Thursday 28 April 2016

A Virtual Shower For Me!

There is so much excitement in my life right now, I may explode!

First - the other day I stopped at an intersection and let a large dump truck proceed. They have brakes and shifting and things - they deserve a break when you can and when you should. So as the truck passes me the load cover lifts and lowers! Just like it was tipping its hat to me! Better than running into Mickey Mouse at Disney! Amazing! Makes you feel like the princess you are!

Next, we are sitting a 75 lb. Irish Setter named Angus. He is so sweet, well mannered and he loves to spoon! We are really enjoying his company. That poor dog is being walked off his paw pads! After some time with no pet it is a treat to have him here. Though, I must say it's best not to follow him up the stairs. That rear end is like a little perfume atomizer - puff, puff, puff!

But the big news is>>>>>

I'm getting a new sewing machine!!!!!!

A really big one, and it's brand new!!!!!!

I finally decided to go for the new Creative Sensation Pro 2. It's just been released and I am jumping on it. The CS Pro has been a great, reliable machine. This machine adds a few bells and whistles and I am ready to go sewing/embroidery. I like to embroider and it seems silly not to get a machine that does it well. It also sews beautifully. The tension thingy is amazing and helps with both sewing and embroidery.

Now I did consider the new Husqvarna Designer Epic. I drool for the features on that machine. However, I want to stay Pfaff for the IDT (walking foot built in). Pfaff may be coming out with an 'Epic jump' in features as well. If and when they do I may reconsider then. My options are there.

So the order went in today and it should be here next week. In the meantime I am throwing myself a virtual shower, and you are all invited!

If you could, and money is not in question, what would you give me as the perfect present for the new embroidery/sewing machine owner? It could be an accessory, fabric, whatever! It could even be a project that I should try. What was the best thing you got yourself, or did?

The Great P 'gave' me a virtual magnetic hoop. She finds it practical and versatile.  I agree, and have one on order.

Our technician brought me a project she did and suggests I do. I want to spend some time stitching out the decorative stitches. Everyone says that but we rarely get there. They look so much better stitched out than they do on the machine menu. She thinks it's best if the stitch out then goes into something you use. For inspiration she brought me some bags and a seat cover/bag she made long ago - and still uses. Excellent!




So. Come to my virtual sewing machine shower! Bring me your fav accessory or project that will send me off to a great start with my new baby! Help yourself to the virtual and calorie free temptations and make yourself comfortable. I am so excited!


Sunday 10 April 2016

If Mice Would Just Wear Nappies

It was lovely yesterday! Sunny and perfect for rummaging around the garden shed.

We moved lots of things out to make room for gardening activities. Lawn furniture, that sort of thing. I was digging in my cupboard drawers looking for some wettable sulfur when my nose picked up a less than delicate scent. Yuck! Stinky mouse pee in my potions and lotions drawer!

Now pay attention. Stupidity sets in here.

I am grossed out thoroughly but figure I better do the cleaning today as it won't get any better with time. I start to pull things out and set them outside for bleaching and hosing. Most things are in bins so it's easy to do. The bottom drawer has the foam sheets I used for wrapping trees. It's really stinky and I pick it up by both ends so no pee spills out.

I make it to the door before I realize that wasn't what I needed to notice.

Things like:

  • the pee smell was fresh - very fresh
  • foam is soft and easily chewed
  • mice had been there for some time - why?
So at the door the well chewed bottom drops out of the pile of foam and a mass of chewed foam, a mother mouse and a whole bunch of baby mice drop on the doorstep. OMG!

Mother picks up a baby and runs to a plumbing pipe lying handy by the door. She stuffs baby in and then turns to glare at me. I'm horrified! The babies seem too young to move on their own and I figure the best I can do is to put the group back together in a safe and warm spot. DH is fetched from his workshop and brings a milk carton with an old towel. I scoop mice into the carton, push it over the mouth of the pipe, dump seeds next to it, cover it with other bins and insulating layers. I'm still horrified, but recovering. I feel so bad! Poor little family! 

Back to the cleaning. I mix the bleach really strong (I hate to admit I even own bleach,  but there are times when nothing else will do). I spray everything in the bins and let it sit while I go back to the drawers. There are cardboard tubes in the bottom drawer I haven't yet moved and I decide they need to go. As I reach for the first one, it moves.

Add to the 'need to notice' list above:
  • the babies seemed to be in two groups - older and younger
  • this might indicate more than 1 mother
Mother #2 pops out of the tube, checks me out and scampers over the drawer wall - and then who knows where? I am a home wrecker and a family breaker upper! 

I clean the drawers and the bins. I no longer smell bleach, it's just what the world smells like, I think. I left the door open all day so maybe mouse #2 can come out and find her babies again. 

The mice here are really quite cute. They have round little bodies, they don't bolt and they hop. Really quite adorable! As DH has had them climb his legs on 2 separate occasions, we call them pant mice. 

I can only imagine what they call me. 

And yes, we do figure the baby she grabbed first was her favourite. Every mother has one.


Thursday 7 April 2016

Do Onto Chickens....

I will be 60 in July. I find myself referring to me as already 60. I'm not sure why. Mental rehearsal? I used to think this was going to be hard, and it may yet still be. But feeling good about it right now!

Can't decide to party or not. Any thoughts?

Some events come back to you vividly. Many years ago I was teaching a small group of 8 year olds and we somehow got on the topic of where water goes when you send it down the drain. This led to toilets and where that all goes. At that time our waste water went directly, untreated, into the harbour - not more than 100 metres from where we were at the time. We could see the harbour out the window.

The looks on their faces will never leave me. It was profound. The horror! The knowledge that adults, trusted people who ruled their worlds - would do such a thing! How could this be so? No politician would have left the room alive. They would have shrivelled in the glare.

Notice how I ignore my role in all this. I tried, but it just makes you think. All the time, at the most inopportune moments. What kind of touch am I leaving on this world?

So I see this short video on Facebook. I try not to fall into those rabbit holes, but I was weak.

It showed the life of a chicken, from egg to store. I raised ducklings with my grade 2 classes, so I have a thing for fluffy hatchlings. Mind you, I do find chicks stupid. Ducklings are intelligent, and they like to sit on your feet while you teach. Love that. So cute. And then they poop.

It was not a horror film designed to send you to nightmare city for the next week or two, but it pushed me over that edge. I don't think I can buy regular chicken anymore. I want happy, free range and naturally unengineered chickens. I'm also thinking that way for meat in general, and less of it all.

I'm not militant. I just want to be aware, and able to look those 8 year olds in the eyes. I am currently finishing off the 'bad' freezer contents. Waste not, after all. DH looked at the price tag on the free range chicken I bought and decided his conscience will allow him to eat the factory chicken after all. That's fine. He knows his way to the store. I can only be responsible for me.

I also checked out a Michael Pollan book from the library. It won't be the page turner the Michael Connolly was, but I shall see where it goes.