Home Again

Im sad that our quilting retreat has ended but also glad to be home too!  And I've finally keys to last week's replaced door lock!!!!  OK I'm back at Mary's car unloaded and just fed too - now to relax.

We left Dryden 11ish after some fabric shopping and arrived half hour sooner at my friends' Adeline and Bill for tea break in Kenora.  It's always lovely to have a visit with them!  Then we stopped into the Born to Quilt shop as Edna wanted some specific fabric and a pattern.  There was a lady ahead of us who kept changing her mind and or asking about something else while Edna was getting worried about the snow falling and finally gave up waiting for this woman to get her act together so we could be served too.  Nope she then started talking about something else that Linda turned to show her and that's when after like half hour we left our selections and returned to the car and headed home.  I got the feeling that the customer was annoyed when we asked a question and then deliberately stalled.  My opinion but it sure seemed like that.  So I said we have to leave as we've a long road ahead yet.  Glad we did as it was quite gusty and in spots drifted across the road but mostly was clear.  Near Steinbach the wind got stronger but less and less snow as we got closer to nothing in the city.

Retreat Ending!

Good morning all - it's only half day today - I've finished the delimma table topper just now - now pack up retreat wise.  Thank you again Colleen for the lovely necklace.  I've worn it all weekend along with my sewing machine earrings!

Another retreat is over again and we've prepaid for the next one.  It sure was nice to have Edna with us this time.  We even went to B&Bs for Saturday night supper and then Sunday breakfast at Backwoods Grill and then we had this AWESOME pork tenderloin smorg for lunch.  It's always nice to see their show n tell and the variety of fabrics and patterns out there.

Bargello with Efferescence and Ombre fabrics.

Pat's finished Canada quilt with coordinating fabrics. 

Day 2 Dryden Retreat

Day 2 of Dryden Retreat was jam packed.  Not sure about the black n white but using up a left over jelly roll.  Oh and this time the newbies were joined by last year's newbies to sing another song - so Pat chimed in too.  Then we were asked by the guild to help with baby quilts for the Dryden and Sioux Lookout hospitals.  We tired Sylvia out so after supper we dropped her off for a relaxing evening at home.  The three of us went back to sew more and I TRIED to finish off another table runner but this one was different fabric and type than my usual and it's giving me grief!  As it was getting late I decided to stop and let Sylvia give me her opinion tomorrow.

My machine is quilting smoothly this time.

Sylvia is working on a Christmas table runner. 

Pat is working on a beautiful lap quilt for herself on her NEW Kenmore.

Edna is continuing with her pineapple blocks from the previous retreat or two. 

My efforts to the cause.

Now this I'm not sure about!

Definitely not sure! 

Pat's Canada quilt. 

Friday Retreat

I totally forgot about posting yesterday.  Edna was part of the newbies entertainment.  I also started a skinny jelly roll table runner but sewed it similar to a bargello and thus ran out of the contrast fabrics - so that's set aside and I switched to the 2.5 inch jelly roll and cutting/sewing as per instructions - can't wait to see it finished.  Well we went back to Sylvia's 9:00ish and cut up veggies n fruit for snacks and enjoyed tea n orange pumpkin loaf Sylvia made before bed.

This morning Pat woke to more visitors!  The tree was Thursday's casualty!

Thursday's Mega Drive to Dryden!

We finally got out of the city and weather wasn't too bad till just before Falcon Lake.  

Well we're at Falcon Lake waiting for the jack-knifed semi accident closure to open or we're told to somehow turn around.  The semi behind us checked if we're OK and had water with us.  So nice.  I did send a prayer to please let us through slowly but safely as I truly want to go to the retreat!  At least I have Edna and Pat with me this time.

OK  we're through that 3 hr road block, food fueled up and NOW back on the road to Dryden!  2 more hours and then bed!

Not so lucky!  We're stopped again halfway between Kenora and Vermillion Bay where this 30-40 km stretch is snow packed and horibble.  Nearing 12 hrs since I've packed and started picking others up.  Gonna be tired!!!!

We were all admiring the beautiful pucture of snow covered trees but then that could create lots of problems too for wires and roads too!

Well who knows when we'll get rolling again.  Nothing but semis and lights both ways.  Just hope we get going so I can top up before the next closure!  I've just under 1/2 tank yet.

OK this definitely is the longest usually 5 hr trip in my life - took 13 hours since leaving Pat's with mostly 60-80 km/hr speeds and TWO 3-hr long highway closures.  But my baby got us here safe and sound at 3:30 am.  Not sure what time we'll be up tomorrow!  Good night - what's left of it!

Apartment Maintenance!!!

I am getting upset as my apartment  maintenance is dragging on 4 weeks now and I don't know if they are finished or not.  The only thing finished by the looks of it is the hallway ceiling.  The sink is on and water is on but I'm not sure if it needs a fine bead of sealing around or not.  There are items left behind and work not done yet.  SHEESH!!!

Then today I'm back and can't get into my own apartment as the replaced not locking door knob IS LOCKED and none of the keys work until we fought with Betty's passkey and it opened.  DAMN IT!!!!  I sent an email to have all this completed by Monday period!

A Give Up Day!

But oh is my foot (the one I went over on) ever sore from standing some 4 hours planning and cutting out 5 table runners before I gave up.  Seems today is 'give up' day for me.  This morning slept in and then tackled a second try of part 2 of Lesson 1 bobbin lace making till I realized I've a mistake again somewhere so stopped.  This is after I'd already undone 1.5 inches of incorrect work.  So I covered it and started on my laptop to compose "My Journey into Bobbin Lacemaking" for the Lacemakers Gazette only to find I've no internet connection and forgot the password so can't copy paste from my blog of pertinent info.  So I packed that in and went upstairs to do some quilt retreat preparation.  Well at least that worked out well till I realized I ran out of the border fabric and need ONE MORE 2.75" square but the three pieces I have leftover are 2.5" wide by 2.75" - so left that for a clearer mind to see if I can fudge it.  Then the last runner I'm cutting out is too long so I shortened the 18" length to 15" but the last fabric is only 25" in total - DANG IT!!!  Guess I could cut all other pieces to 12.5" lengths if I can't find this fabric at home.  THAT'S IT I QUIT FOR TODAY and went to make supper.  At least that went over without a hitch and was AWESOME!  I'm finishing off with Chai latte and the gonna put my feet up and read listening to Gord Downy tribute on 94.3 FM.

Fibre Art Exhibit

And can't wait for Nov 5th to go check this out with Edna and hopefully Pat and/or Michelle and lunch again at Barney Gargles in Selkirk.

Good Day!

Feeling relaxed after my visit with Tuesday Stitchery ladies and my massage.  Laundry in and Sobeys prepped supper ready to eat with my salad.  I bought the ready to eat garlic mashed potatoes and the Tuesday $9 tray of ribs.  Potatoes enough for 3 meals and ribs for two.  $13 total I think is a good deal.  And the Winnipeg Jets vs the Columbus Blue Jackets on my Tablet via Shaw Free Range TV!  What more could I ask for?  Well maybe a glass of white wine!

Bobbin Lace - Lesson 1 Part 2 completed

That I've finally finished part 2 of Lesson 1 on bobbin lacemaking.  This one was a bit frustrating as I did not read instructions properly and then I too made mistakes and did lots of unknotting!  But I'm very happy that I persevered to the end.  And Mary's small rocker with my small TV table were just PERFECT for me to work on near her dining room window.  Now before I go onto Lesson 2 I'm going to redo this part 2 and follow directions properly - at least I hope it clicks in this time!

Section 4 - veining every two pairs w footsides.

Last section - veining after every pair w footsides. 

Again a big mistake - knitting and cutting off the wrong workers.

Braided finishing.  Not sure what to do with the last workers ends that were knotted and cut off.  Now to let this set 24 hours and prep the next set of bobbins. 

All finished - more ends for Michele!

Senkiw Area and Roseau River Walk

Feeling awesome and thankful and happy and energized even if my body is sore from our awesome Senkiw area and Roseau River walk and stuffed after the delicious St. Joseph fall supper.  Which again I cut back on my choices and amounts to leave room for my dessert!  They even had red wine and beer for sale here but I just enjoyed the coffee.  Thank you Edna, Mona and Lily for joining me today!  It was spectacular even that swinging bridge!  UGH!!!

Looks like an arrowhead - except for its size!

Into the sun.

With the sun.

The gears used for the old bucket pulley ferrying system for children to cross to go to school?  Not for me!!!

Myself, Lily, Edna and Mona

Just beautiful but downhill!  Lots of that on this trail. 

They do KAYAKING on this river - it's full of rocks! 

Beautiful! 

A round about and someone had to spoil the picture dragging that mattress down there!

Another downhill!

Weird shape from winds? 

Now it's uphill! 

Milkweed?  Was told this is poisonous to most but necessary for monarch butterflies? 

But what is this?   Interesting vivid wine or magenta colour. 

On the home stretch finally.   No more hills. 

St. Joseph fall supper.   I didn't take the tortierre (?) - meat pie.

Cheesecake for dessert - but they had like a dozen pies even the sugar one(?).

WOW WOW WOW!!!  Now someone came in style! 

The wind turbines were shining in the sunset! 

THE END!!!