Friday Funny

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

More snow, cold, and my oopsie mistake

Oh no, more snow. We had another 22 cms.(8.6 inches) on Sunday from the overnight hours to around 9 p.m. that evening. D and I went out and shovelled twice, the first several centimeters were wet and heavy, and the second less heavy but more of it. We certainly got our workouts and steps in that day. Wednesday's photo of the abominable snowman (me) and the photos of the back yard were taken when we finished our second round.

Monday, I drove Eli to school in the morning, as there was no hope of D's small car making it out of the backyard. She had gotten up at 6 a.m. and cleared snow that had blown in overnight. After she came in for a short break, we both went back out and cleared off our vehicles, as well as around and between the two. She's made a decision not to leave her car out of garage the next time a storm is in the forecast.

We saw one city plow in the morning, and it was doing the main streets (not ours). D had an appointment at the bank that morning, and since there was no possibility of parking, I dropped her off and went home to do some housework. We had been planning to go into Walmart (the next town over) in the afternoon but the highways were in bad condition so that was a no-go. We did stop at the grocery store for some basic items, bread, milk, and fruit after I picked her up. 

The afternoon had us in the kitchen doing a bit more Christmas baking. D finished off the pinwheel cookies and made a batch of peanut butter cookies, while I made thumbprint cookies. She made caramel for my gingerbread cake (baked a couple of days ago) and added the chocolate layer to the toffee bars. We still want to make a bit of candy, perhaps peanut brittle or peppermint bark. 

We were both grateful to wake on Tuesday morning to find that both the street and back alley were cleared during the night. (I heard nothing). The machine had left a ridge across the back, so D and I were out about 6:30 a.m. to remove it before it hardened. The temperature was about -9C (16F), but we knew that it would get colder throughout the day. 

When we went to drop off some donations at the thrift store (and do a bit of shopping) it was -19C (-2F) and the wind was blowing. We both picked up a few pieces clothing, books, I also got a yarn caddy, and Eli got a toy keyboard. Total spend was $13. No item was more than $2. It amazes me every time we visit.

D and I got more baking dealt with on Wednesday, she baked two kinds of butter tarts, one with maple bacon, the other with raisins. In the meantime I cut up the gingerbread cake and the toffee bars. Those went into tins and out to the porch which is currently another freezer. D will make up containers of goodies for Eli's teachers, and I'll take a container when I head back to the city at the end of the month for my brother and his family.

Though quite cold, the afternoon was spent in the next town over. We needed some groceries, D needed to stop at the Service Canada office, and I wanted a card table to put downstairs so I can work on a jigsaw puzzle. We were in a bit of rush and we both forgot a few things...one of which was the card table. 

Thursday was the coldest day - we woke to -33C(-27F) but with no wind, I surprisingly didn't find it that cold when I went out with the garbage and recycling. D had an appointment at the school when she dropped Eli off at school. I stayed home and managed to wrap most of my Christmas gifts. This year the presents won't go under the tree until Christmas Eve so there will be no temptation for our guy to peek and poke.

Later I started another batch of shortbread and did something very foolish. I don't know what I was thinking, but I popped the butter in the microwave to soften BUT it was in a metal bowl. As can be expected, the microwave is now dead. I can't blame any particular distraction for my "oopsie mistake". 

In the afternoon I started a present for my daughter's friend M.  Apparently she's always wanted a homemade gnome. I have lots of Christmas yarn and spent some time perusing Pinterest and found a great pattern for a larger gnome. I continued to work on it Friday and by end of day, I had the body (including nose) and hat completed. I started the shoes but by that point, my eyes were starting to cross, and it was time to put the hook down. On a positive note, I learned a new stitch, the crab stitch. It's a reverse single crochet and took some getting used to to wrap around the 66 stitches on the edge of the hat. 

Otherwise Friday was pretty quiet - we did go to Canadian Tire to buy a new microwave. Funny story, my daughter was re-heating pizza for Eli at supper time and tried to open the microwave mid way through. It wouldn't open and it took the two of us a minute or two to figure out there is an automatic lock button that needed to be pressed to release the door. Unlike the old microwave this one senses when the food is hot and beeps so she thought her time was up.

Today, I'll keep working on the gnome (shoes/arms/legs), watch some curling*, and do some research on my next trip. Oh, that reminds me, I haven't shared this information yet. I'm flying out to Phoenix on New Year's Eve, to spend two months in Yuma...hooray, away from the snow and cold! 

This has been in the works since last February when I reached out to the landlord about the availability of a one bedroom park model in a small community within the city of Yuma. Long story short, the price was ideal, the property was available as last winter's tenants didn't want to plan that far ahead. I did! 

Friends of mine are in Apache Junction, and will pick me up at the airport and deliver me to Yuma on January 1.  When I advised my landlord, she offered the hide-a-bed in the unit to my friends for a couple of days and when asked, declined any additional payment. I think I've hit the jackpot! 

For my readers, I'm sure you'll all be happy to know you'll soon not hear whining about how cold it is, or how much snow I've had to shovel. It's my first time spending this much time away from home in one stretch - I did a month back in 2015 on Vancouver Island (practicing for retirement - though that didn't happen as I expected). If all goes well, I may make this an annual experience, at least for a few years.

Have a great week ahead everyone! 

*Jackie, in case Harvey isn't aware, the RBC Dominion Western Showdown is being aired on You-tube. There are some local Saskatchewan teams as well as some of the big names. Gushue got beat by a lesser known team out of British Columbia on Friday!

Friday Funny

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

A surprise addition, finishes, and a birthday

My son called me on Saturday evening, while I was in Bismarck. That may not sound unusual but he doesn't often call, so I knew something was up. It took a bit of conversation before he told me that since I'd been away (three days) he'd adopted a dog! He has been talking about it since he bought the house last year, and I had hoped he'd wait until the fence was re-built in the back yard this spring. When I arrived at the house on Sunday, and went upstairs, I met my "granddog" Sage.

She is a mixed breed (unknown), about a year old and was found as a stray. I would tell you, based on her behaviour, she was obviously living in a house at some point. Though she did have a couple of wetting accidents the first two days, it was more a result of us not recognizing the signs - she goes to the front door and sits. She has no problems holding it overnight and according to C, she prefers deeper snow to do her business on their walks.

Sage rarely barks, loves to play, and thinks she is a lap dog. At about 55 pounds, I'd tell you she's a bit big for that. Thus far, she has not met Saku (the cat), who is currently enjoying the peace and quiet of the basement. Saku seems only mildly interested when Sage is noisily playing upstairs. I sent a text to my son at work on Tuesday telling him I think he got himself an elephant! Once Sage is crate trained, Saku will be given the run of the house once more. C figures that will take a few weeks. I'm not entirely sure how Saku will react to the dog, but I suspect he'll avoid Sage as much as possible. I should mention, Sage was tested at the humane society and showed little to no aggression towards other dogs and cats.

Before I forget, the photo on Wednesday was the result of the trip to Bismarck. I dropped the stuff at the bottom of the stairs when I arrived home on Sunday. Tuesday, I re-packed the shopping into other bags and one box, leaving the suitcase and backpack in Regina. I'll be using those for my next trip in about 4 weeks.

I got away from the city just after 8 a.m. on Wednesday. It was a cold day (-18C/0F) with high winds around (50 kph/35 mph), and there was drifting snow. When the sun rose, there were sundogs too. 

Thankfully my drive is only about 90 minutes, so I was home by 9:30. D helped me unload the car, and unpack everything before she left for a meeting at the school. I was happy to stay indoors where it was warm and comfortable.

It warmed up slightly overnight so I headed out to do a bit of grocery shopping while D took Eli to school. He's only going half days this week as he's been having trouble regulating his emotions. The school district's psychologist spent time observing him earlier in the week, and with D's input, the school has come up with a plan to keep him safe in school and learning. She really does have a wonderful team and they acknowledge that Eli is very bright but struggles with the social aspects of the classroom.

Thursday was my daughter's 42nd 43rd birthday. She wanted only one thing - to go for dinner at a recently re-opened restaurant in town. We went early, about 4:30 p.m. as Eli had a planned activity in the evening at a local church. The restaurant serves Filipino and Canadian food; D and I shared a bowl of Bihon Guisado (vermicelli noodles, veg) with chicken and a plate of mixed spring rolls (veg and pork). The portions were large so we took half of the food home for another meal. Everything was so delicious! We'll definitely be back.

While on my trip I had crocheted a scarf, leaving the Christmas ornaments to be finished when I arrived home. It was nice to spend my afternoons watching curling and crocheting. I finished the two gnomes and moved onto the baubles for my brother and his wife. Another blogger had shared photos of her handmade ornaments a couple of weeks ago and this was just the idea I needed. I've got another pair of mitts on the needles, to match the scarf. I couldn't find a pattern of crocheted mitts that I liked, so these will be knitted.

Today, I'm planning to do a bit of Christmas baking, more knitting, and will watch the Canadian Seniors' Curling Championships. Our provincial men's team is into the playoffs; the provincial women's team missed the cut. D and Eli are planning to go skating at the old rink today. 

Sunday, it appears we have another snow storm heading our way with a possibility of 10-15 cms. (4-6 inches) of snow. That will be a stay indoors kind of day, except when we are out to clear the sidewalks and the parking spaces beside the garage. I'm actually quite happy to have a quiet ending to the week.

P.S. Saku and Sage met for the first time on Friday evening. Saku hissed and Sage was clearly afraid of the cat - C said it was funny to watch. He'll continue to keep them separated for the time being.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Friday funny

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

A successful shop

This will be a re-cap of the shopping trip to Bismarck. Am I the only one who finds the return trip longer than the trip there? We were on the bus by 7:30 a.m. and arrived in Regina about 5 p.m. on Sunday. When I arrived at the house, I visited with my son and his friends for a bit, grabbed some leftover pizza and headed downstairs for an early bedtime. 

Let's go back to Thursday - I called the cab company for a pick-up about 20 minutes later. He didn't show for nearly 15 minutes more than expected and then drove like an idiot to the drop off. He said he had winter tires on the vehicle, but skidded around a few corners. I was not impressed. However, we arrived just as the bus arrived in the parking lot so I gave him a small tip.

The ride down was smooth and easy; there was less snow and the sun shone for most of the trip. We stopped twice, once in Estevan for lunch, and then at the truck stop in Minot (the only place open on Thanksgiving) for dinner. We left Regina at 10 a.m. and were at our hotel about 7:30 p.m. The bus had started in Saskatoon with a pick-up there, then Moose Jaw, Regina and Weyburn. With the driver and our hostess, there were 49 of us on the bus, including one husband who was the subject of some good natured ribbing. Which he handled kindly. We never did ask him to carry our packages. :)

Early the next morning, about 5:30 a.m. I looked out the window to see a vehicle leaving the hotel. It was a mother/daughter pair hopping in an Uber to head for Kohls. Most of the rest of us left the hotel about 7:45 a.m. - a much more civilized hour for Hobby Lobby and Joann. After a couple of hours (no I didn't shop that long) we headed to a mall for four hours, and finished the afternoon off at Menards. Back at the hotel, we off loaded our purchases and were on our own for dinner. I'd bought a microwaveable meal so ate in and watched television.

We had a later start on Saturday, just around 10 a.m. and had a short drive to a shopping area with several stand alone shops. We were given three hours for this area - far too much time in my estimation, so when I finished my shopping there, I dropped my parcels on my seat and walked the block or two to Walmart. It was another two or three block walk back to the hotel. I was finished my shopping by noon, so I grabbed a sub at Wally World and took my bags back to the hotel. The afternoon was spent relaxing in my room, packing, crocheting, reading, and watching a bit of television. The bus arrived back at the hotel at 5:00 p.m. I picked up the last of my items, and packed the remainder of my purchases before heading out to a nearby restaurant for dinner. Several of the other shoppers had eaten there the previous night and said it was great. It was not, but was adequate and I washed down my dinner with a Blue Moon beer. 

The good: it is so wonderful to not have to drive. At one point on the road home, the driver avoided an accident as several vehicles had stopped on the highway. She was able to maneuver that big bus to the shoulder and stayed on the road. 

I picked up the remainder of my Christmas gifts and got some great prices on various items. The best buy was a pair of winter boots, regularly priced at $80 for $19.99. There were also some needed items purchased for the house I share with my daughter. A hall rug for the living room front door area, baking sheets, food containers, a cutting board, and just for fun, a couple of Christmas tea towels. The latter were a mere 96 cents apiece.

Because I was travelling alone, I had the two seats in the row to myself. Not only was it a space to put my shopping bags, but I was able to take a short nap on Sunday morning.

The okay: The food at the truck stop and at the restaurant in Bismarck were just meh. The former is the only choice, but should I decide to go next year, I'd definitely try one of the other restaurants near by. That's assuming, of course, that they return to Bismarck.

The mall was huge, anchored by J.C. Penney and Target. But, there was no food court, just a few small restaurants scattered throughout. With the bazillion people shopping, everything was crowded. I did find a two top at Shiels and had a taco in a bag salad. 

The bad: Between the taxi at the beginning of the trip and one at the end, I'll probably call an Uber next time. I'd called for the taxi just as we were pulling into the city. I told the dispatcher, I would be on a large white bus. Although he was told this the driver waited at the Walmart doors, and when I didn't answer my phone (it was in my pocket and I didn't hear it), he left without me. I called again, and he did return but I was annoyed as it was a bitterly cold walk across the parking lot. His excuse - he didn't see the big white bus!

The interesting: Diane, our hostess handed around a form with our names and asked for our personal contact information as well as emergency contact. One of the women across the aisle from me saw her maiden name on the form and asked "who is X? It was me, and we quickly determined that we are distant cousins as I recognized names of her father and grandfather. I wasn't able to open Ancestry until I returned to the city, but have since learned that her great grandfather and my great-great grandfather were brothers. 

Will I go on next year's trip? Probably not unless our Canadian dollar improves against the U.S. dollar. While I got some good deals, I did have to watch the pricing. I stopped at Walmart for some boxed foods and Oreo cookies. These were brands or flavours we don't have here in Canada. I was shocked at the price of Oreo cookies, over $5, so only purchased one package of the toffee crunch flavour that my daughter asked for.  In fact, I found the pricing was often higher on some foods than we see here, however, the boxed items (cake mixes and Hamburger Helper) were considerably lower. 

In any event, it was a good get-away. I'm happy to be at my son's and will drive back to my daughter's tomorrow. Oh, and one last thing, I parked the SUV while I was away and was able to back it out in one try. Can't say I wasn't a bit nervous about my first time! Hooray for back-up cameras. 

There will be a post on Saturday with some other news and the rest of the week! Hope everyone is having a good week!

Friday Funny

 

Wordy Wednesday

In lieu of a Saturday post, I'll do a short post today. Tomorrow I'm off on my trip to Bismarck - this time for real!

The snow we were promised came and came and came some more. It snowed for close to 24 hours, and in that time the weather channel suggested we had nearly 30 cms. (12 inches) of snow.  I would say we were closer to 20cm/8 in. We should have gone out and cleared snow Saturday evening, but instead waited until mid-morning on Sunday. It took nearly 2 hours for my daughter and I to clear the sidewalks: back, side and front (including city sidewalk), as well as the area behind the back fence and the garage. There had been a couple of vehicles; trucks, I assume, that had been down the alley. But my vehicle was covered, and the snow around it and behind it was deep.

It continued to snow until mid-afternoon, when I realized there was a bright orb in the sky to the southwest. What could that be? It's been a few days since we've seen the sun. Once we were sure it was sticking around, D and I went out again and cleared the snow that had fallen in the meantime.

The town plows were out sometime overnight to start the street clearing (I heard nothing). It expect it will take a day or two to get to the alleys. Sadly, at least a couple of our neighbours are idiots. One attempted to blow the snow across the alley to the vacant property but, of course, much of the snow ended up in the alley. In the other direction, another neighbour made a mess weaving his way through the snow and apparently spinning his tires. 

I drove Eli to school on Monday morning, as D's car would not have had the height to make it through. We chose to go towards the snow blower mess and I bottomed out in the SUV. That spot is flattened now. We decided to try the other direction on the way back from the school, and it was even a bigger mess. 

Tuesday morning, the alley had yet to be cleared, so I again drove Eli to school, and then D to the bank before heading to the city. The highways were clear, but it was very foggy for about half of the trip. I saw a couple vehicles in the ditch and one fender bender in the city. The city street were definitely not as clear, however sanding trucks had been out so the intersections weren't bad. I think having a heavier vehicle is a benefit too.

I ran a few errands, stopped at the doctor's office to drop off and pick up some paperwork for D, the bank to pick up cash for my trip, and at the mall for a haircut. I use cash because it is the easiest way to stay within my spending budget. The haircut was desperately needed as I hadn't had a cut since September. While there are a couple of salons in our small town, getting an appointment is quite difficult and often requires a wait of several weeks. No thanks!

Back at the house, I discovered C had only got half of the driveway cleared after this latest snowfall. After a bite of lunch, I went out and did the rest. A downfall of the neighbour having install the fence, the snow now blows across the area behind the house and up against the fence. This blocks access to the garage. Not good when the temperatures are forecast to be in the range of -25C to -30C (-13F to -22F) later this week. Thankfully there is no snow in the forecast, so we'll both be parking in the garage. 

Today, I've got some housework to do. No, the vacuum has not moved since I left over a month ago. I'm running a load of laundry, and will pop out to pick up a few groceries. Since I'm in the city, I'll make a run to Value Village as well. In particular, I'm looking for a small ottoman or a stool to put by the door into our porch at D's. We both would like something to sit on as we put on our winter boots. An ottoman would be best, as we'd have storage for the mitts, toques (beanies) and scarves we use most often.

To my readers from the U.S., Happy Thanksgiving! To everyone else, have a great weekend.

Winter has arrived!

For those who did not see my edited post - my Black Friday shopping trip is happening this upcoming week, not last. I'm not sure why I had the dates mixed up, but thankfully reader Cheryl let me know in the comments. So I wasn't a week early waiting for the bus in the Walmart parking lot. :) 

The wordless Wednesday photo was taken on Sunday evening after the first snowfall. The sky was much brighter than my phone camera captured. Winter storm warnings were issued as well, and we were expecting up to 15-20 cms (6-8 in) of snow overnight Monday into Tuesday. I'm not sure if it was the winds, but we were fortunate and the storm skirted us. While we got a bit of freezing rain, by morning the temperatures were at or slightly above freezing. As a result, the streets were wet not icy. In the meantime, my son got a pile of snow in the city.

We walked, again, this week at the community center. On Monday, the hockey team were exercising, and the cardiac center was also open. As a result the track was busier than we've seen thus far. After walking, we went to the local Canadian Tire to pick up another shovel - we only have one. With the expected snow, a second one would come in handy.

Wednesday was cold, about -8C (18F) with the windchill sitting around -20C (-4F). Though we'd had some snow overnight, most of the accumulation was the result of the wind blowing from the west. D shovelled out the walkways before we hopped in the SUV for the short drive to the school. Good thing, as the drifts at the end of the alley were quite deep and her little car would have had a time getting through the drifts. By late afternoon, the city had plows out cleared most of the streets and at the alley entrances. Of course, then it started to snow again.

I spent much of the morning working on the gingerbread ornaments, crocheting the edging and adding a small amount of stuffing. There was curling to watch so I was definitely in my happy place. Meanwhile, D was working on her Cricuit creating cards for the Elf on the Shelf. I am so grateful this fad didn't exist when my kids were young. So far, the Elf has been found in various places, hanging from a lamp, a garland strant, in the bathroom, and more recently, in a jar. One cannot touch the elf; the jar meant he could go to the dentist's appointment Eli had on Thursday.

That appointment was to remove the spacer that was put in to keep his teeth from shifting when he lost a tooth before the next one was ready. Did I ever tell you how his first appliance went missing? A child, that would be Eli, removed it and flushed it down the toilet. As can be imagined his mom freaked out because it cost $300 to replace. He sent me a message asking if I'd pay for it. :) Of course, I told him I would. His tooth finally erupted but the trip was for naught, as it had not erupted enough for the dentist to remove the spacer. 

While they were away, I ran out to the grocery stores. More items than I had intended made their way into the cart. In my defence, when grocery items are sale here, it's best to buy. Again, I found some items at prices that were more reminiscent of pre-Covid pricing. Others, not so much but necessary purchases. After putting things away, I went out the cleared the sidewalks out to the front of the house. Our next door neighbour was kind enough to use their snowblower to clear the front side walk last night.

D and I spent Friday morning winterizing a few of the windows and starting our Christmas baking. The bathroom window, as well as the small window at the top of the stairs are definitely leaking cold air. We used a kit we bought at the dollar store and it seems to help. D made a shortbread base for her homemade Twix bars (I call this a caramel toffee bar), and I made a batch of shortbread after lunch. My taste test of my cookies told me I haven't forgotten how to make them. :)

While the cookies baked, I watched curling and worked on finishing off the gingerbread men. When both cookies and the ornaments were finished I pulled out the pattern for Christmas gnomes. The first one is on the hook. These will be for my nephew and niece, though if I like them well enough, I may make two more for my brother and SIL. The nice thing about these is, I can customize them for each person.

Today, D and I will do a little more decorating, more baking, and I'll watch curling and crochet when I can. The snow is supposed to start this evening, and get heavier overnight. Perhaps as much as 12-20cm (4.75 - 7.75 inches) my mid-day on Sunday. I've got my fingers crossed it will be the lesser amount. It is also going to colder. That's winter in Saskatchewan for you.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Friday funny

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Christmas preparations, shopping, and oh snow!

For those wondering, the wordless Wednesday was an experiment. D and Eli have been trying various experiments over the last week. This one started with three glasses with water and two empty. They added food coloring to the water, and then placed folded paper towels in the glasses. D explained to Eli how plants get water from the soil around it, seeking out water from a distance through their root system. Interestingly, while they started with different water levels in the three glasses, all five ended up with similar amounts through the transfer. We also wondered how the colours would blend (they did, but not as we expected). The experiment continues as she is using the project to explain evaporation too. 

Another week in the rear view mirror and with it, winter is drawing closer. We did have a few snow flakes on the weekend but nothing stuck. The day time temperatures are staying above the freezing mark, which is appreciated at this time of year. We haven't seen a lot of the sun either, and the "dark" hours being earlier in the evening and extend into the morning. I heard my daughter asking Google how many days until the winter solstice. She really finds the dreary days difficult.

As a result, we've started the winter/Christmas decorating. There are ornaments like icicles, snow flakes, even snow men that can be put out now and remain out until spring. We put up the tree on Sunday, fluffed out the branches, but didn't start to decorate it for a few days to allow it to settle. This tree holds only ornaments that D had - my ornaments remain in a tub as they don't match her silver and blue theme. We've talked about a second tree, but I don't know where we'd put it. I don't need/want a small tree in my bedroom, as the cats use my dresser for watching out the windows. The big tree is currently in the office with the French door, allowing it to be seen from the living room but out of reach of interested kitty paws!

Wednesday was voting day for the municipal elections. We dropped Eli off at school, and drove over to the community center to vote. It was a short walk upstairs to the walking track where we spent a half hour walking with a few regulars. This is the third or fourth time we've walked and I'm starting to recognize some individuals. The hockey team was exercising on part of the track today, so we would walk one way as far as we could without interrupting their work-out, and then turn and walk the other direction. A couple of the other walkers weren't as cautious and walked along the edge of the track. Some of the exercises had the young men jumping over low pieces of equipment on one leg or from side to side...we didn't want to chance being bumped if someone lost their footing. Besides, they smelled funky! They were clearly putting effort into their work-out.

I've started working on Christmas ornaments for Eli's teacher, teacher's aides, principal, and counselor. There are six ornaments needed this year, and I decided to make crocheted gingerbread ornaments. I found a couple of patterns, tried one - didn't like it, so used the second one. It can be made a single or double layered ornament and I chose to do the double layer. I changed the pattern slightly to include the white edging, added safety eyes and a bit of stuffing, and enlarged the little bow. Of course, I learned a bit with the first one and Eli has asked to keep this one, so I'll continue to tweak the pattern and finishing as I go along. 

Once those are complete, I'm planning to make trolls for my niece and nephew. What my brother and his wife will get is still to be determined. The more I look through possibilities in Pinterest, the more suggestions I get so I know I'll find something.

Grocery day was Thursday, which normally means sticker shock here in our small town. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that the sale price on many of the items was as low as I find in the city. I tend to buy our groceries based on what is on sale, with a few basics thrown in. But even the basics seemed to be a bit lower than I remember from this summer. I know it won't last, so I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

We dropped Eli at school on Friday and went to the walking track. We walked for just over 35 minutes before heading home. My right knee has been giving me grief, and while I'm sure the walking is good for me, it does irritate my knee. My daughter has issues with her hip flexors and needed to stretch when we got to the house. Clearly, we both need to keep moving!

That afternoon we got a call from the delivery company - they were on the way with our new fridge and stove. We had about 15 minutes to clear out the old appliances before they arrived. After removing the doors from the old fridge and taking off the back door it was removed from the kitchen and the new one was brought in. Switching out the two stoves was much easier! Then it was time to return all of the food items into the fridge. The old fridge was a side by side, while the new one has French door fridge on top and the freezer on the bottom. The new freezer had just enough capacity to hold what was in the side freezer, however the new fridge capacity is much larger than the old one. D baked that afternoon to try out the new convection oven - it also doubles as an air fryer, though we'd have to buy a special pan. D has a double air fryer so I don't think we'll bother. She also set up the app on her phone as both appliances are WiFi enabled. I won't bother...

I spent some time crocheting and have the bodies of three more gingerbread stitched. Once I've got all of the pieces made, I'll put them together and do the finishing. There is football today and tomorrow to watch so I hope to have them all done by the end of the weekend.

Though I hadn't planned to return to the city until mid-week, my plans have changed as we're getting snow and rain in the next few days. (5 cms./2 inches expected today). I'm scheduled to take the bus trip to Bismarck for Black Friday shopping on Thursday. And no, that isn't the trip I hinted a month ago. This will be my first winter driving in the SUV and I'll admit, I'm a little nervous. Monday seems to be the best option. Since I'll be away, there won't be a post next Saturday. CORRECTION: Thanks to Cheryl for reminding me that Black Friday isn't until Nov 29th. I would have been 10 days early for the trip. Plans have changed!

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Friday Funny

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Get my shots, some good news, and a oopsie mistake

I really need to write a bit of my post every day, because looking back I often forget what happened. The big moments of the week were: getting my Covid and Flu shots on Monday, staying up wayyyyy too late watching the results of the US election, waking up to snow one morning, and a trip to the larger community nearby. 

The latter was primarily for Eli's dental appointment but, of course, we did some shopping too. While D and Eli were in the dentist's office, I went to Walmart to pickup some groceries. I discovered on the weekend, I'd forgotten the bag from Costco and we are out of peanut butter and mayonnaise.  I have peanut butter on toast almost every day. We had identified other needed items so I left the store with several bags and a lighter wallet.

D texted me, just as I got back in the car after loading the back, saying they were ready for pick-up. NO cavities, hurray!!  She booked his next appointment for another check and cleaning in six months. 

We left the parking lot and headed to Dollarama and Value Village. As we got closer, I realized that there had been an accident in the major intersection ahead. One semi had rear-ended another, hard enough to cause the trailer to run into the tractor ahead, damaging the tractor and the load on the trailer.

D took these photos from the passenger seat so there is a bit of glare. There were no apparent injuries, the driver of this vehicle was out on the street talking to someone on his cell (his boss, I suspect), and we later saw the offending semi being driven away. I'm surprised it didn't have front end damage as it must have hit this one pretty darned hard. (Eli calls accidents oopsie mistakes and this was definitely due to a distracted driver.)

We had to make a detour to get to the stores, but that wasn't a problem. D had a coupon for 30% off clothing and found t-shirts and pants for both she and Eli. I picked up a few household items: a muffin tin, a 4 piece mini-loaf pan, and three drinking glasses. The latter are for an experiment that Eli and D will do over the weekend. 

Earlier in the week, I had my Covid and flu shots. Since I'm now 65, I was offered the "high-dose" flu shot. I had no idea such an option exists, but I took it, with one shot in each arm. Both were tender, the Covid arm more so for a couple of days. Otherwise I had no reaction to either, though I decided to relax and take it easy on Tuesday...it was a pajama day for me. :)

I finished the 10th pair of mittens, and sent them off to the school with D. I have one more pair to finish that are adulte sized, that my daughter asked for - she liked the yarn colour. Then, it is time to turn my mind to Christmas crocheting. I'm going to test make a gingerbread man ornament as they may be the gift for Eli's teachers. There are also my brother, his wife, and two adult children - I'm thinking trolls for the kids but not sure what their parents will get. 

D is anxious to get into the Christmas season, while I wouldn't mind waiting a few more weeks. We went through the Christmas tubs, eight of them plus a box, and put some items away for donation, a few pieces need to be mended, and a few items were tossed in the garbage. We'll be down to seven tubs, assuming we don't buy anything more! It was fun going through things, as I didn't do much decorating last year at C's house, so some of the items I haven't seen in nearly two years. We talked about where things might be displayed because this is a new place for both of us. I'm sure we'll change our minds on some things and I won't be surprised if more ornaments make their way to the donation bin. 

The television coverage of the Grand Slam of Curling started on Thursday, and I've caught a few draws. The latest draw starts at 10 p.m. our time, far too late for me. I'll be watching again today, but will interrupt the curling to watch the Riders in the West final. They are matched up against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, our nemesis. I'm certain it will be an entertaining game, though if it is a blow-out, I'll like turn it off and watch the curling instead. 

Have a good weekend everyone, and a great week ahead! 

Friday Funny

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Back in the thick of things

This Eli's jack o'lantern - his idea executed by his mom. His face is obscured because it was used on the public school website. 

How on earth can it be November already? In a few days, it will be the anniversary of moving day from my old house to my son's. Do you recall we had a nice day for the move, and then the following day we had nearly over 4 inches of snow fall? I do! With the exception of one morning, about 10 days ago, when we had snow flakes in the air but melting before it hit the ground, we've no snow this week, nor in the upcoming forecast. I mention this, because the weather seems more as though it is October rather than November. 

Back to last weekend, the contractor Aaron did an amazing job in the garage. It took him less than 20 minutes to complete the work. He mentioned he had responded to me because he knew that no concrete companies would be willing to do it. When he pulled up the smaller anchors it caused some flaking of the top layer of the concrete, and the larger anchor resulted in a small hole. He recommended I pick up some concrete patching material to fill these areas, though said it they wouldn't like cause any issues.

I ran out to Home Depot for the material on Monday, and completed the patches. Then I spent about an hour mowing the front lawn and raking and picking up the leaves. By mowing, I was able to mulch many of the leaves, but there was still a full green bin gathered from under the hedge, along the driveway and sidewalk. I said to my son when I went in to the house, that if he got rid of the hedge, the leaves would blow across the lawn and into the neighbour's yard. :)

Tuesday was a housework and packing day. I did laundry in the morning, and sorted out the clothing I needed to take with me (home to my daughter's). When we talked that morning, I asked her to check the dresser drawers as I had left some clothing there, and the bathroom for toiletries. In addition, I asked her to check the pantry and fridge for a few items; peanut butter, tea, and parmesan cheese. These are items I like to have on hand and are on sale at Costco this week. D asked me to pick up cat food too as she is running low.

That meant a trip to Costco on Wednesday before meeting S at the library for Stitch and Chat. The store was nuts and although I had only a few items to pick up, it took much longer that I had hoped. First, I discovered I'd misplaced my membership card so had to wait in a line to get a temporary card. Then, the parmesan cheese I was looking for wasn't where I expected it to be and even after asking a store employee it took some time to find the display. I still managed to make it to the library about 5 minutes ahead of schedule. It was a pleasant surprise when another lady arrive (Io) who hasn't been there for several months. She had surgery in early summer and is still working towards her full recovery. We had a lovely visit, the three of us, and it was a nice way to spend a couple of hours.

Thursday, I spent the day finishing my packing, and vacuuming the house one more time. I ran out to do a couple of small errands and filled my vehicle with fuel. That evening I spent my time answering the front door to the trick or treaters.

The next door neighbour decorated the front of his house a week or so ago. It's often windy here, and when I was outdoors, I'd catch a movement out the corner of my eye, when the clothing and hair of the goblin/creepy guy moved. It made me jump every time!

I was packed up and on the road shortly after 8 a.m. Getting out of the city was the most difficult part of the journey.  I avoided the Ring Road around the city because of construction. Then as I turned south  onto a main street, I was stopped in a line-up because of a train. It was stopped at the crossing but started moving fairly quickly...but it was a long train.

Continuing south, I planned to turn left at the next set of lights. A broken down van meant a change to the next lane and a wait of two lights in order to make theturn safely. Do you know what I like about small town living? Very little traffic! I did have one more interesting moment when I spotted an eagle in a tree just off the highway. Had I noticed it earlier, I would have stopped to get a photo. 

We unloaded the car, put away everything I'd remembered to bring (oops left one bag behind), D did laundry, and we tidied the craft room together. I can get to my sewing machine! I have a couple of small projects to do, now I just need to ensure I have the supplies needed.

Today will be a mostly relaxing day. D and I plan to sit and work out a meal plan for the next few weeks. I'm recommending tonight's dinner be a simple one, as the Roughrider's game starts at 4:30 p.m. This is the western semi-final, thus a must win for the team if they hope to reach the Grey Cup game later this month. There is curling to watch too, and I've got another pair of mitts started to work on. 

Friday Funny

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

A bit of work, a birthday surprise, and being lazy

Another week done and I'm less than a week away from returning to my home with D and Eli. I'm especially looking forward to seeing them both. Though I'll admit, Eli is the main attraction. :)

We had, what is likely, the last warm day of fall on Monday. We reached a high of 23C/73F and I took advantage of the warm day to continue clearing out the garage. I'd scheduled the carpenter for this weekend and wanted to ensure he didn't need to deal with debris from my efforts. Some of the lumber was good enough to re-use so I separated it and stacked it near the alley, putting a free sign on it. 

The rest went in a debris pile I'd started when I was cleaning up the back yard. Before I get away this week, I'll arrange for it to be hauled to the dump. 

Tuesday, I awoke to a chilly morning, and it didn't warm up to more than 2C/35F.  I had some errands to run, so bundled up and headed out. I stopped at a couple of grocery stores and then went to Value Village. I needed to return the two skirts I bought just before my trip as they didn't fit. There are no refunds at VV, just exchanges. I found a Corning Ware casserole dish and a table lamp. The total after my returns had VV owing me 53 cents, so I had to buy something else. :) I grabbed a hand towel to wrap the casserole dish and walked out having paid $1.67. 

I texted S on Wednesday morning to confirm that she was planning to attend knitting group that afternoon. I spent the morning doing housework, and then ran to Walmart for a couple of things, before heading to the library. As I was making my way down one of the main aisles, I heard someone call my name. It was a fellow, I'd worked with for many years, and his wife. He retired a few years before I did, so I think it has been about 8 years since I'd seen him last. His wife was eager to go shopping, so after an introduction, she left us to chat. I couldn't stay long as I was meeting S, but we managed to catch up on the major topics, kids and grandkids. :)

Thursday afternoon, my son's friend B arrived with her birthday gifts for him. She went all out, because as she says it, he has managed to avoid any type of celebration for the past 7 years. She brought, something to snack on, something to drink, something to wear, and something to use. The latter included a new computer desk and chair! She insisted she bought everything on sale and refused my offer to help with the cost. She also brought a banner and a card. C's response on arriving home was muted - at first he thought I'd done it, but I pointed out the card. He didn't say much to me but then he never does. At least I know he texted B and thanked her.

I had a lazy day on Friday morning, woke with a bit of a headache, and after my call with D, slept a couple more hours. There was curling* to watch, so Saku and curled up on the bed to watch. It was after 3 p.m. when I got up, took a shower and dressed! That's the ultimate lazy. I met friends for dinner at 6 p.m. and enjoyed a nice evening visiting with them. My dinner of fish and chips was delicious too.

As usual, this weekend will see me watching more television, football, and probably baseball too (if the latter doesn't interfere with the curling). Today, the contractor will be here to remove the sill plate and the remaining stud wall. Since Sunday looks like a decent weather day with a high of 17C(63F), I'll likely spend some time cleaning up any sawdust/debris, and give my son a hand with the front lawn. It needs a last of the season mow, and there are leaves to be cleaned up on the edges of the sidewalk and driveway.

*With all the blue rocks in the rings, and only two rocks still to come (one red, one blue), it would be easy to assume that blue would have had a big score. They did not, scoring only one, even though they had four rocks in the rings on their last shot. I didn't see what happened, but it was obvious the skip messed up big time! (This is the only photo I've taken this week..and it's not a good one.)

Friday Funny

 

Jinxed myself

 

First off, this is a photo taken on my balcony one evening - the fog so thick, I couldn't see beyond the railing! 

After telling you all that I never get sick on a cruise ship and despite my preparations to avoid it, my luck ran out. I was tired after the visit to the zoo in San Diego, and turned in early that evening. I woke around midnight feeling absolutely horrid, with an extremely sore throat, chills, and a cough. It had come on quickly, I had been sneezing that evening, but otherwise felt fine. I took some Buckley's cough syrup, a Tylenol cold and flu tablet, and a wet wash cloth. I slept off and on for the rest of the night, waking myself with my coughing, and using the wash cloth to cool off my face and chest. 

By morning, the fever was gone, but my throat was still quite sore and the cough definitely lingered. I had brought Covid tests with me, and while the test was negative, I decided that I'd avoid leaving my cabin as much as possible. Whatever I was suffering from (and I do think it was actually Covid) was something I hoped not to share anymore than I likely already had. 

When my steward, Jerry, arrived mid-morning to clean the cabin, I stepped out onto the balcony. It was a cool morning, about 16C/60F but sunny. I heard Jerry bustling about the room and suddenly he appeared at the balcony door telling me it was too cold outdoors and insisting I come inside. I really didn't mind it and the fresh air was lovely, but I didn't argue.

I spent the rest of the day, mostly dozing off and on, with the balcony door open to allow the fresh sea air to come into the cabin. 

The following morning, I needed something to eat (I hadn't felt like eating the day prior), so masked up, and went to the buffet to grab some breakfast. Had I been thinking the evening prior, I could have had a Continental breakfast delivered to the room in the morning. 

My sore throat had disappeared by then, but I was still coughing and feeling very tired. That day and the next were both sea days so I continued to stay in my cabin, spending time on the balcony, watching television, knitting and napping. I actually watched a movie,  "Table 19", a comedy about a group of misfit guests at a wedding. I quite enjoyed it. For meals, I continued to mask up and attend the buffet shortly before it closed for each meal to avoid crowds. 

Passing the coast of Northern California.

Sunrise photo on a sea day.

Because I had been napping during the day, I found myself awake at night. The second last night, I heard the sounds of birds outside - again, my balcony door was open slightly for the fresh air. I wish I could have gotten a photo or a video (perhaps reader David would have been able to identify them). There was flock of them, flying in a V pattern, that appeared entirely white and ghostlike due to the ship's lights. The sound was a trill that I did not recognize, and it seemed to me they were migrating south. It was eerie to hear and see them in the middle of the night. I'm not certain how far off shore we were at the time, but I have to assume they were quite far out to sea.

By the third day, I was feeling much better. I did venture out, with my mask in place, to stop by the knitting group in the morning to say so long and safe travels to the group. Similarly, that evening, I met a few of the solos outside the dining room to do the same. I stayed just a few minutes with both groups. I had tested again that day, with a negative result for Covid, but didn't want to chance spreading my germs.

By embarkation, I was feeling almost normal, just a bit of a cough remained and I continued to wear a mask in public. I was scheduled to leave the ship at 9:15 a.m. on Friday, with a booked shuttle to the airport. We were off a little early, and I waited outside for a few minutes for the shuttle to arrive. Another of the solos, Edlinda was also taking the shuttle to the airport, and we spent our time chatting. We were all dropped at the same doors at the airport and I made my way down the halls to the WestJet gates. I was in line for the gates to open for about 45 minutes, as they open three hours prior to the our flight. 

Of course, the flight was delayed about 90 minutes before we were up on our way to Calgary. There I went through CBSA quickly. However, instead of being directed to my next gate, I was sent out into the main airport. This meant I had about a 10 minute walk to security for re-screening before I made my way to my gate. The flight was scheduled to leave about 8 p.m., giving me plenty of time for a bite to eat. Then, of course, the flight was delayed about an hour. By the time I picked up my luggage and grabbed a cab it was close to 11 p.m. It was a long day, and I was ready for a good night's sleep.

Despite falling ill, I enjoyed the cruise very much. I met some wonderful people, some of whom I expect to keep in touch with going forward. Who knows, we might even meet again on a future cruise.

Just as a tease, I'll let you in on a secret. I have another trip booked, not a cruise this time, and I'll share more in a few weeks. :)