I was going to try to take a picture at the vet today but it’s always such chaos that once again I forgot. I had Becky meet me at the vet office so she could hold on to Telly – who is so strong, I was afraid she’d knock me over. Both dogs have ear infections and Telly was due for her 3 year rabies. I had them weigh Hazel and wouldn’t you know, the picky little eater is overweight at 16.8 lbs! She and I have a lot in common but I don’t think her weight is from beer and chips. Hahaha!!
Because I put her harness on her, Hazel acts like she’s been beaten!
Temps in the mid 30’s today so it melted but didn’t feel very warm. Chickens went outside but not for long. This is the only picture I got outside of Telly and Hazel.
Look at the pots of grass I started just last week! Healthy green grass! And it fulfills my gardening urge in late winter – you should try it. If you’re looking for a small amount of oats, send me the envelope with postage on it and I’ll send you some oats. I had to buy a 50 lb. bag – I’ll never use them up unless I feed the goats and chickens and they’re not real fond of whole oats.
Worked in my sewing room again and I always regret not having a “before” picture but I’m so appalled at the mess, I am ashamed to show you. This area was a one way path with benches, plastic tubs and boxes of stuff – so much stuff that the dogs had to follow me single file to the garage to the left.The ironing board wasn’t even there, that wall was also stacked high with boxes and tubs. Ha! Look at it now!
And this rocking chair was full – it’s just so easy to keep piling things up rather than put them away.
And now.
This is the last really messy spot.
Here are today’s Dirty Dozen finishes.
Did I fail to post this in January?
And this from Connie?
January is such a blur to me, I don’t remember.
Regarding Connie’s pincushions – they finish about 3″ x 3″ which is much smaller than potholder size and no, they’re not filled with sand yet. Why would she transport all those heavy little pincushions back to Iowa? Sand is heavy!
Susan Sundermeyer – I don’t have your address or your email address – I got the MOST FUN box from you today but the only address I have is the UPS address on the box and I’d like to send you a proper thank you note!
I have my rows together in pairs and tonite I’m going to sew pairs together – this is so exciting to see it coming together!
Honestly, who can find so much to talk about when not one thing happened today except the trip to the vet? I just got a note from Betty K. who thanked me for posting every day but once spring comes, I won’t have the time. She’s right – I probably won’t. Until then, I’ll talk to you tomorrow!
I’m laughing so hard over Hazel in her harness that I’m crying! 😂😂😂 I put a harness on my extremely overweight cat to try and get her to walk around the block. Well, after chasing her for 20 minutes (she may be 21 pounds but boy can she RUN!) I got it on her and she literally went from standing on all 4 legs to stiffly falling over on her side and pretending to be dead —legs stuck straight out and eyes closed! Needless to say it didn’t work…unless I wanted to brag her around the block and hope some of the fat rolled off.
That was weird…I was unable to post my name: Jessica in Florida
Oops…should have read ‘drag’ not brag.
Love that story! You should try it again and make a video of the cat!!!!
I’m still laughing!
I had a dog that I would put a sweater on and she would be rooted to the spot and not move.
Judy – yes, Hazel has some very nice coats but she, too, becomes paralyzed if I put one on her!
I too got a chuckle out of your cat story. I have a fat cat too & vet requires he be on a leash & harness or in a kennel. Recently he went to vet & the only time he walked with harness on was when we were done & heheaded yo the door yo yo out. He had to wait so I could psy the bill so he plopped down in waiting room so those waiting could tell him what a big guy he is. One guy w/ a dog got up yo ask if he could pet him. I said sure; he loves attention. Gotta love our silly pets. I can just picture you cat playing dead 😉🤣
Mary…..sounds like you had a productive day. I like your grasses. Do your cats eat it or is it for the chickens? I thought you said your cats eat it but I’m not sure.
Donna – I actually grew it for the chickens but I let the cats feast on it first and when it gets kinda ratty looking it goes to the chickens who LOVE it! I still have two big pumpkins saved for the chickens – maybe tomorrow?
Jessica in FL – I am laughing out loud at the picture in my mind of your cat!! Falling right over – hilarious!!!!
I thought it was pretty funny about Hazel in the harness . Our cat acts like he is put in chains . He try’s to escape out the motor home when the door opens. Put the harness on and he doesn’t even try to escape .
I love your dogs, thanks for sharing!
Love that Hazel. She doesn’t look overweight in the picture. Telly is a goof in the snow!
Jan from TN (in case I, too, come up as anonymous. LOL!)
Again, no ads for me!
WOW you have been busy!! Your sewing area looks very nice! If you are like me no matter how hard you try it won;t stay that way…but who cares as long as you know where everything is!!
It was springlike here today too. I think it got up to about 35 or so but it did have a chill on the edge. It does look like your babies are enjoying the warmer weather too!
I love the double wedding ring table topper!! So may beautiful projects getting done.
I need some encouragement….how long did you spend to clear the sewing area? My “studio” is piled high and needs a thorough going through. I have more UFOs than I care to count. And every time I sit by my mom’s bedside while she is in the hospital or nursing home I order more fabric! Crazy I know but I can’t help myself. I have time to look and the new fabrics look wonderful! The last time the room was cleaned was 13-15 years ago when my daughter was home from college. Any hits on getting started and staying with it?
Lisa B – I try to work on just one area at a time – otherwise I’d be too overwhelmed
Lisa B – sorry, that comment went before I was ready! Lots of things were moved to an area in another building in case Connie and I decide to have a sale. I’m going to start sorting fabric and packaging 4-5 half yd pieces in a bag also for the sale. I’m also going to empty a huge drawer of patterns that I know I’ll never make. If it’s been 15 years since you’ve cleaned and sorted, it’s going to take awhile. So don’t tear it all apart at first – concentrate on one little corner or area at a time. Make boxes of things to take to the thrift store, your church, your quilt guild. I’m going to be taking fabric to my church this week. Little by little I can see a great change!
Thanks for the encouraging words. I need to start small, uncover the ironing board (thankfully have a 2nd one in another location) and move on from there. Then I can keep sewing and still start cleaning. Love your blog. Even when you think you have not much to say.
I love the picture of Hazel suffering the abuse of having to wear a harness! Poor little thing. She weighs the same as Sonny. I howled at Jessica in FL’s description of trying to get her tubby cat to walk wearing a harness. We tried that once and our cat behaved the same way—in other words, badly. Cats are just not very cooperative, but I love them anyway.
Pat Smith – I laughed out loud imagining Jessica’s tubby cat just tipping over! Haha! NO! Sonny and Hazel weigh the same? Really? Isn’t Sonny a Sheltie? How can he not weigh more than 16 pounds? Wow – Hazel and I both need to go on a diet – I say this as I’m sitting here drinking beer and eating pistachios! Another confession sadly.
Hazel is such a little stinker. She makes me laugh.
I broke my back many years ago, and was told I would need surgery “one day”. I put it off until the pain was so bad, my life was totally revolving around that pain. I had surgery a few years ago and I can tell you I had worried about it for so long, I was scared to death. BUT, the surgery was successful, an over night stay that I insisted upon, but could have gone home, no therapy and I am pain free. Worked myself up over nothing.
Hopefully, this will be the case with you.
My mother in law died Friday, and I realize life is too short to worry about things that are fixable.
Take care, Mary and prayers for you
Diana – yes, you’re right, I just have to calm down and not panic. In fact they still haven’t called me to schedule the MRI – guess they’re not so concerned as the dr. Indicated on Friday. And how, pray tell, did you break your back?????
Motorcycle accident. My husband and I both broke our backs. Really good now though. Lots if prayers got me through, keep us updated!
There is just something hilarious about Hazel! She wears her feelings on her face…..to her tail. Our Shelton has to have a harness when we travel and he acts like he is in the stocks!! Don’t do too much!!
The uncooperative cat story cracked me up too. Cats are just so smart. Well dogs are too I am learning since my kids got a new puppy- a mix of Shih-tzu and Yorkie. The dog is named Rocky and is very blond.
Mary things have to be going well for you. You have earned it.
I watched the Kobe Bryant memorial service today and thought it was well done but So Sad.
Rhoda – I didn’t watch it but saw parts on the news – yes, so terribly sad for his wife and girls especially!
Love your clean sewing room! What did you do with the “stuff”?
My problem is I want to keep everything and I should get rid of 50% or more! I am going to give little girl dress fabric to a friend who is sewing for a great granddaughter. (My granddaughter is now 10 and only wore one dress I made her, so time to give up that collection.)
What a great fun post to read and then Jessica’s comment about her cat walk was hysterical. Never dull hearing from you at all. We even love seeing your sewing room cleanup so your readers are not hard to please. Was 50 here today but by weeks end, it will feel like winter again. That’s okay cause I have some indoor cleaning to do and I agree once weather turns nice we want to do other things.
Your room looks wonderful. It’s a good feeling when a big chore I accomplished.
Poor little Hazel! She is so abused. I’m sure she wants a cookie for tolerating such torcher!
They know how to pull your strings. When Loretta has to go in the car, she shivers, stares at me and cry’s the entire time. Life is so hard!
Cheers for more cookies
I know how Hazel feels about her harness. That’s exactly how I feel when I put my bra on!🤪
Dee – you’re so right! A bra IS a harness! Haha!
HAHAHA Yes I agree!
Your sewing room looks great! I agree. It’s easy to put things down, thinking you’ll put them away next time you walk by, and they just pile higher and higher instead. I get a wild hair occasionally and decide I need to clean up my sewing area and am always so glad when I do. But other days, I’m just too busy sewing to bother putting back the fabric I just cut. I have more fabric than I’ll ever manage to stitch up, but it’s fun to have something to pick from when I want to make something during a snowstorm! I’m making scissors cozies now and really could be making them out of something I’ve already got, but it’s fun to go grab some pretty fat quarters and slice into those instead!
We had a “snow squall” warning this morning after I got home from yoga. It was calm and nice out and all of a sudden we had white-out conditions and they wanted everyone to stay home because the roads were so slick. A half hour later it was all over and the sun came out. This has been a really, really long winter. I am ready for spring!
Silly pups and kitties. I love Hazel–such a character! My Akira loves to roll in the snow like Telly! Patch had to have boots awhile back and when we first put them on him, he kicked his feet out in both directions, one after the other, and acted like he couldn’t walk. It took him awhile to get used to them, but then he was fine!
Diane Bauer – I know exactly how you feel when you say you have more fabric than you can ever stitch up! I don’t have any place to buy any quilt fabric unless I drive 1-2 hours so I never just pop in and pick up some fat quarters.
So why did Patch have to wear boots?
Horses oftentimes injure their hocks (just above their hooves) when they lay down, if they are in a dry run rather than a grassy pasture–basically causing a bedsore of sorts. They can also overreach when they are loping and nick their legs and hocks. He was giving himself bedsores at the time and boots helped protect his legs so he could heal up.
Diane Bauer – thanks for that explanation – I had no idea!
I love reading your post everyday too the minute I get on the computer I check for it. Paula in KY
Mary,
Is that real grass you’re growing? I always struggle with grass in my yard and am thinking this might be a way to get some good “spots” started now that I can transplant into dead spots when the snow is gone for good.
Holly Christian – no, it’s actually oats! I have so many bad spots in my yard, I wish it was as easy as growing these oats!
Hazel looks like she’s saying, “OK, get me my walker and I”ll move.” She is soooo expressive!
I love the description of Jessica’s cat “walk”. We tried a leash with our sister cats and one hissed and growled. The sweetheart one just laid there and would NOT move. We tried pulling her gently, but she was more like a dust mop. It was hilarious.
TRYING to clean as well as work on “must do” projects. Graduation t-shirt quilt for oldest grand child; wedding quilt for niece, and baby quilts for neighbor and daughter’s friend. Mary, your room looks so neat and tidy–you are an inspiration.
Haven’t had a chance to write for a while. My friend had her knee replaced and it just didn’t get that much better so back she went and the Dr. said she needed her hip replaced. She did that and is moving just great:) Hope your back surgery helps you, too.
Diane and Squeak – two surgeries instead of one! Disappointing for sure but I hope my results are as good as your friend. Still don’t have an appointment for the MRI – guess I should call and remind them that I’m waiting.
Yes, cats and leashes don’t seem to work – a dust mop! Haha!!
HAHAHA Yes I agree about the bra.I have to take the girls to the groomers on Friday.I do not look forward to this. My 1 year old sheltie gets car sick every single time. I have tried the motion sickness pills no luck. I was warned, by the breeder, she was sick even at 6 weeks riding in a car.I am going to try a bigger dose this time and earlier in the day. No breakfast.
The picture I have in my head of the cat with stiff legs and eyes shut is just so funny thank you.
judy
We had a cat (still missed after going to kitty heaven 5 years ago)) who would do the same thing. To get him outside (without exercise) I bought a dog stroller and everyone laughed at me when they saw the cat being rolled down the street.
I love the picture of Hazel and Telly in the snow. We have a Wheaten Terrier and those terriers have such minds of their own. Darby doesn’t mind wearing a rain coat when it is pouring buckets. When it comes to snow he just jumps and rolls all over the place.
Your sewing space is looking good!!
I too was laughing imagining that kitty. My cat loves to go outside, however, he has always been an indoor cat, one time I put him in a leash and he wouldn’t move for anything. A friend of mine has a siamese cat and she loves to go out on her leash, they sure have their personalities!
Mary, I am a piler upper, I do try ordering things, but in a few minutes is back to piles and more piles, your room looks nice. Take care.
Felicia – and if you’re comfortable with piles, so be it. We’ve all got to come to terms with our “stuff” one way or another!
I’m so impressed with your clearing out project in your sewing room! I’m sure the before picture would have been much different. I read your comment to Lisa B. and I wish I could get myself to purge more, but I look at the fabric and think “Isn’t this pretty” and I can’t give it up. I’ll have to be more realistic, I guess. Like that that will ever happen with fabric. Ha!
Hazel looks so completely put upon in that harness–I bet she wishes she thought like Jessica’s cat and just keeled over and lay there. LOL!