Daily Notes- January 28

The felt ornaments I was making in December.  The trees with button  ornaments and the last thing I made--the Mary Engelbreit Scottie Dog.  I like the way the eye came out.  The double button.  I will try and use that idea in other applications of buttons.  Doubles and possibly a triple if the right combo happens to be in the jar of buttons.  The only thing these trees decorated was the dining table lamp.

I had a 10 am appointment for my annual eye exam.  No changes.  A good thing at 72.  But I had those drops and my vision is still a bit wacky and I do feel sleepy.  And when I returned home I got the iPhone set to take pictures.  Three.  I have to think back to what I was doing and making in the past what was it--months!!!!  So much to share.

G and I went to the Sunday Gardening Lecture on Gardening without Aches and Pains.  Some wonderful ideas.  I have to try and bend from the hips.  Lift from the hips.  Not the back.  The speaker was nimble enough to go into a squat with her back straight.  Never, ever going to happen with me. I dream of that happening but.....sigh I was built to just fall over frontward onto my face. She also suggested rolling our feet and ankles a couple times a day to stretch the muscles so when we do twist one or the other--it's ready to stretch without injury. I'm doing that right now.  Rolling.

Today's big job is dragging the trunk down and putting the nutcrackers away.  BUT.  Working smarter I might just carry the nutcrackers UP to the trunk instead.  It'll mean more steps up and down but if I go slowly and hold onto the railing--it should be fine.

Karen in Thousand Oaks sent an envelope with a set of dye sample squares.  A lovely "new" gradient of colors that I am interested in working with.  I am very grateful for this gift.  Each has it's ID number and letter. This is group IF 1 to 9.

So that in my Monday.  Goodwill yesterday was a big haul for many shoppers but I came home with a small package of leftover origami paper, a baggy of leftovers from a dusty blue patchwork project (rather too much of the most boring of fabrics) and a set of eight napkin rings.  They look like pewter and each banded ring has a small knife, fork and spoon.  I have no use for them but they were so charming and only 3 dollars for all 8.  I have them on the dining sideboard and they bring a smile whenever I glance their way.  They look like the 1940's or so.  Next photo session I will take a picture of them.

Lately at Goodwill, there have been no good old linens.  No embroidered hankies.  No dresser scarves. No old faded dish towels.  Way too much rayon and poly.  A nice threadbare white cotton flat sheet would be welcome in the weeks and months of Sundays to come.  The generation of homes these items would be home to...well, I don't think there are many any more.  And when my things are dropped off when I no longer need them--will anyone be interested in my old-fashioned linens?