One week, two visits

 I'm not certain where this week went but the time certainly flew by  The first few days were not particularly memorable.  A little shopping, housework, yard work, and several walks - one with the camera in hand.  Oh, and lots of Olympic games watching.  Maybe I do know where the time went. :) 

On Friday, I had a visit with a former co-worker who continues to be a good friend.  She was coming to the city to spend the weekend with her daughter M, and since M had to work, D came to my house to visit for a few hours before they met up.  It was wonderful and strange all at the same time.  We've had pretty regular phone calls over the past couple of years, but this was the first face-to-face meeting with a friend in my home for many months.  Since we've both been fully vaccinated we decided it was safe to do so, and we even hugged!  We talked, we laughed, and shared stories of when we were working, about our grandkids, and life as we've known it since retirement.  I cannot explain how much those few hours meant to me.  She's invited me to drive up to visit her and I may just decide to do that one day. 

Back to the normal, here are a few of the photos from my walk earlier this week.

You likely won't recall but I mentioned sometime ago that there was a family of Hungarian partridges living in the nearby park.  This is one of the parents, the little ones were far too speedy for me to capture them with the camera.  

Sadly, the water level in the creek has dropped again. There were only a few ducks on the creek, and I didn't see the killdeer nor any blackbirds either.

These next two photos make me laugh.  There is a path that leads from the creek to a yard where I assume the family are providing feed for the ducks.  I spotted this duck trotting along the path heading back to the creek.  The grass is a fair height so all I could initially see was the single duck.

But she wasn't alone at all.  As they came out of the grass and crossed the path into next portion of grass on the side of the creek, I enjoyed the march of the ducklings.  

The city was busy planting more trees in the park.  There were three or four news ones already in the ground and the water truck was giving them a good soaking in.  I hope they make it through this heat. Two years ago, they planted a number of evergreens, most of which have since died.

Over at the pond there were many ducks, several geese and two pelicans.  Okay, don't laugh, but my eyesight isn't the best so I wasn't sure what I was looking at. If you've ever wondered what a pelican looked like from the rear...this is it.

Speaking of rears, this photo was another that made me laugh. Those little white butts look so darn cute!

This next series of the second pelican illustrate it's feeding technique.  It looked to me as it crouched low in the water to be listening for somthing.

When it finds it's prey, it quickly spears the water with that long beak.

Then the head came and the bird swallowed what it had captured. I assuming it would be a frog or something similar as there are no fish in the pond that I know of.  

I've walked in the evening a few times this week, without the camera.  The rabbits/hares have been out in the force at that time of day.  I've counted twenty or more in the large open areas of the park.  There is clover growing there and it must be very tasty.

On Saturday morning, I headed out for a short visit with D and Eli.  She had her telephone appointment with her doctor earlier in the week; he ordered a medication change for her and I picked up the order on Friday.  Had I mailed them she wouldn't have received them until mid-next week due to the long weekend.  I haven't been there for a month so I was quite happy to make the drive.  However, there is no a/c in their house so one night's stay is plenty in the continuing heat.  (It been around the 30C/86F range for what seems like weeks now.)

After a bit of housecleaning and laundry was accomplished or underway, we headed over to the park.  One of Eli's pre-K friends was there and he had a great time playing in the water with W and one of his little cousins. He and I returned to the park after lunch.  He didn't want to play in the water, but rather wanted G'ma to push him higher and higher on the swing. 

Back at home we puttered around in the yard.  D mowed the back lawn, while I deadheaded and watered her containers.  I had a bit of water left in the watering can so I poured it over Eli.  He thought that was a great game. Then he pulled his plastic sled from the garage and insisted G'ma pull him around the yard on it.  Three times around the yard was the best I could do.  He was kind enough to let me sit and read a book while he played for a bit, then he brought his tablet out and sat quietly in a chair playing his games.

I planned to leave early this morning to avoid the heat but stuck around until D had mowed the side yard.  I did a little weeding, while Eli played. He requested and I agreed to three more times around the yard with the sled by which time I was worn out. He's heavy and pulling a sled on the grass is not nearly as easy as on the snow. I'm looking forward to their next visit in mid-August.  I don't own a sled. (Yes, he has his sunglasses upside down - he prefers to wear them this way.)

And here we are, at the start of August. The heat is forecast to continue, at least until mid-month.  Even so, the nights will get cooler and summer will start to wind down.  I noticed this morning my tomatoes are beginning to ripen on the vine.  I've got one small green pepper and a half dozen red peppers (still green) growing quickly.  The petunias are starting to look leggy so they'll need a haircut soon. The yard work won't end for some time yet.  Nor does the housework, which reminds me....

Have a good week everyone!

  

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.  

Autumn calling - Aug 19-25

We've had lots of sunshine this week, with cool nights.  (Sorry to those who continue to have extreme heat - I'd send some of this to you if I could.)  I generally leave the door to the sun room open at night, so the entire house cools off.  That way, even when the outside temp hits 27C(80F), the air conditioning unit doesn't kick in until late in the afternoon.  Sadly, we had a cold front come in on Thursday night, with an accompanying thunderstorm that really cooled things off.  Yes, autumn is definitely on the horizon.

While I bemoan the cooler temperatures, for me, fall has always marked the start of the year, rather than New Year's.  The change of season provides a fresh start, summer vacations end, the children go back to school, and all sorts of programs start up again.  January on the other hand, is simply smack dab in the middle of the long winter.  

I've reviewed the City's fall leisure guide and while I haven't signed up for anything, there are several things I might be interested in doing.  A photography class is one, possibly a yoga class though I think a stretch class would be the best, and maybe even a creative writing class.  We'll see if current my level of ambition matches my possibilities. (Who am I kidding?  Probably not).

Friday was the anniversary of my Dad's birth.  He was born in 1910 at home near Mortlach, Saskatchewan.  This photo was taken on his 97th birthday, on August 23, 2007.  Slightly over a year later, he passed away on September 15, 2008. Dad was a modest man, he didn't like being fussed over, but I think he was happy that day surrounded by friends. 

I have to tell this story, because it still makes me laugh.  I don't know if you can tell from this photo, but he has no eyebrows.  The reason is, he did his own shaving and used to run his electric razor all over his face, including his eyebrows.  We asked why he did and he said they were too bushy.  I don't remember if they ever grew back or if he kept right on shaving them.

It's been a pretty quiet week, I've managed to get a bit of my crocheting done, and started a counted cross stitching project.  It's meant to be a gift for a friend for Christmas so I've been working on it in the afternoon when the lighting is better.  I've been inspired by the women at the Stitch, Make, and Chat group.  Also on Wednesday I had a short visit with Eli and his mom.  He had an appointment at the ear, nose, throat specialist.  D was concerned that he snores, but after the examination the doctor says there is nothing wrong with him.  

Late Friday evening, I had a call from my agent, advising me that we'd had a request for a 10 a.m. showing on Saturday.  He'd forgotten to let me know!  So I was up early in the morning to do some extra cleaning and tidying as we hadn't had a since last weekend and I'd let a few things slip.  This potential buyer is a single guy and his agent told mine that a small back yard shouldn't be a problem.  They were in the house for close to 25 minutes, but were obviously heading off to another showing as papers and phones were being looked at as they left.  

In the evening, I watched a double header of the CFL.  First up were our Riders versus the Ottawa Redblacks.  The Redblacks starting QB gave us three interceptions in the first quarter giving us a 17-0 lead, and resulting in him being pulled from the game.  Though they did do better with their second team QB, our Riders brought the win home!  

The second game was a snore fest, a low scoring affair between the Hamilton Ti-Cats and the BC Lions.  The latter team has a record of 1 win, 9 losses, the worst in the league and a record that they haven't started with in 50 years.  They have one of the best QB's in the league but their offensive line is, well, offensive.  I think he was sacked seven times in the game!  I still watched to the bitter end, but had no difficulty falling asleep when it was over. 

Today, I woke to rain, with more expected throughout the day.  I'm driving to visit D and Eli tomorrow, but may leave this afternoon and overnight there.  Otherwise it will be a quiet day, with more crocheting and cross stitching on the agenda.  Oh, and another football game.  Hopefully this one is  more exciting to watch.

Have a great week everyone!

Weekly wrap-up

Before I get babbling on, I thought I'd address Kim's comment about my energy level.  I have to say, it is far easier to be energetic now that I'm retired.  When I was working, I used to come home and crash on the couch after dinner.  I have to assume it was due in part to being mentally tired, but I think for a least the last year or so at work (probably more) I was also mildly depressed.  I wasn't enjoying my work environment...which resulted in this new blog as those of you who followed me previously know.  These days, I sleep far better than I did back then getting up only once a night and despite Sasha's best efforts to wake me between 5:30 and 6 a.m. for his breakfast I wake up rested and ready to tackle the day.  

Besides that, I can putter at something for as long as I like.  Well unless, of course, there is a showing.  But really there are no deadlines, just self imposed ones.  As a friend of mine once said to me, "when I retire I plan to do nothing all day.  If I get half of it done everyday I'll be happy."  Best of all, for the most part, what I need and want to do are things I generally enjoy.  Maybe not the vacuuming...but pretty much everything else is okay.

Back to the weekly update.  On Monday I was out the door shortly after 8 a.m. to go downtown to work on the garden project at the Canadian Cancer Society's office.  Here are a couple of photos of the "after".  
 
The one on the left is closest to the main entrance, gets the most sun so is more filled in.  The opposite view is on the right and you can see there is lots of room for more plantings.  Actually I plan to split some of the day lilies (once I figure out when is best to do so), and move some volunteer plants to the center of the bed.  That is, after I finish with the other bed which is on the in the shade of the tree (top right of the photo on the right).  It's even shadier and although I haven't checked it out, it appeared less weedy than this bed.

In the 5 1/2 hours I weeded, I removed three garbage bags of weeds, including thistles, creeping Charlie, purslane, and the bane of my existence quack grass!  I hate quack grass...it is so difficult to get rid of.  Since this is the cancer society, no chemicals can be used.  Thus I'm digging by hand to try to get the roots as far down as I can.  I figure once the second bed is complete, I shouldn't need to weed more than once a week.  I do think I'll ask if the office will invest in a few bags of mulch as it would definitely keep the weeds at bay as well as hold the moisture.  If not, I may just see if I can find some on sale and donate it.

On my way home I stopped at one of the Pet stores...there are so many, PetSmart, Pet Valu, Petland - I can't remember which one I went to.  I picked up some enzyme cleaner for cats stains and urine, and also a black light.  I'm still getting comments that some (not all) of the viewers can smell the cats.  This stuff is expensive but I'm hoping this will be the thing that "clears the air".  I spent the afternoon washing the walls and doors in the front hall, living room, kitchen and hallway.  There definitely was an indication of something on the wall at the front door and foyer so I just kept going.  I diluted the cleaner with very hot water and when I went back over the area with the black light later that night, whatever was there was gone.

Tuesday I tackled the bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs before heading down to the basement to clean the carpet.  I did not dilute the cleaner for the carpet, and gave some of the set in stains a good work over.  I had washed the walls last week with Mr. Clean and the black light only picked up a few areas where I didn't clean well enough. Once the carpets were dry I went over those spots.  I also scrubbed down the laundry room, the furnace room, and area in the back where I'd pulled out the carpet several years ago.  I figured the more I cleaned the more likely I am to find the problem areas.  Meantime I was in the midst of doing laundry...the clean sheets for my bed that evening were sublime!  

Wednesday brought another showing, at 10:30 in the morning.  In and out in 20 minutes according to the e-mail notices I got. Definitely not promising.  I used the time to run a couple of errands so at least there was that.  In the afternoon I headed to the library again to meet the stitching group. There were only four of us there but it was a nice couple of hours working on my latest project and chatting.  These ladies are all very experienced stitchers and quilters and while I'm not doing any of those crafts at the moment I'm learning lots of great tips.

Saku checking out my purchases

On Thursday I had nothing planned and no showings booked.  It was such a relief to get up and know that I could just do whatever I wanted.  I did a few chores, had a couple of cups of coffee and my breakfast before heading out to Value Village for the 1/2 price sale on summer clothing.  I was able to find two pairs of capris, a tank and a brand new t-shirt for a $13!  In addition I picked up two fleece jackets for Eli for $9.  These weren't on sale.  On the way home I stopped at Salvation Army as D was also looking for a rain jacket for Eli.  I found one for less than $6.  I also picked up a couple of books to read for $2. Considering the listed price on the books was $36 this was my best buy of the day.  


The rest of the day was spent crocheting (sometimes with Saku's help), reading, and watching television.  Our temperature was up into the 30C so it was a good day to stay indoors and simply relax.  Our Riders played that evening and one so it was a even better day!  Friday was much the same, hot and humid so I stayed indoors for most of it before meeting friends for dinner.   Ditto for Saturday including going for dinner.  Yeah I was very lazy.

The heat let up on Sunday and  I woke to a rather cool 14C (57F).  A perfect day to do a bit of yard work outside, some baking inside, and more crocheting.  First up though was a video chat with my adorable grandson.  When he gets the phone from his mom, he races upstairs to his room and we sit in his tent.  I usually end up upside down on the floor so I told him, "it's dark in here".  He immediately repeated it to me...he's a real little mimic.  There are also a lot of unintelligible sounds - at least to me - that only he and his mother seem to understand.  His vocabulary is definitely increasing and with the mimicry I reminded his mom to be careful what she says!

I did get outside to do a bit of yard work.  I watered the containers, refilled the bird bath, picked up pine cones, and pulled some weeds.  My neighbour was out as well so we had a visit across the fence.  She's recuperating from back surgery about halfway through her 12 week recovery.  I'd say she's doing well as I've seen her puttering in the yard and enjoying company on the deck.  She said that she's even managing the stairs in the house so that's a great sign.  Next up a hip surgery!  Wow, I'm so grateful to be in general good health.

Back indoors I pulled a couple of bananas out of the freezer, a zucchini out of the crisper and put together three mini loaves of banana bread and three zucchini loaves.  I probably should have done that prior to the outside work as it had warmed up considerably.  But I was on a mission...and the house sure smelled good!

And then, of course I got a call from the real estate agent asking for a showing that afternoon.  I spent the next 60 minutes or so cleaning up the kitchen, washing the living room, laundry room, and furnace room floors, and dusting and straightening things up.  Then, of course, they were only in the house for 15 minutes or so.  Anyone want to bet me a million billion dollars the back yard was too small?  I'm guessing not. :)

Monday is a statutory holiday here in Canada.  I'd quite forgotten about it and have planned to go do some more weeding at the CCS office.  I'll still go, and take my own tools and garbage bag, as I'd like to get that last bed cleared before I start regular maintenance.  It will be quiet downtown, the weather will be cooler, and I'm sure I can finish it off in a couple of hours.   

We haven't had any storms this week, so I'll sign off with a photo my brother sent me from an earlier storm.  The storm clouds were building above the old stone house, what a sight!

Have a great week everyone!

Back on track

This should be a short post, as I thought I'd try to catch up the rest of the week and then next week I can do another wrap-up.  Or least that's the idea.

We had another three showings from Thursday to Sunday as well as an open house on Sunday.  None resulted in any offers but I did get a bit of decent feedback; "house looks good overall except windows".  A second wasn't as favorable, "Didn't like the small yard and the work to do in the basement."  Sometimes I truly wonder if people look at the photos on the website before coming to view the house.  In the latter case, they would have seen both the size of the backyard and that a portion of the basement is unfinished.  Oh well, c'est la vie.  

I had dinner with my friend C on both Thursday and Friday evenings.  I haven't said anything (until now), but she and her husband N have split at his instigation.  This was huge shock to her and I've been spending a fair amount of time with her over the past several weeks.  He was packing on Thursday at the house, and had movers coming on Friday so she stayed at local hotel as she couldn't bear to watch this happening.  On Sunday a spent some time there while the open house was underway.  She and her brother have done some rearranging of furniture so the gaps aren't as noticeable.  It's all horribly sad because they've been together for over 20 years and of all the couples I know I'd say they were the last I would expect to see break up.  

On Saturday morning, I made a quick trip out to D's.  When she was here last week the pharmacy wasn't able to get her meds for her due to a mix-up with the doctor.  She called on Thursday and asked if I'd pick them up and bring them out to her.  For some reason, to do with temperature, they couldn't be mailed.  I left just after 6:30 a.m., drove out and spent a half hour with Eli while his mommy enjoyed a shower, then drove home and was back at the house by shortly after 10.  Our forecast high for that day was 32C though I believe it reached 34C.  Very hot for us so I wanted not to drive in the heat of the day if I could avoid it.

We did have another storm after I posted.  My son and I went out to watch the storm roll in.

The clouds were low and moving fast.  It started to rain so we moved into the sun room and watched the lightning show.  We were getting strikes every few seconds and it sounded like a train was rumbling by almost constantly.

When the storm passed to the east, I captured this photo out the west windows of the sun room. I love it!

That was the week that was.  Hard to believe it is already the end of July, though we had a cold front come through yesterday dropping the overnight temperature to just 6C!  Brrr!!!  But there is a full week of heat ahead of us so summer is still in full swing.

Have a great week everyone!

Fun times

It's really happening!  The for sale sign is out front and the listing is up on the internet.  When Curtis put up the sign and dropped off the lock box, I told him I want a showing the following day.  

We'll see if I get my wish. 

Meanwhile I had a visitor on Thursday afternoon as well.  D had an optometrist appointment so dropped Eli off with me for an hour or so.  After she returned the three of us headed down to the park.  Eli had a blast!  He's big enough now to climb he stairs and knows how to turn himself on the slide.  (I wish I had half his energy level).

He must have climbed up and slid down a dozen times or more.  He ran around the playground area, checking out the other equipment as well and he and his mom slid down the biggest slide together.

The funniest thing was when he lay down on the sand and sifted it through his fingers.  When he got back up he was covered in sand, silly kid!

I had fun this afternoon with him. We read a book together (a couple of times).  He can say apple, ball, car, whale, tree, and corn.  He points out those things as well as the dog, the umbrella, glasses, and the elephant.  I love when he makes the sound that the various animals make.  He loves to be read to, and D has been making a real effort to read every day to him.

When we got back to the house, he played some more outside in the back yard.  He ran around with the ball, took everything out of the small shed, and when his mother tried packing it up in a box, he helpfully unpacked the box.  He's a stinker all right!

They stayed until about 4:30 so that Uncle C could have a short visit, and then they were off to a friend's house for the night.  After dinner, I went into each room and tidied up the things he'd disturbed.  There wasn't a lot, since we spent a good portion of his visit outdoors.  He'll get a second chance tomorrow, when they are back after her doctor's appointment in the morning.  We'll likely do a Costco run, and then I'll have him with me in the afternoon while she has her second appointment in the afternoon.  

I know we'll have lots of fun again...and I'll have some cleaning up to do when he leaves.  But I wouldn't have it any other way!

Keeping busy

Goodness, another busy week is nearly in the books.  How the heck did I get anything done before I retired?  From the state of the house I would tell you I didn't.  At least not more than cursory clean and dusting.

This week, however, was more about spending time with others, rather than house cleaning.  Wednesday I met a couple of former co-workers for coffee/tea at a nearby coffee shop.  The one individual is still working, so a good deal of our conversation revolved around work and people we worked with through the years, as well as catching up on our personal lives.

Before heading to the cafe, I'd spent a good 90 minutes doing a quick clear of the garage, sorting items for donation, removal, and retention.  I also gathered up items my daughter had left behind in the move last fall.  Between these, an outdoor water table, and some items from the latest house purge I had set aside for her, the trunk and backseat of my car were packed full!  The removal pile isn't as large as I thought it might be but I know there are still things in the house to go out there so I'll wait before I touch base with a removal company.  The donation box was brought into the house and added to that pile.  

I have several cans of paint, some from the previous owner, to get rid of too.  I checked on our city website and the next hazardous waste drop-off is on April 26.  I'll put a reminder in my calendar to load the car with these items the day prior so I can get there when they open.  They do several events each spring, you load your car, drive onto the lot, open the trunk and the city workers unload.  No getting out one's vehicle at all!  I think it's a great idea and diverts these items from the landfill.

After my visit with C and R, it was off to Melville to visit D and Eli.  I spent the night there and drove back on Thursday.  We celebrated Easter a little early, with Eli searching for a dozen plastic Easter eggs his mother had hidden in the living room.  Each egg contained two small chocolate eggs....once he found one he was off in a hurry to find more.  When I left Thursday afternoon there were still three in hiding.  

Here he's putting the basket I made on his head.  What a silly goose!  We had a lot of fun, he and I, we read books, watched Paw Patrol cartoons, danced, ran around in the yard where he slid down his slide, hit the T ball with his bat, and enjoyed the sunshine.  It was chilly, just a few degrees above freezing, but he didn't mind being outdoors at all. 

Eli also enjoyed climbing on me for cuddles and/or tickles.  He makes me laugh with his giggles.  He likes to play with the cat Stanley with a toy tied to a string. Stanley chases him and Eli laughs and laughs.  The floor plan is fairly open, so he can run between the living room, kitchen and front hall easily.  Just watching him play is so joyful.

His vocabulary continues to increase including a couple of sentences, "where is it?" and "here it is".  I suspect his mother says this to him frequently.  He knows and can vocalize the sounds a lion, wolf, cat, dog, bird, cow, horse, and dinosaur says.  Do we really know the sound a dinosaur would have made?  Eli can pick out items in the books we read.  He asks for ap-ple, 'nana, cheese (but only smoked cheddar or Gouda), cook-ahs (cookies), and sometimes even says please.  He'll let you know when he's "all done", wants up or down, and has an attitude when he doesn't get what he wants.   He's beginning to recognize when he's tired and will ask for his bi-bi (blanket) and bub-ba (bottle) and take himself off to bed.  All in all, he's a two year old. He drives his mother batty at times, but he's a loving, sweet child most of the time.  It was a wonderful visit and we're planning the next for the end of May.

It may need to be postponed but that will depend how the house selling process is going.  I'm aiming to have it listed by the beginning of May, though will ask the agent to do a walk through perhaps as early as next week.  I'd like to get a sense of how much more I need to do before the listing is put up.  There are a few items on my own to-do list but I'm close to being ready.  

On Friday, I crossed a couple of these off the list. First though, I met K and J and our travel agent L at a lovely little cafe for a visit. We've been trying to get together since January and it just hasn't come together until now!  We talked about various travels both past and upcoming (for K and J, not me...yet).  L is just a lovely person, she puts a lot of work into assisting her clients, and worries when things don't work quite as expected.  For example, when I got back from this last cruise, I let her know the cabin had drop down bunks, just for future reference.  She was so apologetic, and I kept telling her it wasn't a big deal and I'd liked the location very much.  I know, if I book another cruise with her, she'll check and double check the style of the room. 

In the parking lot I transferred three boxes of books to K and J's car as they will be volunteering at a book sale this summer.  They can pick through the books and read what they like before hand if they choose.  I did mention one of the boxes was just cookbooks and another was mostly business and self-help books.  So happy to be rid of these items.  I have one small shelf left of favorites that I'll pack away.  Next up, I headed to SarCan to drop of old electronics, all computer equipment.  K mentioned she has a friend who will take old televisions, so I'll get the phone number as I have two of these sitting around as well.  They are the old tube televisions, so very heavy.  But K says this person will pick up as well, so I won't have to try to get them into the car.  

The de-cluttering continues.  I packed away the extra bedding from the spare room and tucked the bags into the closet.  The only thing left to do in that room is to replace the light fixture.  I've read up on it, and watched a couple of videos but I think I'll wait until my brother comes for visit before I tackle.  He can help with it or watch me electrocute myself and call for help. :)  In my bedroom, I've finished clearing the closet of non-essentials and have hung new curtains.  The craft room still has a few items I may decide to get rid of, but for the past part it is done.  I did a little more clearing of the counters in the kitchen, took all the magnets (except one...it looked so bare) off the refrigerator.  I pulled everything off the pantry shelves, cleaned the shelves and replaced the contents.  I still have to finish the lazy susans and give the refrigerator and freezer a quick scrub.  The latter are not horrid but when I'm in the mood I need to take advantage.

Next up is to tackle my desk.  I went through it in early February, but I've come to realize that I rarely go into it and retrieve any items. So why am I keeping all of it?  I have no idea...so that's one of this weekend's projects.  Back to my original comment, I'm finding there is always something that needs to be done and the more I clean and repair and de-clutter the more I realize this house is just too big.  I don't want to spend days of my retirement being a maid to this house.  So it is definitely time to let it go.

I was asked where I'll move to once the house has been sold.  To a certain extent, that decision is still up in the air.  C and I recently had a conversation; I asked him how he felt about living with his mother.  It turns out, he's okay with that.  He was planning on buying a condo this year and will do so, but now I'll pay half the down payment and we'll find a two bedroom.  Since I'll need the proceeds from the sale of the house, the search will have to wait a bit.  

In any event, this way I'll have a home base which will allow me to be flexible in my future plans.  We've agreed I'll pay half the costs while I'm here in Saskatchewan and he'll manage on his own when I'm not.  I still would like to be on Vancouver Island for the winter months, though I may try to rent for the first year or two, and put the rest of the proceeds from the house in an investment account for a bit.  Or maybe I'll head further south to the States, to Arizona perhaps.  That is less likely simply because of the additional costs due to the exchange rate.  But it is worth exploring. To be honest I've even considered, very briefly, buying a Class C motorhome to spend the winters away from the cold.  I say briefly, because I'm not certain I'd be prepared to deal with the emptying of tanks or any mechanical issues that might come up.  At this point, it's all a bit hazy and predicated on the house selling.  The market is slow here, in my neighbourhood it seems to be taking nearly 6 months for most to sell, usually with a price reduction. I plan to list the house slightly below market value as I think the odds of selling quickly will be better.  

In the meantime I'll keep busy cleaning, de-cluttering and crafting.  Have a great weekend everyone!

Continued preparations

In between curling matches, reading and posting blogs, chats with D and Eli (FB Messenger is great for this), and regular housework, I've been busy with more de-cluttering and minor repairs in the house.  I'm finding there is a lot of work to getting the house ready for sale.  I made the mistake of searching for "top tips for selling a house" yesterday.  Phew, there are a lot of ideas out there.

One of the top tips is to clean surfaces.  In the kitchen it's meant to show how much counter space is available.

Here's my kitchen....I tried, I really did but there are just too many things I need out. The coffee pot, kettle, toaster, and breadbox are going nowhere.  Though looking at the photo, I'll make sure the broom is put away in the closet. 

My living room is much better, with the exception of the table beside my chair.  I keep my remotes, address book, telephone, cat brush, pens, etc.  in a container.  It's is really cluttered but the drawer in the side table is full too.  So, I'll have to do something else with it.  

In my de-cluttering I've managed to fill another large box and started a second one with items to donate.  A lot of this came from a second round of going through Christmas and other seasonal decorations.  In addition, I'm taking a tub of assorted items to my daughter at her request.  I cleaned out three tubs but must admit I filled two of them with items that used to sit out on the shelves in the storage room, mostly stuffed animals and Santas.  I did get one empty tub that I'll use for the stuff that I need to hide during showings.  

The paint touch ups are complete.  When Eli was little we had installed a gate at the top of the basement stairs, when it was removed, there were holes that needed to be patched and the walls repainted.  Luckily I had the paint from the bathroom renovations and was able to use that.  I did pick up a small tester of white paint for touching up baseboards and the railing on the steps up to the kitchen. Some time ago, my nephew for some reason known only to him, scratched up the railing with a sharp object.  I'd ignored it until now, but with a bit of wood filler and paint it looks fine.  

One afternoon last week it was warm enough to open up the sun room, so I took the opportunity to clean it thoroughly.  All the toys have been put away, the floor was swept and then vacuumed, and I pulled down some of the curtains and washed them.  I'll continue that process until they've all been cleaned. (Why I haven't done this in the years I've lived here is beyond me).  

Tucked away in the coffee table are a set of towels, teal and white striped, that I'll use to cover the furniture.  The cat's claws have done a number on the existing towels but I won't replace them until necessary.  For showings yes!  One of the curtains was torn by Sheldon, I think he was trying to chase a bird.  It's the second on the left in the picture; I took it down and patched it, then moved it to a corner where it isn't likely to be closed.  I could try to replace them but there are 12 curtains and at an average of $40-50 each I'm not prepared to spend that much money, and it's not likely I could find one that would match the current ones.

Another repair made was the front hall closet door.  The one on the left had split at the top when I was trying to open it one day.  I probably yanked on it too hard.  For the longest time (a year or more) I lived without a closet door.  It certainly ensure I kept the closet tidy. :)

I had been looking on line for replacement doors but was trying to figure out how I'd get them home.  I sure didn't want to pay the $75 delivery charge! As I was getting out of my car the other day, I noticed a couple of panels on top of the shelving unit.  There were a number of pieces of wood left behind by the previous owners.  I checked, and sure enough the panels were the right size.  One of the panels matched, almost to a T the broken one so this weekend I took them all down to basement where I could lay them out on the floor and replaced the broken panel.  My son gave me a hand re-installing it. It's not entirely level but as my dad would have said, "a blind man riding by wouldn't notice the difference." Hooray, another fix with no additional cost!

I did go out the other day and spent a few dollars on towels.  I bought new white tea towels for the kitchen and patterned hand towels for the bathroom.  These will only be used for showings...my ratty old stuff is for everyday.  That plastic tub I mentioned earlier can be used to hide the ratty old stuff while the showing is happening.  I'll just toss it in the car to take with me while the showing is going on.

I'm still about a month away from listing, partly because D and Eli will be here in early May. AND I know the house will need some serious cleaning after they leave.  As well I want to get the garage and yard in tip-top shape and that can't happen until we have some nicer weather.  Sunday was another lovely day with temperatures reaching 15C(70F), but it won't be that warm every day for quite awhile.  My theory is, I'll get as much done in the house as I can now, then will be able to focus my attention on simply keeping it up, and working on the outside.

In the meantime, I've done a little bit of crocheting.  I started an Easter basket for Eli before I left on my cruise and took it with me to work on while I was away.  When I returned home, I realized I didn't like what I'd done so I unraveled it and started again! 

Here's the final product with a few goodies tucked into it (he's only 2 so that's all he's getting).  The basket itself is made using two strands of yarn, all of it scraps I had from other projects.  I knew I didn't have enough blue so used the green and yellow to make the stripes.  The handle is also made with double strands but for additional stability I used three pipe cleaners, side by each, crocheting around them.  I sewed the handle onto the basket, and used the little foam pieces I got at the dollar store to decorate it.  With a bit of paper, and the goodies, I think it turned out pretty well.  

I'll deliver the basket and other items I've gathered up around the house to D and Eli on Wednesday when I drive out to visit.  D wanted me to come for Easter weekend, but I'd rather not deal with the holiday traffic.  Eli has no idea yet, what Easter is or when it is so he'll care less. Though I do know he'll be happy to see me as I will be to see him too.

Have a great week everyone!

Enough already!

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear the winter is going to relent any time soon.  We're back into extreme cold warnings again, though even when there the warnings are lifted it's still freaking cold.  I'm pretty sure I'm starting to suffer from cabin fever.  

I was out on Friday, but not for our regular dinner.  Unfortunately my son C was in a car accident on his way home from work.  I got a call from him, shortly after it happened, and because he wasn't certain where he was due to the pain he was in, I suggested he take the ambulance to the hospital and I would meet him there.  

I did find the aftermath of the accident on my way and spoke to an officer at the scene.  He indicated C wasn't seriously injured, but had "his bell rung" when he hit is head.  I headed over to the hospital and met him as he was being moved from the triage area to the waiting room.  Then we sat and waited; very little was said as he had a headache and wasn't feeling up to it.  We waited nearly 2 1/2 hours for him to be seen.  Meanwhile, a woman came in with a nose bleed and she was taken in shortly before he was, which made sense to me.  What frustrated me were the people with colds/coughs/possible flu who were seen earlier than he was - all of those could have been dealt with at a walk-in clinic. The doctor ran him through the concussion protocol and sent him home.  He was a bit bruised and sore but is feeling okay now.

Today we'll head over to the compound so he can gather up the tools he has in the car.  He's talked to the adjuster, and the claim is started, but I suspect he won't hear the results for a day or two.  However, since his current vehicle is a 2005 Chev product we both suspect it will be written off.  He spent some time on the weekend researching used vehicles for sale and has determined he would like to test drive a couple.  Since today's temps are so cold he agreed to hold off until tomorrow after he's done work.  He has a short day scheduled and I'll drive him to and from work.  I'm always up early on the morning anyway so it's no big deal to me.  Sadly we'd been talking about him replacing the car this spring, but now it is a must.

So, while I'm feeling a bit of being stuck indoors today and tomorrow will definitely take care of it.  Even if I'm only in and out of the car for brief periods of time!  At home, I've continued the de-cluttering, mostly in the craft/sewing room.  I had it set up a couple of years ago before Eli came along, then gave it up for the nursery and now it's back and actually getting used!  I finally got around to sewing the lining for the crocheted bag I made, and finished it up with some hand-stitching to tack into place in the bag.  I also went through my yarn stash, ridding myself of yarn I can't/won't use, sorting small balls of yarn that I will use in one bin, and putting the rest of the unopened/unused yarn in another.  There is stuff there I'd forgotten I'd purchased. Oops!  

Yesterday I tackled my sewing materials.  I now have one bin of fabric and patterns, and one of sewing supplies; needles, thread, elastic, buttons, bobbins, binding, etc.  I found I had three pin cushions, two of which are brand new.  No idea where they came from.  I also have enough sewing needles to outfit a small army unit.  Again, why?  I've set these aside and was thinking I might put together sewing kits for my adult children.  However, I suspect neither of them would ever use them, even to sew on a button, these items will likely end up as a donation.

Last of all the craft items to go through is my scrap-booking bin.  Years, and years, and years ago I dabbled in it.  My favorite scrapbook of all, was one I made for my Dad when he went into the nursing home.  The pages told his story, from a young child to adulthood, containing photos and mementos.  When he passed away, I brought it home and it is currently packed away.  I also had scrap-booked my first out-of-country vacation, and started one for the cats.  And that's were it ended.  I'll likely keep the items that might end up in the cat scrapbook, but the rest will be donated or given to my daughter.  She's continued with her activities and is more likely to use this stuff than I am.

While I was in the craft room, I looked longingly at the sewing machine and materials but decided I'd best continue to work on my current projects.  Too many things to do and not enough time to do them in!  Good thing I'm cooped up inside...most of the time.

Speaking of getting out of the house, it's nearly time to head over to the claims center.  

I'll leave you with this photo my daughter sent of Eli having his lunch today.  He's wearing one of the t-shirts I brought back from my latest cruise.  AND, of course he's bare-footed.  This kid hates socks!  

Have a great day everyone!  Hope you are staying warm and dry wherever you are.