Sewing tips for "Older Adults" and/or vision impaired

I was not ready to give up on sewing but threading my machine was difficult. This is the solution that I came up with. many years ago, OXmoor house sent me this freebie with a mailing.

With a black marker, I colored one corner:

I have used this numerous times to thread my machine by putting this behind my needle on the blacked side if using light thread and on the darker side to see dark thread I am able to see the hole in the needle clearly.

then after inserting the thread, I use the long tweezers to pull the thread through to the back.

I don't remember where I got the tweezers but they are now my must haves for sewing.

I hope this is helpful to someone. ♥

I found these in my files today and hope to share them with anyone that may need them, they are needed in this Covid crunch that we are in.

Feeling very Martha-ish Today!

I was in the process of making a lemon blueberry loaf cake to have with our "first coffee" in the AM. Realizing that I was out of lemon zest ....ekk.... a key ingredient. Drive to small corner store, none. Hannaford, none. so I bought a bag of lemons. I had a lemon zester from a few years ago. So in an instant, I had the needed amount for the cake. With the cake now out of the oven and cooling, I turned to the remaining 7 lemons. NOW the MARTHA section. After zesting all the lemons, I had a small amount to dry at 200 degrees for 20 minutes in the oven. now after drying and slightly crumbling, these 7 lemons yielded a "scant" 2 tablespoons of zested lemons.

Proceding to the zested lemons, I rolled them and juiced them, including the 2 from the original reason for buying the lemons origially.

This procedure yielded "Almost 2 cups of lemon juive to freeze in small containers for DIY lemon aid. I really think Martha goes to the store and buys her lemon zest in a glass container like I normally would.

On Amazon for $6.78 ($4.52 an ounce) Did I mention that the bag of lemons cost $3.99 and all of that physical work and the cost of the oven for 30 minutes. I WILL FIND LEMON ZEST AT A STORE SOON OR ODER IT ON AMAZON.

I found my old blog today

Great memories.........so much has changed. We have moved and are making it on Social Security. It was a long struggle to get to this place but we are finally able to "Age in Place" peacefully. We were so worried about losing our home and being homeless. Our health was deteriorating because of injuries and age related arthritis. WE were still trying to work and keep it. My Daughter still is not speaking to Me because we sold her inheritance! She said there were so many memories at the house. WE wish that we could have kept it and were praying for a lottery win...lol.

We love this home, 10 minutes from I95. 25 minutes from a major hospital, 15 minutes to a small one. 15 minutes to major grocery store and shopping. In Rangeley it was an hour away on bad roads. Two hours to Home Depot and Sam's Club - one way. That works for the young people, they love the privacy and quiet. We have a lovely Screen room so the black flies in the spring and the mosquitos in the summer are not a bother. Two bathrooms!! Washer and dryer not in the basement. Large master bedroom on the same level with a private handicapped shower bathroom. Perfect. And did I mention a pantry and lots of kitchen storage, no basement shelves to deal with. A craft/sewing/home office/exercise room. Quiet little town - bird feeders and flowers.

Updated photo of George and I - Thanksgiving Day 2015

Blueberry coffee cake with Almond topping

Today I am craving something fun for breakfast, I find a copied recipe "Cooks" Magazine. It sounded good. I remembered that I had some frozen blueberries in the basement freezer that need to be used up. I run down to the basement to see and sure enough - just slightly freezer burned blueberries. (Our food saver is old and sometimes doesn't finish vacuuming before it seals.)
I quickly glance at the other ingredients and deem it doable.

I take out my "prep" bowls and set the oven to 350 as the recipe states. 9" pan sprayed with vegetable spray...have to use baking spray. Butter is pretty hard, I measure and zap it slightly. Brown sugar...ok so I get the little stool from the bathroom to reach the brown sugar, granulated sugar and flour.

Nearly fall off the stool so I spill about a cup in the sink . I Remembered that I had just scrubbed the sink last night after dishes..so no biggy. I measure out the sugars (taking 1/3 cup out of the sink) and flour and put the 3-step stool back in the bathroom so there is room so I have some room to work.

I first mix up the topping, 1/3 cup of chopped almonds....oops can't find them ...pecan will do. 1/3 cup of flour, damn I put it back up on the shelf. So, I go to the bathroom-get the 3-stepper-bring down the flour and measure it out in the small bowl. Put the ladder back. 1/4 cup of brown sugar (check), 1 tbsp butter (check) 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Measure this in the palm of my hand...close enough. Try mixing this with a tablespoon, gum it all up, switch to fork. ok, fine. directions say "set aside".

"In a large bowl" mix .....Mixer, oh yes on the shelf in the basement, get that.
"Beat together the sugar (1 cup- forgotten but all measured out beside my bowl). butter (1/3 cup), eggs(2), and almond extract. (which I have) , mixing well" Combine flour (1 2/3 cup),baking soda (1 1/2 tsp.), baking powder (1 1/2 tsp)........damn return to bathroom for stool, can't reach it), stir until just blended" " Stir in Yogurt ( 3/4 cup 2 %) YOGURT...oh man, that;s what I meant to get yesterday! How didn't i see this in the recipe first...cause I wrote in quickly and scribbled. How about mayonnaise- no that has vinegar...milk 2%...I used that free poured until it looked like batter "
stir in blueberries. ( it actually said- "stir in blueberries and flour" I missed that part.

Reread recipe while writing this and; It did say in the list of ingredients 2 Tbsp. flour on the bottom. Oh well ). Pour into prepared pan and as I finish doing this ---- I notice the cup of sugar in my cute little prep bowl. With a spatula ,scape batter back out of bowl and mix in sugar---of course now that I've added the blueberries my batter turns blue making the remaining ones that didn't get smashed to sink to the bottom. So much for prepping the pan

. " Bake for 35-40 minutes until cake is done} ( I baked mine for 55 minutes, cause it didn't seem to be done. George and I had a piece just now...pretty good. I'd do it again with yogurt and floured blueberries and spraying the pan would sure help. I need to bake more!

Updated Photo of George and I

We're overweight and showing our age, but So happy........Thank You God. Photo taken at The Octoberfest in Wilton,Me.