Saturday, January 18, 2014

Fares on BC Ferries went up by 3% yesterday but we haven’t noticed much difference. We’re without our usual ferry service for a couple more weeks while the ferry dock is being rebuilt. To get to the island we have to take a three-hour ferry from Saltery Bay that ends up in Nanaimo. In a couple of weeks we can take a two-hour ferry from Saltery Bay that will take us to Comox, via Texada. When all the rebuilds are complete our service will be cut and people are not happy about it.

At lunch time today the community gathered at the ferry terminal to protest the ferry cuts and the fee increases. They had a good turnout, but the event wasn’t well organized and it was very difficult to hear the speakers. I doubt the protest will change anything; it was one of several along the Sunshine Coast.

And speaking of community, I finished the binding on the Community Quilt last night. This truly was a community project. Someone donated the top (and it needed a lot of repair work). Nina removed a very off-colour binding from around the edges. Gaye made the repairs that were needed, and Darlene did the quilting. I played a very small part by stitching down the binding. I’ll sew on the label tonight and it will be on its way to Grace House, the women’s shelter.

I started the quilting on my own community quilt donation today. I had the top finished quite awhile ago but I knew it needed to be re-sandwiched and I’d been putting it off. I was also determined to do some free-motion quilting on it and I’ll delay doing that for as long as possible. I’m stabilizing the layers now, and perhaps I’ll get started on the quilting. Once I start I’m fine, but I’m always reluctant to make those first few designs.