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Friday, April 24, 2020

Pandemic Pastimes!


What’s in the box, Zoey??

We’ve been here in Virginia for 3 years (as of last month!) and it is amazing how all of those “We’ll get around to it someday” honey-do’s are now at the forefront and happening!

This bedroom closet had the stupidest set up ever – long and narrow – it had shelves at one short end – and a very short hanging rod at the other end with nothing but empty waste of space in the middle.

“Lowe’s by Mail Order!” has become a frequent battle cry around here and last week this big heavy box showed up and I got excited.

A CLOSET ORGANIZER!  FINALLY!

The beginnings of closet organizing bliss.


Shelves and more shelves!

And two heights of hanging rods.

I think it is safe to say that the last time I wore a dress was for my brother’s funeral 1 1/2 years ago.  Dresses and I are not friends.  And it isn’t the dresses themselves that are the problem – it’s the shoes.  I can’t stand to wear dress up shoes! 

So needless to say, I don’t need a lot of long dress length hanging space – so we will keep the short rod on the side that the closet came with for any long things, and everything else here will be hunky dory.  

I am a jeans and tee shirt kind of girl – throw a denim shirt over the top if the weather is cool, but this suits my mountain living up here.

Thank you thank you thank you!  Now what ELSE can we add to the honey do list?

A rototiller arrived yesterday – and has already been used in certain areas around Quiltville Inn.

From the QPO yesterday -

Click to Play:


Dresden is ALWAYS a source of entertainment!  It was a quick visit to get the mail out, and then the big job of driving to Independence to get fresh produce, dairy and eggs.

I just BARELY missed finding toilet paper by 2 minutes – I saw a masked lady with a package in her cart and made a bee-line for the paper products aisle only to find wide open empty spaces.  RATS!  Maybe next time things will be better?

The toilet paper shortage has to end at some time, doesn’t it?!

Speaking of toilet paper shortages, I have just the thing – these samples came from Spoonflower.com!


Hahahaha!

Just go to their website and type Covid 19 in the search box and be prepared to laugh!  These artists are doing everything they can to also stay afloat during these times, and humor goes a long way.

I deleted a comment on facebook last night who said “It is such a shame that people are PROFITING from this crisis!”  

But they have to feed their families!  Look at the individual artists, probably designing in between home-schooling their 3 kids and cooking meals and keeping things sanitary within their homes…

We are all scrounging (Anyone who isn't retired yet.) to stay afloat and pay mortgages and insurances and electric bills and grocery bills – if someone artistically comes up with something like this, I will give them a high five (from 6 feet away) and support them!

Yes, I even bought one of those quarantine 2020 tee shirts that I saw floating around because it had a sewing machine on it and it was cute, and someone was very quick to come up with something to keep their business going in a time of crisis.  

More power to them.  It is not shameful.  It is survival.


last night’s yummy!

I didn’t want to heat up my whole oven and likewise the cabin for baking 4 small potatoes.  So I used my air fryer and I think this may be my favorite method ever.

I rubbed them down with olive oil and sprinkled them liberally with kosher salt.  40 minutes at 400 degrees and they were perfectly crispy crunchy on the outside, fluffy and tender on the inside.  PERFECT.  No foil required.  Didn’t heat the whole house.  I will be doing this again.

And it has lit a fire as what ELSE can I cook in my air fryer beside the ordinary pre-packaged frozen food stuffs or reheating.  Ideas?

They were perfect with last night’s ribs and green beans.

Tonight?  I’m running out of ideas, but I’m setting some chicken breasts out to thaw.  I hope some inspiration hits before dinner time -

And now for some FUNNY! 



We just died laughing the first time we saw this - and watch it more than once - it gets better. LOL!

Today – rain!  April Showers continue, but I am hopeful by noon that things will have stopped sufficiently to take Zoey on a long walk.  She needs it, and so do I. So I’ll take her with me to the QPO this morning and head out right after mail drop off at USPS.

I’ve got everything cut out to finish up round 5 of our Unity Quilt Along – down to the wire here to get it on so it will all be ready to present to you on Monday morning!

What’s up for your Friday?

I just realized I was supposed to draw our Quilty Box Winner today - oops!  Be looking for that winning name TOMORROW - this is already to push send.



Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Vintage basket quilt found in Illinois.

These obstacles may seem huge, but your motivation is bigger than they are!

Have a good one!


50 comments:

  1. What is up for me today..zoom conference for as teacher for the job I am leaving (we hired someone and he changed his mind on relocating to take the job). Planning classes for next week, grading, emails and fielding questions....and putting the part four unity blocks into rows and on the quilt!!!

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  2. The April Showers we expected last night skirted around us. My newly planted bedding flowers needed it. Beautified areas are happening, now that Spring is here. Need to Stitch something tomorrow!!

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  3. That women making a mask is so funny i seen that already.

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  4. The mask video was great. Thank you. I really needed the laughs. By the way, I gave up dress shoes more than 25 years ago. I used to have 2 pairs of sneakers, one pair for every day and one pair for dress up times, except when one of my sons got engaged. I begged the photographer not to take a picture that included my legs and he purposely took a picture of my sneakers. LOL
    Shifra G.

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  5. My fashionista granddaughter (at age 5) asked to see my closet. After looking at the clothes she said "Grandma, you don't have any dresses." (I do, but they are hidden in the corner.) Punishment for her is not being allowed to wear a dress.

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  6. Sounds like you are cozy in VA! I’m enjoying the Unity Quilt so much! Again, thank you! I thought this would make you laugh! I made a mask for a friend’s sweet daughter. I left it in a baggie outside our doors. She texted to thank & told me to check outside . She had left a package of Charmin & a bottle of wine! All the essentials! Have a great sew day!

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  7. Hahaha. I had seen that video in my FB feed but thought, "I am certainly not interested in watching someone make a face mask. I have made a gross of them by now." And Lowes is what we do on Sunday. My daughter, now on her own, is even keeping up the family tradition. Of course, Quarantine rules and California withstanding (no Lowes out there.)

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  8. the one thing preventing me from getting an air fryer is space. Everyone who has one really likes them. But they are kinda large and I don't have room for one to be permanently on my counter. When I got an Instantpot it replaced a conventional top-of-the-stove pressure cooker and two crock pots which allowed me to have room to store it when not in use. I sure would like to have one though.

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  9. I SO look forward to your posts! Love the new closet organizer. We just bought our home 10 months ago. Our master bdrm is quite small & the closet? It's 5' long with a sloped end...thank heaven for closet organizers! We are both newly retired so everything in it is well suited to our new lifestyle. Jeans & tshirts & worn/stained clothes for working around here. Love our new home but I'm working harder than I've done in YEARS trying to get things up to snuff! Thanks for the video, too - I saw it first at 5:30 a.m. on Youtube (just about choked myself to keep from laughing too loud as hubby was still asleep with the dogs). When yours came up, I hit play with my husband watching behind me. Another reason to love retirement - lots of sharing & laughter! Have a wonderful day, Bonnie! Deb E / CA mdenders@msn.com

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  10. I was wondering if the fabric from Spoonflower will be added to your quilts in years to come like the 2000 fabric that we all bought for the "end of the world". I laughed every time you mentioned it showing up in your scrap system. Fabric can be a great memory jogger.

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  11. I have that same shelving system in my sewing room closet - it's where my stash lives!

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  12. Best laugh I 'be had in a long time!!

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  13. Can I make a suggestion about the TP shortages? Check with the office supply stores (Staples, Office Depot, etc.). They sell them in the commercial packaging that are individually wrapped, by the case, that the businesses and hotels use for their bathrooms. I bought a case of 60 rolls for less than $30, and had it shipped to me for free! Staples offers 2-day shipping from time of order.

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  14. Mary Ellen, you can get a Mealthy Crisp Lid for your Instant Pot.
    Bonnie, thank you as always...

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  15. That video! I held my breath when she pulled out the rotary cutter.

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    1. Me too! I had to look away when she used the rotary cutter :P

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  16. Oh Bonnie,

    You made my day. I can't stop laughing....or watching this over and over. Truth be told, you could substitute my face for Kay's, because that is sooooo me.

    Thanks for a great start to my day.

    Loretta McGinn

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  17. We saw that video the other day. She is a hilarious comedian who used to be on MadTV. Was a great show with a great cast and she did an amazing job in this video!

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  18. My daughter solved the dress shoe problem when she got married. It was on the beach and we were all barefoot!

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  19. Try Pinterest for yummy air fryer recipes. I have no problem with people profiting from the virus as you described but I do have a problem with price gouging. The story I heard on TV of the company that went from selling $25,000 ventilators to $50,000 ventilators was ridiculous. They're probably a privately held stock company and need to satisfy their stockholders. And the three or four groups throughout the country that designed and are making face shields for healthcare workers and are selling them at their cost, well they deserve to make a profit.

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  20. no toilet paper and no Lysol germicidal cleaner.
    Hubbs bought several packages of Northern toilet paper, right from their website. It is dreary up here in western northern Virginia.
    I just ventured out for a few provisions.
    Happy Sewing

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  21. I just loved watching the lady making masks. She reminded me of this girl in my 7th grade sewing class.

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  22. Happy Friday Everyone from Southern California. It is 92 degrees here today and yes...I did tour on my A/C. I loved the video...I could not stop laughing. I am currently working on Unity quilt, some placemats that are pieced and hand quilted for my table and a monthly block from MSQC. I don't have a problem with people being very creative and making money during this time but it makes me angry when I try to buy something and it is 3 times the price...Stay safe everyone.

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  23. For most of my working life, I wore combat boots and cammies, then it was heels and power suits. After that, I wore scrubs (usually with puppies and kittens on them) and clogs. Now, it's sweats and T's at home n the winter, shorts and T's in the summer. If I have to go out, I generally wear jeans, but I haven't completely given up skirts and dresses - just the heels. I love the type of closet system you've put in. We've used it in the last three homes we've owned. I like that I can make adjustments as needs change.

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  24. So very glad to see you kept your humor through this. It really does make life easier when we can laugh at stuff and especially at ourselves. I had to take a quick trip to the local urgent care this morning and the doc has ordered a brain scan. I told my husband and he said it wouldn't do any good, they won't find anything.

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  25. Regarding pandemic pricing: Profiting yes, profiteering - no. I can't imagine buying anything that will commemorate or bring back to mind this awful time, but whatever floats your boat.... I had to smile at your comment about shoes to wear with dresses. I am strictly a loafers and sneakers person. I haven't worn a pair of even low heels since my mother's funeral 4 years ago. If I can't wear pants, I'm not going.

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  26. I needed something at Walmart this week and was kind of surprised to see a good stock of many different brands of toilet paper. They were however ALL mega rolls. This is the size of 4 regular rolls and won't fit in a lot of toilet paper holders. Still good to have available again.

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  27. Anonymous4:13 PM EDT

    What a wonderfully fun video! I am working on my Texas Braid which was started last June when you visited the MN Quilt Show. I never got into the groove of using it as leader/ender project (many many errors, much much ripping), but am making great strides working all 16 braids simultaneously. It has become a main project since it is slated as an anniversary gift for my in-laws in October.

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  28. The video was so funny I was laughing until I had tears. Thanks for that!

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  29. Found TP and paper towels at Home Depot.
    Lady down the street has chickens. The sign reads "3Eggs/1TP."

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  30. I can highly recommend Instant Pot Crack Chicken!! This is the recipe I used https://diethood.com/instant-pot-crack-chicken-recipe/

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  31. Oh my. This was the first time I watched the video. Thank you so much Bonnie for reposting it and f course to Kay for the lovely laugh when I have just about had it with this stay at home time in our lives.

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  32. I’m missing my air fryer. We left it in Brisbane as we set off for our great western adventure and now we’re stuck 4000km away for the duration!! I’m doing the unity quilt along and falling further behind as I take so long doing those little 4” blocks. I’ll get there in the end though.

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  33. Oh the first guffaw of the day was Dresden - sort of anticipated some kitty was improvising elsewhere! The expression on his face!!! And then Kay. Oh my, how funny - and all those plasters on her fingers and arm! Did enjoy, thankies!

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  34. So I'm waaay behind on the Unity project because I'm using a directional print I bought three years ago in all 4 colorways (whywhywhy???) and I'm making it do interesting things in the blocks. Just discovered that the corners for round three, which were supposed to be diagonal, got turned the wrong way and I'll have to rip, turn, and resew. Time to go paint a ceiling instead. Love the design and can hardly wait to see how you go from a square quilt to a rectangular one -- must be about to start happening after round 4?

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  35. The "How to make a face mask" video was hilarious! Thank you Bonnie!

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  36. I second the person who said try Pinterest for air fryer recipes. So far we have done steaks and they are even better than the grill, salmon that is delicious, chicken, pork chops (best ever also). I haven't tried potatoes because we seem to be doing lots of meats and fish in it. Usually you can tell if a Pinterest recipe is good and I've always been happy! Hoping to sew all weekend since it's rainy here in Illinois.

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  37. Very funny video, thanks, and thanks for the instruction sheet on using a mask properly. I include it when mailing a mask. mailers and postage are not free but so far have been able to absorb the cost. My daughter does the grocery runs for us and she tells me many people use their masks incorrectly or do not social distance. I have a pair of black patent leather flats that have been worn to work, weddings, and everything in between. No danger of falls, turned ankles or injurying the new knee. Good for you not hanging on to stuff you dont need or wear.

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  38. Oh, Bonnie...thank you so much! I have tears in my eyes from laughing so hard. I thought it was going to be a real face mask tutorial and I've seen far too many of them...but I stuck it out to the end....and nearly peed my pants! Oh my...the endorphins are flowing. Thank you for the best laugh of the pandemic! Blessings from southeastern West Virginia!

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  39. I saw Kay's video on making a mask last week (watched it more than once) and laughed so hard... I had to watch again from your blog and laughed some more! Thanks for the giggles - laughter is indeed good medicine!!

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  40. I loved the mask video as well. Also saw a video on Facebook of parents "leaving off" their children at Grandparent's home after restriction are lifted. I laughed at it so hard my husband wondered what was going on! Bonnie, thank you for your daily posts! They take me away for a few moments and I love seeing where you live. Blessings to you and yours.

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  41. video was so funny! Almost as funny as my hysterical half-blocks struggle in the Frolic mystery. Love a challenge!

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  42. Someone had forwarded that video of Kay and her sewing adventures to me and I just loved it. Forwarded it to many friends - we need all the laughs we can get. I agree - there are a lot of people out there really hurting financially. As long as people are not price gouging and taking advantage of this terrible situation, let them make a buck. My daughter went to the Shop-Rite near her in Burlington, NJ last week. Eggs were $8.00 for 18 eggs. Now, that's price gauging because this is a large supermarket chain, not some small mom and pop store that cannot get good prices. I applaud people who are dong their best to support their families under terrible circumstances. I also those wonderful people who are doing all they can to help others.

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  43. I've cooked chicken breast in my air fryer and it has turned out really moist. I use my air fryer more in the summer. We live in the high desert of Oregon with no AC. Definitely don't want to use the oven in the summer. Enjoying Unity but I'm falling behind. Just finished the 36 4" stars.

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  44. Thanks for the video. I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. Too funny!!! Thanks

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  45. Bonnie I can't thank you enough for the funny video, my husband came into the room to see why I was laughing so much. Really cheered me up in my 5th week at home in lock down in the UK. Thanks you.

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  46. The video gave my husband and me a good laugh. At first he thought it was real and kept saying, "That poor girl."

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  47. Je suis morte de rire !!! moi qui ne suis pas douée à la machine, j'arrive à faire mieux qu'elle !!!!! J'espère simplement que c'était une fausse video !!!! la pauvre !!!

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  48. I do believe that's the first sewing video my husband ever watched. I am absolutely certain it's the first sewing video my husband enjoyed and laughed at!! Thanks, Bonnie, for posting it! Beyond the obvious humor, I loved the "turn it inside out" and calling the rectangle a square. :-)

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  49. Agreed. It is the shoes. It is always the shoes.

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