What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

It's been a good vacation, but it's time to head home later today. While going away is always fun, going home is the best part of a vacation! I suspect there will be issues with my flight, and I'm in denial, so I'll tell you the complete story tomorrow. Let's just say that I can't get an earlier flight and my flight is delayed. Why do they send you messages about that in the middle of the night? Then only those that keep looking at their phone all night know and can do something ...

You have way more faith in me than I do. Move to ONE laptop! ACK! I'll have to think about it -- it's just the different locations in my house where I would use it. Well, I'll be thinking about how to make that happen. And I have to buy HP, as I'm so darn brand loyal; it hurts. I worked for them for 10 years, and well, I like their products! 

I'm a very habitual person, and I keep saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, BUT I am thinking of ...

I'm home! 

It was a long journey home! And while I appreciate help when packing up, I really don't need it or want it. I always feel RUSHED, and I shouldn't, but I do! But I got the luggage packed, and then the question was -- how much does that suitcase weigh? I knew I would be borderline as I had left some room for the samples I needed to pick up in Montreal, but when I weighed the case, it was just over 50 lbs, and that won't do. 

I switched a couple of things around ...

 It's my final morning in Montreal - at least for this trip, and I have to say that I'm looking forward to going home! I love going away, but the day I go home is always the best! I have two lectures to present today and then an evening flight. 

I see I got an e-mail regarding the weather and my flight. Snow flurries later today, but hopefully, all will be fine, as I would very much like to get home tonight, as I have a full day planned for tomorrow. If I don't, well, I'll figure ...

OH --- what a slug this morning. Thankfully, new beds do not bother me, so I've been sleeping well. However, I had noisy neighbors last night, and then during the night, the temperature dropped, and the wind picked up considerably. I could hear it howling all night and creaking the window and walls. As a result, when the alarm went off, I decided I would not walk in that weather - I would for the girls, but not me. I lazed in bed for quite a while before I got up!

The final day of meetings is over, and all went ...

It was Day Two in Monreal, and all went well yesterday. My French must be used more, especially in the sewing environment, to become proficient with all those terms, and I MUST make more effort to make that happen. 

Someone posted this on Facebook and forwarded it to me, and I thought it was hilarious. 

I know that I say this all the time, and I don't like that I say it. I'd like to be busy all the time, but NOT stupid busy. Now, how the heck am I going to do that? Can I be better ...

 Yesterday was a travel day, as I'm now in Montreal. I worked on my presentations in the morning, finished packing, and was off. The girls weren't too happy, but they currently have a dog sitter, so they will have many privileges they wouldn't usually have. They won't miss either of us a bit! Lexi was quite comfortable lying on the couch! 

It was not a good day as I lost my glasses! UGH, and I have no one to blame but myself. I barely wear those glasses, so I should have safely tucked them in my ...

I am NOT an enabler, although I hear someone else bought that grain elevator panel! I know --- we're preserving history. And that sounds like a perfect excuse to buy it. I am waiting for my panels to arrive, and then I need to make a quilt so it can return to Saskatchewan in a couple of months. 

Oh, those girls --- they are needy! It's not good that we have been home so much these last couple of years because now they think we are HERE for them always. And Murphy is especially "bad." I can be on a ...

OH MY GOSH - I read the comments and HAD to take a picture. Tammy suggested I get some post-it notes for my new notebook. 

Ah --- I don't think that's necessary since I have an ENTIRE drawer of them in my desk. Oops -- how did that happen? I never use the darn things, but I should get out one of those small arrow packs and use them for my notebook! I also have BIG plans for that notebook, but I'm not ready to share them. 

A drawer of Post-it notes

Thanks, Tammy, for the suggestion, but I'm ...

 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 ...

 A week is a long time to be at a retreat, but it is heaven. I'm not thinking about the girls. They are in good hands. I miss them, but sometimes, it's great to get a break from their antics -- just like your kids! We go home tomorrow, and I'm sure I'll get the cold shoulder from the Princess and five minutes of love from Murphy, and then she'll be off to get into trouble! Dogs don't appreciate the passage of time; all is forgiven as soon as you are back! 

We have been ...

You guessed it -- EVERYTHING takes longer than you think it will. Did I finish those improv blocks with the leftovers from Farmer's Wife? Nope --- and I went to bed with the problem of figuring out how many blocks I would need, how many I have, and whether I have enough fabric to complete the blocks? 

Thanks to a discussion with Katheleen, I will keep these blocks myself. I have a plan and hope I have enough craps to finish it. 

Here are the finished blocks. They look fantastic, and I'm very excited about them. 

My improv blocks

I ...

I have yet to go outside, but could we be snowed in? We had a lot of snow yesterday, but the retreat house is also on a hill, and the snow was blowing, so hopefully, it blew away from the yard and not into it! 

We'll be out for our walk once it gets light, and then we'll see. This region is on the ball for road maintenance, so that won't be a problem, but we have to get from the house to the road. And if we don't get out for our walk until later ...

 Yesterday, it was all about getting things done! I think it was one of my most productive retreat days ever! And how did that happen? I seemed to spend a bit more time sewing and a little less time chatting! 

But I still got to chat with everyone, and I still say that I have the best friends and we have the BEST time at Virtual Retreat! It's nice to know that we can laugh and chat without physically being with each other! And we solve all the world's problems! If quilters ruled the world!

OH -- here's ...

Oh, shoot -- I forgot to get a picture of the under-the-desk drawer situation. Something to look forward to tomorrow!

More great classes yesterday on using pre-cuts and scraps. I've got my share of pre-cuts, and I need to use them up! The class (hosted by The Hobby Horse) runs until June, and if you didn't sign up, I think you missed the boat. The discussions we've had so far have made me WANT to use these things up, and I'm getting ideas on what to do with the pre-cuts. So this is what I'm tackling ...

OK -- so this happened yesterday, and it's not about Murphy!

The writing is done! Am I getting better? Or am I better prepared? It seems to take less time than it did in the past - I think my hands are getting faster at getting the thoughts on "paper," and I'm better at editing as my grammar improves. I used to fight with Grammarly to understand what they were telling me. It does NOT like Passive Voice, and I used to struggle with writing in the Active Voice. It's all good -- the writing is done!

 ACK -- I'm a bit behind in responding to your comments! I need to do that every day as I love to get comments from you all, and I feel bad when I don't comment back because often, that's the only way we get to stay in touch; otherwise, it's a one-sided conversation! 

Can you believe it's the last day of September? I've felt a bit "nostalgic" all week as this would have been the week I would have arrived in Santiago! I've been thinking about the people I met and figured many would ...

I got LUCKY!!! Even though that grey fabric is years old, I found a shop in Ontario that still has it in stock! Yeah! She will be sending me a half meter next week, so I can make the binding for my quilt! As I said -- I got lucky, and it wasn't critical that I use that fabric for the binding, as I could have found something else. Still, it shows that you must be flexible in creating something, especially from fabric you purchased years ago, because you might not find more if you need it!

I was busy ...

I'm going to have to start blogging at night! I know some people like to read the blog over coffee or breakfast in the morning, and well -- I'm going to be late. Not too late, but it'll have to be short!

Why? Because I started reading a darn audiobook -- that's why! I started it yesterday - only 9 hours, but the darn thing is a page-turner (so to speak!). 

I listened with my big headphones on while I was out setting up the sprinkler, then I sat at the kitchen table while I waited 20 minutes to ...