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!

Proud moment in an otherwise normal week

Before I blather on about my week, I thought I'd share this photo of my handsome grandson. Tuesday marked back to school for Eli, now entering Grade 2! How the heck did that happen?

The sign seems to suggest he is 75 years old, but I'm guessing my old eyes aren't seeing the . because he's actually 7 1/2 years old. 

He's not looking happy in the photo because the wasps have settled under the front steps; he's worried he might get stung. My daughter and I have discussed how to get rid of them.

He had a wonderful first day back and was happy to see more of his friends on the playground. 

Back here in the city, I spent a the weekend mornings in the yard. The front flower bed has been weeded, the hedge clipped, and the side and back patio cleared of weeds as well. I started the process in the backyard of cutting down small trees that have grown a ridiculous amount over the two months I was a away. We could have a forest back there if I left them be. Hmmm...maybe that's an idea. The neighbours to the north were away over the weekend, so I was able to trim the hedge on their side as well. I used the rake and broom to clean up the trimmings as well as clear out leaves that weren't cleaned up last fall. 

We got heat all weekend and into Tuesday (30C/86F most days). As a result, I was back indoors before lunch and mostly stayed there for the rest of the day. I did run out on Sunday to pick up more Round-up for the backyard weeds and later spent an hour or so in the shade reading.

By Tuesday, my right arm was aching from the all of the digging and pulling so I decided to take the day off. My first stop was at Canadian Tire (hardware store) for a garden fork. It should help loosen the weeds more than my little hand trowel, and make pulling easier. Value Village and the Salvation Army store followed - it was Senior's Day. I found a couple of new tops, a pullover sweater, two James Patterson books, and a set of small glass bowls with lids. All for $25 - I do like a bargain.

I've spent the afternoons watching football, baseball, reading, and crocheting. I'm working on a lap afghan but I expect I'll run out of the yarn I'm working with before it is finished. Of course, it is some remnants from my stash so I don't have more of the same. I cleared out the closet and moved the stash into the cubby under the stairs. I'm certain I have enough of similar colours that I'll likely make it longer and try to create a gradient effect. If I like it, I'll take a photo later.

Wednesday was knitting group - the first I've been too since ... I don't remember when! I know it's been months. Two other ladies were there and they sounded happy to see me. We had a nice visit and I got a good start on another mitten.

I'd spent a couple of hours that morning working on the weeds in the back yard. The garden fork is helping loosen the dirt but our clay soil is like concrete in many places. We had a bit of rain overnight so that helped a wee bit. After filling two large garbage bags with waste I was done for the day and desperately needed a shower.

We woke to a cold morning on Thursday - a mere 1C(34F). I decided I'd wait until later in the day to do more weeding, and took the opportunity to have a relaxed start to the morning. Mid-morning I did my grocery shopping for the week, mostly sale items and more fresh veg and fruit, and started dinner when I got home. Since the house is cool, I decided on a pasta bake. I like that I can put it together early in the day, and wait until my son gets home to put it in the oven. Housework took up most of the afternoon. 

Friday morning was a little warmer, 7C/45F but felt chilly. I put off heading in the yard and started a batch of dough instead. I used the rise time to catch up on the budget update. After a few months, I am seeing a huge increase in grocery costs when in town versus the city. When I return at the end of October, I'll take advantage of the lower prices here - maybe that will ease the pain of the costs in a rural area.

Oh, curling started on Friday too. I was able to stream a couple of draws in the morning. Between curling, baseball, and football, I'll never lack for something to watch for the next while.

Today, I'll have to shelve the curling in the morning as we're expecting a high of 31C (88F) this afternoon because I need to get more weeding done. With that said, I'm off to get a cup of tea and head outdoors.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Wacky weather, carbohydrates, and something odd

Wednesday's photo were taken over the course of three days, Sunday through Tuesday. Our temperatures were well above freezing; the high on Tuesday was 12C (54F), a record breaking temperature for January 30th. It cooled off from there but was still lovely the rest of the week. However, the forecast for Sunday suggests we may see some snow - not much I don't expect. 

As I was sitting down to start this post, I realized it was a carbohydrate heavy week. On the weekend I'd baked homemade buns and cinnamon buns for lunches and snacks. Then Monday I made slow cooker beef stew. We can't have stew without biscuits. And to top that off, on Tuesday I baked a loaf of Italian cheese and herb bread to go along with our spaghetti and meat sauce dinner. Friday night was homemade pizza night, meaning more dough was made. I've learned to make small batches, so there were just 15 buns, 9 cinnamon buns, a dozen biscuits and one loaf of the Italian bread. There is one of each of the buns and the cinnamon buns, the heel of the loaf, and less than half of the pizza leftover. We do enjoy our carbs. :)

The bread recipe I found was for use in a bread machine, which I don't own. I modified it, using about four cups of flour, 1 1/2 cups of warm water, yeast, oil, sugar and salt for the dough. In addition, I added about 1/4 cup each of grated parmesan cheese and shredded Italian cheese and a teaspoon of an Italian spice blend. After allow it to rise for 90 minutes, I shaped it into a loaf, then let it sit for 45-60 minutes before baking it for 35 minutes in a 350F oven. It was delicious and my son and I used it for sandwiches through the week as well. One evening he made himself a grilled cheese and meat sandwich, dipping it in egg. I was already in bed, and could smell it from downstairs, and oh my, it smelled delicious. 

I had errands to run on Wednesday, for my daughter and myself, before I headed over to Stitch and Chat. There were three of us there that afternoon, and I got a bit of work done on my cross-stitching while we visited. One of the ladies is knitting a kitchen towel, while the other was knitting a bag to hold a small teddy bear. She's been using her stash to create little bears to donate to the Children's Hospital here in the province and has made eight so far. The little bears are adorable and I'm sure they will brighten up the day for the little ones who are being cared for at the hospital. She's hoping to finish a few more before she sends them off.

Thursday was Mahjonng and I had a very lucky day. I won three games! Several games ended in draws and the others at the table won a few as well. There is definitely strategy to playing the game, but often it's truly the luck of the draw. I do enjoy the game and the company of this group is terrific. 

My something odd is the sheer number of views my blog has been receiving lately. There are over 200 views on most of the posts. When I checked the stats nearly 65% are from Singapore. Since I know of no followers nor do I receive comments from anyone there, I presume this is some sort of server that sends readers here. I'm not sure what the interest in this blog would be and I'll likely limit the amount of personal information and photos I share, just in case this is an effort for something nefarious. 

There has been lots of curling to watch this week as well, and will continue through the weekend. Between the USA national championships, both men and women, and our own provincial men's Tankard event, I've enjoyed a number of the games. Some were blow-outs and others came down to the last rock in the final end. Tomorrow's semis and finals will be the best games of the week, I'm sure.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Preparing for Christmas

D and I took Eli downtown for the street fair last Saturday evening. Our first stop was City Hall where the mayor said a few words, the wreath was lit up, and Santa made a quick visit to hand out candy canes. 

The was a choir too, singing Christmas carols and a small but appreciative crowd. We wandered down the street towards the street hockey. The local Junior A hockey team were out in their jerseys playing a pick-up game against some young kids. Everyone was having a lot of fun.

But before we reached the hockey, we came across a Nativity scene one of the local churches had set up. Two of Eli's friends were dressed up, one as an angel, the other as a shepherd. He was happy to see them, but was even more excited to see the young sheep. He tried to entice them to eat the straw he held out, but they were more intent on the stuff on the ground. No matter, they still got close enough that he was able to give them a pat or two.

We stopped too, at a fire pit that was set up by the firefighters in the street to warm our hands. Then we went to watch the street hockey, and the ball they were using as a puck bounced right near us. I gave the ball to Eli and told him to toss it back on the rink. He seemed to enjoy that, and chased the next couple of balls that came our way.

Although the stores were open, neither D nor I felt like shopping. Instead we headed for the bakery to pick up some treats to have at home. Eli had his regular chocolate dip donut, while D and I chose the gingerbread donuts. I ate half of it when we got back to the house, and oh my, was it good! 

After another restless night, I headed for home just after breakfast. Traffic was light, as I had hoped, and the roads were clear. After I had things put away, I lay down on the couch for a rest and watched a bit of NFL football before the Grey Cup. The championship game was a good one, neither team dominated, and the final outcome wasn't sure until the last 45 seconds of game. The team I was cheering for won...that's always makes a game more enjoyable too.

The rest of my week has been relatively busy (notice I did not say quiet). I got the Christmas decorations up from the basement and set up the tree. I also spent some time in my craft room, sorting and reorganizing. I sent a photo to my daughter saying, "I'm not allowed to buy any more yarn." I have a variety of yarns, with multiple skeins of each, as well as a container that has odds and ends of one or less skeins. It's going to take some time to use it all up.  

I did get a bag of scarves and mitts dropped off at a local charity. There are a half dozen or so scarves and a few toques and mitts ready to go but I'll take those over when I finish a few more. There was a quick trip to Value Village too where I found a jigsaw puzzle with a winter scene on it. AND I didn't buy any more yarn. :)

At stitch and chat I worked on the angels, finishing the third and starting the fourth. There were just two of us again this week. I'm guessing the one lady won't attend again until her friend returns from Arizona. I would like to see more people there but I know it isn't well attended. I'm thinking I might check out a couple other groups that meet on other days and maybe some of those participants would like to join us as well. I do enjoy the chats and it really helps me focus on my project - no distractions from the television or housework that I know needs doing at home.

When I left the stitch and chat, I stopped at the Superstore to pick up some items for Christmas baking. It's time to get going on some of the friend and family favorites.  First up is a Dundee cake and shortbread. The cake is for a friend K, with shortbread for her partner J. I know they're leaving mid-December on a trip so I want to get this to them to enjoy before they get away. The rest of the shortbread won't last until Christmas here as it is one of my son's favorites. 

I was able to watch some curling too, though I'd forgotten until later in the week. It isn't being televised, rather I have to remember to pull it up on the laptop. While watching a draw, I was able to finish the last of the angels, and continue working on a pair of mittens I'd started a week or so ago. The angels need halos - which weren't part of the pattern, the ends need to be weaved in, and hangers attached. I'll get those done this weekend and send them off to D in the mail soon.

Our weather turned on Friday, with temperatures above freezing. Sadly, the wind was a-blowing so it didn't seem all that nice outside. There was a fair amount of melting, which I appreciate. More snow is forecast for Sunday and Monday so I expect I'll be shovelling again in a couple of days. Sigh...

Time to post this and head for the kitchen. I think I'll bake sugar cookies today for decorating later, and maybe an almond biscotti. I know the kitchen floor needs scrubbing so I may as well make more of a mess now before I pull out the mop and pail. The semi-finals of the curling start at 11 a.m. so I'd best get busy.  Have a great week ahead everyone!

P.S. The photo from Wednesday was taken by my son when I was out of town. He heard them out his bedroom window and managed to sneak into the sunroom to get the photo. 

Dealing with winter, dreaming of the beach

The snow started falling on Sunday morning, and by mid-afternoon we had a fresh fall of 3 to 4 inches. I was watching football when I noticed it had stopped, so headed out at half time to clear the driveway. I wanted to get it done because the forecast was for clear and cold weather on Monday. AND that's what we got. -26C/-15F when I woke up that morning. Thankfully the forecast was for temperatures closer to freezing by Wednesday.

With the cold weather I wished I were anywhere but here. A friend just returned from a trip to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic last week and I kept thinking of the sand and the ocean she experienced there. I headed into my photo files and spent some time looking at memories from past visits to my favorite beach; Reduit beach on St. Lucia.

Isn't the beach and scenery beautiful? This photo is at the end of beach, beyond the more touristy area. The locals come to swim here, along with some tourists like myself. I've had the privilege of visiting this area three times, and I'd gladly visit again.

Monday was a day to catch up on housework that didn't get done while I was away last week.  Where, oh where, is the house fairy when I need it? Oh well, since it was cold outside it was a good day to stay indoors anyway. I even did a little baking. One of my daughter's favorites are mini cheesecakes. Since she likes them plain, I tuck them away and only add topping to a few of them when I put them out on the plate. I've been cutting my batches in half because we don't eat much and I no longer take a platter of goodies to the office. 

I got a call from Home Depot that my stove was in and delivery was arranged for Tuesday between 8:30 and 12:30. Hoping for it to be early in the day, but expecting it would be later, I wasn't surprised that the truck did not show up until 12:15. The guys brought it in and hauled out the old one. The older of the two looked at my old stove and said, that's a 17 year old there. He was probably pretty close. I was advised not to plug it in until the stove reached room temperature since all new appliances have computer chips in them. So off I went to do some grocery shopping. 

Oh my, were the stores busy! It was senior's day at Safeway...the place was swarming with us over 60's. Some moving slower than others. They were out of ground beef so I stopped at Co-op on my way home as they had it on sale there as well. Same mob scene there too. While I prefer to do my shopping when the stores are less busy, I did get 10% off the cost of groceries at both stores. I'll take it.

More snow arrived on Wednesday, with warmer temperatures. I spent the morning playing with my new stove. I baked a small batch of chocolate-chocolate chip cookies after pre-heating the oven, allowing it to cool, then pre-heating again. I was warned that there might be a bit of smoke or plastic smell and there was on the first pre-heat, but it was gone and the smell of chocolate soon filled the air. I prepped our evening meal as well, cooking up some macaroni pasta for mac & cheese, and boiled some eggs for egg salad sandwiches for lunch meals. I repackaged the ground beef I'd purchased the day before and made up a meat loaf to put in the oven for dinner. 

After lunch the snow had stopped so I headed out to do more shovelling. I don't think we had more than an inch so it didn't take long. The temperature was a more temperate -9C (16F), and it felt good to be out in the fresh air.

Thursday, I had a couple of items to drop off for Santa's Anonymous at Walmart, and I picked up some candy canes for baking/candy making or simply to gather dust in my cupboard until next Christmas. Since I was out I made a quick run to the Salvation Army thrift store and Value Village. I found a couple of t-shirts for myself at the first store, and a soap dish, some large bows to hang on the front of the house, and a bag containing a wooden Christmas tree, a framed handcrafted item, and a wooden plaque. The framed item was tucked between the tree and the plaque and was a lovely surprise when I opened the bag. I plan to display it after the Christmas decorations are put away.

My daughter needed me to run an errand for her, but I'd forgotten on Thursday (and she hadn't reminded me) so I had to head out again on Friday morning. Since I was out I took the baking for my friends and dropped it off at their doorstep. I made a stop at Bulk Barn too, to pick up caraway seeds for some Irish soda bread. That could have waited until next week but since I was out it made sense to make a stop. That's enough running around for me this week. I'm happy to stay home for the weekend.

Did I mention there is more curling? Yep, this week the senior men and women's provincial teams are battling it out for the Canadian title. There has been some very good curling, proving that curling is a game for all ages. Our Saskatchewan men lost their game this morning, while the women appear to in control of their game. The men's game was streamed, but not the women's. On the football side of things, our Saskatchewan team lost in Sunday's western final. I wasn't surprised at the loss but the game was actually very close and came down to the final play. This weekend will be the Grey Cup (the Canadian championship). 

It's been a very good week here. I'd prefer to have warmer weather but one of the perks of full retirement is the ability to choose when I leave the house, and another is doing as little or as much as I like during the day. My son has made forward progress in dealing what was troubling him - the situation isn't over yet but this momma is proud of him. 

Have a good week ahead everyone. Take care and stay well.

39 years later - 21 days to go!

By the time this blog posts I'll be on my way to my daughter's home for a short visit.  My baby girl turns 39 on Saturday! I must have had her when I was 15 or 16, right?  Actually I'm in my 60's so you can do the math.

Writing this turned my thoughts to the night she was born.  During my pregnancy I was living in a small community in Northern Saskatchewan, with the nearest hospital 50 miles away.  I had experienced premature labour in September.  One of my bosses and his wife drove me to the nearest hospital where I was checked by the local doctor and the decision was made to air flight me to Saskatoon for further care.  I believe I spent a week in the hospital before I was released and able to go back north.  About the beginning of November, we decided I would go south to my parents home to wait for her birth. No one wanted a repeat of the early scare.

Of course, I then went nearly 10 days overdue before I finally went into labour on a Thursday morning.  Mom drove me into town to the hospital where I laboured for close to 48 hours before the doctor decided it was time to get her out of there. I recall it was very early Saturday morning, when the doctors, including the anesthesiologist, arrived from their Christmas party in good spirits. Several of them, more than I think were needed, crowded into the operating room along with a nurse or two.  D was slightly injured in the melee, receiving a small nick in her eyebrow, requiring a stitch.  She reacted to this indignation by pooping. My aunt and mom saw her as she was moved from the OR to the nursery however I was out cold and didn't see my baby until three hours later, by which time she'd been cleaned up. Because of my surgery we were kept in the hospital for a week, and D was the only baby in the nursery for five days of that week.  They didn't allow rooming in at that time, but I know that she was cuddled and doted on by the nurses when I didn't have her with me.

We stayed with mom and dad through Christmas, which was good for me as I was still recovering and baby D did not sleep through the night (until she was 6 years old).  At least I could get a nap in during the day while mom kept an ear out for her.  

Well, that wasn't how I planned to start this post, call it stream of consciousness or something like that. It strikes me I can remember so many details from that time, but not what I had for dinner two nights ago.

I've had a busy week puttering as I always do.  I started the week planning to do the laundry on Monday but that was put aside while I did a bit of baking. The first batch of shortbread was made along with a batch of peppermint/vanilla cookies.  These were green and white, since I had no red food coloring, and I'm sure they will be a hit with a little boy.  While these were baking, I started a beef stew for dinner, so the oven got more of a workout when I made biscuits to go along with our meal.

Tuesday, I finally got around to the laundry and while the first load was in the washing machine, I decided the weather was warm enough to head out for a walk.  It was just a degree or two below freezing, and bundled up it was quite nice.

I was disappointed to find that the paths hadn't been well cleared, and were quite icy in spots.  Most of the time, I walked on the snow next to the path, as I did one of those slip and slide, but didn't fall down at one point.

I did leave the path to walk down to the creek where I had seen open water a week or so ago. It's not open anymore, it's definitely frozen over.  

Back at home I finished the laundry, completed my grocery order on-line, and started another pair of mittens for Eli.  In addition every afternoon this week I've managed to work a bit on my cross stitch.  I've finished the counting portion, and just have the back stitching left on the one motif.  I should have a photo next week to share.

I picked up my groceries at Walmart on Wednesday morning, also making stops at Shopper's Drug Mart, Safeway, the gas station, and Michaels.  Collage photo frames were on sale, and I wanted another frame.  Walmart had sent out a coupon offering 15 free 4X6 photos, normally 15 cents apiece - I couldn't pass up free, so had a number of photos printed to eventually use in that frame, changing them out depending on the season and my mood.

This is one of the photos I had printed. It was taken in September 2016, near Parksville, B.C.  I've spent some time this week going through the folders of photos I have saved to my computer.  I'm deleting some, but others have evoked so many wonderful memories of the trips I've taken. For those who have been reading this blog for a long time know that Vancouver Island has a special place in my heart. 

Back at home, with the groceries put away, I started baking again.  This time for friends; shortbread for J, and a spice cookie, Medenjaci - Croatian honey cookies for K.  I'd not made the latter before, but will again in the future.  The spices include cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger, with honey and brown sugar as the sweeteners.  It mixes up quickly and is easy to handle. I rolled it out for wafer cookies and didn't add the glaze, but I might make another batch for us and add the glaze.  C tasted one and said it tasted like honey nut Cheerios!  

When I filled up at the gas station, I had my oil checked and though the level was good, it was looking a little dark.  Since I couldn't recall when I last an oil change, I decided it was a good idea to get one done before I headed out of town.  So Thursday, I headed over to the drive in oil change place.  While there, they checked air filters, transmission fluid, belts, etc. and suggested based on my mileage it was time for a transmission fluid change as well.  When I told C later, he said I probably could have waited awhile yet, but there is some solace in knowing it won't need to be done for a very long time. 

I made a road trip to the other end of the city to pick up the gift cards for my niece and nephew, and dropped off the cookies to K and J.  K and I had a brief chat with K outside their door with our masks on.  I might have also stopped at the Dollar Tree and Dollarama, picking up a gift box, toothpaste and a more craft supplies.  At home I finished wrapping the last of the gifts.  I haven't quite figured out how my brother's family and mine will exchange gifts but I suspect it will be a drive by one of these days.

Today, I've done some last minute chores before I pack up the car.  The garbage has been taken out, the bed made, the dishes done, dried and put away, the living room tidied and dusted, the birds fed, and the floors swept.  I suspect I'm not the only person that tries to leave the house in good shape before a trip.  C sticks to his area in the basement most of the time and other than a few dishes in the sink, the house will look much the same when I get home.  

I'm off to put my bag and the items I'm taking out to D in the car.  Have a good weekend everyone! Take care and stay well.

All I want for Christmas

This retirement gig is great; I think this is the most relaxed I've ever been the week prior to Christmas.  The gifts are purchased, wrapped, and tucked away. Christmas cards were mailed a couple of weeks ago, and I'm hearing from recipients they've been received.  The tree has been up and decorated for several weeks. One of my favorite things in the morning is to sit in the peace of my home with just the Christmas lights on the tree.  It's a time for quiet reflection with a cup of coffee to start my day in a gentle way.

I've finished baking too, with another batch of gingerbread cake and shortbread.  Between what I've given to friends and what we've eaten, we were out of both!  I made my first (and last) batch of peppermint bark.  It's the last because of the mess I made making it.  I dropped the hot bowl of chocolate into the tray, it splashed up resulting in a mess on me, the counter and even the floor!  I did successfully make a batch of caramel popcorn...I'm not good with a candy thermometer (can't read the numbers) but I found a recipe that didn't require one.  With peanuts and M&M's mixed in, it's delicious.  The one annoyance is that the recipes are always so large, I actually quartered this one and ended up with a decent sized container.  Since I was feeling ambitious I also made a favorite of my daughter's, toffee caramel bar.  We have lots of treats now!

My brother and his family will be here on Sunday for our annual Christmas get together.  They're going to a movie with P's sister, to celebrate Li's birthday and will make a brief stop here prior to attending the movie.  It's the one day that their children are available.  K and his girlfriend S both work, and daughter L is involved in basketball, band, volunteer work and highschool homework.  

After the stitch and make on Wednesday I stopped by the grocery to pick up a few items for munchies.  I'm sure they'll not need much but it wouldn't Christmas if the table wasn't groaning.  I already had pepperoni, salami, cheese and crackers as well as baking, so I picked up a bag of mandarin oranges and a veggie tray to add to the snacks.  

Wednesday morning, I had breakfast with C and another previous co-worker, D.  It's the first time in a year since we've met so there was lots to catch up on.  Some good, D's daughter has made him a grandpa this year, some bad, as he had to put his dog to sleep due to illness.  We all agreed we'd try to get together again in March.  After breakfast I headed off to the thrift stores to see what I could find in the sewing/crafting areas.  

 I picked up this crochet thread for $3.99, when a new ball at Walmart would be $4 (plus taxes) on it's own.  The second was a great deal, a Debbie Mumm cross-stitch kit for $3.99.  Similar kits are selling on E-Bay for $20-$40US!  I'll tuck it away for another day.

From Value Village I headed to the Salvation Army store.  There was nothing in the crafting section so I wandered through the housewares.  I found eight of these small luncheon plates, for $.99 each, as well as a stocking hanger for Eli.  When I got to the till I learned that all the Christmas were on sale for 50% off.  Total cost for the plates and the hanger was $4.45!  Just as well I didn't know as I probably would have bought more.  The plates will come in handy with company but I already have a set of four place settings for our family Christmas.

Since I'm having company I've made a bit more effort with the house cleaning. While I did the regular stuff, washing floors, vacuuming, bathrooms, laundry, and cleaning cat litter, I spent time putting things back to where they belong.  I have a habit of bringing stuff from my craft room to the living room.  Several balls of yarn, a bag of fibre stuffing, books, pens, recycling, and cat toys were all gathered up and put away.  I also cleaned up some leftover fingerprints from Eli's last visit that I've somehow overlooked!  Apparently he was painting with blueberries on the window looking into the sunroom.  In my defence the garbage can sits in front of that window so I didn't initially see it.  Surprise!

Speaking of Eli, while he and his mom were at the indoor park on Monday, the furnace and hot water heater were installed.  She did have to keep him out of the house for another hour and a bit, so they wandered the grocery store and picked up something to eat at A&W on their way home.  Today, the flooring will be delivered as it needs to acclimate for 48 hours.  The flooring company has a worker who will install it while over Christmas.  When she gets home on the 26th, the job should be complete!  She's definitely looking forward to that.  

I'll wrap this post up with a couple of photos of my neighbour's lights from last night.  As it gets closer to Christmas the traffic on our cul de sac increases exponentially.  He does a wonderful job of the lights and music, and outside the house is a large Candy cane where visitors can make a donation to charity.  

As tomorrow will be busy, I'll post this early.  Have a great weekend everyone!

Baby, it's cold outside

Someone needs to tell Mother Nature that it's not officially winter until December 21.  On Monday the cold air of the Arctic came blowing in and the temperatures dropped throughout the day.  I met my friend K for lunch and just from the car to the restaurant took my breath away!  

We had a lovely visit over lunch.  She and J are off to Arizona soon so we won't see each other until early 2020.  Lucky people!  I so wish I could get away but that's not happening, unless that lottery ticket in my wallet turns out to be the winner (it was not). I can only be thankful that I don't have to go out unless I want to.  

Despite the cold, D and Eli were back in Regina on Tuesday.  Eli had an allergist appointment that morning.  Great news, she doesn't feel that he has any other allergies and since he hasn't had an episode since last summer, she isn't concerned about his egg allergy either.  His mom will offer them on occasion but won't be in too big of a rush to get him to eat them.  J was with them, but decided to hang out with some friends before he was to fly out the next morning.  I'm pretty sure he was tired of being dad, after only a week.  AND it turns out he "slept in", missed his flight, and had no money to pay the change fee.  So initially he told my daughter he was looking for work to get enough cash together to fly home - I assume trying to get my daughter to give him the money.  As most of you know, I'm not a fan of this guy and I seriously considered giving the money to him myself however his mother came through with the cash to permit his flight change. Hooray!

I did venture out both Wednesday and Thursday.  I met the stitch and make group at the library.  There were only four of us - I'm sure the cold weather kept some home while prep for Christmas is probably in full swing too.  On Thursday I met my friend C for coffee.  We've changed coffee shops as the original spot was noisy, and while this current shop is busy they do have a quieter area off the side.  We had a good visit, chatting about a wide variety of topics.

I'm in a happy place again this week as another Grand Slam event is being televised (started Thursday morning). Oh, and I bought my Christmas present to myself - a weekend ticket to the next event being held here in Saskatchewan.  It's not far from D and Eli so I'll stay with them and drive back each day.  

I'm also feeling much better, still get the occasional coughing spell so still getting rid of some gunk, but the energy level is definitely up.  I got caught up on some housework, finished another baby blanket and started another, and as Eli would say, "ta da", I got my sugar cookies decorated.  I left three plain for Eli to decorate on Christmas Eve for Santa.  (At his mother's request....won't that be fun?)  

Saturday, I awoke to severe cold warnings.  The temperature at 7 a.m. (omg the cat's let me sleep in!) was -26C (-15F) with windchills of -35C (-31F).  Yikes, I'm so glad I hd no errands that need to be run.  I got the shovelling done on Friday as we'd had snow overnight.  Not a lot as you can see, but at least it was only -18C (0F) when I was clearing the driveway.  Best of all the sun was shining.  With the short daylight hours it's always wonderful to see the sun.



Funny story starring Eli - D called me Saturday morning to tell me.  He was misbehaving, she'd given him a warning that if he put his fingers in the butter again, she'd put him in time out. The little stinker went upstairs, grabbed his suitcase, came downstairs and told his mom, "I go Grandma".  We both laughed and he got away with his naughtiness.  I guess that means I (we) are a bit soft on the little guy....and he's already figured that out! 

Today it's warmed up considerably, just -11C (12F) and although I've not been outside I'm sure it will feel balmy.  I'll go out a little later to feed the birds before the curling is on. I'm currently watching a program on Animal Planet - it's a free preview for a month.  I think if I were to add any channels it probably would be this one.  I've learned so much from the various rescues and it is amazing the work that is being done for dogs, cats, bears, monkeys, and so many other animals.  The other night, I was laying in bed watching a show about lions and Saku watched with me for nearly 20 minutes!

Enough blather from me.  Have a wonderful week ahead!


One last note:  Connie,  the picture at the end of the previous post is of Saskatchewan.  It's the Qu'Appelle Valley north and west of Regina near my brother's home.  The photo is taken at the top of the valley near where R and  climbed this fall.  Looks a little different now!  And yes, I have an HP printer.  Next time I'm in the market I'll have to compare ink prices. 

If at first you don't succeed

I decided to start my Christmas baking on Monday....it didn't go so well. First off, I was looking for recipes that do not include egg as Eli has an allergy.  I found what I thought sounded good; butter, brown sugar, milk, graham wafer crumbs, chocolate chips and walnuts.  I mixed up the batch and baked about 4 1/2 dozen mini baking cups of these cookies.  I thought there was an odd smell in the kitchen as they baked but decided it was my imagination.  After they cooled, my son and I both tested them.  Eww, there was something off and we both agree it was the chopped walnuts.  I went to the garbage bin and pulled out the bag, checking the best before date - October 2016.  Oops!  How did I miss that when I did my last fridge clean out?  Suffice to say that batch made its way to the bin, pronto!

Thankfully the following day I had better luck with my first batch of shortbread.  While I used a new-to-me recipe, it turned out very well.  I love the buttery taste of shortbread and so does my son, so I'm know this batch will disappear in short order.  It may be the first batch but it won't be the last.

Later in the week I made a pan of a gingerbread cake.  Another oops!  Somehow or another, the oven got turned off in the middle of baking.  When I finally wized up and realized it, and finishing cooking the cake the outside was a bit well done but at least the center was cooked through. But that wasn't the end of it.  I turned the cake out onto the board, flipped it over and part of the top came off.  It sure doesn't look pretty but it tastes fantastic While I intended to gift most or all of it, this cake won't be going anywhere.  At that point, all I could think was hopefully I'd have better luck with the next one! 

By Friday afternoon, I'd baked another gingerbread cake, another batch of shortbread (using my tried and true recipe), made a pan of butterscotch taffy, and had cookie dough chilling in the fridge. AND everything looked and tasted great!  But that wasn't all the excitement that day, as I received a frantic call from D that morning.  A water pipe had burst in the house, the water was flowing throughout the main floor and the basement had several inches on the floor as well.  She was trying to mop it up but was overwhelmed by the flooding.  We didn't know where the shut-off valve was, so she called a plumber who came over and shut it off. 

He discovered a pipe in the bathroom off the kitchen had literally "popped off".  This wasn't an old pipe from when the plumbing would have put into the house, probably in the 50's or 60's but a PVC pipe from the 1990's.  D called the insurance company to make a claim while the plumber went to his shop to get some parts.  He returned and left the old pieces with D, in case the insurance company wanted to see them.  In the meanwhile the insurance got in touch with a local restoration company to get the process of cleaning up the water, checking the furnace and water heater in the basement, and for any damage upstairs.  They will prepare a quote for the insurance company but based on D's conversation with the adjuster it sounds like they will approve it all.  

After the restoration company had arrived and done their walk-through, D called me.  Oh boy, this is going to be a real process.  Both the furnace and water heater will need to be replaced even though both are functioning at the moment. 

ALL of the flooring on the mainfloor will need to be replaced as well, as there was already buckling in the dining room, and the flooring goes throughout the main floor.  In addition, they told her they want to start ripping out the flooring today because of mold concerns.  So D and Eli went for a drive to a larger center, where she did some Christmas shopping, to allow the guys to get the work done.  Luckily the temperature was hovering above freezing so the cats could hang out in the sunroom and out of the way of the workers.  When she returned a few hours later all of the flooring was up, and the fans were in place.  Amazingly they worked around her furniture and everything was back in their normal placement as well.  


I did get out of the house as well this week.  Groceries were picked up on Tuesday, I met friends for breakfast and went to stitch and chat on Wednesday.  Friday evening, C and I went out to the Regina Golf Club to the annual dinner put on by our local AirForce association.  The dinner brings together young air cadets, their cadet leaders, members of the Snowbirds including pilots and aircraft technicians, AirForce assocation members and friends.  This night, the guest of honor was our Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, Russ Merasty and his wife Donna.  The meal was great and we had a good group at our table.  

I got started on a new cross stitch project at the afternoon stitch group.  I'd picked up the kit at the Salvation Army thrift store for just a few dollars.  I've finished up a few projects and simply grabbed it to give me something to do.  

In the meantime, this is one of my latest finishes.  I had lots of this orange yarn, so I crocheted myself a slouchy hat. It's bright enough I shouldn't lose it anywhere, right?

I used the same yarn to make matching beanies for my D and Eli.  I actually made the larger one first thinking it might fit Eli, but I could wear it, so I revised the pattern slightly to make the smaller version.  I've started crocheting a pair of mittens for Eli of the same yarn since I still have some left.  I've never crocheted mittens, only knitted, so these are an experiment in the making.  So far, I've unravelled the first mitt twice because I wasn't happy with the way it was looking. 

Sunday is shaping up to be a relaxing day, at least most of it.  I got a notification just before 8, that CBC was live streaming the quarter finals of curling from an event in Halifax, so I have that running on my laptop as I write this.  Later there are two football games, the East and West Division finals, and our Riders are playing the the second game.  You can bet I'll be glued to the television and the poor cats will be running from the room as I cheer from my couch. 

Enjoy your day everyone!

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!