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!

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.)

Weekend fun!

I'm home from my visit with D and Eli. I drove up Friday evening, and returned last evening. It was a quick trip, but a good one.

It had cooled off on Friday, which was wonderful as she doesn't have a/c. D had set up a box fan with a pail of ice behind it in the living room, and that kept things quite comfortable. Both nights, Eli and I slept (sort of) on the main floor. D had brought down his mattress and we set it up in front of the couch. We started the night on the mattress with books read and cuddles enjoyed, before the movement between couch and mattress started. I'd move to the couch first, as the kiddo tends to wiggle, kick and steal the covers. It wouldn't be long (at least it seemed to me), before he'd join me on the narrow couch. His head at one end, and mine at the other. I'd last a hour or so, then I'd be back on the mattress, and we'd both stay put for the rest of the night. 

Saturday, we did some house work and yard work before heading to the park. There was a event there with games, a canteen, and a fire truck with a slip and slide for the kids. There were lots of kids, and several that Eli knew from school. 

Although, he doesn't appear to be that happy, Eli was excited to get to climb into the fire truck. Thumbs up!

He and one of his classmates had a wonderful time climbing the spider apparatus. It wasn't long ago, he was too afraid to climb it. Now he climbs to the very top. He doesn't, yet, climb over the top....something G'ma is quite happy about.

I didn't take a whole lot of photos on Saturday as I knew I'd be taking lots the following day. We spent a couple of hours at the park, before heading back to the house. Eli and I stayed outdoors, where he played in the water sprinkler, while I read a book. Then he decided to attach his sled to his tricycle to take his stuffies for a ride.

While we were playing outside, D had prepped dinner inside. Between the two of us, we barbecued chicken breast and hotdogs, she cooked some noodles for Eli, while I made a tossed salad for the two of us. Eli and I ate our meals outside while D enjoyed the peace and quiet indoors. 

Sunday, our boy woke up excited about his party. He managed to keep himself busy with his cartoons and video games, while D mowed the back lawn and made a trip to the store for a few last minutes items and I tackled weeds in her back flower bed. I cleared it out the last time I was there, but apparently the weeds didn't get the message. I also planted a couple of lilies in the bed out front (in the photo above). After a call from my brother, who was driving back from his Saturday, 9 hour, 53 kilometer run, I grabbed my book and spent some time reading. Soon enough it was time to pack up and head for the park.

Eli can't be seen in this photo - he is there beside the girl in the rainbow bathing suit (I can see his bathing suit between her and the red head in pink). D started the event off with games, but that didn't last long. Not only was it hot, but the kids were more excited about a mud puddle. Someone had dug a hole in front of the spider web apparatus, and the kids were taking water from the splash pad to make the mud puddle. There was much splashing and digging, and occasional tossing of mud...the latter usually brought a shout from a parent.

They did take a break to enjoy donuts and drinks, before the presents were opened and appreciated. Then it was off to play some more while the adults relaxed in the shade. 

J is the same age as Eli but nearly a foot taller. J was about to spray Eli with his super soaker, and then came over and sprayed D and I too. The temperature had reached 27C (80F) so it felt good!

By shortly after 4 p.m. everyone was heading home. I'd loaded the cars while D handed out treat bags to the invited party guests. (There were at least three kids who crashed the party and while she gave them donuts and drinks, she didn't have extra treat bags.) I took Eli home and unloaded my car while he chilled with his I-pad. D had run to grab us a bite to eat, and after helping her unload her car, we ate before I headed out for home.

It was a wonderful weekend, making great memories with Eli and his mom. I'm grateful for the time I get to spend with them, and know that it won't be long before our big boy won't want to hang with G'ma quite so much. For now, I'll enjoy every minute of it.

Black beans, a birthday, and birds

It was a relatively quiet week, if one doesn't consider the time I spent with my daughter and grandson. It is anything but quiet in their home. More on that later, but first a tale of a slightly different kind.

My younger brother found a recipe for black bean burgers a few weeks ago. He made up the full amount (which included two cans of black beans). He enjoyed them so much that he ate three burgers in one sitting. Apparently the following day was rather noisy. I decided they sounded good and knowing the potential outcome chose to make a half batch (three burgers in total). I've been wanting to have one meatless meal a week though my son is not vegetable friendly.

So Monday I made up the burgers and baked them for dinner that evening. While they looked, in my son's words, like something a dog had heaved up, they smelled very good. However, neither of us cared for them and neither of us ate the leftover burger. They were very dry and despite the spices tasted like dusty beans. Not good. What I will say, is the beans did their job, and I didn't leave the house until late morning on Tuesday. I've tossed the last burger the freezer, in case I'm feeling backed up in the future - though I think I'll only eat half of it at a time.

I did a few errands on Tuesday - one to the bank that turned out to be rather frustrating. When Eli was born, I set up an account for him and I've been putting away a little money every couple of months into the account for his future education or some other important purpose in his life. The bank has decided that these children's accounts are no longer profitable (my words, not theirs), so I've been advised that I must open another account by April 3, or the funds will be refunded to me.

Sounds pretty simple, right? Open a new account, transfer the funds and close the old one. Ha! First off, I could not open the account at the counter - I would need to speak to another representative. Back to the front reception, where I learned that in order to keep the account registered as Eli's account, I would need to bring him into the branch. I explained he is only 6 years old and lives out of the city. Didn't matter...okay, so can I close the account and set up one in my name only. Yes, I can do that - which means I can close the account when he isn't there but not open one unless he is. Of course, opening the new account means fees, unlike the old one. Then the conversation took an even more frustrating turn - could I open the account that day - no I had to make an appointment to meet with someone in the branch. Earliest appointment - 2 p.m. on March 16th!!! I accepted the appointment as I had no other choice, but I must admit there have been thoughts of finding another, more customer service driven institution. Is there such a thing anymore? I would note, I worked at this bank back in the 1980's and as a teller/customer service rep, I would have handled all of these tasks at my wicket in a short amount of time. 

Thankfully, I had made plans to meet with my friend C for a coffee that afternoon. She is continuing to struggle with her grief and needs the company. We did a dollar store run for fun, and then went for coffee and a donut. She's considering seeing a grief counsellor - which I think is a great idea, and will be starting a new full-time job on Monday. If nothing else, the work will keep her mind off things for a bit and make life seem a bit more normal. 

Travel day was Wednesday, but first up was stitch and chat. However, no one else showed up, so I headed out earlier than I had originally planned. I was there in time, for his mom and I to pick up Eli at school. There was some very exciting news: His birthday was announced over the intercom that morning. Although his birthday was Thursday, he didn't have school that day.

School days are tiring for him, so the evening was rather tame, dinner and some cartoons on the television. He, as always, chose to sleep with me and didn't even want any bed time stories. Instead he showed me some photos he had taken on his camera and then we tucked and went to sleep. When he woke the following morning, I asked him what day it was, and immediately he said,"my birthday!". 

His mom had been up much earlier and put his gifts on the couch for him. He opened one, a set of Nerf gun "sniper" rifles and was done for a bit. Later he opened the last couple gifts - including new swim trunks, Mario socks, and a couple of books from G'ma and Uncle C. He had a wonderful day, stayed in his pj's all day, watched cartoons and played his video games (recall my comment about the noise), enjoyed a dinner of his choice, and ended it all with a sparkler on a cupcake his mother baked. 

While he was doing his thing, his mom and I did some organizing and cleaning in the house. We also got her tax return completed and submitted. That made her very happy. Since I had my laptop, I was able to putter on it too, putting in some time on Ancestry and reading blogs. Bedtime came early that night, and I read Eli the books he'd received and again, he was out like a light. 

I got away shortly after lunch the following day, and spent the afternoon relaxing on my couch. I don't particularly sleep well with a wriggling child in the same bed. My daughter doesn't sleep well either, and if often up in the middle of the night and/or early in the morning, so my sleep is often disturbed. I watched the first draw of Brier curling in bed that evening, and was asleep soon after it was completed. 

Today, I've cleaned cat litter, fed the birds and started the laundry. The next curling draw starts at 1 p.m. so I think I'll settle in on the couch with some crocheting and watch a couple of PVR'ed television programs. I've pulled out a UFO (unfinished object) from a year or so ago, and will use some additional yarn I've bought from the thrift store to (perhaps) complete it. Eli's sweater needs a bit more finishing, but I've set that aside for now. I still need to buy a zipper to complete it, but I'm happy to say it is big on him so as long as it is ready by fall, all is good.

I'll leave you with a photo taken from out the front window this morning of two Hungarian partridges settled in by the everygreen. I'm seeing them in pairs now, not the gaggle of six or eight I'm accustomed to. Do I dare hope this is a sign of spring?

Vacation interrupted

 Just the posts, not the real vacation...time to update you on the current state of affairs here at my house.

The contractor finished most of his work last week on Thursday. They were in a big rush at the end of the day and I wasn't entirely impressed with the final push. One of the items we'd talked about was creating a hatch in the bulkhead to allow access to the furnace. This required some drywall repair, but instead, the contractor used some pieces of wood to frame out the unrepaired drywall. Frankly it looked awful.

He also convinced me to replace the baseboards and casings, and in their haste to get it all completed they had damaged the drywall in the basement bathroom. That wouldn't have been a big deal, except I don't have any original paint remaining. (I do have a full and part can of the paint I used for the rest of house.) Hence this means the entire room needs to be repainted. Since I said I'd do the painting, that means more work for me.

I talked to his employee on Monday when he came by to check in on the stairs and informed him that I was having some buyer's remorse about the new baseboards and casings. When I said I would paint, I assumed that meant everything would be finished to the point where I could pick up a paintbrush. Instead I now have to caulk, sand, and paint these items as well. He suggested I could hire them to do the finish but I said no thanks - I've reached my limit for spending on this project. I laughed when he suggested I could finish everything in a couple of days. I reminded him I am retired and I don't work full days anymore. 

Jason called later and agreed to make the repair in the bathroom and to remove the frame so that the drywall could be repaired properly. I needed some items from Home Depot so picked up the hatch that afternoon. Another item was a caulking gun and the caulk to start the process to get the baseboards and casings ready to paint. 

So this week, I've spent a few hours each morning painting and caulking. It took four coats of paint to cover the repairs to the stairwell but I'm finally happy with the way it looks. I've peeled off the tape they used to keep the boards from slipping, and cleaned up the edges.  I expect his employee will be here next week to finish applying the silicone to seal the steps.

The drywaller finished sanding on the drywall repairs so I did the first coat of primer Friday morning. I'll get that portion of painting done this weekend so that the contractor can complete the final step next week. Then I can take as much time as I need to finish the rest of the caulking and painting.

I spend last Friday and Saturday at my daughter's, helping with Eli's "friends" birthday party.  The children had a blast, as did the parents.  I was the official photographer and managed to get some great photos of most of the kids. Unfortunately I didn't realize two more had shown up late and since they weren't wearing their costumes I didn't get a photo of one of them. (Eli is the one in the center of the children with his back to his mom.) She's explaining a game of freeze tag to them where the soft blocks were used to touch someone. It was hilarious watching these and the other children pictured running around in their capes and masks.

Here's the birthday boy himself, with his Spiderman mask and sans cape. Instead of birthday cake, D bought chocolate dip doughnuts (Eli's favorite). They were hit with the kids and the parents too. The doughnuts were made by the local bakery and were huge, D had over-estimated the number she needed so the remainder were dropped off at the hospital at the end of the afternoon. 

I drove back on Sunday morning, and after dropping my bag at the house I headed out to the garden centers. This is the latest that I can recall, that I've ever bought my plants. They needed a few days to harden off, so I did some yard clean up in the afternoons and planted all but the tomatoes and peppers on Thursday afternoon. We had a frost advisory that night, so I brought them into the sunroom for the night. 

Thursday morning, I took a break from the painting/caulking in the basement, and did some grocery shopping. I also booked an appointment for my second booster for Friday afternoon. As for the planting, I've got 15 containers of flowers this year, and 8 of vegetables including three with potatoes. This will be my first try with the spuds - if it works, it won't be much of a crop but I'm hopeful I'll have enough for a few meals. On the pretty side of things, I've gone with a yellow and white theme this year, sticking with tried and true plants - geraniums, impatience, million bells, marigolds, and petunias. I did buy a 6 pack of variegated coleus, that I hope I can overwinter. The two ivies I kept over winter were added to the deck containers. I'll try to keep these as well.

Today, I'm back in the basement for a few hours. I'll get a coat of paint on the bulkhead, as well as one of the walls, and if I'm ambitious I'll start priming the walls in the new room. (I should note, other than a slightly sore arm, I've had no reaction to the booster - I count myself fortunate!)

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Celebrating the good times

 Guess who turned four this week?  It sure wasn't me! Yes, my darling grandson Eli celebrated his big boy birthday.

I drove out the day of his birthday and surprised him when his mom and I went to the school to pick him up.  He had a really big food day: French toast for breakfast, lunch from Dairy Queen, and later pasta and vegetables for supper followed by his birthday cake.

The cake is special, not only because he helped mix it up, but because it is a recipe of my mother's.  She called it a 1-2-3-4 cake, thus very fitting for this birthday.  Of course, I halved it because the recipe was too much...but he doesn't know that!

I spent the night and had company, as both cats Sheldon and Stanley decided the single bed was the place to be.  I didn't sleep particularly well, it wasn't the cats though, it was the sound of the trains from the nearby train yard.  Even so, neither Eli nor I were awake until nearly 6 a.m. After a few more cuddles and reading the book I gave him one more time, I headed home as I had an appointment later in the morning.

It was time for annual mammogram...and that's all I'll say about that. After my visit to the clinic I treated myself to a trip to the nearby dollar store.  I did come home with a couple of items, nothing exciting.  

I did finish a couple of crafts this past weekend.  First up this little bird house.  It was from a run to a dollar store a few weeks ago, and meant for a child to paint...since my abilities in this realm are child-like I figured it would work for me.  Rather than paint it, I used acrylic paint as a stain.  The roof is corrugated cardboard that I painted using three colors to try to make it look a bit like a metal roof.  (Though it's difficult to see in this photo I even found a wee bird that fits on the little roost.)

The other finish is the knitted blanket that I worked on during the Scotties last week.  I finished sewing in the ends and got it washed up. I like the look of it as it almost looks like corduroy.

I now have four baby blankets listed on our local Buy and Sell Varage sale.  I'm hopeful that someone will take an interest and noted this morning I have a watcher on each of them.  If they don't see in a couple of weeks, I'll probably try Facebook Marketplace.  At least for now, craft sales won't be happening for a while longer yet.  We did get good news this week, with the AstraZeneca vaccine now approved in Canada, but not for those 65 and over, our province is planning to provide them to those age 60-64 beginning March 22.  Fingers crossed that I'll get an appointment in April.

On Friday, I did my grocery shopping, going early in the morning to avoid crowds.  The Co-op had a good sale on meat - I got a small beef roast, stewing beef, ground pork and two packages of sausages.  Prices have really creeped up here over the last year!  I guess it is simple economics, more people are staying home and cooking meals so demand is likely increasing more quickly than the supply pushing prices higher.

On Friday evening, the men's Brier curling even started.  Like the women's, there are 18 teams in the event, including three wild cards.  Unlike the women's the three wild card teams are from three different provinces. I have absolutely no prediction as to who might win the event, the caliber of the teams is that good.  Well, most of them anyway - for the northern teams their winning percentage is generally lower as there are fewer teams and fewer events to play in.  Of course, I'll be cheering for our Saskatchewan team, who placed third last year.  I do know it will be a good week of curling!

Finally, a recent visitor to the birdfeeder.  The birds are still showing up each day but with warmer weather they aren't eating as much.  I don't know if you can see in this photo but the trees have wee buds on them. Spring is only a few weeks away...at least on the calendar. :)

Take care everyone 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.

Time after time

 I'm doing one of those shake of the heads things again today.  It's Thursday as I start this and it was just Saturday a minute ago.  I know I'm on the down slope of life, but seriously I can't believe how quickly time is passing by.  

On a happier note, we had a nice visit with D and Eli on Sunday, and Monday morning.  The three of us went out walking both days as the weather was perfect.  Eli loves to see the geese and the ducks on the pond though was a bit confused when I told there were no babies now.  He made me laugh, at one point D and I were going back and forth as to whether a bit of white on the pond was snow or a piece of plastic when Eli turned to us and said, "that's enough you two".  

On the way home each day we stopped at the nearby park.  On Monday, the workers were busy replacing the wooden retaining walls with concrete blocks.  Eli didn't mind that he couldn't play on the equipment.  Instead, he ran around on the small hill, eventually rolling down it when it was time to leave.  I didn't get a video of the roll but here's one of the little guy doing what he does best on the top of the hill, running, spinning and chattering to himself.

Oh, and earlier at the house I wanted to try the new mittens I'd made on him, and I mentioned to D that I hadn't yet made the idiot string.  Eli turns to me and says, "I'm not an idiot."  No baby, you sure aren't!  It amazes me that he has an understanding of what idiot means and knows darn well it doesn't apply to him. 

While they were here, D and I made a run to Costco to pick up a few things, while Eli hung out with Uncle C.  Those two enjoy each other's company so much.  At one point, C had a Baby Shark Halloween cartoon playing on his computer and the two were cuddled in the chair watching it.  Eli also helped me make C's birthday cake (a box of browning mix), and after it was iced, we put enough sprinkles on it that it was difficult to cut!  Eli helped sing Happy Birthday too and while birthdays are not a big deal to C, I'm sure he enjoyed it.

On Tuesday, after doing some tidying, my walk, and some knitting I settled in to watch the results as they came in on the U.S. elections.  I actually stayed awake until 2:30 a.m. before I finally said enough. There was obviously not going to be winner that evening, despite Trump's assertion that he'd won.  Yes, I know I'm Canadian and have no real stake in the results, but there are consequences for our country as well regardless of who is elected.  And who would have thought that four days later there will still be no called decision. 

I thought I'd be ready for a nap mid-day on Wednesday but I didn't.  No walk was taken, but I got a few things done around the house and caught up on some PVR'ed television programs while knitting or stitching.  I was excited when my early Christmas present to me showed up!

I've been wanting a rug for the living room for a long time but had never found anything I liked.  On one of the home renovations shows I watched, I spotted one I thought would work, and although I found it through the marvels of the interweb, the cost was prohibitive.  But after scrolling several options I found this one and I love it! The rug is a low pile, but so soft and nice on the feet.  There is no insulation in the basement ceiling in this portion of house so the floor often feels cold in winter.  I rarely wear socks in the house so the rug is a welcome addition.

The mess on the side table to the left of the couch are the three projects I'm working on and in front of the chair is my little table that I pull out to put the laptop.  The latter gets put away behind my chair when it isn't needed.  Saku is loving the ottoman beside the chair and has spent hours napping there...which he didn't do before. Although he's difficult to make out, Sasha is sleeping in his spot on the right hand side of the couch.

I walked again on Thursday, no photos this time, and enjoyed the sun and warmth.  I know it isn't going to last and Friday was definitely cooler. I did get my walk in by walking inside the house, and spent a good part of the day working on my projects watching curling!  Between Facebook Live and You-tube I managed to catch 3 games.  I did a bit of knitting, a bit of cross-stitching and some crocheting. Perhaps it is time to focus on one and get it done. 

Today it is colder still and to be honest I'm hoping it gets even colder.  We are forecast for freezing rain on Sunday before the snow starts falling later in the day.  That will leave a layer of ice on our roads and sidewalks that won't disappear until spring unless we get some mild weather over the next few weeks.  The main roads will be taken care of by the city but our residential areas rarely, if ever, see a snow plow.  Even the year we had over a foot of snow pack on the street - during the spring melt the ruts were deeper than my rubber boots, it took several calls to the city to convince them to come out and clear it.  

I've no big plans for today, just more of the same - a bit of housework, watching curling, working on projects, and walking in between.  It's still a wonder how time goes by so quickly when I'm in such a slug mode.

On that note, I'll leave you with a photo of last night's sunset out at the farm that my brother R sent me.

Take care everyone, stay well and have a great week!

Happy Birthday Dad

Today would have been Dad's 110th birthday.  He always said he wanted to live to 120 but that wasn't to be. The photo was taken on his 97th birthday, surrounded by friends he was a little embarrassed to be the center of attention but I know he enjoyed himself. 

His 98th birthday was much quieter, with my cousins Marie and Morley there to celebrate the day.  My brother, niece, nephew, and I had visited the week prior.  It was less than 4 weeks later when he passed away.

Sometime around the year 2000, Dad wrote out his family history for the McCord history book.  I thought I would share a bit of that with you today. I've made a few edits but this is much as my Dad had written:

My parents were married Mar 1, 1899 and lived in Quebec until 1904, when a large number of people were moving west, and they decided to move too. 

They settled on a farm at Mortlach, Saskatchewan, farming there until 1911, when they decided to move further south to were McCord is now. I was only a baby, but was told that they moved on a rock wagon, covered with a canvas.  It was about one hundred miles, so must have taken 4 or 5 days.

Dad acquired three quarters of land (480 acres).  They settled on the east quarter and built a house where we lived until 1914.  A new house was built on higher land about 1/2 mile of the other one.  A barn, 60 feet square was also built.

Dad bought a small ranch about 1917, 24 miles south east of our farm.  We had about 100 head of cattle at that time so needed more pasture for the summer. We really enjoyed the ranch with its hills and trees, riding horses and herding cattle. 

Dad died in the spring of 1925 just after his 54th birthday.  Mother was on a visit to Ontario and Quebec to see her parents and other relatives at the time, so it was quite a shock to her.  I was fourteen years old then, so finished Grade 8 in school, and then stayed home to help farm.

We sold the ranch in 1929, the year the drought started.  The next two years were worse still and we had nothing to harvest in 1931. I can still remember the dust storms that lasted sometimes for three days.  It would calm down at night, and start again in the morning.The dust came in through the windows and doors, and settled on everything.

When you got up in the morning, you could see the spot on the pillow where your head had been.  The table was set with plates upside down, until you were ready to eat.

In 1931, my sister Rita's husband Tom, my brother Wilf, and several other men, drove north to Nipawin.  Except for Tom, the others filed homesteads north east of the town of White Fox.  We left McCord on August 23, 1931, my 21st birthday. The government of Saskatchewan allotted each family two rail box-cars, one for livestock, one for machinery and furniture. We had to bring feed for the horses and cattle, as it took two days to make the trip. Four of us road with the freight train to feed and water the livestock.  

When we arrived in Nipawin the next evening, our families were there to meet us and had found places to live. Two families including ours lived in a two bedroom house for the winter. (That house still stood until sometime in the 1990's when it burned - it was small!) We built a house in Nipawin, and we (Wilf, Bob, and I) found work anywhere we could, hauling wood, working at sawmills, etc.

Wilf and I rented three quarters of land in 1935 and he farmed with me until he joined the army.  Both Wilf and Bob served, until 1945 when they ended up in a hospital in Regina together. Bob had contracted tuberculosis and Wilf had been struck by one of their own trucks, suffering a broken leg and collar bone. (Letters between the two brothers caught up to them in the hospital, neither knowing the other was there). Wilf farmed with me for a couple of years, before moving to B.C. Bob purchased a quarter of land and we farmed together until he retired.

My sister Mae, and Mother lived together in a house on land I rented, until Mother's death in 1968.  

I married Betty in November, 1954 and raised our four children on a quarter section of land that I had purchased. (Although he doesn't mention it, Dad farmed the three quarters for 49 years. He and mom were kept busy with farming, gardening, and running us to our various activities. Dad coached hockey in the winter, and Mom spent time as a cook at the camp we attended in the summer.  They both curled in the winter too, and Dad even made the ice at the local rink for several years.) Betty and I moved off the farm, into Nipawin in 1990.  I started doing volunteer work, and am still able to curl in the winter with the seniors.

Dad had a brain bleed in December, 2003 and just two weeks later Mom passed away due to cancer.  Dad had his first stroke in January, 2004 but was able to stay in their home with the assistance of home care until August of 2006.  He had a bad fall, injuring his arm, with a resulting infection that caused his mental abilities to be impaired.  As result he was moved to a nursing home in another town, but within a few weeks he was transferred back to Nipawin, where he spent the rest of his life.  After the infection had cleared, he was angry with me but we all felt, had he stayed at home, the next fall might have been deadly.  Just six months after his move to the home, he did fall, and was in a wheelchair permanently.

He did eventually come to enjoy his time in the home, greeting his guests and the staff with a big grin.  My brothers R, M, and I were able to be with him on the day before he passed.  R and I stayed the night, and Dad passed away quietly just before dawn. I had been sleeping in a chair beside his bed and something woke me.  I like to think it was Dad's spirit letting me know he was ready to go.  I had reached out, placing my hand on his chest, and felt those last few heart beats.  

Dad was my hero, my champion, and a steadfast supporter.  He was a simple man, who cared deeply for his family and friends, never needing or wanting much, and always content whatever life's circumstances.  And what a life he lived!

A week in review

I'm exhausted! It has been a busy week and my mind and body are feeling it. I've decided today will be a pyjama (pajama) day - and other than feed birds and my son and I, that's about all I have planned.

This is how the week played out:

On Monday I ran out and picked up some bird seed and a few groceries for the week.  At home I did some additional patching and sanding in the bedroom and two bathrooms (I wasn't satisfied with the work I'd done last spring in the bathrooms). I also got the new printer set up and printed off my insurance documents for the cruise/flights.  

Tuesday, after cleaning the bedroom, first sweeping up the drywall dust, then vacuuming and washing the floor, I headed over to Home Depot to pick up my paint.  I also checked out the carpet area to see if they have any deals as I'd like to replace the carpet in my bedroom and I have a letter that would permit the cost to be paid off over 18 months, interest free.  Sadly, no specials so that will have to wait.  

Back at home, I wiped down the walls to get rid of any remaining dust, and then it was finally time to start painting.  I spent a good deal of time, cutting in around the ceiling, window, and baseboard edges. I am determined to be precise...no spills or splotches allowed!  I moved on to the bathrooms and went through the same cleaning process before painting a portion of the walls.  I still had a partial can of paint that simply needed to be stirred thoroughly.  I'm thinking I may use that paint in my master bedroom and paint the one wall at the head of the bed as a contrast as it is slightly darker than the new paint I'm using.  

On Wednesday morning, I was painting by 7:30 in the morning!  The cats were fed, coffee made, and I was ready to get moving.  I finished painting the room in a couple of hours, including touch ups.  I sure love how quickly the paint dries!  After cleaning up my paint brush and rollers, I had a quick shower before breakfast.  I put the covers back on the outlets, took the tape off the window frame, and threw my painting clothes into the washing machine. 

This is not a great photo but the one on the left is the original color of the walls throughout the house.  The one the right is, of course, the new color.  I had turned on the overhead light in both rooms and the light from the windows does affect the way it looks but I think you can see the difference.

Here is another photo of the one corner of the room.  I'm happy with the work I did to clean up the damage from the chair rail and wall paper.  The interior needs to be painted yet, but I'll hold off on that until the rooms have been painted. I'm planning to contact a couple of local painting businesses for quotes to do the painting of the living room, kitchen, front foyer and stairwell.  Since I have vaulted ceiling in the main room, I simply cannot reach the top of the wall and don't have the equipment needed to get me up there.  I have a call into a local company to get a quote next week.

I needed a break by Wednesday afternoon, so I headed off to the stitch and chat at the library. There were just two of us there so it was quiet couple of hours.  I did learn something though, that I can use in my counted cross stitch projects.  S explained she always photocopies her pattern and colors it in as she goes. This way she always knows where is in the pattern and doesn't have to waste time counting lines and squares...which I tend to spend a lot of time doing.  For 20 cents I was able to make a copy right at the library.  

Thursday morning, my body was aching from the up and down the step ladder, squatting, and other movements I don't do as often as I should.  No painting was done, but I did spend most of the morning cleaning up the first bedroom and prepping the second bedroom for painting.  I got down on my hands and knees to scrub the floor - I was so proud of myself for not getting paint on the floor - but I was just fooling myself.  Even with the plastic down I still managed to drip a bit.  Thankfully it's easy to clean up with soap and water.

The roofing guy came by to look at the roof that afternoon and prepared a quote.  It's a bit above what I was hoping for, but since it is reasonable I'm going ahead with it.  I learned that the shingles are the original, so have been on the house for nearly 32 years.  It's definitely time.  The whirly birds and roof vents, as well as stack flashing need to be replaced as well.  

After he left, I was off to my daughter's for a couple of days.  Eli turned three on March 2, and she booked the indoor playground for his birthday party on March 14.  As it turns out it is the last event to be held there as the venue will be closed for the next couple of weeks due to the coronavirus.  Sad, but necessary I think.

We did go to the park on Friday morning, and then to the furniture store in the afternoon.  G'ma's gift to Eli (and herself) was a big boy bed.  He still prefers to sleep with his mom and will need some encouragement to transition to his own room.  In the meantime, when I visit I get to use it, instead of the old couch downstairs.  Win-win!

The party was wonderful, lots of noisy, excited children.  There were a multitude of toys and equipment to play with, snacks to eat, pictures to color, a birthday cake to share, and moments of laughter and tears.  Here a couple of photos from the event.

 We were early to the park to set up so Eli had the equipment to himself.  He's climbing through one of the tunnels to use the slide.  Happy boy!

Blowing out the candle on his piece of cake.  D thought of this, rather than having him (potentially) spit on the entire cake, she'd keep his germs to the one piece.  

After everyone left and we finishing cleaning up, I went back to the house to help D unload her car.  Then I headed the car towards home.  It was a good two days, but I was sure ready for the quiet of my own home and a good night's sleep in my own bed.

That pretty much wraps up the week.  It's been busy and productive and I'm ready for a day off.  Have a good week ahead everyone, and stay well!

Welcome March

Despite the change to the calendar, March hasn't yet been any kinder to us than February was.  It's cold, yet again -31C this morning, and that is before the wind is factored in.

Yesterday morning was much warmer, thankfully, as snow had fallen overnight.  I was out early clearing the driveway.  Glad I did as the temperature began dropping throughout the day.

There is some relief in the forecast, but it will be several weeks yet before spring truly arrives here.  In the meantime, I'm looking forward to my next getaway in mid-March.  

It's been a busy week, as I drove C to and from work Tuesday through Thursday.  We had cleared out the Cobalt on Monday, and he got the news on Friday we were expecting, the car has been written off.  Tuesday, after work, we headed to a car dealership to test drive a Toyota Corolla.  The test drive went well, so after a bit of discussion on tires and block heaters, we met with the finance guy and completed the paperwork for a car loan.  C got the word on Thursday the loan had been approved, and I drove him to the dealership after work to finalize the purchase.  He is now the proud owner (or partial owner since the bank still owns most of it), a 2017 Toyota Corolla.  I drive an older model, a 2007 that I purchased from the same dealership back in 2010.  It's been a very reliable vehicle, so I'm hopeful C's will prove to be the same.  

Meanwhile at home I kept busy with my chores, my projects, and bit more packing.  I've nearly finished the baby blanket, just ends to be woven in, complete the edging, and block it.  I'll tuck it away for the next baby as I have no one in particular in mind...I just had the yarn.

Next up, I want to crochet a cat bed.  I found several free patterns on the internet and I bought the yarn at least two years ago with good intentions!  It's quite thick yarn so it should work up quickly.

On Friday, I met a friend for lunch.  We met nearly 42 years ago, and have kept in touch throughout the years, generally through Christmas cards and more recently, through Facebook.  I think the last time we actually saw one another was likely 15-20 years ago.  It was great catching up with her!

Later in the evening, there were just two of us for the Friday night dinner as four of the group are currently in sunny Jamaica.  We had a good visit, with a wide range of topics, before I headed home to watch the wildcard game of the Brier.  Yes, there's more curling!!

Today is a big day for this little guy.  Eli turns two today.  I had thought I might drive out for a visit but with the cold weather, decided against it.  I called this morning for a video chat just before 7.  He immediately grabbed the phone from his mom and took me up to his playroom.  While D and I chatted he showed off his mini-trampoline skills.  Then he headed back downstairs. Thankfully, his mom had the phone because he likes to slide down on his belly...it's a race to the bottom.

Next up I was introduced to his new toys, a talking Elmo, a talking Chase (this was my contribution) and a talking Octopus.  I confirmed with D that none of these toys were coming to G'ma's house.  :)

I snagged this photo off D's Facebook account.  He's watching his favorite program Paw Patrol, while enjoying his juice.  D said he's had his breakfast, a bowl of cereal and she's mixed up a batch of cinnamon buns as a special treat.  I'm sure he'll have a wonderful day, and I'll see him when they are here in mid-March.  We'll celebrate his birthday then too, though I'm sure he has no real clue what it is all about!

Have a great weekend everyone!  I'll be hibernating, watching curling, and working on my projects.  Sounds good to me.