Getting There

I've never undertaken such an extensive renovation project before. This one is progressing slowly but we're getting there.

The honey oak cupboards were very stylish in 1983 when the house was built. The doors were solid wood but the MDF cabinets were dirty and showing their wear. I had to rebuild the cutlery drawer to the left of the fridge a couple of years ago.

In spite of the fact that there was going to be a full backsplash, I couldn't just leave the walls so dirty.

I washed them with TSP, rinsed them and repainted.

The cabinets went in on the fresh walls except for a couple of pieces that needed to be remade. Then measurements were taken for the new countertop. Barb helped me load the cupboards back up from all their contents strewn all over the dining room. 

With more storage space and a lot of purging, I even have some empty shelves now!

The new, lightly veined, quartz countertop and new faucet were installed yesterday and measurements were taken for the backsplash.

There have been some bumps along the way - a few surprises - but I'm told by others who have been through the process that this is normal. 

There is a small list of things to be completed/reinstalled/connected but I am sure it will all get done. In the meantime, I'm still microwaving and doing dishes in the laundry room.

Before and after:

Stitch Days!

I totally indulged myself and signed up for both of Kimat Designs' stitch days that took place on Friday and yesterday.

Friday, I attended with Barb, who capably chauffeured us up to the Lemonville Community Centre (McGowan and Bloomington Rd area). Several from my guild were in attendance: Alda, Barb, Judy, Joanne, Joanne's daughter, Jennifer

but I had arranged to sit with my new stitchy friends, Blaire and Chris. I met them at this event last August, again at the Pastime Pieces retreat, and again at the Peel Stitch-In last November.

Yesterday, Poppy and I drove up and we sat with Nancy and MaryK.

Refreshments were available all day (tea, coffee, lemonade, scones, muffins) and lunch, dessert, and an afternoon snack was also provided.

It was a really fun way to spend a couple of days with stitcherly friends. I also met some stitchers from other guilds.

There was a 'brag table' in the adjacent room. I was really taken with this Long Dog Sampler piece, "The Quilted Bees" and asked Kim to order the chart for me.

The stitch count is 220 x 211. The solid bits are a LOT of stitching. It really is a stunner.

I finished one project on Friday. It had been in a UFO Ziploc bag since 2018 when I abandoned it. All I had to do was the three motifs on the bottom left (4 balls of yarn, WIP, and the six stitch markers). It's "A Knitter's Sampler" by Robin Sample. I used the DMC conversion given in the pattern. It's going to take a lot of pressing to get the creases out.

I put in some stitches on Clovis, including the last flower on his apron and some of the apron's background.

I realized yesterday I had stitched too much lace on one side of the apron so will have to pick out those stitches. The 'Putty' background shows where the lace should start going along the bottom.

I spent most of the day working on the clutch purse - the kit I bought in Bergen at the knitting show. It's a Pick and Mix canvaswork project. Basically, maintaining the semicircle designs you just pick a random colour from the bunch provided. The tangled mess of threads gives my OCD friends the 'willies' - LOL. It will measure 7 circles across and 5 high when finished. 

Only have 7.5 circles to do plus the centres and the background fill-in. This project was great for social stitching.

Last night I stitched a bunch more on it whilst watching 'The Accountant' on Prime Video. Poppy recommended it. I don't do well with long, drawn out series, particularly mysteries. I started watching 'The Residence' on Netflix and after about episode 3 got bored with all the red herrings. I didn't even bother jumping to Episode 8 to see the conclusion. Same with 'Sirens'. I bailed in episode 3 when it started getting really weird.  "The Accountant" held my interest and I plan to watch the second movie in the series tonight. Oh yeah, and also the latest episode of 'Clarkson's Farm' - a new episode comes out every Thursday.

Today, I exchanged my over-the-stove microwave oven for a new range hood which, of course, cost even more than the microwave. It turns out the previous range hood I had was not strong enough after all. With a gas stove a minimum of 600 CFM (cubic feet per minute of intake) is required. It will take a couple of weeks to come in but I can pick it up at the store rather than pay to have it delivered.

Back at home, I trimmed my shrubs out front. This is sweaty work involving use of the hedge trimmer, then raking up everything, and then blowing the remnants back into the garden. While I was putting stuff back in the garage, I finally replaced the burned out lighbulbs in the overhead units of the garage door openers. They'd been burned out for at least a couple of years. I did a bit of sweeping up in there, too. I really need to do a thorough cleaning of the floor, possibly with the leaf blower. When the guys were scribing and trimming my cupboard sides, they set up their saw in there so there's lots of sawdust mixed with all the other crud all over the floor. 

I finally planted the geraniums that I had put out on the deck a couple of weeks ago to harden off. I then remembered my neighbour, Pam, said I could have some of the bachelor buttons from her garden. The plants were surrounded by periwinkle or some kinds of creeping vegetation so it was a struggle to extricate the one plant I took. It is now planted in the garden and I hope it does OK there. I really wanted some blue as a change from only having red and yellow  flowers back there.

Next week will be very busy - at least one major event each day. I will have to pace myself.

Speaking of pacing myself, I registered for the Lakefield Adult Music Camp this summer! Former UWO Faculty of Music classmate, Rifka, as been enthusiastically recommending it to me for the past few years. My oboe chops are so out of shape but I did sign up for Concert Band, Choir for All, Ukulele, Vocal Jazz, and Celtic singing. It should be fun but I need to start training so my lip and fingers won't give out during the intense week of playing. On Rifka's recommendation, I did take a 'spare' in the 4th of the 6th daily sessions. I hoping my excitement will help me have enough stamina to get through the day and the nightly recitals/performances.

It'll be great to get back to playing my oboe again.

Instant Gratification

Yesterday my kitchen cupboards were removed in preparation for the new ones which will be installed on Monday and Tuesday.

Yuk! The brown area on the floor is the original, hideous vinyl flooring. The ceramic tile was installed later and just cut around the existing lower cabinets. Last night I washed the walls with TSP and rinsed them off. 

That room must have been so dark before the ceramic tile was installed.

I had a doctor’s appointment this morning to get a tetanus shot and a prescription for antibiotics to deal with a puncture wound in my leg that occurred last Tuesday (from a garden implement) and is now infected.  Then I went to my guild’s stitch day. By 2pm, I was feeling really tired so I headed out and stopped off at the Salvation Army donation centre to unload the 4 bags and boxes of surplus kitchen stuff and clothing that have been rattling around in my trunk for a couple of days. Then I headed to Home Depot to pick up paint for the kitchen. 

I had a can of the leftover kitchen paint in the basement but the can was all rusty and I didn’t feel like straining the paint so I could use it. I had taken a photo of the can and the sticker on the top with the colour formula.

Back at home, with my new gallon of paint, I suddenly had enough energy to start painting. I rummaged through my painting supplies and found a big roller and a small foam roller, cut-in paint brush, paint tray and liner, then set to work. 

Two coats, some touch-ups and a few hours later, it’s all clean and fresh again! I really wanted to get rid of the green paint on the bulkheads - which is really what motivated me to paint.

I located the box of spare ceramic tiles in the basement that the previous owners (pre 1996 when we bought the house) had left. So repairs and patching can be done if necessary. 

It was very sweaty work but I am so pleased with the fresh palette - all ready for the cupboard installation. Tuesday afternoon, with the installation completed, measurements will be taken for the countertop. It will take 2+ weeks to manufacture and install. The stove, fridge, and dishwasher will be back in place and hooked up on Tuesday so I can start putting all my kitchen stuff away.

This paint colour is also used in my foyer so I ran around and touched up bashed corners and other marred spots on the walls. Painting is such an easy way to transform and freshen up a room’s décor. 

It was physically challenging to climb up and down the step stool for all the cut-in and bulkhead painting, but only doing a couple of walls was manageable. Rest assured, any major painting in the future will be done by a professional.

Had to Start Again

 I wasn’t liking the feel of my green handspun in the crocheted linen stitch scarf. I found some Malabrigo sock yarn in the same colour (Lettuce 37) and ripped back to the beginning of the green and switched yarns. After crocheting about a dozen sts in the new colour, I noted the Malabrigo yarn was much thinner and making the fabric curve because of the smaller gauge. I ripped back to the beginning of the row again and did ch2 between single crochet stitches. That made things flatten out nicely. The hook is a size larger than the pattern calls for. I usually use a larger hook so the drape of the fabric will be a bit looser.

Adjusting chain stitches between single crochet stitches is a great modification allowing this pattern to be done with two different weights of yarn. The 'feel' of the fabric is much softer and nicer.

The demolition/removal of my kitchen cupboards will happen this Friday. I have most of the contents of my cupboards strewn all over my dining room table and on the floor around the periphery of my dining room.

About half the contents were placed there at the end of April but a couple of days before the anticipated demo, I learned that there would be a delay until the end of the first week in June. I piled the rest of the stuff in there today.

I got most of the cupboards emptied. I wiped the shelves clean, too. They're headed for a dumpster but I couldn't leave them dirty. 

The previous owner had used MacTac shelf lining. When I tried to remove it years ago, the MDF peeled up with it in places so I cleaned it the best I could and left it.

For the past month, I've done fine managing with only a couple of plates, bowls, etc. These last bits will just be put onto the kitchen table tomorrow. I'm setting up the microwave oven on the washing machine as my main floor laundry room is only steps away from the kitchen. I'll wash the dishes in the laundry tubs.

These were all the dishes I've needed this past month.

I've been getting by with minimal kitchen utensils. 

Geraniums were under these grow lights all winter. They got put out on the deck yesterday to harden off and am using the space for some small appliances.

After breakfast tomorrow, these cupboards will be cleared out. 

The plastic containers on the right are all from leftovers I've been eating out of the freezer. I'll move the fridge over to the opposite wall before the demo and installation. It won't be in the way there and can still be used. 

It has really been a good exercise in getting rid of stuff I haven't used in years, especially things with best before or expiry dates. I'm also getting rid of at least 20 mugs - only keeping ones with top-level sentimental value. 

The tall cupboard to the right of the fridge is being eliminated, and the fridge will be moved over to that place. I'll gain a bank of drawers which should eliminate having my big utensils in containers on the counter.

After the cupboard install, measurements for the new quartz countertop will be taken. It will be manufactured then installed along with the new sink and faucet set in a couple of weeks. So I have a couple of weeks without a fully functioning kitchen coming up.

This renovation is something I have wanted to do for about 20 years and for one reason or another (finances, timing, life events, illnesses, COVID, etc.) we never 'pulled the trigger' on the project. It'll be great to get it all done and everything in place.

Bye, bye honey oak from the 80s. Hello fresh, clean, modified Shaker style cupboards.

In the meantime, I'll be doing a lot of dining out and bringing home takeout. Two of my favourite activities. 

Clovis Update

 I haven't been stitching during the week other than with the Monday morning stitchers and any stitch days with the gang.

The only project I've been working on is Clovis, the cross-dressing badger:

I'm compensating for the extra stitch I added between the eyes. This involves the entire column. It's been easy to do this on the apron, I just stitch the flowers out from the sides of the lace trim and fill in during social stitching.

There's a LOT of stitching on these Animal Cracker pieces. Ideally, I'll finish them as stand-ups. There are so many other stitched pieces that need to be FFOd. And I'm OK with that.

A Rough Week - Better Now

Last Friday was the one year anniversary of Skip's death. The whole week was really difficult for me emotionally. My friends took great care of me: sending messages, bringing food and gifts, inviting me for lunch visits and extra stitchy time. 

My neighbour's husband died 2 years to the day before Skip so I took her out for dinner to honour our husbands over some nice food and bevvies. Getting out of the house that evening was really good for my mental health. I will avoid wallowing in my grief over such an extended time in the future.

I'm working away on the second 3 x 1 ribbed sock with the Austermann Step yarn. 

Wait! What! How did I get identical twin socks after all?

Rather than try to pull the yarn and start in the right place in the middle of a colour band from the first sock, I just knit right into the yellow band. Then I snipped the yarn and unravelled it a row before where the first sock started. Then I unravelled all of what I had done on the second sock, cast on where I had snipped and re-started the second sock. 

I'll hold on to the piece I cut off for some scrappy sock yarn project.

I'm only a few rounds from starting the heel.

Then, inspired by a video I saw online two days ago, I started crocheting a linen stitch scarf, designed by Heidi Cantway. It's a free pattern on Ravelry. Here's one of her photos from the design page:

I crocheted a swatch with about 46 stitches. then measured to determine the gauge. It is knit lengthways so to get a 72" scarf I needed to chain 450 sts. I stopped at 400 so my scarf will measure about 68" when completed. The fringe is added afterwards. 

I'm using a mystery skein of sock yarn alternating with a skein of my handspun (green)for contrast.

and a 3.75mm crochet hook.

It's a really easy stitch pattern and looks the same on both sides. Once the foundation chain is completed, turn and (sc1, ch 1) all the way across. In the next row, ch2, then sc1 in the hole created by the ch 1 from the previous row and ch1. Continue the sc1, ch1 pattern for the rest of the scar. Easy! I'm alternating colours every other row until it's about 4.5 wide. The fringe is added afterwards. Do download the pattern for more specific and accurate details.

This would be an excellent pattern for any random yarns of the same weight. Once I got past the tedious foundation chain and first row, I really started to enjoy this project.

I've been watching the new season of  'Clarkson's Farm'. Hilarious in spots. This season he's hoping to open a pub in a nearby village with a shop attached where local items will be sold. The hope is to divert  some of the traffic from the Diddly Squat shop that the council keeps complaining about.

And finally, last night Alexa and I ventured up to Betty's farm to try to see the Northern Lights. It wasn't dark enough and probably not late enough. A drive farther out into the countryside would probably be more successful on a cloudless night.  Here's how to photograph the Northern Lights with your iPhone.

You do have to be in the dark to get the slider to go to 10 seconds. Then, when you're photographing, stay still and keep the cross-hairs on top of each other. There are probably other, clearer instructions online.

Aurora is a cool, free app that shows were the Northern Lights are seen anywhere in the world in real time. 

Another cool night-time, star-gazing app is Sky View Lite (free for the basic version) 

and Stellarium. 

The latter one was recommended by the astronomer from our cruise. For the latter two apps, you basically hold your camera up to the sky and even through clouds, the app will identify any celestial bodies and then superimpose drawings of the constellations.

 

The Garden Today

Now that we finally have some warm, sunny weather, I have done a bit of work in the garden, other than weeding, that is. I decided this year to spread a (supposed) perennial mix of seeds and see what comes up and what I might want to keep.

There are also some sunflower and zinnia seeds I'd like to plant but will save that for another day.

My new hibiscus plant is doing very well on the deck in a sunny spot. I water it daily. The blooms are spectacular but  only last about a day. Hopefully it'll bloom non-stop for a while.

With the threat of frost behind us, I've put the geraniums out on the deck to harden off before I plant them. These plants are at least 10 years old. Every fall I dig them up, shake off most of the soil, and plant them in pots with fresh potting soil. Then I put them under the growlights on the stand in the kitchen for the winter. I usually cut off all the foliage a couple of times during this over-wintering process. This spring, I was lazy so will be planting them in full leaf with some of them in bloom. They should do OK.

I cleaned up these 4 beds yesterday and spread the perennial seed mix. Then the area got a good watering. I'll water every day that it isn't raining to provide for optimum germination. It will be interesting to see what comes up. It will also be challenging to figure out what is a legit perennial flower and what is a weed. I do pull weeds almost every time I go outside - especially forget-me-nots.

One 'volunteer' species I decided to allow to grow is wild strawberry. I don't recall having it in the garden in previous years but will see if it actually bears fruit at some point. I must do some research about this...

One of the many things that attracted us to the houses in this area were the wide lots - about 60' - now a premium feature in our rapidly expanding town. Skip really developed the garden. When we moved in, in 1996, there was grass to the fence and only a bit of a garden around the deck. He grew tomatoes just to the left of the pictured birdbath and lots of peppers, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, etc.. I've left the bed to the right of it pretty much as it has been the past few years.

Several years ago Lorna gave us a surplus, dark red peony which is always the first peony to bloom. We have split it and now have two lovely, red, peony bushes starting to bloom right now.

Here's one of them (the transplant).

This one is beside the east fence on our property.

On the bottom left is the Joe Pye weed which the insects including butterfiles LOVE. On the right, under the sunflower lawn ornament, the chocolate Joe Pye weed will grow. It starts later but grows taller (about 7')  than the stuff on the left. Between the Joe Pye weeds is Solomon seal which was given to us the first spring we were in the house by former band mate, Steve. I trimmed back the front-most Solomon seal to give the gigantic hosta a chance. It was originally from Skip's mother's garden.

I think Steve also gave us this cranesbill which is just starting to come into flower. It's a relative in the geranium family. It has to be trimmed back after a while to make room for the primroses and bellflowers that bloom next. 

There are a few rogue hosta plants which I need to dig up and relocate. Skip and I were married in this back yard in late June of 1998. There are a couple of echinacea plants in this bed and three beside the deck. They'll start to flower by the end of this month. I remember how tall they were the day we got married - at least up to the top of the deck railing - probably 5'. They've never grown that tall again but do flower non-stop into the fall which the butterflies LOVE.

Lots more Siberian iris are blooming. The geraniums that are hardening off will be planted in front of them in a few days.  Preferably a day that it's not raining.

I planted this blanket flower - some type of galliardia - last year. I'm thrilled it is even more vigorous and showing lots of buds.

I planted a butterfly bush last year but it didn't make it through the winter. Will try again and put it in the south-facing bed under the dining room window.

My goal is to fill the garden with perennials so I only have to fill in gaps with some annuals. Skip used to plant a lot of marigolds - some of which he'd grow from seed - to keep bugs away from his tomatoes. Once I see where the vacant spots in the garden will be, I'll fill in with some of those.

We are supposed to get rain starting tomorrow night. That should encourage everything to flourish.