Maybe finally spring, family news, and good curling

I cannot say the week was particularly busy, but it was full. Mostly with sports watching, knitting, with a bit of housework and shopping thrown in for good measure. I've finished a total of four pairs of mittens and a toque/beanie as well. The next pair of mitts is now on the needles too. I always get more done when watching sports - knitting keeps my hands busy so I'm not snacking. 

(Sorry, I could not get the photo to rotate, so you're seeing it sideways!)

The curling has been good, no real blowouts for or against the Canadian team. I do enjoy a game that comes down to the final rock in the final end. I'm sure the curlers prefer otherwise. The Blue Jays started the regular season this week, with mixed success. They have some new players on the roster too, and it is fun to see what they may mean for the team.

We had more snow overnight and into the morning of April Fool's Day. I didn't appreciate the joke. Before taking Eli to school, I shovelled out the back parking area and the sidewalk. It has since started melting and D has been sprinkling de-icer every morning. Neither of us want a repeat of my fall last week. The cut has completely healed but the spot on my head is still a little tender to the touch. 

Wednesday's photos were sent to me by my son, C. On the weekend he brought home another pup from the shelter. She is an eleven month old German Shepherd now named Shadow. She and Sage were immediate friends, racing around the house. C said they both slept well the first night. 

Saku, the cat has not yet been introduced to the new pup. Sage is excitable, but less so than Shadow. To be honest, I'm thinking I'll move Saku here this summer though the transition will take some time as Stanley and Spencer rule the roost. That means Saku will spend his time in my room while getting accustomed to the other cats. I suppose it will be no more difficult for him than learning to live with two dogs.

Btw, you may have noticed that all of our pets have S names. It started 25 years ago with Sasha and Silver. When we got our third cat, I told the kids it had to have an S name ... we couldn't call it Bob so she was Sami. We kept it up through the next three, with Silas, Shady, and Saku. Since then, my now adult kids have kept up the tradition.

This week brought some sad news. Our cousin K passed away on Thursday due to that damned cancer. She has been battling it for many years but it makes her passing no less sad. My brother and I are planning to attend the funeral. I'll drive to his farm and he'll do the driving from there. Another cousin was also hospitalized with a stroke on Friday. He neither smokes, nor drinks, still runs though not as much as he used to, so this was a real shock to all of us. Initial testing did not indicate a brain bleed, so the assumption is he had a blood clot. Still early days, and I'm sure we'll learn more next week.

The weekend should be quiet, with the final few games of the curling, more baseball, and hopefully lots more melting. My daughter had her car in the shop for a couple of days, and the ruts that have developed in the alley means she has to park out front of the house. I'm hoping more of the ice and snow will disappear so she can bring the car around back soon.

Have a great week ahead everyone!