Road Trip

We're experiencing August weather; that means warm days and cool nights. No frost in the forecast yet, which is good because so much of the garden hasn't reached maturity yet. The photo on Wednesday was the first tomato to be almost ripe - enough I couldn't keep from picking it! The pop can easily just there for scale...no secret meaning at all.

I'm posting this on Thursday because I'm heading to Alberta to visit a friend for the weekend. S had rotator cuff surgery in early July, and until recently she's been in a lot of pain. But she called on the weekend, saying she's bored and asked if I'd consider making a visit. Apparently, she's been spending her time putting together jigsaw puzzles one handed. She's now sleeping better and she's planning to go back to work in the next few weeks. This is my friend S, who "retired" a year after I did, but has been working on contract ever since. In any event, it is an 8 hour drive one way, so I'm leaving early today and will return home on Sunday.

This week, I did my shift at the thrift store on Monday. I was part of the cleaning crew, while others worked the sorting area. When I checked the donation bin on the way in, it was half full, and when we reached the outer doors of the thrift store we found more piles. AND when I left a van was pulled up and a couple were filling the bin again. We certainly never run out of new items for sale. I, being a good girl this week, came home with nothing. :)

Tuesday, D and Eli had a full day in NTO. He went to morning program, then to the splash pad with his afternoon group. After time for a quick snack, he had a session with his therapist. She was amazed at how he is reading - apparently he wanted her to see his progress. Meanwhile I used the time to be productive in the house; sweeping and vacuuming floors, mopping floors, cleaning the bathroom, and tidying my bedroom. Outside, I pulled the peas as they were drying off at the bottom, and planted the spirea bush. In the evening, I watered the garden and did some dead-heading.

I also worked on the Christmas ornaments for the important people at Eli's school; principal, teachers, EAs, and school counselor s. That's eight ib total.

It's hard to believe that the summer has flown by and Eli will be back in school in two weeks. I know school returns in August in some locations but here in Saskatchewan the return to school happens after the Labour Day weekend. Eli will be in Grade 4! Like so many kids, he's grown over the summer including his feet. Good thing his mom is prepared and has shoes for the next two sizes. She buys them on sale and tucks them away knowing they will be needed. No last minute back to school shopping required. 

Wednesday was pretty quiet. I made sure things were well watered, dead-headed, and got rid of a few more weeds. Indoors, I got my bag ready to go for my trip. In the evening I went to the library for Knit and Natter. I was joined by a woman who lives an hour away. That's seems a lot...though she said she'd come to town to shop and decided to stay for the group.

I should be on the road shortly after this publishes. I plan to stop about halfway for a break. D and Eli will be off to NTO for his morning program and then back home. He was invited to join the group from Tuesday afternoon at the swimming pool here in town. Another busy day for the two of them.

The only photos I've taken this week besides the tomato are these two: the removal of the wall next to the furnace and the after photo. The latter was taken after we'd set up the shelving and D had moved a lot of Eli's toys from the other areas in the basement.  Yes, he has a lot of toys!

Sorry for the different fonts. I'm using my phone and I can't figure out how to highlight and change it. So I'd have to retype it...and I'm too lazy to do that. :)

I expect I'll post again on Monday when I've returned from my road trip. Have a great weekend everyone!

As the garden grows

The week I spent at my son's flew by; yard work, visiting with friends and family, and some thrift shopping filled the majority of the days. I also finished knitting a scarf and started a Christmas ornament for my brother's family - tbd when I'm finished making a few of them.

Monday, I was able to spend time with my friends K and L. K and I worked together for many years, and she is responsible for my love of ocean cruising. L was K's friend and travel agent and has become a friend to me as well. We met at a cafe where we sat and visited and caught up on each other's lives. It was wonderful to see them both!

Back at the house I finished a project I'd started on Sunday. The back patio had weeds growing around the blocks. I used a scraper to cut them back, and then pulled or dug out (with a knife) as much of the roots as possible. Since B doesn't want chemicals used in the yard, I sprayed a vinegar/water mixture. It's best done when it is hot because the remainder of the plants take in the moisture and it helps to kill off the roots. 

That only took a half hour or so, and I had plans to go shopping with my son. He needs to get a new front door - the fancy hardware had a small wee piece in it break and it cannot be replaced. And the door won't accept any other type of hardware....so new door it is. We went to local business that sells windows and doors, that I'd used on my previous house to replace windows. We left with a book of options, a business card, and a good idea of the cost. C will need to forward a picture of the current door, their decision on which door to replace it with and then the salesperson will provide a quote. He gave us a rough estimate and in my mind it is very reasonable. 

Next up was Canadian Tire, where we looked at barbecues and picked up hardware for the new doors. (Yes, there is an interior that needs to be replaced too.) We stopped at Rona, where we talked to a clerk to arrange for a call from their installation team. The door from the kitchen to the basement will be replaced to include a cat door to allow B's cats access to the main floor. The cats have acclimated to Sage, the granddog, and while Sage isn't permitted in their space, they are allowed upstairs most of the time.

While we were there we looked at barbecues and then wandered over to the lawn mowers. Even before I had my accident with the cord, C had mentioned he wanted to purchase a battery operated mower. After some hemming and hawing...he chose a mower and we loaded it into the back of the SUV. It is now in the garage, and needs to be put together. As he is a bit of a procrastinator I won't be surprised if it takes a few weeks before it is put together and in use. In the meantime the old mower is available along with the new power cord.

On Tuesday, I headed out to the farm to visit with my brother. The photo from Wednesday was taken from the near top of the hill heading down into the Qu'Appelle Valley. At this time of year, the grass and foliage is often drying up but with lots of rain everything is still very lush and green. However, the smoke from the forest fires was hanging in the air. The hill I drove down is just a few miles from the actual farm. There I was welcomed by the next door neighbour's dog, Wally. She's big girl and likes to chase cars, but is absolutely a sweetheart. Unfortunately, her owner isn't around a lot so she spends much of her time at my brother's place. R alo has a dog, Kola - a German Shepherd and was taking of his son's two dogs, Rider Whistler too. Quite the greeting party! R and I took our tea out to the front veranda, and the two youngest cats, Skodi (Scotty), and Moufette came to visit. I gave him the gears as the bushes in front of the veranda are so tall now the view of the valley is minute. They live in a fieldstone house that was built about 1906, I believe. Here's a photo of the house from the road. The haze in the air is smoke from the forest fires in Northern Saskatchewan.

Back in the city, I did a bit of housework and started packing for the trip back home. I got away from the city by 8 a.m. on Wednesday. I had intended to stay and mow the back yard one more time, but both C and B came home feeling punky the day prior, and I decided to forgo another chore to avoid whatever they had brought home.

D helped me unload the car and then I got to unpacking before dealing with dishes, sweeping floors, and straightening up the kitchen when the two of then headed off to the Library program. Hmm, I left one chore behind to come home to many more. That evening I went to Knit and Natter at the library, though again I was the only participant. It was quiet and J, one of the librarians sat and visited with me.

Thursday, D and Eli left for NTO for his morning program. I was in the midst of some housework when D called to say she had forgotten Eli's backpack. I offered to drive it in, but she decided to make the drive instead. We decided I'd go with her to NTO, as I needed to pick up a few groceries - and we made a quick trip to Value Village as well. I was well behaved and only purchased two clothing items. While they went to the Library program in the afternoon, I went through my drawers and closet pulling items that I no longer wear; some went to the bin, others will be donated to the thrift stores.

In the evening I went along to Eli's swimming lesson. He loves to dive to pick up a ring tossed by the instructor.

He can tread water very well, and is learning the flutter kick, front and back crawl. 

Garden update: I've been watering in the evenings, as the heat has continued and will do so for several days now. I do need to get out there and weed the garden, but that hasn't happened just yet. On Friday, I picked the first peas - unlike last year, I'm going to get more than one picking. Exciting news! I found a cucumber hiding in the foliage, and there are more coming on. The tomatoes are getting large, though something got to the largest one. It is nearly baseball sized, so a bit disappointing but there so many more to come.

I did learn something from the J (librarian). She grows peppers in containers, as they like the heat but they also like wet feet. Her peppers are nearly store sized, while mine dropped their flowers and are stunted. We've been eating fresh lettuce from the garden too. The potatoes have been putting out seed pods, which we've been removing from the plants. They are toxic to both humans and animals so they go straight to the bin. In addition, the corn is catching up in height and should soon tower over the corn. As you may remember I planted the seeds and seedlings closer than recommended. I wasn't certain how this might impact the outcome, and so far I'm more than pleased.

Today, we're off to check out a few garage sales around town. I'll spend a bit of time early in the morning, out tackling some of the weeds. With a forecasted temperature of 33C/91F the remainder of the day will be spent indoors.

Have a great week ahead everyone! Stay cool.

The heat is on!

The past weekend was stupid hot (for us at least), so while I did go out and water, the rest of the day(s) were spent indoors. Thankfully, the mini heat wave ended overnight and Monday morning was perfect. I got outdoors and finished weeding the rock areas. I also got the rest of the plants in the ground. The patio lilies were split in three and planted in the new perennial bed. That bed still has lots of weeds, but I'll work on it later and add some mulch. 

The lilac bush took some digging. I'm putting it up in the "ugly" area that was xeriscaped, so that meant I needed to remove a portion of the rocks, cut back the weed barrier (which as you know is pretty much useless after a few years), and dig a hole for the bush. It is a bit of a shaded area, so likely will be a little stunted, but at some point the neighbour's tree will come down. 

I had planned to plant the raspberry bushes behind the garden shed, but there is a pile of crusher dust that needs to be moved around onto the parking area (also gravel/weeds), so temporarily they have been planted beyond the garden fence next to the compost bin. They are small enough now, that I can move them again at some point in time. Like the lilac, this required removing rock and weed barrier cloth before digging the holes. I did discover that the soil back there has a lot of sand in it, so added some of the lovely compost the add some nutrients. If memory serves, the raspberries on our farm when I was young didn't seem to mind poor soil conditions. We'll see how it goes.

The garden grew by leaps and bounds with the heat, with the exception of the green peppers. I've already made a note to plant these in containers next year. The radishes bolted, so I pulled those, but the lettuce is now ready for picking. The corn is catching up to the potatoes which are blooming like mad, the peas have pods, and the tomatoes are putting out fruit. Lots of flowers but no cucumbers yet, hopefully they aren't all male flowers. We've harvested cilantro and basil and the oregano is ready too. 

The gerbera daisy, a plant I've never had much luck with is doing beautifully. It has four flowers on it and more buds. I've got a sunflower too, that is budding again, and the roses which we cut back last fall have decided they are very happy. You'll have to use your imagination but the perfume from them is lovely.

Tuesday D and Eli were off to NTO early, and I did a bit of puttering in the yard before heading to the thrift store. This week, I spent time in both the store and the sorting area. We actually got through everything that had been dropped off since the past Thursday. Woohoo! The store wasn't as busy as it had been the past Tuesday, which apparently was a stellar day with over $700 in sales. Knowing that most items average $2, that's a lot of items that left the store. D had asked me to keep an eye out for clothing for her friend S's daughters. I was able to fill two resusable grocery bags with jeans, legging, tees, a couple dresses, a hoodie and a rain jacket for them for just $15. Everything was a size up from their current sizing, so should help outfit them for the next year.

Back at home, I packed for my week away at my son's in the city. I didn't need to take a lot as I have clothing there, but wanted a couple of things to work on (knitting/cross stitch), a book, and my laptop. I knew I'd have lots of other things to do but wanted options. I left home shortly after 8 a.m. and arrived in Regina about 10, after encountering some construction on the secondary highway. The construction crews are creating passing lanes to improve safety. 

My first stop was Costco, where I picked up a life vest for Eli, some groceries and a Ninja Flip combination toaster oven and air fryer. It was a good price (better than Amazon!), and will allow us to free up some counter space in the kitchen as both those appliances take up a fair amount of room and are used frequently. Then it was off to Michaels to get some stitching thread. I've decided this year to make cross-stitch ornaments for family members, rather than crocheting. We'll see how far I get with that!

At the house I dropped off a few groceries, had a chat with B (who was working from home), and checked the fridge. I was surprised and pleased to see she had gotten some items that I enjoy eating (whole wheat bread rather than white, yogurt, and some extra veg). I did run out again though to pick up some Deep Woods Off and a couple of packages of deli meat. C arrived home about 4:30 p.m. and we sat and had a good chat. 

Thursday morning, I tackled the job I had planned to do while I was here. If you recall, just over a year ago, I planted the back yard with a mixture of grass seed and clover. My son, who I love dearly, is not a outdoor person, and failed to get back there to mow last year and this year. As a result, it is jungle back there...with tall weeds and loads of clover. There are places where the grass is doing well, and has gone to seed. This is the before, the second photo is after a couple of hours pulling and digging weeds and using the mower. 

Friday dawned quite warm with the temperature expected to reach 30C/86F, so I needed to be out early to get as much done as I could. I was in the backyard by 8:30 a.m. and within minutes my progress came to a halt. I'm using an old electric mower that I bought about 15 years ago or so...and I accidently ran over the cord. Shoot! Off I went to get a new cord, and since I was out to pick up a few groceries I needed for dinner that evening, and some cat litter B asked me to pick up. I was back at the house by 9:15 a.m. and within 90 minutes and a lot of hard work, I had the rest of it cleared. I've informed my son that he needs to mow regularly, and spend a bit of time EVERY day to keep the weeds at bay. 

Today, I'm taking a break, and probably Sunday too. The temperatures are rising again, it reached 28C/83F on Friday, and we're expecting temperatures of at least 30C/84F both Saturday and Sunday. I've pulled some yarn from my stash under the stairs and am working on a blanket in the cool of the a/c. I've a book to read if I need a break.

I do have plans for today, as friends I met in Yuma live less than an hour away and I've been invited to lunch. Another friend in the same community works at the Farmer's Market selling her baking on Saturdays, so my plan is to leave mid-morning and hopefully catch up with her. It's been awhile since I've chatted with her, and I know very well that I'll find something sweet for dessert. K and I worked together years ago, at a financial institution and though we don't see each other often we keep track of one another through Facebook.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

A trip to the city, more rain, and the continuing saga

After Eli went to school on Monday morning, D and I did a bit of packing for a short trip to the city. A small suitcase for clothing and toiletries, a backpack for swim gear for the three of us, a cooler for a Costco run, and D's bag for meds, electronics, and other sundry items. We were only there overnight. 

I went out to load the car while they went to equine therapy that afternoon, as well as to clear out any garbage and vacuum up the floors and the back seat. When they returned we stopped for Eli's supper at Tim Horton's (he loves their grilled cheese and bacon sandwich) and a cold drink for me. The trip is about an hour and half and we were in Regina by about six, stopping at a Burger King for D and I, before heading to the hotel. 

After dinner we went to the pool - I enjoyed the hot tub! D sat with me for a bit, and then went to keep an eye on Eli who was using the water slide. We later made a run up to my son's for a visit. Sage (the pup) was thrilled to see us, and after a bit of jumping and occasional bark, settled down. Eli and his uncle had quite the conversation, while Kota (one of the cats) cuddled up next to the kid. D and C's g/f visited on the front deck. 

Back at the hotel we all stayed up until 12:30 a.m. when Eli and I went to sleep. D said she did not sleep at all, and we were all up at 4:30 a.m. Eli's EEG was scheduled for 10 a.m. and they wanted him tired. D was given instructions that he should have no more than 4 hours of sleep. We were all tired, but he seemed to be less so than the two of us. After showers and baths, I took down our bags to the car and found that the breakfast room was set up so we headed down for a leisurely meal. We still had some time before we needed to be at the hospital, so wandered over to Dollarama and Walmart.

I dropped the two of them at 9:15 a.m. which turned out to be fortuitous, Based on the letter D recevied, the directions had them finding that the admitting desk at that area of the hospital was closed due to staffing shortgages. By the time they made their way to the main doors and back to this building, they didn't have a very long wait. Unfortunately Eli wasn't able to fall asleep during the test and we won't know until the pediatric neurologist looks at the film whether the test was successful or not in determining if he has had any further seizure activity.

Meanwhile I made a run to Costco, returning with an empty wallet about 90 minutes later. I parked in a nearby Shopper's Drug Mart lot until D texted to say they were ready. From there, we skedaddled for home. There were things to unload and unpack, and Eli had a Big Brother, Big Sister event after the school day was over. Noah, his big brother, is graduating this year and will be off to University in the fall. The two of them have created quite a bond over the two years, meeting most every Wednesday for lunch at Eli's school. D took photos of the two of the together and plans to gift Noah a framed photo to take with him. 

I went to Knit and Natter, and I suspect due to the inclement weather, and was the only one in attendance. Since I was finished the mittens I decided to start on a small project for a friend. L is undergoing cancer treatment, and is a big fan of chickens. I figured she needs an emotional support chicken. The crocheting was pretty much finished before I left that evening, and I finished it up on Thursday morning, adding the comb and beak, and added the safety eyes and stuffing. I'm not entirely sure I like it, and may use a different pattern to make a second one. 

Thursday marked the final swimming lesson for Eli for this session in the NTO. He'll continue in July at the local pool. Since there was little I could do outside, I went along. We dropped by Value Village with some donations and did a wander in the store. I found a couple of pieces of outdoor decor, a cake of yarn, two "basement" towels, and two brand new bras.

After a quick meal at Burger King (Eli's choice) we stopped at the Bookworm, a used book store. They had moved locations last fall, and this was our first time in the new spot. They still have mounds of books and of course, I came home with a couple. I dropped D and Eli at the pool, and headed over to Walmart to pick up some fruit and veg. It was a productive afternoon.

On the home front, we have battled the weather all week, with rain every day except Monday. AND thank goodness for that as we were away. I'm also grateful that the hail that hit the city happened Tuesday evening and we avoided it here. However, with more rain on Wednesday the basement continued to let in rain. We now have two fans blowing constantly to help it dry and lay down towels on various areas in the laundry/furnace room as needed. These are spun in the washer and then dried several times a day. D generally gets up once in the middle of the night to use the wet vac, replace the towels, and empty the two humidifiers. If I'm awake before her in the morning, I've been taking a turn. The ground is so saturated that the water is looking for anywhere to go. And of course, there is more rain in the forecast!

The rain guards arrived on Friday morning and I got them installed. Not perfectly, as there isn't a smooth or straight surface to watch them to. The recommended option was to screw them to the house but the base is concrete and the house is stucco. So I used window caulking....lots and lots of it. Not pretty but the seal is tight.

Despite all the rain, my plants continue to grow, along with the weeds. I can manage in the raised beds as I can reach from all sides, but the garden itself is far too wet. In the flower beds, things are starting to show blooms; lamium, dead nettle, poppies, and columbine. I had picked up a sunflower last week, and got it planted as well. It sure brightens up the flower bed!

Update on the fence situation - LND is dragging this out longer by insisting he ask his mother's husband (an accountant by trade in the city) to contact some of his customers to get quotes as a favour. When I pointed out that any contractor would likely be charging for mileage and thus increase the cost, he snapped back that he had his furnace, water heater, and drywalling his basement this way. I didn't bother to respond, but will text him again this weekend and I plan to set a firm deadline. If he hasn't got additional quotes by the end of June, I will go ahead with or without his contribution. I won't tell him that part of it, but will insinuate that I'll send him a bill at the end of the process. 

We're expecting a warmer day today and I'm hoping to spend a good part of it outdoors. There is, of course, much weeding to be done, the potatoes need to be hilled, and I want to replace the gate latch on the front gate. I may also have picked up a few more plants (just three) on Friday, and those need to go in a container as well. If it's decent enough I need to do some caulking on the window panes out front. That needs to be done before I can get to the painting...and that won't happen until the weather stays nice for a bit. Wish me luck!

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Weather woes and a celebration

This will be a short post, as I haven't done a whole lot this week, and I didn't start writing until Friday. 

As you will have seen, the big event of the week was the snowstorm that settled in on Thursday, followed by a bit more snow on Friday. Total accumulation was about 35 cms (14 inches). My daughter spent much of Friday shovelling the sidewalk and the parking area. While we had nowhere to go for a couple of days, we do have something special planned on Sunday.

The photo of Eli on Wednesday is our boy dressed in his suit for his confirmation and first communion on Sunday. His paternal grandmother was instrumental in having him baptized in the Catholic church, and he attends a Catholic school. This ritual is part of growing up with close ties to the church. His godmother is expected to drive in from the city, and the four of us will attend the service. The snow won't have melted by then, but we'll walk to the church if need be.

Since the weather was horrid, I missed out on Knit and Natter on Thursday afternoon, and in fact, I spent most of the day in my pj's just watching out the bedroom window as the snow fell.

It was a bit of a shock after Wednesday, when our temperature reached a high of 10C (50F). I had ordered new rain gutter downspout extenders, and they arrived in the mail this week, so D and I spent some time setting up the rain barrels. We've been having some issues with the parging on the corner by the back door, and water is making it's way into the basement. At least this way, the snow melting off the roof will be diverted, and we'll have to come up with a way to waterproof the foundation.

And I did get a call from the thrift store and will do my first volunteer shift next Tuesday. I've been put on a team, and our months are April, July, October, and January. I explained to the caller that I won't be available in January and possibly the end of October, but otherwise am flexible. I do know they are short staffed over the summer as many of the locals spend time at their cottages and/or with family. The schedule works for me, as we have no plans to go anywhere this summer.

Beyond that, it's been a pretty quiet, normal week here at home. I've done some organizing in the pantry and cupboards, spent many hours reviewing hints on Ancestry, did some vacuuming, prepared a few meals, and hung out with the cats and my grandson. What I didn't do was knit. So my project is again, at a standstill. :)

Spencer and Saku aren't friends, but do tolerate one another at least for a short while.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

To Christmas and beyond!

Is anyone ever really ready for Christmas? I thought I was, but I didn't count on my daughter's list of things to do. For a number of years she has put together gift bags for young children or donated to the Food Bank, sometimes both. This year she decided her gift would be to make Christmas special for the four children next door. If you recall, they live with their father, who is pretty much useless as far as I can tell. Their mom left around Christmas last year and has been living apart from the family since then. We did see her there a couple of times in the summer but D says she hasn't been back recently.

In any event, D feels/knows that Eli is a very fortunate child and the children next door are not. She made up t-shirts for them ($ store tees) with transfers she purchased from Temu. We went through the craft room and found a number of items that we aren't using that kids would enjoy. In addition, D had a number of toys in the "gift" closet - she picks these items up throughout the year, usually at a deep discount and tucks them away. Sometimes they are gifts for friend's birthdays, occasionally as a reward for Eli, and often for the Christmas donations. Then she and I picked up a few other items to add to the children's gift, including a game for all four to play, toiletries, tiaras for the girls and colouring books or pad of paper. She even made fairy wands for the youngest twin girls. Can you imagine the excitement the children felt?

In addition, she went through the pantry and selected some items for a couple of meals. The school social worker dropped of a box of food for Christmas dinner but they would need more to get through the holiday season. D did a lot of baking this year, and put together a container for our other next door neighbours as well. 

I'm not sure I've mentioned R & K before. They are an older First Nations couple and absolutely wonderful neighbours. They take care of the yard (unlike the previous tenants) and R brought over blueberries and strawberries during the summer. D made blueberry jam from the latter, and we used that to fill the mini cheesecakes, so good! Since the recent snow fall, he has come over and shovelled the front sidewalk and he even cleared out the space where D keeps the garbage and recycling bins. They are often away as R is an elder and provides his knowledge and support to various bands. K is very quiet, and I haven't had a chance to chat with her yet but she always has a smile on her face. 

On Christmas Eve day, I wrapped gifts for the children - each got a personally curated box, the game was wrapped separately, and the craft items were divided into two containers based on age. I also baked a package of gingerbread, D and I filled thumbprint cookies and mini cheesecakes, and she baked a batch of buns and French bread. Half of the buns went to the family next door. By mid-afternoon we had the containers filled and we took a break before delivering the goodies to the neighbours on both sides.

It was closing on dusk when we finished our deliveries, so we hopped in the car and went out to look at the Christmas lights. For a small community, there were a lot of homes lit up for the season. There were two in particular, that rivalled anything I've seen in the city. No photos as I was driving and D was busy oohing and aahing over the lights. 

Christmas morning arrived, ready or not! D and I had a couple of hours of quiet time before one excited boy woke up. He removed everything from his stocking - it was so heavy, it had to be set up on the table as the hanger couldn't hold it. After a quick breakfast we moved onto the gifts under the tree. The kid got what he really wanted - a VR (virtual reality) headset. It took a couple of hours to get it set up and there was a bit of grumbling but he was happily playing before lunch.

Meanwhile I had a chat with my brother and texted back and forth with my son and his girlfriend. Everyone seemed pleased with their gifts including Sage. :) 

The rest of the day was pretty quiet. D and I watched a couple of episodes of The Floor. If you haven't watched it, it is quite interesting...some categories are easier than others but there is some real strategy to the play. I had an afternoon nap, then D and I decided we'd had a big enough lunch and Christmas dinner could wait until Boxing Day. Why not? Eli continued to play on his devices and D and I watched a couple more episodes before bedtime.

On Boxing Day, D was up early. I was not - an afternoon nap and late bedtime the day prior contributed to less sleep than I needed. After I was up and alert, we un-decorated the house. Normally, I would leave the decorations until after New Years but D had to do all of the decorating on her own and said she didn't want me to leave this task to her. There was a bit of Boxing Day shopping done - she found a bag for the tree storage. I found a couple of couch cushions and some gift tags, a small wreath, and toilet paper and paper towels. D also picked up items for her gift closet, and chocolate for next Christmas. 

Back at the house we fixed our Christmas dinner for lunch. Air-fryer chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and corn filled our plates. It would have been peas and carrots but Eli ate the last of those. It was a bit of a beige plate...but something my Dad would have appreciated.

The rest of the afternoon was spent puttering and watching a few more episodes of The Floor. At some point we took a break from television and put the trees away.

The two trees easily fit into the storage bag. It looks like we could use it to move a body or two as well. :) It's even on wheels.

Today, D will do laundry and I'll pack my backpack, as we are planning to drive into the city on Sunday. I'll be staying with my son and his g/f for a few days before I fly south. We are expecting some snow during the day- I'll help shovel and D plans to try out her new snowblower. 

I hope you all had a wonderful day, with time to relax. Have a great week ahead everyone!

Good time in the city, back to the yardwork at home

I had a good trip to the city, a lovely visit with my son, his roommate B, grand-dog Sage, and three of B's five kitties. (The other two would have nothing to do with me). One of the cats, Kota, decided he was my cat. At one point, he even jumped out of B's lap to come running to me as I came through the door. He also liked to spend time with me in my room though could be coaxed out by shaking a bag of treats. That also brought three others to the door. :) Yes, Kota is a black and white cat who looks a bit like Saku.

B and I went shopping on Monday morning to Costco as I needed some dry goods for home, and we picked up meat for their freezer. They should be set for a couple of months. We made a stop at Pet Valu for B to pick up cat litter, and then Home Depot, where I picked up C's Christmas gift. I'd promised to purchase a snow blower last year for him, but couldn't get him to tell me which one he would like. So this year, I said to heck with it and bought a Toro. It has good/decent reviews and as it was the last one available at the store the price was right. I'm sure they were clearing it out for the new models. The Farmers Almanac is forecasting a cold and snowy winter ahead. 

B suggested we go for lunch at Boston Pizza, which was right beside Home Depot. We had a really nice chat, while I've known her for a number of years, I haven't really sat down and talked with her. 

When we arrived back at the house, C was out on the deck and he helped unload the vehicle. Then I was off to the hairdresser to get my hair cut. What a relief! It's been getting shaggy and I am not talented enough to cut my own. (Looking at you, Patsy). My final stop was Walmart where I purchased C's birthday gift. B had shared that he really wanted a wok. While I will be back in the city in October, I figured he could use it now. 

In fact, within an hour of arriving back at the house, he had the wok seasoned, meat marinating in the fridge and the rice cooking in the rice cooker. He watches a lot of cooking shows, one of which has two chefs that have worked in Michelin star restaurants. These guys are fun to watch, because they can put together an amazing meal together in short order with pretty much anything. He has learned, and I had no idea, that after cooking the rice is spread out on a cookie sheet and allowed to dry. I've always just put the pot in the fridge and left it over night....and I used Minute Rice, not long grain. :) 

I didn't get to enjoy the meal, as I left mid-morning Tuesday to return home. The day was hot, by 11 a.m. it was 27C/80F and I didn't want to drive in the heat of the day. It reached a high of 32C/90F but with the humidity felt even hotter. D and Eli came out to help me unload the vehicle and other than watering plants I stayed indoors until the tree guy arrived. We had the evergreen removed, as well as the two cedars against the house, and several branches removed that were hanging over the power line. D has been concerned about those, as she has experienced an ice storm here a few years ago. In less than an hour the guys had done their work, cleaned up the majority of the debris (there are dry needles from the cedars left for me), and had everything loaded in the trailer for removal to the dump. They even took the seven bags of garden waste that I've gathered up over the summer.

This is area in front of the tent gazebo. The path leads to the front yard. It gets a fair amount of sun in the afternoon but the only thing growing there (besides the old evergreen) is weeds. D is planning to put up poles to hold a line. It can be used as a clothes line but also can be used to hold various apparatus for Eli to play on. That's a next year project.

The two cedars, the tall one and a globe cedar were too close to the house. Debris from the taller one was collecting in the gutters as well. 

Wednesday was hot, though slightly cooler than Tuesday as we got some rain. I spent the first part of the day outside cleaning up debris from the cedars. That's the second bag up against the foundation. I want to move out those rocks and will allow the day lilies to fill in much of the area. 

D ran some errands in the morning and she and Eli went to the library in the afternoon. Before they left for the library, they followed me to the car dealership where I left my SUV for the installation of a front and rear dashcam. They were back from the library a half hour or so, and the dealership called to say the car was ready to go. I was able to sync my phone to the camera but have no clue how it works. I guess I'll have to read the manual. :p

Thursday was a quiet day, and Friday was much busier. We went into the next door town where I picked up a small laptop as a back-up for my current machine. We also made a stop at the book store, where D picked up four more books of a series for Eli using one of my old gift cards. She's been reading the first two books to him, and he's gotten in to the series. There are dragon masters!

At lunchtime we headed to the library for their free BBQ, where Eli and I shared a hotdog. 

There was a presentation on fire safety inside the library, and outside, children were allowed to climb into the truck, and push the buttons for the sirens. He enjoyed that, a lot!

Next up we went next door to City Hall for the "Escape Room". D had booked it for the three of us. We had a rocky start, as we didn't clue on the clues in the audio recording we listened to upon entering the room. However, the staff gave us a hint and we started working our way through. It took a couple more helpful hints before we "made our escape". In fact, we weren't locked in and could have left at any time. While we had 30 minutes, we finished in just over 20 minutes. I think Eli enjoyed it, and though I have no idea how D figured out some of the clues, it was a nice way to spend time with my family.

We had quite high winds on Friday as well, and our poor tomato plants were blown over several times. One of the containers landed on a container of peppers. I had to stake the peppers and tie them up before D and I moved the tomatoes to another spot in the yard. Even then, we found the containers blown over more than once. I'm not certain how much damage was done to the branches, time will tell.

Today, with the cooler weather we're planning to put a pork loin in to the slow cooker for pulled pork. D will bake buns, and we're also going to cook up sausage rounds to make breakfast sandwiches for the freezer. If, and I do mean if, we are feeling especially productive, we may make perogies. Or at least I'll cook the potatoes so we can make them later this weekend or early next week. 

One last note: today would have been my Dad's 115th birthday. He always wanted to reach 100, but left us a few weeks after his 98th birthday. He'll be in my heart and mind today, as always.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Another week bites the dust/mud

I'm not sure where this week went, I think because Monday was a holiday in the province, so I probably thought it was Sunday, though in reality everyday is Friday since I retired. (Confused yet, I know I was!)

Eli had his day camp on Tuesday and Thursday. Library program was Wednesday and a real live pirate came to visit! I wasn't there, but that's what I was told, and when an eight year old tells you there was a real live pirate, he must be right. Also, he and D went to the community center on Friday for a special event put on by the library and the Science Center (located in Regina). The center sent two individuals to do a short science camp. Eli was in his element - he's a math and science kid!

Earlier in the week, he and I stopped in at the pet store. This little girl tabby, named Tila (pronounced Tee-la) was evacuated from Northern Saskatchewan due to the forest fires. She is 5 months old, spayed, vaccinated and ready for a forever home. Eli likes to visit the kittens/cats at the pet store and he would happily bring them all home. However, that is not happening, but we'll continue to hope Tila finds her "furever" home soon.

As you can probably tell from Wednesday's photo, the cats are starting to tolerate one another. Saku does not appreciate the other two getting in his space on the bed, and there was one incident of him lashing out at Stanley when he (Stanley) jumped up and woke him (Saku). No blood was shed. Both Spencer and Stanley have used Saku's litter box, and in turn, he has used their box in the porch. Saku has been in the basement a time or two, but I don't believe he's used either of the boxes down there. In any event, we are able to allow the three to be out and about in the house without a lot of supervision when we are there. However, we're not quite ready to leave them on their own when we're out of the house. I sincerely doubt we'll ever find the three of them snuggled in a kitty pile on a bed, but tolerance within certain limits is appreciated.

This is a fairly frequent occurrence when Eli, Stanley, and Saku join me in the evening. (My comforter was in the wash, so D lent me one - it was too warm for me)

Breaking news! We got a bit of rain on Monday evening and overnight. One rain barrel was about two thirds full, the other about half full. Another gift to be appreciated as I was able to water the tomatoes from the rain barrel. Speaking of rain, I'm including a video my brother sent me. He's got a wacky sense of humour!

He has since made the necessary repairs and figures the railing will withhold his weight, next time. :)

Speaking of a wacky sense of humour, Eli hollered at me one evening and told me the toilet was smoking. I assumed he'd done some sort of experiment and went to check to see what was happening. This is what I found. What a kid!

Besides the driving, I've got more work done in the yard. I've been watching You-Tube videos in the evening, various ones, and some of my favorites are garden clean-ups. It's like watching Hoarders, as it either spurs to do more outdoor work, or makes me feel like our yard isn't that terrible. :) I was watching one from Britain and noticed the worker using a grabber rake and happened to mention it to D. I wasn't able to find it locally or even on Amazon, though there were leaf grabber scoops/claws, but I wanted this tool. She found it on Temu, ordered it, and it was here in just a week or ten days. I've told her it is my Christmas gift. I used it to clear up piles of pine cones and needles on the far side of the house. I would grab a rake full, dump it in a bin and when that was full, pour it into a yard waste bag. It cleaned things up so nicely, far better than I could have by hand, and far less strain on my back. 

I've been envying Patsy's tent gazebo for some time, and I had earned Amazon gift cards by doing surveys. I decided I'd use these to purchase my own. The instructions for set up were pretty minimal and there were a few (more than a few) blue words said by D and me as we set it up. But eventually we got it right and it's simply marvelous. I take my tea out in the morning and after Stanley has had his time on the lawn, we settle into the tent. Both D and Eli have also spent time with me there. When the heat is on, it provides shade, and with a breeze coming through, I'm in my own little piece of heaven.

I take my breaks from yard-work in it too. I've managed to cut back most of the creeping juniper. I fill up a tub, then cut up the pieces and bag it. Between the juniper and the pine cones and other debris, I'm up to five bags of yard waste. I suspect there will be a couple more bags yet to come.

Friday afternoon, the storm finally reached us, and we had nearly 5 centimeters/2 inches in less than two hours. We had water in the basement again, and after clearing out the soft items, Eli's couch, mats, a mattress, and bedding, D used the shop vac to start cleaning up the excess water. My bad, as I didn't think we needed to clean the gutters this spring, though apparently we did. It also came down hard and fast and I don't think, even if clean, the eavestroughs would have kept up. In any event, that job has been added to the "find someone to do the job" list. Just to highlight how much rain we received, the town posted on FB asking everyone to stay off the streets so crews could clear the drains! 

I did reach out to the tree trimmer guy this week as well, and he'll be by on Monday to give us a quote for removing an evergreen, a tall cedar and cut back branches that over hang the power lines. There is always something that needs doing around here!

More rain is in the forecast for the rest of the weekend too, so I'll have to do stuff inside rather than out. Good thing there is baseball and football to watch! I've finished one toque/beanie, have another on the needles, and I'd like to either do a bit of sewing or perhaps crocheting. No worries, I'll keep myself amused. 

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Update from my brother, a new fence, and more weeding

The name of the game this week was yardwork, and lots of it! We had some rain over the weekend - they even got some up north). Garrett had stopped in with his dad the previous Thursday and the two had put up the rails for the fence boards. He said he was expecting delivery on Friday and planned to work Saturday and Sunday. The weather wasn't conducive on Saturday, but he arrived early afternoon on Sunday, along with his nephew, and the two of them had the fence and gates completed in just over two hours!

Here's a before and after:

The before photo was taken about a year ago after I had cleared out various railroad ties, rebar and other assorted junk.

Ta da! We were so impressed with the work this fellow did and would recommend his services. We really appreciated that he capped the fence and the reinforced the gates. I asked and he provided a special type of latch and we are able to lock it from the inside. (I should note the fence on the right was installed by the next door neighbour before C bought the house).

What isn't in these photos is the other gate and fence between the back patio (in front of the garage) that encloses the entire back yard area. The fence is tall enough that C can play with Sage back there and not worry about her scaling the fence and escaping. Plus it just looks terrific!

I spent an hour or so last week digging out the Lily of the Valley that was growing next the garage. It was there when we moved in, and when reminded that it can be toxic to dogs, I decided it needed to come out. The photo on Wednesday were simply three of the items that I found when I was digging. Not pictured included a hockey puck, a rubber connection for something or other, and a few screws and nails. 

On Monday I turned my attention to prepping the back yard for grass/clover seed. I'd watched a few Y-tube videos to get an idea of what needed to be done. I raked up much of the loose debris (small pieces of branches, some wood, and rock) before using a heavy rake to scratch up the surface. The rain we'd had on the weekend had some spots quite wet, but other areas were hard and dry so it took a bit of time. I also got around behind the garage - no fence there anymore and took down several small Lombardy poplars. One had fallen over in the wind on Saturday night, just hanging on by one root. Another I was able to push over! The remaining three or four trees I cut down. The debris is piled up behind the garage and I'll leave it there to dry before having it hauled away, likely in the fall.

On Tuesday, I followed up on the remaining trees by drilling into the trunks with my drill and spraying Round-up in to the holes. I'm told several applications will kill the tree and I should be able to remove them more easily. (I see more digging in my future). The former owners had also allowed a tree of some sort to grow between the sidewalk blocks. After cutting it to the ground, I gave it the same treatment. I have no intention of lifting those blocks (24"X24") to get at the roots, so I'm hoping this will eliminate any future regrowth.

After I'd mowed the front lawn, I went back over the back yard with my heavy rake, watered the entire area down, and used a seeder to spread the seeds. I quickly realized I did not have enough grass and clover, so I cleaned up and went to the greenhouse for more seed. Back at the house I finished off the seeding and spread some lawn soil on the areas where I hadn't been able to loosen the soil to my liking. Another watering and I was done with the backyard.

We have an area in the front lawn where the city dug up the water main (perhaps - it happened before C bought), where the grass is patchy. I spread a bag of lawn soil, spread the remaining grass seed (with some clover mixed in), and gave it a good watering too. As I've told my son, it's likely we'll continue to see patches there, and in the backyard, and he can add clover seed as I've another full bag of seed to be used. According to the information I've read/watched, the clover will be the first to come up, in about 4-7 days, the grass is slower to germinate but will start filling in over the next 6-8 weeks. I've warned C too, that his water bill is going to be high for the next while. Hopefully less than I think though as there is more rain in our forecast. 

I was able to text with my brother early in the week, and he said things are slightly improved, but they are still concerned as the rising temperatures can change things very quickly. Here is a video he sent me, of his drive into La Ronge. 

I told him "I probably would have turned around, NO, I would have turned around". 

I was ready for a break and took the day off on Wednesday, except for watering the back yard a few times. I spent part of the morning organizing clothing for our trip to Halifax, and starting the packing process. We're planning to use one checked bag for clothing, and the second will hold Eli's booster seat, and other items that I have no knowledge of, but my daughter does. Later a quick trip to the thrift store netted me two pairs of shorts for Eli and a set of vintage salt and pepper shakers. Then it was off to Stitch and Chat at the library. 

Thursday was weeding day. Our neighbours to the south is useless too busy to take care of their side yard. As a result there are weeds of various sorts, including grass, creeping bellflower, thistles, etc. It is an eyesore and I was tired of looking at it. I took out all of the grass, thistle, bellflower, and wee elm saplings, but left the yellow flowering weeds. They are kind of pretty and I figured I'd leave something for them to do. Before and after photos are below, and I continued along the fence line (not shown) to get rid of the grass that has grown under the fence and next to our driveway. 

You can see I've left the newspaper, cardboard and stepping stones/rocks as well. I'm nice, just not that nice.

Friday was a quiet day, as it rained a bit which was nice, but not enough for the newly seeded back yard. I've been watering three times a day for around 5 minutes at a time to keep the soil relatively moist. In addition, I did some housework, laundry and vacuuming, and ran out to get a few groceries. It felt cool outdoors so when I returned I stayed in, and watched Y-tube videos of places we'll be visiting in Nova Scotia. Just 10 more sleeps!

Today, I'm planning to do a bit more weeding - I'm almost done everything I want to do outdoors. There is baseball and hockey to watch in the afternoon and evening. It should be a relatively easy, relaxing day!

Have a wonderful week ahead, everyone!