Sans Sewing Machine

My sewing machine is being repaired.

For some time now, the stitches have been uneven. This didn't bother me while I was working on the Dead Guy quilts, which contained a mismatch of fabrics thick and thin, and had to be force-fed through the feed dogs.

But recently I've turned over a new fat quarter, as it were, and have been doggedly pursuing accuracy. So my odd stitches began to bother me. Plus, the cutter was no longer working, and my walking foot and darning foot squeaked.

So off I went to Penelope's and handed my machine in on the appointed day. Only to receive a phone call a few hours later saying that the place where you plug the power cord in was broken (it was fine when we left the house) and that the part had to be ordered (and it would be two weeks) and only then could they begin the repairs to the machine.

I was prepared to be without my machine for a week or so, just not a MONTH or so!

Yesterday I was losing my mind all day! Spent a good deal of the day looking at the possibility of buying another, simpler machine, to get me through the month.

"Do your knitting now!" "Do some baking now!" "Clean your sewing room!" "Work on your music now!" "Take a walk!"

Lots of helpful suggestions. But I am bouncing off the walls missing my sewing machine.

My friend has an extra machine, a small one she takes with her on retreats.

I don't go to retreats, they cost too much. So there goes that excuse.

It's my money and I can do what I like with it. 

Uh-huh. And I'm already broke.

Looking at "rentals" only brings me to places where you can sew in their establishment, not a machine I could bring home.

Sigh. It's gonna be a loooooong month.

Courtepointe Quebec Quilts Exposition: October 3-6, 2024

 

A new concept this year - quilters are permitted to PRESENT their quilts! Accordingly, I will be at the Salon presenting my quilt:

Friday, October 4, from 11:00-12:00

Saturday, October 5, from 11:00 - 12:00, and again from 1:00 - 2:00

Presenting means I get to tell people what the inspiration was, what materials I used and why, show off my hand quilting, etc. (I get to brag about my quilt!) 

Retirement Looming

Nine working days left - *gasp!* Nine days to freedom! Nine days till I can finally get quilting again!

My psyche did the *flip* about a month ago - what am I doing here (at work)? Am I having any lasting impact? Like a quilt that will last 100 years, lasting?

Or will my job be posted online before my obituary?

The call of the quilt, and the knitting, and the painting, simply got louder than anything I was doing for pay.

And we've celebrated the upcoming change by buying a new trailer and a new car to pull it!

Retirement can't loom fast enough!

Two Thirds!

Good morning! This is me writing my blog on a projection of a keyboard, while having my morning coffee, which is where I usually have most if my ideas for the day, promptly forgotten once coffee is over!

Of course, I can’t think of a single thing to say now...

And isn’t that often the way with life? We wish and wish for things, then when we have them, we forget to use them, or don’t bother to use them.

Here I am, all set up with a great big quilting floor stand, and a section of a room for sewing in. But is my Cousin’s quilt getting done? Not here! I have to go out with it, take it, and all my paraphernalia, to my friend’s Atelier Fiber Arts, and quilt there.

But human nature/laziness notwithstanding, the quilt is 2/3 completed! Yes, the hand-quilted queen sized quilt might actually get done this calendar year! I don’t know who will be more surprised - me, or my Cousin!

Vacation day 1

I'm off work now for twelve beautiful days in a row!

This morning, at five o'clock, when Boyfriend got up to face his workday, we chatted a bit, then got on to the topic of my plans for the day.

I said I was hoping to get some quilting done.

Boyfriend thought a moment (I could see the wheels turning), then said "Ok, and then how about putting away your stuff in the basement family room, dusting the downstairs, and straightening up your sewing room?"

He was attempting to get back at me for interfering with his plans for his days off, you see! Very cute!

Except that my list is always longer. I didn't say it then, but I'm saying it now:

Is that before or after I clean the bathroom, vacuum, empty and re-load the dishwasher, mow the front and back lawns after picking up the dog poop, wash, dry, fold and put away the laundry, wash the kitchen floor and some of the cupboard doors?

And after lunch...?

There are three of us living together now. A couple of weeks ago I put my foot down about cooking dinner. See, if I make a dinner, it's wholesome and nutritious, and takes into account the fact that these two diabetic men shouldn't have too many carbs. I plan what I'm going to make, I shop for what is needed or make a list for one of the guys to pick the stuff up, and I start cooking early enough that we're not eating at eight at night.

If they "cook," it's Harvey's or Miss Italia, or Benny's.

So we are trying out a new system, suggested by my Beautiful Daughter, called GoodFood.

There are 7 days in a week. We order in one of those days. That leaves six days, divided between three people: i.e. - we each have to make dinner two days a week.

So, since we get three GoodFood dinners a week, we each only have to come up with ONE meal per week out of our own brains.

We've finished one week, and it was more or less a success. I had to go out Tuesday night, so the men decided to go to Harvey's.

I really am a ball and chain in their way! They really don't care if they live or die, nor how young!

Ahem. I digress.

Today's jobs are well begun. The first load is through the washer and the upstairs has been vacuumed. Hubby says the lawn doesn't need mowing, so that lets him off the hook. It does need mowing, so lucky me, I get to do that as well, despite the fact that there are three of us living here, and I mow the lawn every week, and do all the vacuuming.

Now, there are lots of stressors in life, and most of them we can't change. Apparently, I can't get Hubby to understand the need for mowing and vacuuming. These have been bones of contention between us for over two decades, and I guess I just have to learn not to react in anger.

BUT I WANT TO SMACK HIM!

No, no, Debbie, "don't be negative" one of my BEST FRIENDS said to me last weekend!

Everyone blames me, because I get angry! I squawk. It's "blame the victim" time all over again! "Oh - you married a man who doesn't cook, doesn't clean, and doesn't do yard work? Your fault! You left him once, you knew what you were getting into when you went back, why are you yowling now?"

To be fair, it was accept his invitation or go live in a car.

At any rate, I simply can't go on like this. I've got to learn how to vacuum, scrub, mow and whatever...without getting angry.

Wish me luck.