Times flies

When you're having fun, and fun we did have these past three days!

The drive went smoothly, just a wee bit of snow as I got closer to D's and fog in the valley. We had the car unloaded, the presents put under the tree, groceries unpacked, and my bags tucked in Eli's/my bedroom and I was sitting down with a cup of tea by 9:30 a.m. I got away from the city earlier than I expected. 

D's friend M had sent two large bags of clothing, that her youngest had grown out of, for Eli. She sorted through the clothes as we chatted and I folded other clothing from the dryer. After the "new to Eli" clothing was washed and dried, we both went upstairs. She to put the clothes away and I sat down to crochet. Eli has recently sized out of the small sizes and most of these were medium with a few large pieces as well. After putting the clothes away, she gave a huge sigh of relief, as there is enough clothing to last through the next year or so. Except underwear...but Santa came through with a package so he's set. :)

We also made a quick visit to the park. Eli had fun with a dollar store toy that flies. Then a younger girl came by and played hide and seek with him for a bit before we headed home.

After an early dinner, we set out to see the Christmas lights around town. My goodness, there are some beautifully decorated houses!  Most of my photos didn't turn out, but here are a few.

One of the local businesses has been doing a float since 2020, when during the pandemic the annual events were cancelled. They've continued the tradition, and Eli loves seeing the float. He was disappointed when we first drove out as he could hear but not see the float (we were going the wrong direction). However, we eventually caught up to it, not once but twice! I was able to capture the video on our second pass by. Listen for the little voice at the end.

Christmas Eve morning, Eli woke asking if Santa had come and was a bit disappointed to hear he had to wait another day. Throughout the day we watched some television, he played video games, and more laundry was done. (It seems to multiply in this house). Eli and D went out for a bit in the morning, so he could go skating but were home earlier than expected as he wasn't feeling well. In the afternoon, I headed upstairs for some quiet time with my book.

Bedtime came early, with Eli and I reading books. He settled quickly, but spent much of the night wriggling and twisting himself up in the blankets. Suffice to say my sleep was interrupted. About 6 a.m. I sent him downstairs to his mother (she was awake about 3:30 a.m.) and I managed to doze off until 7.

My mother always insisted we eat breakfast before opening presents - I had the same rule and D has carried it on. However, Eli did get to open the gifts in his stocking (of which there were many). He had eaten before I made my way downstairs but waited patiently while D and I had ours. More fun ensued as he handed out the gifts, most were for him, but he was quite willing to lend a hand to us to unwrap ours, so he could move onto the next gift. Another rule: one present is opened at a time so everyone can see what the gift was and appreciate it. I didn't think to take any photos until his mom was busy putting together his best present from Santa (with some help from mom), a Gabby's Dollhouse. Gabby's Dollhouse is an animated cartoon, of a little Hispanic girl who turns herself in an animated version of herself and plays with her kitty friends in her dollhouse. My daughter says the show emphasizes kindness and manners. It's certainly quite a different experience from some of the videos he watches about video games!

D went upstairs to catch a nap while Eli played on his new table, and I watched a movie, Daddy's Home 2. It wasn't the best movie I've ever watched, but it certainly had some fun moments. Of course, being a Christmas movie, it all worked out in end and the Christmas spirit shone through.

We had our Christmas dinner: pork loin roast, dressing/stuffing, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots, and gravy. For dessert, though I didn't need it, I had one of the delicious rum butter tarts my daughter made for me. After dishes were loaded in the dishwasher, we sat and watched a bit of television and let our dinners settle. Later, in bed Eli and I watched a few shortened versions of America's Funniest Videos. He particularly enjoyed the videos of the cats versus Christmas trees. 

This morning, we've got some chores to do around the house, and then we're heading out to do a bit of Boxing Day shopping. The options aren't many here in this small town, so it won't take long. In addition, unlike city stores that open at o'dark in the morning, the earliest opening hours here is around 9:30. Much more civilized, don't you think?

I expect we'll head to the park later this afternoon as the temperature is expected to rise to 0C/32F. I'm planning to head back to the city tomorrow, though I'm not certain what time I'll get away. It's been wonderful having lots of time with Eli (and his mom) though I do wish he wasn't such a wriggler in the bed.

Happy Boxing Day everyone!

Christmas 2021

And just like that, it's over. The presents have been opened, the food has been eaten (or most of it), the cuddles and kisses have been shared, and the house is quiet once more. Saku, the cat, is quite pleased to have it so. I'm a little sad but we had nearly 3 inches of fresh snow yesterday and now the temperatures are plummeting so I'm happy D and Eli went home yesterday ahead of the storm.

We had a lovely couple of days. D and Eli arrived here about 9:30 a.m. Christmas Eve. She left him with me while she and friend did some shopping. He and I were having our lunch when she arrived back at the house. About 1 p.m. we left to drive out to the farm to visit with my brother and his family. Oh, what fun we had!

Their son, my nephew K has two dogs, Whistler and Rider, while R and P have a German shepherd Cola, and two cats, Callie and Kelfie. We had assumed Eli would be afraid of the dogs, and they of him, but it turned out that Whistler thought he was the greatest toy. The two played together and tussled both indoors and out. In the photo Eli was rolling down the hill and Whistler came to protect him (I think). I just know they were both having fun by the giggles from Eli.

Their house is a three story stone house built in or about 1906. K took Eli up the stairs and showed him the back and front stairs leading to the third floor. He spent the next twenty to thirty minutes grabbing one of us by the hand to show us the secret passages. The only space he didn't discover was the basement and he thought that was creepy. He's right, it is! :)

My niece L, made up a plate of baked Camembert, pomegranate and honey for all to share while we visited. Later after a walk in the snow down to the barn to visit the horses and donkey, followed by a short walk on the trail to the renovated shed (moved from my back yard), we all headed back indoors for hot cocoa and shared some of the baking I'd brought for them. (Sorry no photos of the horses Kim - we were too busy feeding them carrots). 

On our way back into the city we were stopped by a train. I asked D to text her brother to pre-heat the oven. There was a reason why I prepped that morning, it just needed to be reheated when we arrived home. By 8 p.m., other than my son, the rest of us were tucked up in our beds. I read for a bit but the lights were out not long after. 

Christmas morning arrived early, but not as early as I'd initially thought it might.  I heard D and Eli moving around the bedroom, and it wasn't long before the little guy was skipping down the hallway saying "good morning Grandma." He watched some cartoons before his mother gave him his stocking to open. Silly girl, she'd forgotten the bag of items for his stocking at home, but there were a couple of items that she'd had shipped here (for some reason Amazon wouldn't ship crayons to her small town - weird!), I had a book tucked away, some candy canes, and she looted a gift bag her friend had given her for Eli that had gummy candy. It was enough.  

The two of us made breakfast, bacon and French toast, and the three of us sat at the table to enjoy our breakfast together. My son C is a late riser, but we sent Eli down to wake his uncle about 9:30. After C got his coffee and had a smoke in the garage it was finally time to open our gifts. I was the designated "Santa" with my little helper. I'd read the tags and he'd take the gift to the recipient or in his case, sit down to open the present. Eli had, as always quite the haul.

The cookies to his left are his uncle's but the two shared some. Eli is playing a PacMan game - what is old is new again.

Speaking of which, here is one of my gifts from my children. The new hand mixer has it's own carrying case that hold the attachments, including dough hooks, beaters, and a whisk. The old one, it's meant to replace, is about 40 years old (maybe more), and the cord tends to pull out of the connector to the mixer. I was teasing my daughter because the Black and Decker comes with a 3 year warranty so I told her I'd keep the old one as a back-up. :) 

After our Christmas brunch, I got the chicken into the crock pot. I used a recipe from Allrecipes.com for slow cooked chicken and stuffing. I would do it again but reduce the amount of liquid. We took as much of the stuffing out of the pot just before serving and fried it up in a pan with some butter before adding it to another batch of stove top stuffing. It was just too wet otherwise. But the meal was great and we enjoyed some time just chatting about Christmas's past. My children are 6 years apart in age, and I learned they have very different memories. It shouldn't surprise me but some things really did.

Before D and Eli left on Boxing Day morning, the three of us made a trip to Walmart, where she picked up a new television at a very reasonable price. Her old plasma television, that she bought for $50 is scratched and colored on, is well past it's prime. She uses a firestick to access programming. This Roku Smart television will make her access easier and more reliable when I deliver it later this month...her vehicle was too full to take it home!

We definitely had a fun filled couple of days. Once they were on their way, I simply relaxed, watched a bit of television, started a new book, and later caught the Canada-Czech junior hockey game. Today is soon enough to start the housework again. 

I hope everyone reading had a nice Christmas, celebrated as you prefer it to be, and with time to relax.  

A day to remember

Yesterday was a wonderful day, and I'm tired. We boarded the bus shortly before 9 a.m. and arrived back in the city shortly after 8:30 p.m.  I live close by and was home and in my pj's in short order.  Throughout the day I got in close to 12K in steps and with a little exploring in the first two communities I was able to get in 37 minutes of activity too.

The first community we visited was Montmartre, Saskatchewan.  

The small community was settled by wealthy French immigrants in the 1890's and named after the district they once called home.  The replica was completed in 2009 and Montmartre has branded itself "Paris of the Prairies". 

We had about 3 1/2 hours to visit here with shopping at a local Pharmasave (a drugstore with a twist), a local jewelry maker, a ladies clothing boutique, and the library where several vendors displayed their homemade wares.  Before hitting the stores I headed over to the Eiffel tower to take a few photos.  

This particular Pharmasave had mystery boxes for children, men and women.  I purchased of the children's boxes, one for Eli and one that I will donate to a Santa's anonymous (though I realized I'll have to unwrap it).  I found a few small items to add to the gifts for various family members.  At the library I bought some homemade Christmas soap, and at the used book sale I picked up three new-to-me books to add to the reading pile.  Definitely a bargain.

From there I headed over to the boutique but it was packed full of ladies and, to be honest, the clothing wasn't as casual as I would normally wear, and the prices were higher than I would normally spend. So after a quick look around I headed back downtown.

I was among the first group scheduled to have lunch at Sister's Bistro, so I stopped there to have a cup of tea and wait for the others.  I was joined by another lady and then two others from her group.  Our lunch included French onion soup and Salad Nicoise.  The lunch was included in the cost of the event and I can say that it was very tasty.

Initially I hadn't planned to top at the jewelry store but the second group to eat lunch included the bus driver, I decided to stop in.  I was glad I did.  This will be a gift from Eli to his mom.  The colors of the heart are some of her favorites and that little boy loves his mom to bits.

Since there was still a good half hour or so until the bus was scheduled to leave, I went for a walk about. I didn't find anything else particularly interesting but the fresh air was good for me.  Soon enough, we were boarded and on our way to the second community of Kipling.

The town is known for the largest red paper clip in the world (according to Guinness). I won't enumerate the story of how the red paper clip came to be as you can read it here if you are interested.

Again, I let the others make their way to the stores while I did a bit of exploring.  My first stop was a former thrift store that now sells both new and used clothing.  I found a lovely pullover sweater for a whopping $5.  I wandered a bit further, and spotted their Pharmasave - it didn't match up to the one in Kipling.  It was time for dessert at the Paper Clip Cottage - a lovely piece of carrot cake.  Yummy!  I ought to have considered purchasing a couple of their meat pies but decided against it...next visit. 

There were two other businesses on the list, an antique store, and the local liquor store.  I didn't visit either as I was already to feel shopped out.  Instead I headed to the bus and visited with a group of ladies who were feeling as I was.

Back on the road we headed for Grenfell.  I wasn't to find anything of note to photograph there so went along with the rest to shop.  My favorite spot was an import store that brings in goods from Indonesia.  Oh my, were there some lovely items there, including furniture, hand blown glass, fabrics, soaps, and other goods.  I spoiled myself and purchased this bag.

It will come in handy to carry my knitting or crochet projects when I visit D and Eli, and to knitting group when that starts up again. I love the colors in the bag, and another one of the ladies saw me with it and purchased one for herself.

The last store I visited was a small town department store, mostly clothing but a little of everything else too.  There were Christmas candies, cocoa, and nuts, kitchen ware, toys, and even an aisle of craft items.  Guess which one I gravitated to?  :) I walked out with a couple of items to add to the craft room.

My feet were telling it was time to get off them, so I boarded the bus and waited for the rest.  There were a few stragglers and the tour operator (Cheryl) had to chase them down. I guess they weren't ready to be done shopping quite yet. From there we headed to Indian Head to the Wooden Nickel for a roast beef buffet.  

They had a room set aside for the entire group, and it didn't take long for everyone to be seated.  Despite our lunch and dessert earlier, I think we were all hungry.  I sat with another group for dinner and had a wonderful visit.  It wasn't long before we'd discovered connections and people we knew in common.  The food was fantastic and I learned they have a similar buffet at least once a week. The community is about 45-60 minutes from Regina but might well be worth the trip for a really good meal.

It was dark as we returned to the city, and the bus was quieter than it had been earlier in the day.  I'm pretty sure everyone was feeling tired and satisfied from the day and from the meal. Back at the drop-off, the bags of shopping that were stored in clear plastic bags and tagged with our names were unloaded.  I found mine fairly quickly, was in the car, and headed home in just a few minutes.

When I realized that this was more of a shopping trip, I wondered whether I should attend.  But I'm glad I did - my Christmas shopping is definitely complete now and I enjoyed getting away for a day.  I was chatting with Cheryl at one stop and we were discussing a trip they normally would make each year to the Cypress Hills, just inside the Saskatchewan border near Alberta. It's a very scenic area and I'm hopeful I'll be able to join in a trip next year.

It truly was a wonderful day.  I learned some history about the small towns we visited, I met some very nice women, ate some great food, and stayed within the budget I set for myself.  

 

Brightening up the mundane

 My dad had a saying, "another day, another dollar".  There may not be another dollar at the end of the day (just my pension once a month), I can attest to another day, day after day.  All this to say that the days move from one to another, and though I always have something to do, they often seem to fade into one another.  I do keep notes on a calendar in an effort to recall what's happened, but more often than not I need to check my FitBit to know what day of the week it is.  Small problems to have, I know.

A little housework, some television watching, checking social media, chatting with my daughter, my brother, or a friend or two on the phone, some knitting or crocheting, or crafting and the days are filled.  This week I added in some decorating for Christmas - just to change things up.

I haven't been walking as much, not even indoors.  But Wednesday was an absolutely beautiful day (6C/43F) so I put on my winter boots, a coat and gloves and scarf just in case.  The wind was a bit cool but oh, it felt so nice to be out in the fresh air.

I was surprised and pleased to see the walking paths had been cleared.  I'll be honest, I've never walked there in the winter and now I know it's an option for warmer day.  While I was walking back from the bridge (it's to left and not visible on this photo), I walked down to the creek.  I was really surprised to see two ducks feeding in a bit of open water.  Hopefully they head south soon; it's only going to get colder.

The path wasn't as clear by the pond especially in the shade.  I noted the water level is even lower now and there were open places where one can see the gravel or dirt.  No geese or ducks were seen.

Here's my street, not nearly as pretty.  I live about six houses down on the right side. We never see a plow on our street all winter, so we have to rely on those with trucks and SUV's to pack it down.  This year with the number of delivery vehicles, it'll be packed down even more.  

My son laughed at me when I told I was putting up the Christmas tree.  But as I said to him, I would prefer to spend the next six weeks looking at pretty sparkling things than the snow outside.  The snow may look pretty when the sun is shining or even when it is falling, but not so much when the day is gray and overcast.

Last year I got rid of the big tree I had, and opted for this little pre-lit four foot tree.  It sits on top of a small table, is much easier for me to manage to carry upstairs and uses fewer decorations.  This is the first year I've added ribbon to the tree and I really like the look.  Not sure if you can see but on the bottom left is a bell.  I hang the bell on the lowest branch of the tree because it lets me know if a certain cat (Saku) has decided to nap there.  Not yet this year!

This display sits on top of my china cabinet, sort of out of the reach of little fingers.  However, I know that Eli can get the stool from the kitchen and get what he wants if he chooses to do so.  The little wire trees I picked up at the dollar store, and wound the battery operated fairy lights (also a dollar store purchase).  It's a simple thing folks, but it pleases me to have the extra sparkle.  There are two cat figurines that are always part of the display, I added the scarves and a toque that I knitted a few years ago to add a festive touch.

This is a wreath I've made for my daughter this week.  I bought most of the pieces at the dollar store, including the Peace that was part of an ornament, while the little red and white ornaments were picked up at 50% off at Michaels. All told I probably spent less than $15 for the materials. It took me a day or so to figure how to put the garland onto the frame - I'm a little slow on the uptake - but once it was in the place the rest of it went to together quickly.  

I've dressed up the kitchen table with a table cloth and runner and then covered most of that up with my placemats.  What can I say, I'm lazy and don't want to have to wash the linens every week.  Do you remember the spoons that D and I painted a month or so ago?  I attached to some ribbon and hung them above the sink. It's a lousy picture but you get the idea.  I thought it was appropriate to hang them in the kitchen.  

Besides the decorating I've been working on Eli's sweater and my cross stitching. I've just got to sew the seams and finish the neck ribbing and it will be ready to take to him in early December.  The cross stitching is going a little more slowly; the last motif has a plaid scarf which needs color changes every few stitches it seems.  But I will persevere and finish it before Christmas.  There is a little knitted snowman started as well - this is something I can do in the evening while watching television that doesn't require a lot of thought. I seem to be obsessed with snowmen this year!

I did an on-line for groceries this week from Walmart.  It all went well, with the exception that everything came in separate bags!  I use the bags for cat litter disposal so I'll use them but I was certainly surprised by the volume.  The one thing they didn't have and should be available this upcoming week is birdseed.  As a result I ended up shopping at Canadian Tire, where I found birdseed and a few other things. Eli has been a little hard on the Christmas decorations this year and I found a container of shatterproof ornaments on sale.  I sent a photo to D, she readily agreed so I picked them up for her.  On the way to the checkout I noticed they had sheets on sale too and since I know D was looking for sheets for my Christmas gift, I sent her another picture and with her approval, picked them up. Yes, I know it won't be a surprise but it's what I really wanted.  

On Friday, I went out to Value Village and the Salvation Army thrift stores.  Since I had no luck finding the materials for my table centerpiece elsewhere I thought I'd see what they had.  I got lucky at V.V. picking up stems and greens for $4.  With the materials I have at home I should be set.  At Sally Ann I found some Christmas ribbon and a oven safe bowl.  Not sure what happened to the one I had - I may have donated it at some point.

Today I woke up to our coldest temperature yet, 17C/1F.  Brrr! I bundled up well to feed the birds and they started feeding almost as soon as I left the back yard.  It's a good day to stay indoors.  At the moment the 2018 Grey Cup is being replayed (this would have been Grey Cup weekend), there are NCIS re-runs to watch, the sweater to finish, and the chicken for tonight's dinner is marinating in the fridge.  All is good in my world.

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

 

The calm after the storm

Phew, what a busy few days!  As I started writing this post Eli and his mom were on their way home and before I started the clean up, I took a short break to just relax.  An almost 3 year old is a whirling dervish!  A lovely, sweet one at that, and if we could bottle all that energy and share it, it would be wonderful.

The busy-ness all started on Sunday with the visit from my brother and his family. The living room was tidied (check out the table by my chair...it's been cleared of all of its clutter!)  I set an extra chair, and brought out the ottoman to be used as a side table.  The television played the yule log burning, while my Google mini in the kitchen was streaming holiday music.  

In the kitchen, the island was laden with the goodies. My nephew K and his girlfriend S were first to arrive.  We had a short vist before R, P, and L arrived, which was nice as S is very quiet and didn't talk much when the whole group was there.  She is a kinesiology major, working towards her degree.  A very nice girl and counterpoint to the boisterous nature of K!  

We visited for an hour or so before they headed out to see the new Star Wars movie.  I haven't asked how they liked it, but from other reviews I've read, it hasn't impressed many viewers.  After they left, I tidied up and worked on my baby blanket.

I was up early the following day, in part because of two noisy and hungry cats, and partly to remind my son to take a container of cookies to work.  Much of the day was spent cleaning, washing floors, bedding, and toddler proofing the house. (However, as I was to soon learn, he's quite capable of figuring out how to climb onto something to get what he wants!)

Although she had planned to drive up on Christmas Eve day, D and Eli arrived on the evening of the 23rd.  She was feeling some anxiety over the installation of the flooring and needed to get away.  There was a bit of excitement the next morning, as the contractor was unable to get into the house.  She has two locks, a deadbolt and a lower push button doorknob and while she was certain she had tested both keys, he couldn't make it work.  After a bit of discussion, he called a local locksmith who got him into the house.  We'd gladly pay for that cost as the other option was for D to drive home and back (about 3 hours in total).  As it turns out the contractor's son is a locksmith and explained to his dad how to get in.

My son had to work that morning, leaving D, Eli and I to enjoy one another's company.  Eli was quite taken with G'ma's "kismas tee".  He was a good boy and would point out the various ornaments, never touching the tree.  C arrived home shortly after lunch, and D left to drop off some of Eli's clothing and toys to a local family.  Eli was quite happy to hang out with his uncle, running circles in the basement, and paying close attention when I went down to clean the cat litter.

We had our traditional pub food dinner for Christmas Eve, chicken nuggets (buffalo for the adults, plain for Eli), fries, an M&M variety pak of hor doerves, and the vegetable tray from Sunday with dip. And of course, baking for dessert.  D made me butter tarts! Several years ago, both my kids were living in Lethbridge, Alberta, and I had gone out for Christmas.  We  chose to have the pub dinner for our Christmas dinner as I wasn't about to cook a turkey in stove I didn't know and they didn't care.  In the years since we transitioned it to Christmas Eve.  

Eli was very busy that evening and not impressed with the idea of bedtime.  He bounced out of bed several times, running out to visit with me,  before finally crashing hard.  D had lay down with him, and got up to help me set out the presents for the following morning. She also filled his stocking and hung it in the bedroom for the morning.

The large package on the right is a new duvet set for my son; I used garbage bags to wrap it, and the next morning, we used the garbage bag to gather up the wrapping paper from the gifts.  However, I'm cheap/frugal and re-use the tissue paper and bags for several years, just put a new tag on the bag. It's far easier to package gifts too! 

Christmas morning came early, about 6 a.m. when an excited little boy dashed out of the bedroom to show G'ma what Santa had left in his stocking.  I must have been half asleep as I really don't remember what he was so excited about.  His excitement built when he saw the presents under and around the tree, but when we told him he had to wait until Uncle C woke up, he left the pile alone.  D made breakfast, French toast, for Eli and I.  Then we relaxed and watched a bit of television before C appeared around 9 a.m.  After a cup of coffee and a smoke, he was ready to join us in the living room.

Eli played Santa (not that he understood) and selected the presents from under the tree to be opened. It is tradition that one gift is opened at a time so that everyone can see who received what and from whom.  When he opened the doctor's kit that his mom gave him, Eli was done with handing out the presents.  Despite there were still several gifts remaining for him, his mom had to open them since he was busy.  Sasha got quite the work-up and  G'ma got a shot in the arm.  D says it is one of his favorite toys at the indoor playground.  G'ma says, maybe it is a sign of things to come?  

My wonderful grandson, with the help of his mom and other grandmother gave me this pillow.  J's mom has, as she says, talented friends, and one of them created this for me.  I'll treasure it always!

The afternoon was relatively quiet.  I had done a bit of prep work for Christmas dinner the day prior, par-boiling the potatoes to be roasted in the oven, and preparing a casserole of Brussel sprouts and bacon. This made our preparations for Christmas dinner a little easier.  D was in charge of the pork loin roast, she seasoned and seared it before putting it in the oven.  About an hour prior to dinner the potatoes seasoned with olive oil and spices, and with the Brussel sprout casserole went into the oven while the roast was finishing.  On top of the stove, carrots were cooking, with a brown sugar in the water.  
Meanwhile I set the table. You'll note we don't have a lot of cutlery or extra plates or glasses, but I still think it looks very festive.  None of us drink wine, we don't have a salad or a dessert course.  Thus, simple works for us.

About 10 minutes before we ate, the roast came out of the oven.  I made the Stove Top stuffing (turkey) that my daughter has to have for holiday dinner, put the peas in the microwave for a few minutes, made a bit of gravy from the roast drippings, and homemade buns were set out on a plate.  Seconds later, one of the buns was missing because a young man helped himself...and I don't mean my son!  

My daughter helped me put everything into serving bowls, and then it was time to eat!  We all agreed it was the best dinner we've had for Christmas in many years.  My son is not a fan of turkey, and that doesn't make me unhappy as to make a big bird for the four of us seems a waste.  The roast was juicy and delicious and everything else was too....even the Stove Top stuffing.  Eli tried a Brussel sprout but wasn't impressed.  Those were much enjoyed by his mother and G'ma.  Carrots are a fave though of both Uncle C and Eli, while his mom doesn't care for them.  

After stuffing our faces filling our tummies, we adults sat at the table and reminisced about Christmas' past.  I learned that yes, the two of them would sneak around to find the Christmas presents I'd hidden.  One or the other would distract me while the two of them searched.  Stinkers!  Of course, I did the same thing when I was a child, though my parents often left us at home to play cards at the neighbours making the search much easier with less sneaking required.  Eli finished before we did, and was off playing with his toys.  This was a topic of discussion as well, as I don't remember my kids bouncing off their chairs at my mom's. Neither could remember why but I suspect their grandmother was a bit more stern than I.  I do know they did get excused from the table before dessert.  

Clean-up was easy, as everything went into the dishwasher with the exception of a couple of glass roasting pans.  I set them in the sink with some hot soapy water and walked away.  Dessert came later, much later, a couple of baking pieces was all that needed.  Well, not even needed but Christmas is definitely a time we tend to indulge.  

That evening, Eli was not happy about bed time but like the night before within minutes of being in bed, he was fast asleep.  He was up again by 6 a.m. the following morning, which was fine by me, as D and I had planned our Boxing Day shopping to start at 7 a.m.  C was kind enough to get up early to keep Eli company while we were out.  

This is another tradition for D and I, and has been for several years.  The amount and variety of sales seem to have decreased over time but there were certainly bargains to be had.  We'd gone through the flyers over the past couple of days, settled on a route (based on proximity and hours of operation).  In just 2 1/2 hours we'd were done, though D had to run out to the drugstore a half hour later to pick up some medicine.  

Our first stop was Walmart, where she picked up a 32" RCA television for under $100 (taxes included).  She'll set it up in her bedroom.  We made a stop at Michaels where I picked up a couple of balls of yarn to finish my latest baby blanket (not on sale).  Superstore was next, where she purchased clothing for her and Eli.  All were on sale, at 50% off, and she got bonus points worth $10 for her purchase.  Next was our longest stop, at Staples for a new laptop for me.  My current laptop is getting battered and making odd noises on occasion.  I picked up a similar one with set-up, virus protection, Microsoft office package, and warranty for $700 total.  Although D isn't working presently, she is an employee of Staples so I got her discount.  I'll give her the old laptop to use as a word processor and photo storage.  It took a bit of time to get the transaction completed, as the sales person was being very careful with the input in the store's system.  D was paying closer attention than I, and she got the impression from hearing a conversation he was having with another salesperson that he'd incorrectly inputted a serial number on an earlier sale.  All went well, and the laptop should be ready for pick up tomorrow. 

Next up was Jysk, though we found nothing there - I'd hope to find pillows, then onto Pet Smart (for wet cat food), and Pet Valu (for cat litter), and finally we made our way to Tim Hortons for breakfast sandwiches and coffee.  Time to go home and unload my car.  After D ran out to the drugstore, she returned to load her car.  Eli was excited to be heading home and we had a heck of a time trying to keep him from following her outside as she transferred presents, shopping, and duffel bag of clothing.  I got him to sit down so I could put his boots on, put them on the wrong feet, and had to start again.  Not on purpose but it did keep him inside briefly! 

They've since arrive home safely.  The installer is still at the house putting in the flooring though it is nearly complete.  We've been texting back and forth, the kitchen is nearly complete with only the areas under the appliances, the front hall closet, and the small area below the stairs.  He figures he'll be done today and D is hopeful, as she would like her house back.

Well, I'll wrap this up as I need to straighten out the house a bit.  The bedding should be ready to go in the dryer.  A little mister found the Finish Jet dry liquid under the sink and poured some of it out on my bed!  The toys have been rounded up and are back in the toybox in the spare room, dishes are done, and the cat food put away.  Since C is working tomorrow I'll wait until then to mop floors and vacuum.  He's back in bed fast asleep!  

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.  We certainly did!  


Edit - I forgot to mention I bought myself an Instapot.  Several of the blogs I read mentions using one.  The sale was terrific, more than 50% off the regular price so I jumped.  A new toy!

August's to do list

I definitely managed to complete more of the list this month.  I did reduce the number for 20 from 30, which made it a bit easier.  A lot were underway from last month too, so that helped!  I do like having the list - I keep it on the side of the fridge and it's a good reminder to do the things I enjoy doing...in addition to all the cleaning for showings that seem to never end. 
1. Count my blessings – daily - always
2. Send a letter or card to someone - J in England was the recipient, and I was totally amazed at how quickly it arrived. 
3. Drive out to visit D and Eli - I made a trip this week overnight on Sunday to drop off some items and get a visit with my adorable grandson.
4. Invite guests over for a visit or dinner - still my Achilles heel...maybe next month
5. Attend stitch, make, and chat at the library 
6. Make a gift - scarf for my SIL for Christmas
7. Sew or craft something/finish an ongoing project - finished another baby blanket and hemmed some jeans for my son
8. Go to the $$ or thrift store 
9. Try a new recipe - sausage and peppers with rigatoni pasta.  It was a hit with my son and I.  A do-over for sure!
10. Read a book - Two in fact, "She wanted it All" by Kathryn Casey - true crime, and "Begonia Brown: A Philadelphia Story" by Julia Press Simmons - novel
11. Watch a movie - The Accountant.  When it first started I wasn't that into it, but by the time it was finished I thought it was quite good.
12. Take a walk in the park
13. Repurpose/recycle something - I did find a pattern to make a cloth bag from an old t-shirt, and the t-shirt is sitting in the sewing room waiting for me get at it.
14. Bake something and and share it 
15. Learn how to make something
16.  Mow the lawn, sweep the deck weekly - I managed this about every 10 days due to rain which means it needs mowing badly right now!
17. Have coffee on the back deck or front patio
18. List something to sell on Varage sale
19. Volunteer - I did finish the weeding on the long weekend of August but I haven't been back.  Again, rain and procrastination.
20. Listen to my Spanish CDs in the car - I finally remembered to do this, but only when I was about halfway to D's house.  I got through the alphabet, though I'm sure I don't remember much of it.  

Time to start a new list for September, and work on those on those items that just seem to never get done.  

Light at the end of the tunnel

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*****

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

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

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

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

Have a great week everyone!

First Easter

My daughter and Eli came for Easter dinner this evening.  (J did not...it's a long story I won't go into here...or ever).  Unlike my experiences with his mom, Eli slept through the entire meal.

I did take this photo of him two weeks ago (on his one month milestone).  I had time with him before his mom and dad arrived to have their photos taken with him.

No chocolate for the wee one, of course.  Instead I got him a couple of books, Pat the Bunny and one with various farm animals.

Pat the Bunny is a story book I had when my daughter was a baby.  I hope Eli loves it as much as she did.

He is getting more and more vocal, alert and awake for longer periods of time.  I think he'll be truly smiling in just a week or two.  I can hardly wait!

Have a great week everyone.

Baby Shower

My daughter's co-workers threw a baby shower for her on Sunday. They had thought to keep it a surprise but realized someone who suffers from anxiety as D does, it was probably not a good idea.  I know she enjoyed herself, as did I.

We met a F's house at 1 p.m. and didn't leave until nearly 4. There were about ten women in attendance, including D and me.  F and C were hosting the event, and with the very creative and capable assistance of J, it was truly special.  I wish now I'd taken photos of all of the decorations!  There were streamers on the ceiling, balloons on the floor, and a chair had been specially decorated for the mom-to-be. 

The afternoon started off with a pot-luck lunch of buns, cheese, sausage, veg and dip, pita chips, hummus, and a plate of sweets.  I'm sure I missed something on the menu but I certainly can say it was all very tasty.  On offer to drink were coffee and iced tea.

Everyone was given five clothespins to attach to a piece of their clothing.  We were told we couldn't say "baby" or someone could take a pin for us.  I was the first one to lose a pin...though I held onto the other four. We wrote messages on the back of diapers ...for D to read at a later date.   There were word games, we all made babies out of playdoh (I am not the least bit creative!) and there were small prizes for all.  

Then out came the cake!  I mentioned J earlier in the post.  She created the invitation for the shower and a very talented friend of hers created a 3D version for us to enjoy.  

The base of the boat is made of paper, there is a ribbon around the base, and the rest of the decorations were made of fondant.

Isn't it amazing?  The detail is phenomenal.  Before cutting the cake, J removed the pieces on top and D is planning to allow the fondant to dry to keep as a memento of the day.

The cake itself was white cake with a blue icing between the four layers.

I can't imagine how much time it took to create the cake.....but I can certainly appreciate the artistry.

One last photo of the cake, with my daughter D and her baby bump.  Baby Eli has definitely been making his presence known lately.  As of today, his due date is a mere month away.

After we'd all had our fill of cake* (which wasn't much), it was time for the presents.  The generosity of D's co-worker's was simply incredible. From hand-made gifts to gift certificates, storage boxes, a basket full of items gathered from those who could not attend, and even a bag full of gently used clothing, D received the most thoughtful gifts.

When we arrived home, D helped me arrange the gifts on and in front of the crib.  This picture doesn't do credit!  There are two hand-made blankets, one in the softest baby yarn, and the one in the middle in the colors of the Montreal Canadiens (my daughter's favorite team).  To the right of that is a crocheted shark sleeping bag!  I can foresee a photo shoot using it as a prop.

On the floor to the left is a small blue garbage bin, a basket full of t-shirts, pants, socks, and other sundries, a bat h toy, storage boxes, a toque and mitts and a little red rain jacket (on top of the storage boxes), a travel diaper pad, along with two bags.  The one in the rear is full of toddler size hand-me-downs. Not pictured are the many gift certificates, including one to a baby store, two for City programs (swimming lessons) and one for a massage for D. 
  
The afternoon was wonderful, there was lots of laughter and a few tears over the sweet gifts, and the love these women showed to my daughter was beautiful to see.  I met her "work mom" R and we laughed several times as we discovered we often said the same things to D.  She's a lucky girl to have the support of her co-workers and friends.  

We're one more day closer to meeting our little guy.  Although I still worry how she will manage, I'm looking forward to the first time I get to see his sweet face and hold him in my arms.  Won't be long now!

*The rest of the cake will go to the office with D tomorrow so the rest of her co-workers can enjoy it as well.