Speech to Text

 Sometimes the best solution is the easiest.  I have been looking at speech to text programs for a few weeks without much success.  I want to be able to read my book (that is currently typed onto paper)  into MS Word so I can edit and get ready for publication.  I don't need anything fancy and I didn't want to have to pay hundreds of dollars.  I tried numerous apps and nothing met my requirements.  Then I saw one that was strictly for Microsoft and was already installed on the computer.  I opened Word, clicked on the program? app? and away I went,  It printed exactly what I said.  Now I can get the book done before I loose all my faculties.

The weather has been cooler the past couple of days so I actually got some gardening done.  I bought a few half priced annuals at our garden centre and will get them into the ground.

I think I may have ruined someone's day on Saturday.  I had my credit card declined when I tried to make a purchase on line.  I knew I wasn't overdrawn, my bill had been paid and I had entered the correct information (I double checked at least four times.  Time to call customer service.  Great.  They have an hour wait time (why can't they take your number and call back?) I put the phone on loudspeaker and played computer games while keeping an ear open so I could hear the repeated messages.  Three quarters of an hours passed and they disconnected me.  I then tried their on line help but it wasn't any use.

The next day I decided to call the fraud/lost card number as I was reasonably sure that would get me a person, which it did. I got a very patient man who went over all the possible problems with me but none of them seemed to be the solution.  It was then I finally realized I was contacting the wrong company.  I thanked the man profusely, apologized equally profusely and then called the right people. I now, once again, can use my card.  The problem: my mailing address is a post box number and I have a separate street address-country living.

I finished the quilt that was on my frame and it has gone to its owner.  Not sure what I will start next.

Blessings,

Retirement??

 I have been doing far more house work than anything else lately.  I wanted to give both the main bedrooms a complete cleaning  as they hadn't been done in a while.  We have also been getting a lot of ants and I thought that maybe something  was attracting them.  Everything on the beds was washed, mattresses vacuumed and flipped.  We put an insecticide around the floorboards after washing the walls.  It took ages to get everything done-four days in fact.  The headboard on the master bed is wood so it was taken out, swept and sprayed.  It is still outside airing as is the rug. Today, we set up the air conditioner and installed a new (to us) washing machine. I hope I am done for a while.  The rest of the house can wait for cooler temperatures.

The weather was a lovely 23c today which was considerable better than low 30's.  I was even able to take the dog for a nice walk.  This weekend, the Art Club is having a show and sale but I am not taking part as I have too many other things to get done.  My to do list includes writing up a quilt pattern that I have sold to a magazine, finish 2 charity quilts, write my magazine article before the end of the month and finish a customer quilt.  My poor book keeps getting shoved to the bottom of the pile but I did get a bit of work done on that this week.  Retirement?  What does that mean?

Blessings,

Dust Bunnies

 Despite the heat, I got quite a bit done today.  I worked on the charity quilt that is on the frame and my scrappy. I also, finally, put the new thread holder together and got the spools on it.  I know have to figure out where to put it.  I thought about the top of a cupboard but then I wouldn't be able to reach the top most rows so, right now, it is on the ironing board.

I bought a new mattress cover for the master bed and took the opportunity to wash all the bedding including the quilts.  I slid the bed away from the wall so I could sweep and was amazed at the dust.  I probably could have made a couple of bunnies from it. When the floor was carpeted, the dust wasn't so obvious (which is rather gross).  I will have to make sure I get the mop under the bed every time I change the sheets. Wouldn't it be nice to have a housekeeper to look after all those things?

There was a tornado warning south of us but I think it passed by.  We are not in an area that gets hit although that isn't a guarantee.  Barrie, which is just under two hours away, seems to be a favourite target.

As much as I dislike black flies, I will take them over a tornado.

Blessings,

Block Challenge

 While I was at quilt group on Monday, I made this block for a nearby communities Ukrainian block challenge.  We were given the fabric to use and the finished size and the rest was up to us.  This is my pattern that I originally named Friendship but for the purpose of the challenge I am calling it Standing Strong.  I am glad construction is only a small part of the criteria because my points did not line ups as well as I would like.

I am now back to the pattern I am doing for a quilt magazine.  

I did a bit of gardening today.  The lilacs needed deadheading and I got one plant done.  I also want to transplant my geraniums but that will have to wait as we are going grocery shopping tomorrow.  Always something to do.

blessings,

Quilting with Patience.

I am just finishing the quilt that is on my frame.  If I were to be asked what the most important skill to learn when quilting, my answer would be 'patience'.  It is a common human trait to want to rush everything.  We learn short cut tricks to making multiple half square triangles, if a ruler offers a quicker way to make a block, we buy it. I could understand this rush if we were doing something we hated but we love quilting.  If not, we would be doing something else like that pile of dishes that is growing in the sink.

I was reminded of this when I had to stop and refill a bobbin for the long arm.  I had changed the bobbin thread and couldn't remember how to reinstall it so I looked it up in the manual.  I filled a couple of bobbins, put one in the holder and started to sew.  I didn't get more than a couple of stitches when the machine jammed.  I checked the bobbin and it was loose.  Reinstalled and it was still loose and in fact it would turn on the shaft. Double checked with the manual to ensure the release thingy was in the correct direction.  Then I checked to make sure the bobbin was in the holder correctly, which it was.  I have a hard time seeing the bobbin area on my machine as I am tall so I moved it off the quilt and sat on a chair so I could see what I was doing.  I put the bobbin and case back on the shaft but the result was the same. Then I took another look at the holder.  It was from my domestic machine.  Locate the correct one, install and start sewing.

I am glad I remained calm through out the process.  There was one time in my life where I would have thrown something (probably the bobbin case) and then spent the rest of the day trying to find where it went.  I am sure my husband appreciates the new me as well.

Blessings, 

Another Foul?

 I am disappointed with the new ruler I bought.  Perhaps if I had got a bigger one, it would have been more useful.  I have written the company letting them know how I felt but haven't yet heard back.

The temperatures are cool here but the sun is shining.  It was very windy this morning and I thought the clothes would dry on the line before I got out the next load.  They didn't but they are certainly going to get a good airing.

I think I have mentioned before that hubby and I are fans of the Blue Jay baseball team.  We watch every game that is broadcast.  I recently learned a couple of rules that were new to me.  If the ball bounces off the back wall, the batter automatically gets a two base run.  I guess they could then go further if the throw to another player missed.  I think baseball is one of the easiest game to follow.  You don't really need to know anything about the game to understand the batter can run if a hit ball is fair, three strikes and you are out etc.  I wish there was a limit to the number of fouls.  Sometimes, the batter  just keeps hitting them.  It isn't intentional but it gets a bit annoying to have an inning drag on as ball after ball flies the wrong way.

Having said all that, there is a game this afternoon so I have to get my housework done early because we will be watching.

Anyone else a baseball fan?

blessings,

A New Ruler

 I am having a difficult week.  I may have been exposed to COVID on Monday and am still in the wait and see stage.  I do have a headache and feel nauseous but, by themselves, they aren't a symptom.

Then a very dear friend died.  It was neither unexpected or sudden but still very difficult.  I don't think I have fully grasped it yet.  The gentleman was like an adopted father to me and was just a very special person.

I missed sending in my newspaper column because I lost track of the days after not sleeping properly for a couple of nights.

On the plus side, after we voted today, we picked up the mail and the ruler I ordered was in.  I will do some practice work with that later on today when/if my head gets back to normal.

Sorry this is not a upbeat post.  I will try to do better tomorrow and perhaps have some photos of my ruler samples.  The instructions that came with it aren't very clear so I will have to look at the video

Blessings,