Thursday 27 September 2007

Finishing Something started long ago


It always feels good to me to finish a project that was started long ago. This quilted wall hanging was started a few years back at a quilt retreat near London, Ontario. Its adapted from a pattern by Joan Barnett. It was supposed to be for a queen size bed, but I know my limitations and only ever intended to make a wall hanging. It measures 38 x 30 inches.
Its now resident in my hubby's work office.
I still have a bunch of other unfinished projects, not just quilts, but needlework, room painting etc that are awaiting completion. I really should get to them since I feel so good when they are complete. One step at a time. Currently I am stitching some applique for a quilt top that should be done for a class on October 13. Then its the quilting on a Hello Kitty theme quilt for my daughter and then...

Friday 21 September 2007

1930's style of Blog


I wonder what the main character of the book "Clara Callan" by Richard B. Wright would think of todays blogs? This book is written in a letter format. There are letters from Clara, to her sister Nora as well as several others. Even though Clara doesn't take much with the technology new to the 1930's, I do suspect that she would be a blogger. She does like to write poetry.


There is something about this letter format that appeals to me very much. I had to force myself to put the book down so I wouldn't rush right through. I find it easy to immerse myself in the character's life. Its as though I have become that person. In my opinion that makes the author very successful.


The author of this book is from St. Catharines, Ontario, which by the way is my home town (though I haven't lived there full time since 1981).


If you would like to read about this book, please check the link below:


I borrowed the picture from the Chapters website.

Thanks to my friend Patricia for the loan of the book.

Thursday 20 September 2007

Book Banning Should be Banned

Yesterday my daughter brought home the books that we had ordered from Scholastic the previous week.

She brought a nice hardcover chapter book called, 'The Highter Power of Lucky" by Susan Patron. I heard about it on the Bookcrossing website. Seems, that some parents, teachers and librarians are upset that the word scrotum occurs on the first page of the book.

If you want to read an article in the New York Times, please check the following link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/18/books/18newb.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1190305811-nFI3MlYlGCenQeLPApAmEw

Whats the issue? Half the population of the world has a scrotum.

After reading about this book I decided that I would have to purchase it when the opportunity arose. When daughter brought home her book order form 2 weeks ago, there it was. Now its in my possession and I can't wait to read it and then share with all sorts of friends who specifically search out and read 'banned books'.

Monday 17 September 2007

The Dead Water Heater

My son called me to the basement in a panic yesterday afternoon. There was a growing puddle on the floor in the furnace room. Eeks, the water heater was leaking. It took a bunch of time to clean up, but found that it didn't do much damage. yippee. yes, the water leaked under the wall to the next room, but there were only paint cans on the floor. And neither room is 'finished' so the wall board was high enough from the floor not to soak up the water.

It seems that the building codes changed August first in Ontario. The exhaust pipe for the gas water heater now has to be a 'white' pipe instead of the old black pipe. So, to replace the gas water heater with the same type heater would involve replacing the whole length of this exhaust pipe at the homeowners expense. eeks. One of those un-expected expenses. As it turns out, when the tech was removing the old water heater, he barely nudged the black pipe and it broke off in his hand. Perhaps there is something wrong about this black pipe!!!

The result is that we are installing a tankless, electric water heater. It does not store hot water, rather heats it to demand. Best of all, we should never run out of hot water. Its a tiny unit and mounts on the wall. Even better, we don't need to change the black pipe to white pipe, since we don't need an exhaust.

Wednesday 12 September 2007

Eating before Running

Yesterday was a bad run. I covered the 6k that I wanted, but it wasn't fun by any means. Too much time off since my last significant run. Further to that, I found that my breakfast of instant peach oatmeal just didn't work. ugh!

I have tried a variety of pre-run foods. Milk has to be cut from my diet as it meant too many pit stops (that proves almost impossible in rural areas). Toast with a wee bit of peanut butter or cheese is acceptable. My running partner declares that V8 cocktail will never be repeated. Half of a Power bar seems to work. I stay away from drinks other than water, which I bring on every run no matter how short or how cold. A bit of Gatorade powder in the winter keeps it from freezing.

I suspect that there is no prefect answer and that I will keeping sampling various items until I come up with a few more possibilities. Tomorrow I'll try a slice of whole grain toast with a bit of strawberry jam.

Friday 7 September 2007

A Sense of Humour

My sister recommended a book to me, 'Sammy's Hill' by Kristin Gore, saying that it was really funny. So, I finally requested it from the library and waited with anticipation for it to arrive. I am reading it, on page 159 of 387, but I don't really find it funny. There are tiny little bits where I chuckle, but can't say I've had a laugh out loud, or roll on the floor moment.

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Sammys-Hill-A-Novel-Kristin-Gore/9781401360290-item.html?ref=Search+Books%3a+

I do admit that this isn't the first time that I haven't found a supposedly funny book not funny. I read one by Sophie Kinsella and again, didn't find it funny or even witty. Now, don't get me wrong, I do find some books funny, in fact so funny that I would fall down laughing if I weren't already sitting and reading.

Perhaps I am taking these books too seriously? Reading at this point is for my leisure, I really shouldn't take it so seriously. Its time to have fun. Its not as though I finish reading and then set down and write an in-depth book review and submit it for marking/grading.

Hopefully my next choice of books will be a little lighter, I've picked it from the blog written by one of my Bookcrossing friends:
http://antheras.blogspot.com/

Wednesday 5 September 2007

Mrs. Taft's Choice


Today is a sewing day. I am a moderator on a Canadian quilting list and I host the monthly block of the month program. This month the block is called 'Mrs. Taft's Choice'. its from a website called Quilters Cache. I thought that the name sounded familiar (in an historical manner), so I checked it out. Seems the block was designed to honour Mrs. Helen Taft, the wife of the 27th President of the United States.
It was a pleasure to sew this block and even better to find out the historical significance.
I feel good knowing that many of these 'old' quilt blocks are being preserved and that they are being introduced to newer quilters. It keeps our history alive. I would like to find some blocks that have been designed by Canadians.
There are some of current vintage that represent the RCMP, but I am unaware of any with an historical perspective. They must be around, but where???

Tuesday 4 September 2007

First Day of School

Between my husband myself, we successfully got the kids off to their respective schools. Son was starting high school today and daughter is entering grade 6. I am sure there was more anxiety on our parts than with the kids.

Found out this morning that a provincial election has been called for October 10. somehow I missed that totally. Prehaps I was on vacation. We are part of a newly established riding. The Liberal Canadiate came and rang my bell. It was good to meet her and I found out that she is an almost neighbour, lives at the other side of my small community.

Finished my previous book by Robert Heinlein and have started one by Jeffery Deaver called 'Speaking in Tongues'. I found it at a Bookcrossing meeting in the next town. Its been sitting a bit so thought it was time to read and release. Here's the link for it:
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/3676141
I'm still too early into it to have an opinion on how captivating a read it will be, but I do trust Christa's choice of books (she's the BC member who released this book) and she hasn't led me wrong before.

Monday 3 September 2007

I dream of Running

I started running almost 3 years ago. Didn't know if I could do it after being a couch slug for so many years. But health required that I do something. My blood pressure had been creeping upward and it had finally hit a serious point.

It amazing what our bodies can do if given the chance. Yes, I have lost weight, but I have also gained muscle. Didn't know that I could have shapely calves. Thought they would always be large and chunky. I won't say they are slim, but they are definitely more linear and with some definite curves of the kind I want to have.

i have taken a few classes at the Running Room and have amazed myself each time. Specially the day the instructor sneaked in a 13k run, when she told us it would be 11k. It was a blast.

I suspect that my family think I am exaggerating when I tell them I get a kick out of it. But its true. Don't think that I get that 'runner high' that I've heard rumour of, but then again...

This summer I volunteered for a terrific set of challenging races. Its called the Endurrun. 160 km over 7 races/8 days. Wow. Truly inspirational athletes, and these are not professionals. Check out the link and see what I mean. Now to get over my ailment (cold/virus) and back to those new Hurricane 9s that are waiting for me.

http://www.runwaterloo.com/

Sunday 2 September 2007

My First Post

I have to admit, that I love books. Reading them, sharing them, giving them away, and probably most of all buying them. Right now, there are hundreds in my house, and hubby is about to start tossing them out the door. Eeks. I do try and give away as many as I bring home, but thats not always possible. This week i did send 6 of them off to new homes. I hope their new owners enjoy reading them. I didn't read any of them myself, but they were in reasonably good shape and I had no reason to suspect that they would not be good reads.

Today I started a book from my sister. It had been sitting in her bathroom for months, and everytime I 'visited' it attracted me. Finally I have opened the cover and find that it promises to provide great entertainment. It is 'Glory Road' by Robert A. Heinlein. Its in the 300 page neighbourhood, so it won't take long.

bye for now, and back to my novel.