt - square in a square Sure wish all the charms were the same size! AND straight!
10. Kids quilt - pink flamingo
11. Kids quilt - Zoo and purple lions
12. Nine patch chain or double nine patch - I need to make up my mind on this!

QUILT RETREAT!!!!!!! YAY!

First though - how I did on last night's list....

1. Clean up the debris - nope - took a nap instead.
2. SEW SEW SEW - see above!!!
3. Go to work (would rather do #2 above!)Yup!!!
4. Sew-in retreat! Yup!!!
5. Shop at home........ Stay AWAY from SH Quilts - So far so good!!!!
6. Foods - GOOD foods Um - does cereal and more cereal count?
7. 30 - 45 minutes exercise... Take pictures of previous items and POST them! We walked around the plant for 15 minutes. No camera though!
9. A few minutes spring cleaning (Kitchen sounds good, pantry also. My room sounds terrific) Um - yeah! DEFINITELY limited time here already!
9. Old or new! SEW SEW SEW SEW SEW!!!!! Tonight - pack up Friendship quilt. Work on baby blanket #1. Can also slice and dice materials! Need to find box for Friendship quilt (Wendy embroiders beautifully!) And got sidetracked on other item.

Now for today's.........
1. Clean up the debris
2. SEW SEW SEW Sew-in retreat! Pack up Friendship Quilt.
3. SEW SEW SEW Sew-in retreat! Baby blanket #1
5. Shop at home........ Soups - bean, also Salmon chowder - get several going - peak season is coming up. Freeze 1 - 2 cup amounts. Shop at home ONLY!
6. Foods - GOOD foods Well, THAT cereal is gone now! Proper food rest of today though! Lunch = salad, soup. Dinner = salmon bisque OR turkey noodle mushroom veggie casserole.
7. 30 - 45 minutes exercise... Take pictures of previous items and POST them! 15 minute walk
8. A few minutes spring cleaning My room sounds terrific, THEN pick up rest of the place and do dishes!) Need to limit time spent here - ONE hour max!
9. Old or new! SEW SEW SEW SEW SEW!!!!!

Quilting movies

Question is - what makes a QUILTING movie - at least in MY book?

I don't want something sweet and loving - because then I watch the movie and forget to sew.

Something that is scary frankly upsets me so much I CAN'T sew!

Something very sad and I cry over whatever it is I am sewing.

something funny - and I have to keep jumping up and making potty trips! Or else I get the giggles and wipe out whatever it is I am sewing.

So I watch movies like Eraser, Running Man, Total Recall, - something on that order.

Now IRONING is an altogether different story - and I REALLY like funny movies then. To that end I have Queen Latifah in The Last Holiday. And so I am planning SOMETIME this weekend to have a major ironing session!

Today 's goals.....................

It WOULD help if I noted stuff for today I HOPE to do.

1. Clean up the debris
2. SEW SEW SEW
3. Go to work (would rather do #2 above!)
4. Sew-in retreat!
5. Shop at home........ Stay AWAY from SH Quilts - I look like I have at least as many quilt fabrics as they do! And keep Bonnie's idea in mind for quilt backing!
6. Foods - GOOD foods
7. 30 - 45 minutes exercise... Take pictures of previous items and POST them!
8. A few minutes spring cleaning (Kitchen sounds good, pantry also. My room sounds terrific) Need to limit time spent here - ONE area spring cleaning - rest can be picked up!
9. Old or new! SEW SEW SEW SEW SEW!!!!! Tonight - pack up Friendship quilt. Work on baby blanket #1. Can also slice and dice materials!

Yup - it is SEW in night - for quilt retreat (Liberatedquilters@yahoogroups.com), International quilt day, AND I THINK - the Friday Night Sew-In (Handmade by Heidi).

All to the tune of nice quilting movies aka Eraser, Rocky II, Beverly Hills Cop, etc.

As per Cindy's blog.....

March may be more than half over - BUT I found something on someone else's blog that I want to start doing...... and as soon as I figure out how to add buttons - I'm going button crazy and will be adding hers as well.

Anyway - it's Cindy's Porch and has lots of good advice/ideas, etc. Among which is her DO-LOG - which is what I want to add here!

Anyway - Day 1 or 2 - walked yesterday - wanted to scavenger hunt for several items (as per Cindy's list) - fire hydrant, bird, something different or new from what I usually see, (she had suggested someone wearing a toque). And of course forgot the camera! Hopefully will remember this today when I'm at work and we walk!

Found the fire hydrant - of course, right after I made the statement to some walking buddies that there was NO fire hydrant in sight!!!!

Re birds - you could HEAR them. You could see the heron nests. You KNEW the nests were occupied. BUT you couldn't SEE them - that is until we startled some birds in the rushes and reeds near the pond - and one flew away (blue jay? next time I wear my glasses so I can SEE !).

Something NEW - well, new to me - and I settled on a really bright mustard yellow motorbike.... hadn't seen one THAT color before! Now as long as I don't dream about that color.............

Other things for yesterday - overall goals are....
1. Shop at home and shop ONLY with a list. Wally world - I DID get a $5 movie (Queen Latifah - a favorite actress of mine). Also DID get some cold cereal (had lots of hot cereal at home), milk, cheese, bread (was out of this stuff) Didn't do a list!
2. Lay off the crappy foods. Ummm - 2 candy bags (2/$1) and a package of graham crackers later........ Did NOT do well at all on this one!
3. 30 - 40 minutes exercise. DID walk for 15 minutes which is 15 minutes more than the day before!
4. A few minutes spring cleaning. NEXT time I pick up FIRST - THEN spring clean. Worked on paper stuff - mostly put unused notebooks/tablets into a crate to be used later. New rule - do NOT visit office supply until I get this all used up!!! Printed up a batch of stuff - and put into notebook. All the garbage paper - using for paper piecing - and put into a special tub.
5. Old or new. Old - that would be my paper project - did work on that. House now looks like a wreck - guess what I will be doing this PM!

Keep in mind this is based on Cindy's blog - experiences are my own.

Wahoo! The side porch is PAINTED! and other miscellany

Yay! Side porch is painted!

Other items of interest - plumber called (at noon) my son who then called me to tell me that he would NOT be by to work on stuff. Will be by tomorrow when son is here. Sure wish he had called earlier! A LOT earlier!

Did NOT go to Wallyworld or buy anything - since I need to make sure my bank acct shows the deposit BEFORE I use it.

DID copy a lot of Food Storage info. So far - all the stored stuff I've just about wiped out this winter!

Kitty did NOT go visit groomer today - am hoping for tomorrow.

Sewing did NOT happen today

But oh man! I finally got some sleep! As well as some paperwork stuff, dishes, etc.

Reconnected up with Cindy's Porch - and am thinking of doing the March madness stuff - at least as much as I am able to do!

As per her suggestions, I want to.......

1. Shop at home FIRST! I have some food storage that really needs to be gone through - and this is as good a time as any!

2. Cut out the crappy foods! I already use whole grain foods. Now I need to set up my menues (by the week and as much as possible from foods I already have!) and FOLLOW them! Plus a shopping list based on my menues is so much cheaper!

3. Ummmm - 30 minutes of exercise - morning yoga routine plus 15 minutes walking - either at work or when I get home! Do the scavenger hunt - (looks like fun!) with my camera! (and then post pix on FB)

4. Few minutes of spring cleaning - focus on rooms - this order - bathroom, my room, sewing room (need more shelving), kitchen (and maybe pantry)

5. Something old or new........ OLD: pile of paperwork - on bookshelves, bottom drawer of filing cabinet and dining room floor (thank you kitty - I LOVE to pick up the mess you knocked over!) 30 minutes.

Soooooooooo sleeeepy.....................

am soooooooooo sleepy today. not as much as yesterday though. Well - to work, to work, to work!

Today is a vacation day for me (YAY!) Am waiting for the plumber (who unclogged my sink Monday - YAY!) to finish up a job upstairs. I was under the impression he would be here in the morning. Nope!

Problem is - I need to leave the house - get food for dinner, lunch, kitty food, my meds from Wally world, take the kitty to the groomers' and a couple of other things that I forgot already! And I KNOW that if I leave that the the plumber will choose THAT time to show up! Nor do I know the plumber's name and phone number (son contacted them).

In addition, I have the side porch floor to paint (I volunteered - son was determined to paint last night - was falling over he was so tired), clean house somewhat, papers to sort (am looking for specific paper - not finding it so far!), and SOMEWHERE in there SEW!

Sigh! More later