My brain cells have been slowly frying

It has been so very very hot.  Thankfully today is cooler (although you couldn't describe it as cold) and there is the possibility of a rain drop or two.  We have had two storms this week which did give some much-needed rain, we'll take all we can get.

The big news, of course, is the dreadful fires burning so much of our beautiful country.  So many homes lost, so many businesses.......heaven only knows how many of our native creatures gone.  Lives have been lost.  Even hearing about it has become so stressful that I have stopped clicking on news stories, and have also stopped watching the news on TV - I can't begin to imagine what it must be like for those more closely affected.

On a happier note (because sewing has been keeping me sane) - stitches have been taken!  This is a project bought on our last trip to Canada, a Junior Row by Row bought at The Cottage Quilter in Corbeil outside North Bay, Ontario.  Isn't this fun?  I couldn't resist it.

The original design has the letters butted up against each other, but I have decided to add a half inch strip of white background between them.  This, of course, means some finagling with the already-cut outer borders - some of which will have to be re-cut.  My stash has yielded a print of tiny black stars and spots on a white background which will be used for binding - all the coloured fabrics in the kit are spotted, although it doesn't show up as well in the orange fabric I. 

This, of course, meant that many leaders and enders have also been made, but they are waiting to be pressed before showing their glorious autumn faces to the world.

The last, the very last, set of eight tumblers is on the needle right now, so the spare bed is being used as a design wall to spread out all 888 pieces.  The placement is totally random apart from a light-dark theme; I don't want the same fabric adjacent in the finished quilt, hence the shuffling around of fabrics.....except that the bed is not ~quite~ big enough.

You know how bright ideas pop into your head out of nowhere?  Well, I had one the other day.  My supply of summer sandals includes beige sandals with wide adjustable straps (sadly the feet which now swell in summer mean that adjustable straps are a must) that I have never really loved.  They are comfortable, for sure, but that cream/beige is not pretty.  It makes my feet look enormous - I think it does, anyway - so they are hardly ever worn, which is a bit of a waste.  Back in the days when I was young and slender......sigh......we could buy a product to paint on our shoes to change the colour.  I contacted a local shoe repair place - and it's still available!  A very long time ago I used to have some orange sandals, and green ones too; I can feel green sandals in my life once more. 

Our town is getting quite busy.  Many people are away on holidays, but the visitors have started rolling in for the big country music festival.  We like to play "spot the tourist" because they just don't look like locals, they don't dress like locals, and many seem to have a sense of entitlement that locals lack; you know the "I'm visiting your town so I'm very important, you have to kowtow to me" type.

"Limit of a prolonged visit.
If no exact length of time is specified, it is well for visitors to limit a visit to three days or a week, according to the degree of intimacy they may have with the family, or the distance they have come to pay the visit, announcing this limitation soon after arrival, so that the host and the hostess may invite a prolongation of the stay if they desire it, or so that they can make their arrangements in accordance.  One never likes to ask of a guest, "How long do you intend to remain?" yet it is often most desirable to know."

Some of these visitors stay for three weeks or more.  While we like to have them (because they spend money) we don't always like the way so many seem to push their weight around......and some are a considerable weight.  (I didn't say that)

Enjoy your days!