And So It Begins

I have had a few phone calls this week asking where the pop up store is and I've been telling most of the callers that it is in hibernation. If I know the caller well enough, I tell them it's winterized and I'm not sitting somewhere from 10am to 4pm with nowhere to pee.

In actuality, this is what it currently looks like.

In the background, you can see the stove and the sink/tap, and on the floor to the left, you see part of the countertop. I've managed to loosen most of the walls of the kitchen counter base but I have more work to do. By the time you read this, I will already be out in the rv trying to remove the entire counter from the wall just so I can get at the bottom screws that hold the two counter pieces together. Once that is done, the saw comes out and the walkway is on its way to becoming much wider both for customers (when the rv is a store) and for Mom, Myles and myself (when the three of us feel like taking off for parts unknown).

I am still waiting on LPAC to let me know when the classes are scheduled so stay tuned for that information. I'm looking forward to teaching again. Without the Creativ Festivals this September, I felt a little lost. As an introvert, I would find myself equally drained and energized by the rush from class to class. I guess until the schedule is set, I get to try to create that feeling by renovating the pop up.

written by Lori, TCL owner, who hopes to still have enough undamaged fingers to teach those classes during renovations.

When the S___ Hits the ______

 What happens to you when the snow first makes its appearance in the fall?

I mean, I know we all - as crafters - take it as a signal that if we haven't got our Christmas presents started, we'd better get our butts in gear! But, you as a person. What does it do to you?

A Facebook friend posted this survey on what type of animal you are based on your sleep patterns and, most of the time, I'm a wolf. Since the snow hit the ground though, I've turned into a bear. Not the bear from the survey though. The kind that hibernates.

Don't get me wrong. I've been getting plenty of stuff done. But because the days are dull and the sun is setting so early and the lazy swirl of a light snowfall just make me want to curl up under a cozy blanket and sleep, getting stuff done takes a lot of effort.

Even Mom, the resident energizer bunny, had a 3 hour nap after church this Sunday! She's actually looking forward to having enough of the white stuff on the ground to go out and shovel just so she has something to do! This could be a lo-ong winter.

Luckily, I do have a lot of projects lined up for the winter months, most of which require me to leave the house and, most of which will make shopping with The Crafty Lady even easier. It was pointed out to me this week that 8 skeins of floss were going to cost over $200 in shipping to be mailed to the north end of Lacombe so I have to have a long 'chat' with my online store program because it obviously hasn't been 'listening' to my instructions. I think comparatively it will be much easier to renovate the rv but both things need to happen so I won't be hibernating even though the desire will be there.

Hopefully, you will be able to enjoy the power dips the gentle snowfalls cause and also power through all the projects that need to be completed before it too late.

written by Lori, snoozy TCL owner, who just needs to resist the urge to sleep all day. 

Lazy Days and Mondays

 Not the exact lyrics of The Carpenters song but I hope you sang it just the same. 😃

For all my Canadian readers (if I have non-Canadian readers, let me know) Happy Thanksgiving! Mom and I will be having a quiet Thanksgiving meal with three of our cohorts followed by a not so quiet card game as per normal when we get together. Except for the extra food prep, it really will be a lazy day.

I find I have a lot to be thankful for this year but what stands out for me most is that, even with COVID doing its best to mess with the way we do things, I still have what matters most in my life. I have my home, my family, my friends, my livelihood, ... we've merely adapted to make things work.

So much occurs online now.

Church and Bible study were online and, if the second wave gets out of control, it can revert to online.

Knit night is online. We joke that the side benefit to Zoom knit night is that since we don't have to worry about driving home we can drink whatever beverage we choose.

If you are unable to spend time with family and friends in person today, find a way to join them virtually, even if only for a few minutes. It will be good for your soul. And, yes, the phone counts!

written by Lori, soon-to-be-overstuffed TCL owner, who wishes you all a wonderful Thanksgiving day, however you choose to celebrate.

Where Does the Time Go?

 Is it odd that I was only one day into my 'online only' winter schedule and I completely lost track of time? Even Mom and Myles were thrown off by the fact that I was around the house more. Myles usually gets his treats 4-4:30pm-ish when I get home from the pop up location at LPAC and he was begging for them when Mom and I got back into the house at 11:30am after reinforcing a wonky shelving unit in the warehouse on Thursday.

Friday morning was spent prepping for my winter series of classes at LPAC before presenting the classes at a meeting in the afternoon. The remainder of the day was spent knitting demos for those classes. Mom swore up and down that it felt like Saturday all day and she was right. It DID feel like Saturday, which made Saturday feel like Sunday except that we didn't go to church. And because I played for both church services on 'actual' Sunday, it felt like I had already put the RV into hibernation for over a week and it had only been four days!

So, other than constantly checking the date on my phone or my Fitbit, I've decided to keep track of my days in a different way. Mom and I are going to Bible study on Monday evenings and, until classes start, there is Virtual Knit Night on Thursday evenings. Even though I know I have directionally weak tendons in my wrist making it difficult to play three games in a row, I'm joining my mom and brother in the senior - yes I said senior - bowling league on Thursdays. If that isn't enough to keep my days straight, I will have to add more non-work activities to my list.

Speaking of classes and work, I will be posting the upcoming class schedule as soon as it is finalized with the LPAC administration. All classes will be designated experienced beginner - you only need to know how to knit and purl. One class will require basic crochet knowledge as well. I will be teaching you everything else you need to know. Because of physical distancing requirements, class sizes are limited so register early!

written by Lori, time-lagged TCL owner, who can't wait to get onto a 'real' schedule asap!