Done like dinner

Phew...I'm going to be happy to see this week reach it's end. It has been busy, tiring, emotionally draining, but with enough fun to make getting through it bearable.

Funny story to start. On Monday morning, I took the garbage out to the bin, and when I came to the front door it was locked. Thankfully, I have a pin pad on my garage door and was able to come through there. Another blogger, Carole had something similar happen to her and wasn't quite as lucky as I was. Happy to report she was able to get back into her home though.

I had a long list of things to do on Monday, and in between tasks I called a locksmith and was able to find someone to come out that afternoon. Upon arrival, he immediately pointed out that the door handle was backwards, and when he took it apart he discovered the latch had broken into several pieces. Since he was here (and a service call costs $80), I asked him to re-key some of the locks. We've lived in this house for over 11 years, and never had the keys for the door handle, only the dead bolt. When he went to back door, he noted the handle was also backwards and even better, the key for the front door dead bolt didn't work in the back door dead bolt. Good thing I never came in that way! He wasn't able to match the keys from the dead bolt to the handles but in about 90 minutes he had the lock fixed, the door handles facing the correct direction and re-keyed the garage door to the dead bolt key and provided keys for the two door handles. One more much needed task off the list of to-do's. I guess is was serendipitous that the latch broke when it did.

It was an expensive morning. I've been fighting with my range for several months but Sunday I reached my limit. Over time the heat elements weren't working properly and even on low heat, the temperature would be high enough to burn things in just a few minutes. I had made breakfast for dinner and after turning the one burner off, I was horrified to see that the burner was turning red though it turned itself off quickly. The stove was here when we moved in, so it was at 15-20 years old. Time for a replacement! Home Depot had a Cyber Monday sale, so I was at the store at 8:45 a.m. and 20 minutes later I had ordered a new stove to be delivered sometime between Dec 6 and 18 (hooray in time for Christmas). The stove was on sale, but better still I didn't have to pay for delivery and haul away. They also had an option of using their credit card and paying it off over 18 months with no interest. While I could have paid immediately for it, I always take the option of using someone else's money and simply make monthly payments so it is paid off within that period.

Groceries, gasoline, and gift cards were also on the to-do list that morning. At home I finished the envelopes for the gift cards, and except for our Christmas meals everything is now done and I can stay home and away from the maddening crowds.

On Wednesday, I headed out in the morning to visit D and Eli. She is having a particularly hard time right now, mostly because she turns 40 this Sunday. Her life is not what she dreamed of as a young woman, and she's finding it difficult to reconcile that the life she has now is most likely better than those dreams may have been. Eli's current struggles add to her feelings of inadequacy. We did have a good visit though and she was able to get her hair done on Friday morning before I left. Something to lift her spirits a little bit.  

Eli and I had fun, as always. He is such a character! He really didn't want to go to school on Thursday morning; he would have preferred to stay home with mom and G'ma, but I asked him to make green choices at school and he did. He even told his teacher at the end of the day that he'd had a good day.  We had a few hours to ourselves on Friday morning while his mom was off to her appointment. Here's a couple of photos of the two of us.  

I was expecting a kiss but I got a zerbert!

This child really dislikes wearing clothing. He does wear his "underwears" when I'm there though. He does run warmer than most people do. On Thursday, I ran out to the recycling bin with some cardboard and plastic the new sofa came in and he came out without a jacket with me (he did put on his winter boots). I foresee a teenager who wears a light jacket and running shoes, no gloves, no toque, even in the coldest weather. Not surprising as my son is the same.

Speaking of my son, he too is having a bit of a rough time. I cannot share the issues he's facing but suffice to say, this momma's heart is aching that he is having to deal with what is happening in his life. I often wish I had a magic wand and could make all that is wrong in life right for my family (and for that matter, the whole world). Thankfully he has some wonderful friends who support him wholeheartedly and were there for him when I was not home.

The drive back home was tense as it was very windy. My little Toyota was buffeted by the winds, and I was exhausted by the time I arrived home. Traffic heading into the city was heavier than normal too, I assume because it was mid-afternoon. The highways were mostly clear, though the passing semi's sprayed dirt and moisture onto my windshield. That reminds me, I need to check my windshield wiper fluid level and make sure I have winter grade in the reservoir.  

Today I'm relaxing; there are couple of curling events being streamed, and the Saskatoon Huskies football team are in the Vanier Cup (Canadian University Championship). I've got a bit of crocheting to work on too. Beyond that I intend to do nothing until it is time to put dinner on and battle with that darned stove again.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Take care!

Light at the end of the tunnel

The countdown to the end of (paid) work is growing every closer and time seems to be speeding up.  Which is probably a good thing as it is getting harder to get up in the morning - partially due to the fact it is soooo dark.  Actually, I had a good excuse on Thursday.  Our power went out about 2:30 a.m. and wasn't back until 8:35 a.m.  Official reports say it was due to the heavy frost in the area.  Regardless, the trees looked sure looked pretty!

I woke up when the power went off because my furnace runs continuously and when the fan shut down I don't have the white noise I'm used to.  I went back to sleep but woke up around 4, the power was still off, so I got up and grabbed my cellphone to set an alarm.  I didn't sleep well after that, the cats were disturbed by my moving around, and decided they should be awake as well. After several head butts, some pats and a few purrs in my ear, they finally settled down. 

I was up at my normal time, just before 6 a.m., but getting ready for work was a bit more difficult than normal.  I made my breakfast by candle light, went without a shower (though I did wash up), and choosing clothing was done with the light of the cellphone.  I posted on Facebook, "if you see me at work today, just remember, I dressed in the dark."  It was at this point, I realized getting out of the garage was going to be interesting.



Thanks to Google a few minutes later I had released the door from the opener but now I had to actually lift it.  Let me tell you, a double door garage door is not light.  Plus the damned thing doesn't have any handle.  I managed to lift it enough to get my foot under, then used that position to lift it higher.  By the time I got it to my knee it was moving easier and I was able to push it up and open.  According to Google the door should be fully opened and that's what I did.  I started up the car and moved it out onto the driveway.  Next up, was closing the door.  I stand about 5' 2" in height...now imagine me standing looking up at the garage door helplessly.  I tried a couple of jumps but could only reach the edge of the door.  There was no way I was closing it, and there was no way I was leaving for work with it open.

So I did what I had to do.  I woke my son even though I know he tends to be grumpy in the morning...and he was.  But he did get up and between the two of us we got the door closed.  He leaves for work about a 1/2 hour after me; Sasha wouldn't let him go back to sleep but at least he knew how to get out of the garage when it was his turn.

I certainly hope there won't be any such excitement this upcoming week.  I have just four work days left.  I expect they will be busy as my replacement for the rest of my team has been named. I've been thinking about this time for about four years and there is a part of me that can hardly believe it it here.  Yes, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I'm pretty certain it isn't a train!

******
Back to regular weekend news, I had lunch with my friend K on Friday.  Her treat as a gift to recognize my retirement.  We had a wonderful time visiting, and hardly talked about work at all.  She's been retired for about 3 years so the connection is no longer as strong.  We talked mostly about our upcoming cruise.  She's been doing a lot of research on the various ports, as well as New Orleans, printed off walking directions to points of interest and looked at reviews.  I have a tendency to do my research when I first book, so I'm glad she's done all this work.  It's going to be a great trip!

I also did a bit of shopping on Friday as I discovered I don't have enough candles in the event of a power outage.  (My friend C informed last night that flashlights are a much better idea as they are much safer - she has one in her bedside table, one in a kitchen drawer and another in the garage. Her husband is, in her words, a boy scout).  While I was in Winners I took a look through their clearance items, and found a dressy tank top and a sweater for $11 each.  That was a nice find, and I decided to drop into Value Village and the Salvation Army stores as well. I stopped at S.A. on my way to lunch with K, and found three t-shirts, and paid a whopping $6.97 for all three. 

My best finds though were at Value Village.  I found a blouse from Jones New York, and a jersey knit tank top from Laura, for less than $12 total.  They can be worn separately or will go nicely together as a more smart casual look for dinner.  But even those weren't the best items I found. (I'm definitely learning from my readers who visit the thrift shops and share their finds.  Friday's success is definitely a motivator to see what else I might find!) 

This Hallmark ornament from 2001 is titled "Writing to Santa", and is currently listed on E-bay for nearly $30.  I paid $3.99 for it.  This will be part of D's gift from Eli this year.  I also found her a set of holiday stamps for scrapbooking, with 9 pieces for $4.99.  A similar set with 10 pieces is listed for $40...so I think I did pretty well or rather Eli did as these will be his gifts to his mom. I'll make him pay be back in hugs and kisses. :) 

D had asked me to check for Fisher Price Little People while I was there, and I lucked out and found a bag of six pieces for $3.99.  All of the items are garden themed, and while I did find a garden house through Google, it failed to find the actual little people.  I'm guessing that means they've been discontinued.  I'm sure Eli will use be able to use these with the barn I got for him for Christmas.  D had found the original barn, along with a lunch box, for $20 on the local buy and sell this summer. I don't like the newer version as it is more of a doll-house with an open back; the old version is shaped like the barns of my childhood.

My Christmas baking is now done, unless I decide to make another batch of shortbread after I return from my vacation.  On Saturday morning, while the laundry was swirling in the machines, I baked a batch of shortbread, and a batch of chocolate mocha (slice) cookies.  There are 3 dozen in the container and along with the 3 dozen plus 2 cupcakes I made last weekend, will be taken into the office later this week. Sort of an early Merry Christmas, farewell gift to my co-workers.  There certainly aren't enough for the entire office but should be enough for those in the our division.  I won't make anything more for the family because my daughter loves to bake and I'm sure she'll arrive with more than we could possibly eat. 

*****

This morning, I decided to get my Christmas gifts wrapped since I'll not be home from the cruise until late on the 20th.  The bag is for friends, the two piles to the left are for my brother and his family, and the others are for my children and grandson.  There are a few gifts not there, two boxes that I won't wrap (one for Eli and one for D) because they are far too large.  The one contains a set of broom, dustpan and mop - child sized - as Eli likes to help his mom with household chores, and the second has a small kitchen cart for D.  The latter is too heavy for me to lift (C moved it into the house when it was delivered) so I'll simply put a bow on it and call it good enough.  Eli's barn and lunch kit also haven't been wrapped and I probably will just put those out Christmas night so he'll see them first thing in the morning.

I still need to pick up a couple of gift cards for my niece and nephew.  While the pile may look excessive none of the items were very expensive so they'll each get more than one gift.  I intend to use ribbon to tie the gifts for each person together, but won't do that until shortly before we exchange gifts.  There is a certain cat (Saku) who likes to chew strings and ribbons.  He also likes to eat paper so everything is tucked away in the spare bedroom.  

I'll also pick up a bottle of wine for my friends (the bag contains an empty wine box as well as a set of wind chimes).  For those who drink wine, any suggestions for a semi-dry white or a nice red would be appreciated! 

I've got the kettle boiling to heat water to start a batch of buns, and after that I plan to spend the rest of the day knitting, reading, and watching the Grey Cup football.  Go RedBlacks!  Though my team isn't in it, I just can't cheer for Calgary, the rivalry is too great.  

Have a great week everyone!

Ch...ch...ch...changes

Life can be unpredictable; but sometimes it is not.  Such are the recent changes in my world.

John had asked why my manager would change my workload when I'm nearing retirement.  Well, in fact, it was my choice to make a change....though I didn't quite get what I wanted.

I have been saying for the past year that I wanted someone else to take over my group at least a year before I retire.  My rationale is the work we do is somewhat unique and it takes a little while to get one's head wrapped around the concept.  I know I really started to feel comfortable a year in, so my thoughts were I'd still be around to help the new supervisor.

So when we were asked by our manager and her boss, how we envisioned the office reorganization, I made several recommendations, and at the same time requested a change.  We're in the midst of hiring, the first we've done in nearly 5 years and I was hoping to be given a group of new hires to train.  That's not what I got though.  Instead I have a group with three different workloads AND a project.  

I have lots to learn as one of my staff will be retiring in December.  I'm hopeful we'll be able to train someone to take her place before then, but if not I'd better know how to do her job.  As well, I have some new systems to learn so I can work with the other people in the group.  I'm certain I won't be bored!

And then there is the project.  I've been challenged to create a program to assist the new hires in their learning.  I won't go into the details but over the last couple of weeks I've created a plan that requires the approval of my manager and her boss, discussed with my peers what the program might look like and discussed it with several existing staff who I think may be part of the program.  

In the meantime I've been kept busy with my current group and have been helping with the process to bring in the new hires.  I like being busy and the time has been flying by.  

*********
The other big change, that was not entirely a surprise, is that my daughter has left her boyfriend and moved back in with me.  Now, she did this at 2 a.m. on Friday a.m. so the timing could have been better.  I woke up to the front door opening - my first thought was why was my son coming home so late as I knew he had to work that day, when I called out to him, I was surprised when she answered.

She showed up with the baby and most of his stuff.  Yep, she'd packed the car with his swing, his clothing, diapers, and toys.  She left Eli with me, went back to the house to get another load, as well as her bank card and other set of car keys.  I got the little one settled and back in bed, before I crawled back into my bed.  I was certainly glad I didn't have to work that day!

Later that day, she went back and brought back Sheldon.  As you can see he's a wee kitten, and just a little cutie.  J had threatened to put him outside and let him fend for himself.  While I've never been J's biggest fan, this even further reduced his status in my mind.  

So far the other cats want nothing to to with him.  They will tolerate his presence in the same room, so long as they can watch from afar.  Heaven forbid, should he come within a paw whap away.  I was playing with him on my bed yesterday, when Sami jumped up.  Sheldon did the sideways hop with his best floof on - Sami hissed and let him have a paw.  Then she ran away.  We've been keeping them separated most of the time, Sheldon has D's room, but whenever the other cats are all out in the sun room, we let him out to run and play.  The cat tree, kickaroo, and several of the other neglected toys have been getting quite the workout.

And of course, this means I get to spend more time with Eli.  

He's now four months old and his little personality is really developing.  He's a happy little boy (though he often appears serious in his photos).  He wakes up happy and greets his mom (and grandma) with smiles.

He loves to play on his mat, either on his back or his tummy, and is trying very hard to get himself to a sitting position.  He likes to spend time in his jolly jumper, bouncing and squealing checking out the baby in the mirror we have leaned against the wall opposite.  

He's a lot of fun!  But lots of work.  Between feeding, diaper changes, baths, playing and cuddles he keeps her busy.  He does have three naps a day and sleeps well at night.  Last night he went down at 8:30 p.m. and didn't wake until 3 a.m.  It helps that he has his own room and she doesn't hear his every move.

I'm finding (just 2.5 days in) that I'm missing my "alone" time.  I do retreat to my bedroom or outdoors when the chatter gets too much and, of course, I'll be at work for the next few days.  I know we can't live like this forever though, so have agreed to help my daughter find a place of her own in the next few months.  However, while she's here I've set some ground rules - she is responsible for all the baby's needs (care, food diapers, etc.), must keep their spaces tidy, and pay a small amount of rent to cover the costs of extra groceries and utilities.  

********
So life has gotten a whole lot more interested/complicated, both at work and at home.  The next few months will be a time of learning, patience, and likely compromise.  

In any event, I have my September cruise to look forward to - today marks 9 weeks to sail-away.  I'm definitely going to be ready for a vacation!

I'll end with a couple of photos from this morning's walk.

Momma duck watching over her babies as they nap by the side of the pond.

And a lone baby duck - his momma was quite the distance a way from him with several other little ones.
He was peeping like mad to get her attention.

Have a great week everyone!

Weekend Wrap-up

I loved my four day weekend last weekend, but because of it, this one was only a short two days.  I know that is a normal weekend, but I've been spoiled with three days for some time.  As John once commented, it is nice to be able to arrange my schedule to take advantage of working, at the most, four day weeks.  

But with only two days available, and curling season in full swing, I certainly didn't accomplish as much as I would like.  The house is a disaster, with baby items strewn in nearly every room.  My daughter was using my kitchen table to craft and left everything as it was.  I tidied that up, and put the bin, scrapbook items, paintbrushes and tray away in the baby's room.  We've always said about her that stops, drops and rolls when she enters a room.  While she did do a load of dishes (in the dishwasher) and some laundry for the baby, she left a load of her own in the washer.  To be honest, I won't be entirely unhappy if she moves on soon.

She did spend some time at J's but was back here by Wednesday saying the honeymoon was over.  Then the weekend came and she was back to his house on Saturday morning.  She reported this morning, that J had taken care of Eli overnight so she could sleep....she managed nearly 8 solid hours so was feeling good

Speaking of Eli, he had his first appointment with the doctor on Friday.  He's gained a pound since leaving the hospital, weighing in now at 8 lbs. 3 oz.  (Although he was 7 lbs. 14 oz at birth, it isn't unusual for babies to lose weight at first).  The doctor told D that he's going to be a short baby.  Not surprising as mom D is only 5'3" and J is only an inch or two taller.  

Eli has been awake for longer periods of time.  His eyes are starting to fade to the blue I expect they'll be (again, mom and dad are both fair and blue-eyed).  He is quite happy to spend some time hanging out on his play mat staring at the lights and listening to the music.

Although I didn't get a photo of it, Saku likes to join him on the mat.  I was worried that he, Saku, would have a difficult time adjusting to the noise and motion of a baby, but that hasn't been an issue.  (Yet, knock wood! I expect when Eli gets big enough to grab, it will be a different story).

I did manage to get my taxes done, as well as my son C's.  D is missing two T4 slips - I'm sure they were sent to her but she has never been particularly good at keeping track of paper.  I did some work done on the little turtle blanket, but not enough yet to take a photo to share.

Our weather has improved, with temperature above freezing.  I've got rid of most of the remaining snow and ice off the driveway today and took down the Christmas ribbons from the garage lights (about time, I know!)  

I did get my laundry done, the cat litter cleaned, and did a bit of cooking for the week ahead.  Nothing fancy, just a meat loaf for sandwiches, and taco meat for salads.  I have some chicken marinating in the refrigerator for supper this evening.  I think I'll grill it on the barbecue...have to check to see if I have propane.

I'm just watching the end of the Canada-Russia women's world curling game.  Last end, and Canada needs to score to win...which they just did.  It's definitely been a good game though the skip of the Russian team hogged her last rock.  If she hadn't there may have been a different outcome.  This evening, the Canadian team will play the United States.  With the 11 hour time difference I've been PVR'ing the games and watching them later.  This evening's game I'll watch live.  Baby Eli will be here to hang out with me for a bit as well, as his parent's attend a viewing at a funeral home.  The deceased is the father of a friend of J's, so they are going to support him.

That sums up the weekend. It's gone by in a flash.  I just hope the work week does the same.

Have a great week everyone!

Time Flies

Wow, another weekend is drawing to a close and it's already mid-February.  Wasn't it just Christmas?  

I had Friday off, and this week I did not go into work.  
Last weekend we got several inches of snow - which my son cleared.  Check out the double shovel action.  

We got a couple more inches this week so that was my job Friday morning (one shovel only and no photos).

The cold weather finally broke on Thursday and it has been steadily warming up.  - 6C as I write this with -2C forecast for this afternoon.  I may even be able to open up the sunroom for the cats as it has been sunny most of today.

I did my weekly grocery shopping on Friday and started the laundry.  And that was about it...it was a lazy relaxing day, I even took a nap with the cats in the afternoon.

Saturday was much the same, I finished the laundry, cleaned cat litter, vacuumed the main floor, and cleaned the bathrooms.  The rest of the day I read, watched some television, and had a nap with the cats.  Do you sense a theme?

This morning I woke up feeling a bit more energetic and by 8:30 a.m. I had the dishes done (I'd left them soaking in the sink last night), made up some taco meat for salads and wraps and a meatloaf for sandwiches for the upcoming week, and washed the kitchen floor.  I sat down to catch up on blog reading with a cup of coffee, checked the television schedule and that was it...I'm done for the day.  There are several provincial curling events on today, with four games to be broadcast.  Bet you can guess what I'll be doing the rest of today!

I'm actually looking forward to going to work this week.  I'll be spending much of my time working on the project for HQ.  I'm looking forward to working with two of my favorite people who work in Ottawa.  We're doing a technical review of a pilot of a new system to be used by the supervisors in the field; it's always exciting to be part of something new.

Speaking of something new, the grandson is due in less than two weeks. I'm a little worried that my daughter is not demonstrating any desire to nest.  While it is typically a sign that birth is imminent she seems content to hang out with her b/f and his friends.  I asked her last weekend if she was intending to live with J after the baby was born; she said no, that she would be living here.  We'll see how long that lasts...   

Last up, I'll share a couple of (lousy) photos I took last night of the full moon. I'm not sure what setting I used but it obviously wasn't the right one.  I should have gone back in the house and re-set but I didn't think they were that bad last night.  

These were taken while the sky was still overcast.  By the time I went to bed (after 11!) the sky had cleared.

The moon was so bright it lit up my bedroom.  I may try again to get some better shots tonight.

Sasha has just come to tell me it is time to open up the sunroom.  The temperature is 12C out there so with the little heater, he should enjoy the afternoon.

Have a great week everyone!

Weekend wrap-up

We're having a sunny day here in Southern Saskatchewan, but with frigid temperatures.  This morning, I woke to -23C (-9F) with windchills making it feel at least 5 degrees colder.  Brrr!  I know it's January, I know this is normal weather for at least a few weeks every winter, and I know I complain about it every year.  There is a little cartoon that asks, "why do I live where the air hurts my face?"  The only answer I can come up with, is I blame my grandparents for settling where summer is a weekend in July, and the only good thing about the cold is no mosquitos.

However, it does make for a good day to relax and watch the curling on television.  The event is taking place in North Battleford, a city some 3 1/2 hours north of me.  It's just as cold there; my cousin who is attending the event has posted on FB that the arena is cold as well.  While I think it would be great fun to be there I'm grateful I'm watching it from the comfort of my couch.

I'm writing this post between ends, and sewing the loose ends into my almost completed afghan as I keep an eye on the television.  I'm about half done the sewing and the game is half-over so that part of the finishing should be complete.  The women's final is later today so I plan to complete the edging while that game airs.

On Friday I took a day of vacation as I'd booked appointments, thinking it was an earned day off.  Good thing, as it turned out to be a very busy day!  I dropped my son off at work, went home and did some chores before heading out to get some groceries.  I put those away and then was off to the salon to have my nails done.  From there I met my friend K for lunch where we spent nearly two hours catching up.  I dropped her off at home and headed for the drop-in oil change store where they complete the oil change and replaced a burnt out headlight in less than 20 minutes.  Then it was off to the Fabricland store nearby.  It will be closed on January 21st so pretty much everything is discounted.  (Not the yarn for some reason).  I picked up three more patterns, some buttons and material.  The one piece of material is perfect for t-shirts, the second I plan to make into bibs for the little one.  

So it is becoming apparent that sewing will be a priority in 2017.  At the moment my sewing machine and table are in the baby's room.  That's the next project for today.  I need to move my armoire in my bedroom to make room for the sewing table and chair.  I'd prefer not to have it in my bedroom but there is simply no other space for it in the house.  When we moved in here in 2010 I never thought I'd say that.  But having my daughter return with her furniture and household stuff (most of which was in a storage unit in 2010), and adding a baby to the mix is a bit of a challenge.  OMG, I had forgotten how much stuff a baby needs!

My daughter and I made a trip to Michaels on Saturday where she was able to get a scrapbook for the baby at half-price.  From there we went to ToysRUs where we found a baby bathtub, some toys, and diaper wipes at 20-30% off at their Babyfest event.  I couldn't resist this little octopus (Sock-to-pus) with the added bonus of 4 pairs of little socks.  He/she fits in with the fish/sea world theme, is practical, and is too cute!


Later on, in the afternoon, my son and I headed over to the mall where we did some errands before heading to Mark's Workwearhouse.  He used his Christmas gift cards (from me and my brother's family) to purchase two new pair of jeans and a new hoodie jacket.  He refuses to wear winter jackets...I have no idea what his aversion to these are....so this is a heavy knitted jacket with a fleece lining.  With a t-shirt and long sleeved shirt underneath it is warm enough for most days.  He also purchased a new pair of steel-toed shoes, the cost of which, will be reimbursed by the workplace as these are required.

Today, the cats let me sleep until nearly 8 a.m.  That's nearly a record around here.  I've got some housework to get done (between curling games) including vacuuming my bedroom and scrubbing the kitchen floor.  Dinner is in the fridge - I put together a beef noodle casserole with cheese that I'll throw into the oven mid-curling game this afternoon.  It's pretty ho-hum, just some leftovers I'm using up to clean up the fridge.

That pretty much sums up the entire weekend. Lots of activity, but nothing too exciting. 

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  I know it's been cold or snowy or both across much of North America; stay warm and safe!