Cleaning, the before

 My sewing room looks like a tornado went thru it, so the next few days sewing room time will be cleaning it. Here's the before:

 You could barely walk or stand at the work table! I was in the mood for some rage cleaning after seeing more about the Epstein Files and the ice latest atrocities. F*ck ice and F*ck all in the current regime of rapists, grifters and liars. I hope I'm alive to see the equivilant of the Nuremberg Trials.

Back to blogging- so I worked an hour in the sewing room yesterday, and plan to do more today. 

 I took time to browse baby swimsuits, and ordered this one for Boone's birthday. 

 Ralph took my phone and took pix from the dining room window. It's hard to see, but feral cats Lucy and Friday are perched on the trash cans, surveying their realm. It's sunny, so they emerged from their heated place to be outside for a while.

Another cold one

 Right now it's 19, with a projected high of 30. Next week we should see some warming, all the way up into the 40's! It's looking good for Steph and Dan to come visit. 

 I did another fabric wreath last night, this one a round one. It's probably going to be another birthday gift for Boone, to hang in her room. Her party is going to be on Valentine's Day at noon, at Mike and Donna's house. I was talking to my brother Mike yesterday, we usually talk once a week. He's such a good guy, and Joey and Boone are lucky to have him and Donna as grandparents. 

Today's time in the sewing room is going to be cleaning up! It looks like a hurricane hit it at the moment.  

 

MOHS surgery

 I had yet another area of basal cell carcinoma removed from my face this morning. I think this is #5.

 Even as she was stitching up the area, the dermatologist said there was swelling and bruising. She predicts I'll have a black eye. Stitches come out next Tuesday.

 In progress and finished! About a 3 hour project while watching TV, not counting cutting the 2x7 strips. I'm pleased with it. It was a kit that I got from Shabby Fabrics. Now I have the pattern!

I ordered non toxic markers to make Sally Snake's face, they should come tomorrow. 

And let me add myself to all the content creators who are announcing "F*ck Ice". Anyone who supports the brutal actions of ice and supports a rapist, grifting loser of a man, I don't want to associate with.  

Hello February!

 January seemed to go on forever! I'm hoping February will be kinder. Steph tries to come in for my birthday, and this year Dan is coming with her. Weather permitting. 

 I love these calendars! Steph did this years, so she, Manda, Heather and I all have the same calendar. That and the family chat on whatsapp make us all feel closer, even with Steph and Dan, Manda and Ben and kids being 3000 miles away.

I've finished the body of Sally 2.0, and I'm working on the tail. Then all that will be left will be her expression.

 

The  look on the star's face is what I'm aiming for. I'm thinking 3 strands of embroidery floss. 

Lunch with Frank and Charlotte today is Applebee's. I'm thinking chicken tenders and a house salad. I'd bought a package of frozen smash burgers from Walmart grocery, and we made them on the George Forman grill last night, with fries in the air fryer. The burgers came out really well, and I'll get them again. We each had one with cheese, and I was teasing Ralph that 30 years ago he'd have had at least 2, possibly 3.  

January is on the way out the door!

 Has it been January forever? It sure seems like it,  and I'm glad to see it gone.

 This is our current fireplace. It was wood burning when we bought the house, and years ago we had it converted to gas. It's been rarely used for a couple of reasons. When it's on, it makes the rest of the house colder. And Ralph would have me move everything ten feet away for fear of burning the house down. I love the mantle, it's got Valentine Gnomes on it and some birds.

So I contacted Reilly, who is engaged to one of my many great nephews, and works in The Fireplace Store, to see if we can convert it again, to electric this time. She sent me some brochures.

 I like this look. I would not change my brick, but I like the insert, so I just texted her pix with measurements. The process isn't mission critical, to quote Ralph, but I'd like to get it going.

I made more progress on Sally 2.0 last night, and hope to finish her today or tomorrow so I can get working on the Valentine's Day wreath. 

And I downloaded a couple of Melt the Ice hat patterns, so that may be the next crochet project.  

 

 

Brrrr

 It was  5 this morning, and now it's up to 12! Yikes! A good day to stay in. I just placed a Walmart grocery order to be delivered thi afternoon. 

Sally 2.0 is moving along. I'm watching Murder in a Small Town on Hulu while crocheting. 

I can't even watch any of the news shows, I'm so filled with rage at what the Melon Felon is doing to this country. This whole ice (they don't deserve to be capitalized) is so upsetting and maddening. I hope I live long enough to see the modern version of the Nuremberg Trials. From the newest "officer" right up to the Melon Felon, they need to be in jail forever for murder. And kudos to Bruce Springsteen for his new anthem. Like Ohio by CSN&Y after the Kent State shootings, only worse.

 

Deep breaths. Back to crafts. I got this kit from Shabby Fabrics, a store in Idaho that I buy a lot from. Yesterday I cut the strips, using my new stripology ruler. Did them all in a flash! 

A Finish!

 Yesterday I finished binding the tree skirt, and made the ties and attached them. So it's done!

 Despite the less than great directions, I'm very happy with how it turned out, and Steph loves it. I've been putting daily progress pics up on our family chat. 

We had a nice lunch out at Amy's Omelette House with Ken and Arlene, longtime friends. The omelette's there use like 5 eggs, and I'll get at least 3 meals from mine. The home fries are well seasons, and a huge quantity. Ralph weighed what we brought home, and it was about 1.5 pounds!

The crocheting of Sally 2.0 is progressing well. I forgot to take a pic of her last night.