January 20 2024

So it's  morning and I intend to pick out fabrics for the Modern Quilt Studio - Secret Agent Modern Mystery Quiltalong.  We'll see if I do.  It's been on my list for more than a few weeks.

In between first I think it was we got a letter from our homeowners insurance that they wanted to do a virtual survey of our house.  I vaguely remember way before COVID that someone came and took photos of the bathrooms and garage - but I don't think I took any notes.  I remember thinking during COVID that it was time for them to return to see again.  The way I remember is that they were looking to be sure we hadn't made improvements without notifying them.  I read this time that I needed to tell them if we spent more than $15K I needed to tell them.  Well that hasn't happened  We spent $2500 Jan 2021 on the water system and $4K Jan 2021 on the tankless water heater - warranted for 25 years and no maintainance needed.

The letter from the insurance company was stressful to receive even though I had been expecting them to remember us and put us on their list.  I have been reading in NextDoor that people in our neighborhood have been scrambling to get new home owners insurance as different than what we have insurance companies are not renewing them.

So as a result of the letter I got B & A to step forward and fix some cracks in the paint that have just been appearing and appearing.  B had fixed one a while back but hadn't bothered to get it painted so what one saw was a white puddy or what ever the stuff is for years.  A went to Home Depot and got matching paint and the everything inside looks lovely now.  

Two summers ago A had moved a lot of his stuff in the living room and I had before that moved some of B's stuff into the dining room so those areas have pretty much been unuseable - and looked like a garage to boot.  A started in November going thru his things - moving boxes back and forth from the storage unit to make a better inventory.  He ramped it up when the letter came - but then got COVID after NYE.  I got shelves intended for garage storage and set them up next to the bookshelves and put his stuff on the shelves.  B got started on his stuff as well.  I worked on the garage finished and unfinished area so that was nice too - able to vacuum the floor and walk around and see the edges of boxes that still need going thru.  But it was looking nicer than it had in a long while.

Then our little dog fainted or something and we took her for care and evaluation.  They said we were taking her home for end of life care - but she has perked up and is eating so I don't know.  I think we have more time with her.  Because we were able to clear things in the living room, we were able to set up a bed and area for her so she can be in the sun or shade as she decides.  It's been very nice.  I had to move empty boxes to the floor to block areas off so she wouldn't get lost in the items still on the floor or under the chairs.  So the room is cluttered again - but this time we feel good she is in a better area.  A has moved his computer to that area and is sleeping with her there too.

It's more complicated than I thought it would be to get a place in Ireland.  Not just the real estate stuff but getting homeowners insurance, VISAs for staying 90 - 140 days, accountants, and more.  Every day it seems something is started but not finished.  Yesterday a lovely woman had a phone call with me then followed up with an email where she said she had looked into it and it was wrong information on the phone and I'm back to complicated online forms to try and figure out.  Seems DH will have an easier time of being able to stay the 90-140 days than me once he gets his Irish citizenship and passport.  I will aways have to get VISA to stay beyond 90 days so eventually will need to figure that out.  Our cousin checked and none of the GP offices she called are taking new patients so it might be that 90 days we stay then return home for appts then if I can get VISA I return there.  Being able to stay 140 days was my goal though...

I'm noticing that I am feeling that I am the person that calls others or tries to set up lunches or walks with 'friends' or family.  I'm so tired of that.  In Ireland at least when we have gone there before the cousins have been so wonderful with inviting me/us to things.  I think that will be my favorite part of it all.  That and being able to walk to the stores and shops and museums and gym!

Crumb Quilting Adventure - Making an Odd Shaped Block Square | Ep. 8

I'm continuing with making crumb pieces that will eventually turn into blocks following Darlene's directions.  

Crumb Quilting Adventure - Making an Odd Shaped Block Square | Ep. 8

Notes:

1.  She prefers to make the blocks larger than they need to be so she has 'good' pieces that are cut off and can be used in a different block.

2.  For pieces near to the end size, try putting on paper and drawing what shapes you need to add to make it the correct size.  'Build it out'

• Anticipate how it will look after sewn (remember you will lose fabric with the seam), try to have a straight edge (rather than sewing two pieces on to make it straight). So either trim it so it's straight, or plan where to insert a little piece so the edge will be straight.
• Maybe try a little piece of 'sashing' so the meeting of two pieced units is not full of seams!
• Have generous ends so they line up, put straight edged fabric on top to use as the sewing line.
• Place the new strip so it is wonky, so when you sew it on the block pieces get squarer.

Now that I have larger units sewn together I was able to use these tips right away!

First here is my larger than needed piece of work.  At first I thought to put the cut lines at the side.  In looking at it though I thought how the bottom seam then would have a lot of seams.

So I moved the template down.  This way I would get three pretty good pieces to be used in another block, and what remained was interesting too.

Cut, and I have the block!  Also see the larger pieces that can used in another block!

Now here is a piece that needed more to be the correct size. (Instead of using a piece of paper, I used the template.)  It is tall enough but needs material added to the sides.

I found two pieces that looked like they would be perfect.

But then I remembered the seams would take away a lot of fabric, so the extra pieces that had seemed so perfect, just weren't!

These next pieces were larger, but when I put the cutting template on the top, I could see again the seams would make it too small.

I remembered Darlene's suggestion to use the double strip piece as a sort of sashing to help minimize the number of seams when pieces were joined...  This arrangement seemed perfect so I took the pieces to the machine...

But the way I placed the fabric made a little corner be too short.  I had to add fabric.  I added so it was slanted.  The first piece wasn't enough, so I added another one.  I also sewed a piece of fabric to the part that would be cut off...

And here I have the block with three bits with parts that are large enough to add to another block!

Even though I didn't use the paper idea, using the template and being reminded about the seams really helped.

On to Episode 9 for more inspiration!

Aside:  My husband tells me the wind currents will not send the Brazilian smoke our way.  I searched and can't confirm that for myself.  But who ever will be getting that smoke will need to stay inside on some days to protect themselves...

Crumb Quilting Adventure - Sewing Vlog - I Make Mistakes | Ep. 7

I'm continuing with making crumb pieces that will eventually turn into blocks following Darlene's directions.  

Crumb Quilting Adventure - Sewing Vlog - I Make Mistakes | Ep. 7

Here are the tips from this video:

1.  Use the sewn together strips as the base, and add various parts of blocks to that strip.

2.  Add interest by sewing a strip on another piece so it's on a diagonal.  Then add another strip or piece of a unit to the other end so you end up with two pieces.

So I did my version of this with these two groups of fabrics.

And this is what I ended up with!

I think the sewing to put strips together is a great one and I will get going with doing more of that.  Since I do not have larger pieces of fabric put aside for this project, I will use the strips I have.

On to Episode 8 for more inspiration!

A non-quilting aside.  

It is 90 degrees here this evening.  To do our bit, we are old-fashioned and only use fans in the house.  We have several window air conditioners but huddle together when we use them.  We haven't turned them on (except to check that they work) for several years now.  Today I put ice packets in front of several of the fans, so the wind is blowing the ice temperature toward the room, and that seems to help.  But can't do that easily in the sewing room so I'm turning off the iron and sewing machine for today.

I wonder when the smoke from Brazil will make its way up here?  And if it will be strong or diluted.  Several years ago we had two very big fires around us a few years apart, and we followed directions and stayed inside.  We could see the flames, but it was separated from us by several blocks, streets and gullies.  We saw an ember blow on top of a neighbor's shake roof and ran over to help them put it out before it took down their home.  Days later, when I did go to the store, there was enough ash swept up in the parking lot that it looks like snow.  The air was clear, but it was difficult to breathe.  We had enough food and electricity to keep things cold so that wasn't a hard environment to live (in the house looking at the fire and listening to the news) as long as we stayed inside. Everyone got new roofs after those fires. The second set of fires were farther away, but there was one out the front and one in the back yard so I really felt surrounded!

Can't remember when it was but once the electricity went out. (It was 2011!) Not just the city, but in our entire county, or maybe it was the southern part of the state!  What a mess the traffic was.  We couldn't cook.  We couldn't go out to a cafe as they were closed.  We couldn't watch TV.  That was really difficult to live thru.  And it was only maybe 12 hours starting at 3pm.  We had and have flashlights handy in different closets just in case.  But it was scary and uninteresting. Our son's friends came over for company, we tried to play cards to entertain ourselves.

We are using public transportation most of the time now.  A very un-Southern California thing to do.  But we investigated and now have pretty much mastered the system, and it is quite nice.  During a good month I probably drive two or three trips.  But I don't know if that is enough to do for the environment.  I guess we could plant some trees, but the use of water here for so long was restricted, something in me thinks it will be again. We should get a new, more environmental car soon.  After I go thru and get rid of our garage and storage boxes!

I haven't used a plastic bag for storing food all year, unless it was already used so I washed it out before using it again.  It was been rather easy to switch to using glass containers to store left overs in the frig or freezer. Glass is easier to clean too.

I remember when plastic bags at the grocery store were first started being used.  And liquid soap.  1973-74 when I was at university in Sweden.  It was such a new thing.  The first liquid soap there came in containers shaped like a bar of soap. You'd squeeze a drop on your hands then sort of rub them on the container.  Funny.  But think of all the containers that are floating in the ocean now.  : (   I am glad California sort of forced us to use reusable bags for grocery.  It's pretty much second nature to put a few in my backpack so they are handy in cases when I stop at the store in between the trolley and the bus on the way home.

A bag from store I went to in South Africa. Says it all. 
I think of it as I go thru things to get them ready
to donate or give away.  Freecycle is great for
things that Goodwill won't take.  (Opened
containers, food, non-working items)

We always have days here that are 90 degrees.  I just thinking of all these other things now.

We are planning another trip to Europe next summer.  For a family wedding and to tour a bit.  To make up for the flight I have to not drive for 8 months.  I read that in an article about the Swedes cutting back on their flights to help with the environment.  It cost so much more in time and money to take a train, but I guess the bigger picture is that it needs to be done more....

Oh gosh, and we are going to Eastern Africa in the fall.  I should never drive again, or eat meat!

Lose 50 Pounds in One Day!

My DH and I went to NYC for our honeymoon.  Maybe I'll write more about that later, but one of the places we went to was a bookstore where I saw and purchased The Happiness File.  It seemed a perfect book to start a marriage with!  The ideas were sound, but to put the system in place involved copying information on different colored index cards and having to move them to different sections as jobs were completed.  I was already using databases so wanted to put everything to it could be in the computer and printed, but then it was expensive to get paper to run through the printer that would end up as index cards.  The Flylady was genius as she made the system pretty much paperless, using Yahoo groups and the calendar to send reminders of what should be done.  (she does recommend a physical control journal).

See original article by Pam Young below

Any how, I subscribe to the Flylady list and receive the (many) emails.  Every once in a while one of the original authors of the system, Pam Young writes a column that is shared that way.  I can't find that she has also posted the emailed article on her site, so have copied and pasted the email below.  So this is here to remind myself and to share with you! The article talks about how she cleaned out her clothes closet for Goodwill (and so lost 50-pounds in one day).

My husband and I are doing a major house redo that is starting with finally opening boxes and seeing what's in side of them.  Some of these boxes have been in the garage in our first house, then moved here in 1994!  Now we have scanners so we are going to scan or take photos and save things digitally.  He (last month) has already pretty much done his office in this way so has a system for filing naming set up.

I'm using painters tape to label each box after I open it, and stacking them in the dining room/living room slightly arranged by topic.  (Christmas, Office Supplies, Florida, Pictures/Audio/electronics/disks, son, wedding, DH, me, teaching)  We have three rooms in the garage, so far I have only looked at the boxes in one of the rooms.  I had ten boxes that were clearly a mix of topics so I'm going thru those boxes first.

I started yesterday with three boxes, tossing duplicates and things I didn't need (I mean recipes from magazines dated 1984 and 1985!!!) and ended up with one box.  I felt badly just stacking things back in the box.  Last night I thought about it and realized I need to have boxes ready to receive things we want to keep so things are categorized when we go to scan them.  The trick will be thinking ahead on the categories so the items are only handled one last time when the scanning is done.

I could drive myself crazy trying to come up with the perfect set of categories!  I think I will start making them up based on what I find in the boxes.  I was so organized when I was teaching, but that was because I had everything organized by the instructional goals and objectives - even using numbers. But this is life and things are not as clear cut... I know the goal is to handle each paper as few times as possible, but also for things we are scanning if they named clearly then it won't matter as much if they are not on the same topic.  The reason to categorize is to see how much of one category we have.  For example: If I can see all the Christmas stuff in one place, then it's easier to find the proper boxes to store things and to see what duplicates can be given away or sold.

I have been going thru the rooms in the house following the Flylady suggestions and have made great progress with decluttering those rooms. I do the weekly vacuum, clean bathrooms and kitchen pretty much all the time so I'm set there.

The garage is a major project that will take a few weeks I think to have done.  Our garage is fitted with walls so a car can not be stored in there, instead we have boxes and boxes on portable plastic shelf units.  When my mom moved to assisted living I put up her shelves and put her boxes and boxes from my husband's mom in the garage too.  DH and I had cleaned out the garage, then my mom fell and it was clear she wasn't going to need her furniture so the furniture was put in our newly cleaned out space.  Too much stuff.

So this is the project I'm working on now.  Going thru boxes.

I started by picked the sewing/guest bedroom and going thru everything in that room.  If it was not sewing it was taken out.  I took supplies and clothes to my mom's assisted living place, supplies were put in the bathroom or garage.  But I knew in the garage I would find lots of fabric and the projects I put away to make more room for my friend who stayed here while we were in Boston last year - my clearing out the room I had room to put the items without a lot of fuss.  I started labeling the boxes after I had already put things in the closet, so there are some boxes not labeled.

Then I went thru the bathrooms and got rid of duplicates or old things so there are just a few cleaning supplies under the cupboard (still probably too much there).

I went thru the under the stairs closet first, emptied it and put things in boxes so they go together (table clothes in one box, paper plates and cups in one box, etc.).  But I did not label the boxes so will need to go back and redo that later.

So now I have pretty much emptied one of the garage rooms and put the boxes in the dining/living area.  I'm going to go thru the mixed up boxes and categorize them, then will probably start scanning to clean things out the dining/living room before starting the next two garage rooms.

So I know this is really boring stuff, but posting here to challenge myself to keep going and to finish it up this summer!

Young@Heart by Pam Young: Lose 50 Pounds in One Day      5 Decluttering Questions to Ask Yourself Yesterday I crammed my big suitcase (the one that always weighs more than 50 pounds when I check it at the airport) with all the fall and winter clothes I hadn't worn in the last year. Actually many of the garments hadn't been worn in several years. If you haven't worn a garment in the last year, what makes you think a year from now you will? Yes, I lost 50 pounds of clothing that was clogging my closet, and when I dropped the contents of my suitcase off at Goodwill, I felt 50 pounds lighter spiritually! Whew! I always say that clutter is the biggest destroyer of peace, and decluttering closets, cupboards and drawers brings a peace that money can't buy! About half the stuff I'd packed in that suitcase, was just not me anymore. Like the linen, Kasper suit, that has beautiful classic lines that don't go out of style, but it just didn't fit my style anymore. (I was tickled it still fit my body!) I bought it at least 20 years ago as a speech suit and I probably spoke in it 25 times. Today when I speak, I wear casual clothes. One dress that went in the suitcase, I'd bought to wear to a big deal occasion several years back. My good friend Marla Cilley, the FlyLady, had invited me to speak at an event put on by Yahoo to celebrate FlyLady's reaching 500,000 Flybabies through email. I think I got too excited about the affair, because the dress was more like something you'd wear if you were a queen at your coronation. As I was packing that suitcase, knowing all this was going to Goodwill, I asked some great questions of myself and I thought it might help you if I shared the questions and my answers. 1. Has my lifestyle changed since I wore this? In the case of the linen suit, my answer was "yes." I have a basic black dress in a polished-cotton that I can scarf up or down, (sparkly scarves for evening, pastels for spring and summer, red for winter and orange for fall). I also quit wearing 4" heels when I speak (I always ended up kicking them off mid speech anyway). 2. How long has it been since I last wore this? A good test of this is to put the garment on and go show your husband. As you model it for him, if he gets a confused look on his face and asks, "Is that new?" you'll know it's been too long since you've worn it and probably means you never really liked it in the first place. 3. Why have I kept this so long when I never wear it? I had to ask this one a lot as I handled each garment that ultimately ended up in the suitcase. The answer that kept surfacing was: 'It was on sale and for that price I couldn't pass it up even if it was too small. And besides I always wanted to be a size six like Molly Cutter (a high school cheerleader who was so cute and petite). And even though I never have been (and never will be) a size six, I'm an eternal optimist.' When I heard myself use that cockamamie excuse, I knew I'd reach that point that it was time to admit, I'm a size eight and that's just fine with me. 4. What if I regret giving this up? This question came directly from Nelly, my inner child. "Hi Nelly, you mean what if I become a size six like Molly Cutter and I want the dress back?" "Yeah, and it'll be gone and we'll be sad." "Nelly if I somehow become a size six, it'll probably be because I'm very sick and all I'll need are size six pajamas." As we grow older, we can still carry dreams or remnants of dreams we had when we were young. But thank goodness, our dreams can change and as they do, there is a peace that comes when we let go of dreams we've outgrown. Looking at that size six dress I'd never worn, I saw what power that garment had in holding me to a dream I'd outgrown. So ultimately my answer to the question, "What if I regret giving this up?" was, I won't. 5. How will streamlining my closet help me be happier? Clutter causes stress and stress saps energy. I'm a living breathing believer that the less stuff I have the more peace I have. By streamlining my closet, I have given myself the gift of happy dressing every morning. I feel like I have a new closet and a new wardrobe. I read somewhere that women wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time. I've just allowed myself to wear 100% of my clothes 100% of the time! Thank you for reading my blog! I hope I've inspired you to lose at least 50 pounds today and I hope you brag to your friends that you did. I believe clutter is one of the biggest sources of stress in our society. It saps our energy and raids our hearts of the natural peace we are meant to have. Peace  ----------------------- For more of Pam's essays and videos please visit her website here!

• Link to Flylady's article: Wardrobe Slimdown
• FLYing Lesson: FlyLady’s Moving Tips  (She suggests using different color markers to indicate what room the box should be moved to. In another email someone shared the idea of getting different color tape to mark the boxes and the doors of the new house.  Orange = office, Blue = bedrooms, Pink = kitchen [sink], Green = great room.)