Fall Already ???

It seems like just yesterday that I was getting the lawn decorations, and the lawn chair our, and yesterday I was putting them away.

It seems to have gone from 70 one day, to a high of 48 today! I am really not ready for the cold weather. I want more warm sunny days to sit outside read a book and enjoy the day. Can't do that today in addition to the cold, it is raining! 

Friends north of me have seen snow flakes already, now that I am really not ready for. As soon as Halloween is over I will start putting up the Christmas decorations. This year I am putting them on the gazebo frame with zip ties. That will make them easier to take down. and since they will be zip tied to the gazebo frame, they will not be buried in the snow, if we get a lot of snow.

Silly thing is with all this drop in temps and the cold and rain, the leaves have hardly turned, they are mostly all still green and on the trees.

Extra Time

 This year I find myself with lots of extra time, the shutdown last year gave me time to get a lot of things done. It also gave me time to reflect. 

Do we really need to take all that stuff on a vacation, after all it is supposed to be a time of relaxation, not a time to be bogged down with all kinds of things that we take "just in case" we might need them. I had a 4 page packing list, that now is down to half a page. That page does not include my list of clothes. I determine how much I take by how many days we are gone. Never want to run out of underwear on a trip. But the rest, well I really do not need all the stuff that used to go along. 

I discovered the the secret to packing light is to only have one person do the packing. I listen to what others want to take, but now I just do it my way. IF we really need something I did not take, there are stores to get it.

The other thing I discovered is that duffel bags are easier to manage and carry than tote boxes, plus they take up less room in the vehicle, and when we get their they can be folded up and out of the way.

So when we go on vacation again, it will be a much lighter load.

Is It Really Spring?

 It seems we are in and out of some cycle. Three to four days of beautiful warm weather, and then it drops to where I need a winter coat to go anywhere.

All my flowers seem to be up, not blooming yet, but up. I hate to tell them, that they could wake up one morning and be covered in snow! I remember years when we had snow on Mother's Day.

I have my spring decorations up, but so are my Christmas cards. I have a plan for those cards, so at least I know where they are. 

Today was t-shirt weather, as it has been for the last couple days, tomorrow the rains come, and they are supposed to be here for a few days. They are bringing colder temperatures with them. I have been enjoying having my morning coffee, outside in the warmth, hate to give that up.

Getting Warmer?

 There is so much snow everywhere, there seems to be no more places to put anymore. But now it seems to be getting warmer. Hopefully warm enough to melt the snow, but not warm enough to snow more.

Maybe this is the January thaw we never had. Which will then just give us more room for more snow. The snow I can deal with, but the cold temps we have had. -10 is not a fun number, especially when I need to go somewhere.

I must say I have gotten a lot of sewing done, during this cold, and also a lot of sitting under a big blanket watching TV, when it is just too cold to sew. My machines do not like the weather anymore than I do.

Christmas Decoration

I finally found a Santa that would complete my Christmas decoration. My daughter-in-law crocheted the "reindeer" they are long tubes that she slid over candy canes to give them shape. I took off the real candy canes and substituted glass ones, so I could use them year after year. The sleigh I found years ago. For years it was just the sleigh and the reindeer, then I found just the right santa. This year when Christmas rolls around i will make a "harness" for santa, so it looks like he is pulling the sleigh.

I had often thought of painting the wooden sleigh, but still can not decide on a color.

 

 

 

It has been an interesting year

 Well this has definitely been a different sort of year. I have had lots of time to get stuff done, since I have been home most of the year. I have a feeling that just the turning into a new year will not change that much. I think I will be still spending a lot more time home, than going anywhere.

I have taken the opportunity to declutter 3 rooms, still have a couple to go. I was going to do my sewing room too, but that would just be a waste of time. As soon as I would start another project it would just be a big mess again.

This year I had time to get my Christmas shopping done in September and all wrapped by the end of September. Christmas cards and letters done in November. Did not remember to send them out early though. lol

Thanksgiving this year, was just another day, since get togethers were not allowed. Christmas we got more creative and I was able to see all the kids.

The tree went up the day after Thanksgiving, and I am debating on when to take it down. Most of the other Christmas decorations are down, and I have started packing them up. I take a week to do the pack up as it is so frustrating to get everything in the attic again, and then spotting a few items I forgot.

Still Cleaning

Since there are no shows this year, I am getting an early start on cleaning and organizeng my sewing room. Everything, like projects I thought I was going to do but have not gotten to in the last 3 years, have found a new home, either they ended up on the rummage sale table or the trash. I am going through drawers and shelves and getting rid of stuff. I know that I will never get to a lot of it so why look at it. The only thing that I am not going through is the fabric, I went through all that last year. For now I am keeping the quilting books and supplies till I decide what to do with them, but most of them will probably be going as well.

One Project Done

I have always wanted a gazebo. I have had screen houses, but they never seemed to hold up as well as I would have liked, and a lot o the had floors, which really did not serve my purposes.

This year I made up my mind this would be the year I would get a gazebo. I wanted a 10 x 10 and that is what I thought I got. I got it brand new in the box from an estate sale. When it was set up I discovered that it is really 10 x 12. I set up a table in it, and my patio chairs.

There is an outlet on the side of the house, so I can get a cord into the gazebo and I finally have my "outdoor" sewing room! It will be so nice to be able finally to sit outside and enjoy the summer and sew instead of being stuck in the house all the time.

Just So Much To Get Done

Now that it is getting nicer out, I can start weeding my flower beds. I have been sitting outside on the nice warm sunny days. All 3 of them!
Have managed to get all the Easter decorations up, now I need to take them down and get up the summer ones.

 It seems the more I get done, the more I see that needs doing. I do think I have had the diningroom table cleaned off at least 3 times, but it just seems to attract stuff.
I keep telling myself it is only mid April, but yet my mind thinks it should be warmer, and that I should be taking down the window blankets and opening the windows up. But then I check the weather and it is not all that warm out yet.

During this "stay at home time" I have read 7 books, and put together 2 puzzles, that is in my spare time, which I finally seem to have some of.

The days are getting longer and since it is staying light longer I seem to be able to get a lot more done, it does not seem like it is later than it actually is.

I must set aside one day a week to clean the house, as that is my least favorite thing to do, I kind of never seem to have the time to do it.

Only a couple more weeks and it will be fishing season. I think I am all ready for that.

Staying Home

I know there are some who HATE this stay at home thing, but for me it is not big deal. I am mostly at home anyway, sewing/crafting.  I have all the supplies I need, so no need to stress over the stores that are currently closed.
If I am really bored, have not been yet, I can always clean this house.

I can still go for walks, and rides, and fishing. What more do I need to do?
I have a telephone, so chatting with friends is the same as it always has been.

Yes, Easter has been cancelled, but I can watch the church services on YouTube in my pj's if I wish.
Don't have to cook a big meal or clean the house till it is spotless, no egg coloring, no candy sitting around to tempt me. No big deal.