Wordy Wednesday

We're less than three weeks from moving day, and a full three weeks to possession date for this house. While I'm thrilled to be moving on, as this has been in the works for nearly five years now, I can't help but think of all the memories we've made here and the things I will miss.

We moved in on July 15, 2010. This photo was taken shortly after we'd moved. I laughed when I saw it, as the furniture wasn't yet in place, the room is full of boxes, and yet the cable television is up and running. Sami, one of the four cats who moved here with us was helping hold down the boxes.

This was the spare room then, it obviously had been used as a nursery. The windows in the two bedrooms had been ordered by the previous owners but not yet replaced. (They paid for the windows, and I paid for the installation.) It took me a few months before the wallpaper was removed and the room painted a more neutral gray.

The kitchen had wonderful oak cabinets, as did the bathrooms. I liked them, but knowing that someday I'd want to sell, I decided to renovate. Here's how part of the kitchen looked before:

If I remember correctly, by this point (2013) the dishwasher no longer worked. I'm amazed at how much stuff I had loaded on the counters. After two attempts to sell, I've grown accustomed to keeping the counters more clutter free.

After the renovation, which included re-facing the cabinets, adding new drawer fronts and doors, replacing backsplash tile and countertops, and adding a new dishwasher and over the stove microwave, the kitchen looked like this:

I note the over the stove microwave hadn't been installed just yet (not the one on the counter). Sadly the first one lasted just beyond it's warranty date and I had to have a second one installed. (It really isn't that dark - just a bad photo).

I will miss this kitchen; compared to one in C's house it is huge with lots of storage. I suspect some less used items will end up in the basement storeage area. However, I'm hoping a smaller kitchen will be easier to keep clean and tidy.

Another one of the rooms I'll miss most is the sunroom. It was a big reason I purchased this house, and there were several years we were able to use the space well into winter.

When we moved in, it was a blank space, with only the window treatments. I added a set of wicker furniture, a couple of rugs, towels on the furniture to keep down the cat hair, and a small space heater. My small stereo was also kept out here.  The best part of the sunroom was watching the summer thunder storms, the second best part was grabbing a book and reading in my recliner even in January. One needed socks and sweater but with on a sunny day it was quite lovely out there. On the other hand, using the room on July and August afternoons was often out of the question. A metal room with large windows heats up quickly, despite the new room darkening curtains I purchased. Oddly, I cannot locate any photos of the sunroom in it more recent iteration, but if you saw the listing photos you'll have seen it. I sold the furniture shortly after the listing was up.

More changes were made in the front yard over the years. As you can see there was originally grass between the evergreen and the house. It was in bad shape (and even worse in front of the evergreen). I hated the scrub bush that took up a corner, and the front bed had little more than lily of the valley.

I had hired a local garden center to give me an idea of what I could do with the space. She suggested a circular patio, but after meeting with the landscaper, I chose this fan shape instead. The patio was another wonderful space to spend time outdoors. It got the sun in the morning, but was mostly in shade in the late afternoon. When it was too hot to be out in the sunroom or on the deck, it was my go-to place. 

The ferns really took over this year, and there are several hostas, bergenia, Jacob's Ladder, bleeding heart, lamium and many more perennials in the bed. I'm glad I was able to see the results, at least for one year.

There is a front patio at C's house, and a large raised bed made of stone. He's informed me I'm not allowed to grow anything, but I may just need to add a few perennials when he's not noticing. At the moment there are two or three lilies. I'm hoping he'll be amenable to adding more. 

I won't bore you with the more recent changes as those have been posted in this blog over the past five years or so. That included replacing the shingles, several windows, renovating the basement to finish what became my craft room, new flooring and basebords. This year, it was the main floor that received new flooring, a new railing to the kitchen, and new baseboards. 

I do love this house, and it has been a great home for us over the past 13 years. But I'm more than ready to let it go, and move onto a different stage of my life. Not having the responsibility of a house and the associated bills feels a little odd, but definitely exciting. Like C did here, I'll provide a certain amount of "rent" each month to him to help cover a share of the costs. That's a simple e-transfer each month. For practical reasons, my name will appear on the utility bills (in case I need to call in a reading or advise of a disruption in service). But otherwise, beyond the expenses for my car and cell-phone, I'll be bill and debt free. That, in itself, is incredibly exciting!

I'm sure there will be a few tears shed, the day I walk out of this house for the last time. It's where my grandson took his first steps, where my three angel kitties (Sasha, Sami, and Silas) spent their last years, and where I was able to play in the dirt to my heart's content each year. But I'll take those memories and so much more with me when I leave.

What I won't miss is this:

At least I hope the city snow clearing will be better at the new house!

Memories - past and present (part 2)

Our second full day, started early as had the day prior. There was leftover bannock and bacon from the previous morning so that was what we ate. Eli was feeling much better after a decent night's sleep, so we headed to the playground to run off some energy before we hopped in the car. 

Our first planned stop was mural on Centre Street near the post office.

The artist recreated an old store front that existed well before I was born, and some of the individuals in the mural were locals he had asked permission to take photos of. One of those individuals is my dad; D and I wanted to have a photo of Eli walking with him. The artist captured Dad so well, that little half smile, and yes, he was that slim. I don't think he ever weighed more than 175 pounds and was six feet tall.

Our next stop was the Nipawin and Area Living Museum, a place where my Dad spent a lot of his time volunteering, after he and mom moved to town. We arrived just as the museum opened and were the only ones on the grounds for the hour or so we were there. I took a number of photos, but promise to share just a few favorites here. :)

There were many vehicles arranged around the back lot. I like this one in particular and we had Eli sit in the front seat. I don't know he'll ever ride a school bus, but I have many memories of doing so, though not on one as old as this one. (the sign indicates it would hold 25 passengers). 

This old log cabin was donated by the fellow who bought my parent's home quarter. The building was on the property when Dad purchased it around 1960, and was originally used as a chicken house or granary, but when we were young, it was our playhouse. Later it was used by Dad and the new owner for storage before it was moved to the museum site.

The museum has transformed it into a trapper's cabin. I remember the old cupboard on the back wall was in the cabin when we were kids, and the window to the left was our "take-out" window when we played drive-in restaurant. 

Next up was a visit to the Cherry Ridge School. None of use ever attended the school, as it was closed many years before, but the community held several events throughout the year. My favorites were the summer picnic, with games including the three-legged race, gunny sack races, and the adult's baseball games, and even better was the annual Christmas concert. After the concert, which consisted of whatever children could be coerced/convinced to sing or dance or recite a poem, and a skit written and put on by the Cherry Ridge ladies, Santa would arrive with a bag full of presents (marked girl or boy) and the ladies would hand out bags of candy too. 

Eli was fascinated by the typewriter at the back of the classroom. D and I wandered reading through a number of the exhibits. There were a few items that mentioned Mom and/or Dad as they were active in the community club and curling club.

A highlight of the museum for Eli was the train cars. Only one is currently accessible as the other has deteriorated since its installation.

I'm not certain where the cars came from but the train station was moved from, where else, Railway Avenue a number of years ago. After some convincing, we got Eli away from the train cars and through the station. There is an area where the station master might have lived, the public waiting room and ticket counter, and the telegraph office. In the latter, there is a display of various computers/computerized tills that various local businesses have donated. In the back of the station are other donated artifacts and a couple of buggies.

We made a brief stop at the church, a building my Dad fell from when painting it years ago. He was knocked unconscious from the fall and when he came to, he asked who the ambulance was for! He also told his fellow volunteers "don't tell Betty" as he knew mom would be upset to learn he'd been climbing ladders at his age (late 80's if I remember correctly). Of course she found out, and of course, she wasn't happy with him.

Finally we went through an old house - Eli was about done so we left him on the first floor looking at a display of typewriters, while D and I finished the tour.

Just outside the house was evidence of the storm damage. The volunteers had already been through and taken away the trunks and branches, but you can see how the tree roots were pulled up. There is a pile of cut wood by the one of the luckier trees.

We did a wander through the main building exhibits as well, and the worker took us to the back room where we saw a memorial to Dad on the wall. We learned that only one of the individuals who was part of his crew of volunteers is still alive and active. 

Our next stop was meant to be the local florist to pick up flowers for mom and dad's graves. However, it turned they were closed on Saturday! D was very disappointed, but we went ahead and drove out to visit their graves. We also found my Uncle Wilf's grave in the area for the World War vets. He served in WWII and was gassed in France, resulting in lifelong emphysema.

Back at the campground, we did some organizing for our trip home the next day, while Eli relaxed with his tablet. Later in the afternoon, he and I went to visit the barnyard zoo again, where he was able to feed the chickens and bunnies with some leftover lettuce. Dinner that evening was burgers and hotdogs, along with grilled corn on the cob for Eli, the remaining pasta salad for D, and raw veg and dip for me. Dessert was watermelon, and we tried s'mores over the campfire. Eli didn't like them, D didn't want any, so I ate one. Bedtime was even later than the two previous nights, and we were all ready for sleep.

The following morning we were awake early and enjoyed our last campfire before packing up the car, and turning our minds toward home. But we had to make one more trip to the playground and the barnyard before we left! A rousing game of tag, you're it, woke us all up. 

We stopped on our way out of town for fuel for the car, and breakfast for all of us. The drive went well, and we were at D and Eli's by lunchtime. Initially I had thought I would stay for a bit, before driving home, but I was not feeling well and made the decision to leave as soon as everything was out of the car.  Good thing, as I spent much of the late afternoon napping on the couch, before falling into bed by 7:30 p.m. I guess I needed the sleep.

This begs the question, would I go camping again? Well, I will say that sleeping on the ground, even on a thermarest wasn't the most comfortable. Worse still, was getting up in the night to use the facilities. (I'll leave it at that.) While I do enjoy being outdoors, and found being in among the evergreens and trees from my childhood was wonderful, I hate bugs. The mosquitos were thick, though lazy, and while I didn't get bitten often, poor Eli wasn't as lucky no matter how much bug spray his mother used. 

Despite the discomforts, I wouldn't have missed this trip for the world. It brought back so many happy memories, and some sad ones too, and gave me a chance to make more memories with my grandson and daughter. I do think, if there is a next time, I'll consider renting a nearby cabin instead with indoor plumbing, more comfortable beds, and a kitchen.

Thanks for joining me on this trip down memory lane.

Memories - past and present (part 1)

The drive to D's was the start of the parade of memories for me. I realized the last time I was in my hometown for any length of time it was September 2008, when my Dad passed away and we held his funeral. I'd been there once since, but only to attend my godfather's funeral and return the same day. We'd made a list of places and things we wanted to do/see, and I went through each in my mind as I drove.

But first there was much packing and last minute yard work to be done. It's a good thing that I enjoyed the game Tetris as it took a great deal of turning and shuffling of items to fit everything into the car's trunk and interior. (If I were do it again, I might rent a truck, seriously!) 

We were up early on Thursday morning, after a night of revolving beds. Eli and I started on the mattress on the floor, then I moved to the couch, he followed, I returned to the mattress, he followed, and so and so forth. The little stinker then slept on while his mom and I continued to packing of the coolers and dry goods. With everything finally packed and youngster awake and fed, we were on the road by about 9 a.m.

There wasn't a lot of traffic on the secondary highway and we made good time to Tisdale where we stopped for lunch. Eli had been wonderful, only asking once how long before we get there. I had seen a travel hack that suggested, for long road trips/flights, wrapping small gifts for the child to open every hour or so. Between watching the abandoned houses (it could be a shed or granary but they were all houses to Eli), a couple of airplanes, horses, cattle, and several birds, the small gifts did their magic.

After our brief stop, it was a short 35 minute drive to Nipawin. We past the spot where the memorial comprising 16 crosses for the Humboldt Bronco hockey team was set up about 5 years ago. Across the road, from an accident in 1997, there are six crosses for the family of three adults and three children who died at the same highway crossing.

We drove through town, agog at the damage that was done in a recent storm. Trees were uprooted on the boulevards and in the yards of many homes. One yard would have significant damage while the next had sustained none. 

Arriving at the regional park just after 1 p.m., we were able to check in and start the process of unloading the car and setting up the tent. Then it was off to explore the playground.

There were three areas of playground equipment: this newer area, a slightly older area in the background (the yellow apparatus was a hit - you'll see why shortly), and outside the frame and to the left the oldest area. In fact there was a piece of equipment that I remember playing on as a child! I remember how hot that metal slide would get in the summer heat. 

The hit of the playground was the zipline. D remembers playing on it when she was a child, visiting my parents over the summer. 

Look at that face! He was so intent on holding himself up. Although his feet should be on the ring he's holding onto, he wasn't tall enough to reach the handles above the foothold. This worked well enough and he enjoyed himself immensely.

Back at camp, we finished our set-up and started dinner; hamburgers and pasta salad for D and I, a hotdog and veg for Eli.  Later we had a fire and made popcorn before turning in for the night. We were all tired from the drive, and after a round of the tickle game, G'ma won the race to sleep. I wasn't feeling particularly well, as I'd managed to catch a cold a couple of days before we left. 

We were up bright and early the following morning, well before our neighbours. Our breakfast of french toast didn't happen, because I forgot to pack the egg mix D had put together. Instead, we cooked over the fire, bannock in a cast iron pan (D), and bacon on a griddle pan (me). After a visit to the playground, to run off some energy (and a few calories), we headed out towards town.

Our first stop was at the old Nipawin Bridge. Built in 1930, and opened to vehicular traffic in 1931, it is double deck bridge currently available only to train traffic. The lower deck was closed to traffic in 2021 due to deterioration. The newer bridge was built in 1973 north of this location, but when I was a child this was the only access to the west and north of Nipawin. We rode the bus daily across the bridge, and I can recall meeting traffic, such as a grain truck, where the vehicles would have to stop and pull in their mirrors. Later a set of stop lights were added on either side, and traffic was limited to one way.

Driving onto or off the bridge required one to slow down due to the bends, though based on the railings, it would appear not everyone did. I remember a friend's boyfriend trying to show off for us, and hitting the gas as he manuevered the curves. He wasn't her boyfriend for long.

Our next stop was the Woodlawn Cemetery where I was able to locate my grandparent's graves. D was quite impressed, as I still remembered where their graves were located, and found them relatively quickly. Sadly, I could not find the markers for my great-grandparents. There was some damage here too, with a few trees downed by the recent storm.

Eli hadn't slept well the night prior, so D and I decided a drive might give him a chance to nap (it didn't). We headed out of town and drove to the farm where I grew up. Along the way, I pointed out the farm yards, naming the families that I remember living there. There was the farm where I went after I rolled my car on the gravel road, one where we got the best Halloween treats, and another where the father had a wooden leg. I recall he used to tease us kids by asking us to "check his reflexes". We never remembered which leg was the good leg. :)

I didn't take any photos, as the property no longer is in the family. I can tell you, that D was shocked at the size of the yard; once seemingly huge to her young eyes, now appeared so small. I took the chance to travel a number of back roads for a short distance, one I often rode about 10 miles to reach my aunt's house in a small community nearby, and another that led past farmland my Dad farmed for so many years. There we saw the miles of trees that we planted (and weeded) as a wind break. On the way back we stopped at the former site of the Cherry Ridge school and the curling rink where our family spent a lot of time in the winter. My Dad was once the ice-maker there and both of our parents curled.

After a quick stop at the local Co-op for a few snacks, more vegetables and fruit for dinner, we headed back to the campground. Eli was not yet feeling well, so we gave him his tablet and he hung out in the tent while D and I relaxed in our chairs. I read and did a bit of knitting, while she played on her phone and posted some photos from the morning. After a late lunch, we decided to visit the barnyard petting zoo near the park gate.

There were several pens of chickens. Later in the trip, Eli and I discovered this rooster was hen-pecked.

There were two peacocks and a white fowl I didn't recognize. 

The domestic geese were very noisy, especially if anyone came near their cage.

In addition, there were two young calves and a couple of playful goats. At one point, they were playing with a large piece of a tree limb, and later started their head butting.

But the best part of the zoo for Eli were the bunnies! There were several cages, most with adults, one with three immature bunnies and one with babies. 

These three were nearly inseparable - every time we stopped by the cage they were napping together or feeding together.

While we saw a total of seven wee ones, we were later told there are actually eight babies. Aren't they cute?

After this visit, we headed back off to the playground where Eli played/tired his mother out on the zipline. I took a short walk, down the hill toward the river where I found the old swinging bridge - no longer safe to use and the lookout. To the right, one can see the new bridge that is currently used to cross the river. I remember it added another five or six miles to our trip to town. As a result, we continued to use the old bridge most of the time. 

Dinner that evening included grilled corn on the cob, grilled asparagus, a green salad with grilled chicken, and watermelon for dessert. We stayed up later that evening enjoying the campfire. I'd brought a couple of new-to-him books, so those were read after we all climbed into our sleeping bags. The neighbours were a little less quiet, so it took a bit of time before we all fell asleep. D heard the partiers later in the night, but Eli and I both slept through the noise.

At this point, I'll end today's post since there are more photos and lots to share. 

Heading home hiccups

I'd like to say that the end of the trip went as well as the beginning but there were a few bumps along the way. We docked in Vancouver around 6:30 or 7 a.m. which would normally mean we'd start disembarkation around 8 or shortly thereafter. I had a flight booked for noon, the airport is about a 45 minute train ride away, and I needed to be there around 10 a.m. I had selected walk-off, which means I did not check my luggage the night before. I was actually out of my cabin by about 6:30 or so as I wanted to ensure I was near the front of the line. 

Ha! Normally, the walk-offs are well on their way before the next groups start lining up. Not this cruise. First off, although we were docked at a reasonable time, the clearing of the ship by Customs was delayed well past 8:30 a.m.  That meant no one was leaving the ship early. Second, and probably most frustrating for many passengers was a change that was announced mid-cruise. Until that point, the US travellers who were flying into the States on disembarkation day would have been able to get a Covid-19 test managed by Princess at the port. For some reason, this had changed and Princess was unable to provide this service. This meant that hundreds of passengers had booked tests (mostly) at the airport and everyone was in a rush to get their tests completed so they could fly that day. As a result it was chaos at the off-ramp. 

I did manage to get off the ship shortly after 9, cleared customs, and caught the train with minutes to spare. Otherwise I would have been waiting for another half-hour for the next one. The Vancouver airport is in the midst of summer construction - or at least that's what it looked like to me but I reached the line-up for the WestJet check-in fairly quickly. There I stood in-line until an employee came by and asked if I was just dropping off luggage. I had my baggage tags and boarding passes so I said yes. She checked me in, and then informed me that I had to put my luggage on the moving belt. (Be prepared to laugh - I did, eventually).

I grabbed my suitcase and went to swing it up and on the belt. Unfortunately, my right foot got caught and ended up under the bag on the belt. I didn't quite end up doing the splits but it was close. I managed to pull my foot out and get it off the belt, but my shoe went with my bag.  The employee simply laughed and informed me there was no way to get my shoe back. Uh, thanks. For some reason, I hadn't tucked my flip-flops or sandals in my carry-on...I won't ever forget those again. The next passenger in line offered me a pair of shoes from her luggage but I said I'd buy a pair of flip-flops once I got through security.  (This after asking the employee if I would be able to clear security with only one shoe.)

Of course, as I went through security, my bag was selected for secondary screening. She noticed I was missing a shoe, as did the next officer. Yeah, yeah, I'm fully aware. At least they were polite enough not to laugh - at least until I was out of earshot. 

It's a rare airport that doesn't have a Flip-flop shop. YVR is one of them. I ended up in a fancy-schmancy shop were I could buy a pair of embellished flip-flops for just over $40 CDN. I told my tale of woe and the clerk was kind enough to give me a 10% discount. I finally had a pair of something to wear on my feet and made my way to my gate. I always like to know where it is before I do anything else. 

After sitting for 20 minutes or so to unwind/calm down, I headed back towards security to grab a bite to eat and a treat, some licorice. Nothing like eating your feelings, right?  I was in line-up in the candy store when a young man bumped into me but I thought nothing of it. I grabbed a burger and a drink and went to the gate to eat my lunch and read. 

When the gate attendant announced that boarding would begin in about 20 minutes, I checked my bag for my boarding pass and passport. OH NO! My passport wasn't in the pocket. I immediately went to see the gate attendant and explained that my passport had gone missing - I knew I had it when I went the security and now I did not. He explained he couldn't help me with that, and when I provided my driver's license as proof of identity he said I should see him when boarding and it would be okay.  The issue I have is I use my second name most often. My driver's license and most of my identification reads second name first name, while my passport and health card are first name second name. My flights were booked with my passport and thus were different than the DL. I was relieved when he told not to worry.

Boarding call was made and I went to his desk, even though the line-up was being managed by his peer. She wasn't very happy when he told her he'd handle my check-in. Phew, I was on the plane and in my seat shortly after. Surely that would be the end of my comedy of errors. But no.

We were delayed taking off and arrived in Calgary just a half-hour before my flight to Regina - about the time the flight would be boarding. Of course, I'm in concourse B on landing and need to be at D for departure. Another woman and I made the mad dash across the terminal, only to learn that our flight was delayed for at least an hour. I went straight to the gate to talk to the attendant about my predicament. She was not nearly as accommodating as the fellow in Vancouver. She discounted my driver's license with photo and insisted she needed another piece of identification with first name, second name. I had a copy of my passport, but she wouldn't accept that, I had forgotten my health card at home, but did have a copy of my vaccination records which listed my health record details. She took that from me, as well as my DL and my boarding pass, sent me to sit and wait and got on the phone. It was anxious fifteen minutes or so. I was trying to decide how I would get home if she refused to accept the identification I had. There are no buses or trains between Calgary and Regina and it is a long walk. I finally went up to the desk and she told me that she'd talked to someone and their records indicated I'd booked tickets before under my regular name so she changed my boarding pass so it was correct. I thanked her and took my items, but I laughed when I checked the boarding pass - she had listed me as Mrs. Hmmm...not correct as I've never been Mrs. anything but I wasn't about to ask her to change it. 

The delay stretched out for nearly an hour longer, as we had to wait for a crew to transfer from another flight that came in. But finally we were on the plane and I was on my way home. Thankfully there were no more mishaps along the ways...there had been quite enough.

The following day, I contacted the airport lost and found and made a report about my passport. A week or so later, I had a call they had located the passport, and I was able to arrange for a courier to pick it up and deliver it to me. I'll never know if the young man who bumped into me took it from my bag, or if I simply dropped it somehow. In any event I'm thrilled not to have to replace it - even the cost of the courier was significantly less than the cost of a replacement.

Some final thoughts on the cruise itself. I now know why so many people cruise to Alaska numerous times. One couple I spoke with were on their eighth cruise, another couple nearly twenty times! The scenery is phenomenal and there is so much to see and do, as one chooses. I've been talking with L, my travel agent, already and mentioned I'd like to do the cruise in September (not this year - maybe in a year or two) when the fall colors are at their best. 

The ship was big and beautiful and had some wonderful spaces including the Hollywood Conservatory and pool and, of course, the Wakeview Bar. But I'll be honest, I prefer the smaller ships - most have an aft area with a bar and in some cases that are also has a small pool. The venues may not be as big, but it's often easier to meet other passengers.  Also I anticipate that as the supply chain disruptions ease, the dining options and food quality will improve. I can't say I ever went hungry, and I did find a new favorite specialty restaurant. 

The staff and the crew work just as diligently to ensure that guests have a great experience. Some things are out of their control, and while communication can always be improved, I always remember I'm so fortunate to be able to travel. It was so very wonderful to be back onboard a ship at sea, and travel to destinations that were merely words in a magazine or pictures on television before. Cheryl mentioned in a comment how wonderful it is to have the memories I'll keep from this trip. She's absolutely right.

I was glad to get home safely, and now I get to look forward to the next time. When will that be? I'll be sure to let you know. :)

Puttering, plays, and solving problems

Before I forget, Kathy asked last week how I was planning to overwinter the geraniums.  This is the first time I've attempted it, so am relying on information I found in a FB gardening group.  When I lifted the plants I removed most of the soil, and laid them out in the garage to dry.  After a couple of days (or in my case a week because I forgot), I've removed the dead foliage and placed them in a plastic bags.  They need to be stored in a cool, dry place, and for me that's my garage.  I'll have to let you know how it all works out in 7 months or so. :)

This week flew by in a flash!  Of course, I posted on Monday so the week was shorter than normal, but even so, it seemed it was nearly the weekend again before I turned around.

The curling kept me busy on Sunday, and started up again on Thursday. I suspect this will continue at least until the end of November when the Olympic curling trials take place.  I've also been watching the major league baseball playoffs - I got hooked at the end of the season when the Toronto Blue Jays made a bit of a run though they came up short, and have been watching the games since.  It amazes me how one game a team will be able to get hits and runs, seemingly at will, and the next game be unable to score. I guess the pitching has a lot to do with it.  Add in Canadian football and I've been in sports heaven this week.  Hockey also started up on Wednesday but other than a few minutes of a couple of games I haven't watched a lot.

I haven't always been a baseball fan.  When I was at school as a youngster, when teams were picked for a game, my team always sent me to the outfield....way, way, way outfield. In fact, there was more than once that the teacher sent someone out to find me after recess.  I'd get fascinated by an ant hill or wander over into the bush next to the ball diamonds, or simply sit and day dream.  However, a few years ago, while on a cruise, I met a couple from New Jersey.  Their names escape me now - I remember he sold ice cream and she was a huge baseball fan.  She and their son had visited numerous stadiums across the United States.  The world series was on that week and she and I would make our way to the lounge where the games were being shown from the satellite.  I don't recall who won the series but I got a new appreciation for the game.    

I did get most of the housework caught up this week, much of it on Tuesday morning before the baseball started.  I had to run out too, to pick up a doctor's note for my daughter, so made a couple of extra stops at the dollar store, Value Village, and Walmart.  Nothing exciting at the dollar store, and though it was senior's day I found one item at VV.  It is a small lantern meant to hold a small candle.  I've already started re-doing it - it was metal with glass panels - the metal has been painted white and I intend to fill it with some Christmas decor and a set of battery operated lights. 

My daughter had asked if I would get pillows for her for Christmas, but "could she get them before Christmas, please?".  I found Serta pillows on sale at Walmart so we all got new pillows.  I also picked up a new laundry basket as my old one had fallen apart.  I loaded them all into the back seat of the car, and it was full.  If I'd had an accident on the way home, I would be well cushioned. :)

On the project side, I'm getting lots done while I'm watching the various sporting events.  I had done dishes a number of times at D's last weekend and the dishcloth she was using was falling apart.  I pulled out my cotton yarn and knit up three dishcloths for her.  Since I had it out, I found a pattern for a crocheted kitchen hand towel and started that as well.  I also did some puttering in my craft room and have a couple of other things on the go.  

I did switch out the display on the top of my china cabinet.  Most of the items are ones I made or revamped. This is the initial display - I'd meant to make a sign using thankful or grateful but never got around to doing so, thus it's pretty barren.  The next photo is my display for Halloween. I'm sure my son thinks I'm nuts, but I'm having fun with it. I sent a photo to D and Eli said it was spooky. 

Thursday morning started out cold and wet.  It was below zero when I woke up, and it never made it to more than 3C (37F) that afternoon.  There was even a skiff of snow on the top of the garbage and recycling bins when I went to move the garbage bin to the street for pick-up.  I'm so not ready for this type of weather, but thankfully we've got better weather for the near future.  The containers of flowers are still out!

I did have to run out as I had a flu shot booked for that morning.  I got the shot at the Safeway pharmacy so did a some grocery shopping before I left the store.  I may or may not have left before the 15-20 minutes I was supposed to stay was up.  In fact, I think I arrived home about 20 minutes after the shot.  I've yet to have any kind of reaction to the flu shots.  This year is no different.  My arm was a wee bit sore on Friday morning, but I did some arm circles and the pain dissipated quickly.

This morning was cold too, -2C (28F), but is expected to warm up to 16 (61F) this afternoon.  There are four curling games and two football games being streamed or televised, and sometime between or before all that I've got to get outside to start pulling the plants from the containers.  Sunday is supposed to be quite warm too, so I'll finish then.

Oh, the other momentous occasion this week was finally getting on of the fence gates repaired.  I've been sending e-mails to the company for four weeks about problems with the gate.  The post attached to the house was loose and the locking mechanism wasn't working properly.  The owner kept promising to send someone out and then either forgot or got too busy (whatever!), and finally I'd had enough.  I informed him, if someone wasn't there within the week I would be hiring someone else to make the repairs and sending him the invoice.  It still took an extra day (the worker had a funeral to attend - maybe?) but he did show up this week and the necessary repairs made.  I don't expect they'll ever ask me for a reference.  

You may note that the layout of the blog is slightly different.  I messed up when I went to change the photo, (I need to remember to scroll down!), and ended up deleting the header gadget.  So then, I had to change the theme in order to get one back.  When the photo I originally posted was too large I clicked the button to shrink it and I ended with what's there now.  I give up...blogger is certainly not an intuitive application and the help section is pretty much a mire of closed questions.  I couldn't even figure out how to submit a question of my own.  

Enough of my ramblings, time to make another cup of tea and settle in with my crocheting to watch the first curling game of the day.  Take care everyone, stay well and have a good week.

For the love of the game

When I was a kid I used to say I was born in a curling rink.  Not quite true, and although my birth story is quite unusual I won't share it with you...at least not now.

I was less than a year old when my parents moved from a small town to the farm where I grew up. I'm not sure when they started curling but it wasn't long afterward.  In the farming community there was a single curling sheet rink and every Tuesday and Thursday from after Christmas until the end of March, the bus would drop us off as our parents were either curling or playing rummy and chatting with friends waiting for their turn. We kids would skate on an outdoor rink, buy treats at the concession (25 cents for sandwiches or a piece of cake or a cookie), or just get into mischief.  The women of the district took turns making the items for sale and club used the proceeds to buy supplies.

When my Dad turned 60, he took over the ice making from Walter who was well into his 80's by then.  The curling rink (and Dad) were even part of an episode of a CBC television program, the name of which I can't recall.  One of my daughter's earliest memories is going to the rink with Grandpa, watching him light the stove to warm up the seating area and playing with a few toys while he flooded the ice.

My parents didn't only curl at this venue, but also curled in various bonspiels over the winter in the nearby towns and villages.  Between the curling and hockey (my brother participated), I don't think I'll ever get the smell of rink burgers and fried onions out of my system.

You would think that with all the time spent in the rink, I would taken up the game but that never happened.  In fact, I was quite bitter as a teenager about all the curling.  My mother was quite a competitive curler; she and her team even made it to the Northern Provincial event a couple of times in a bid to reach the provincial tournament.  But what irked me most was that the town's women's bonspiel ran every year during the week my birthday fell. As a result I never had a birthday party or even a cake, until one of the neighbour's brought one to the small curling rink when I was about thirteen.  If you've followed me for very long, you may know that I don't celebrate birthdays, I have a "me day" instead. Call it residual angst from my childhood.

So how on earth did I fall in love with the game?  Well, in 1989, I was working for a bank here in the city.  Our managers bought a number of tickets and offered them to employees to attend the Brier in Saskatoon (about 2 1/2 hours drive from here) on a lottery basis.  I won two tickets for a full day's draw and called my mom to ask if she wanted to attend...of course she did!  We met at my sister's in Saskatoon the night before, and Mom and I spent the day at the rink together.  In that one day, Mom shared so much of her curling knowledge and didn't mind when I asked what were likely very foolish questions.  That was the beginning of my love for the game.

In 1998, I invited my parents to Regina to attend the Scotties Tournament of Hearts final.  The arena had added extra seating - we were sitting in what must have been the most uncomfortable seats in the venue but I still have wonderful memories of that day too. Watching the teams dance to the music during the television time-outs was just one of them.

A few years later, the Roar of the Rings were being held in Regina.  This is the event that decides the Canadian men's and women's teams to participate in the Olympics. I purchased the tickets for the full event, knowing there would be some incredible curling. I wrote my final exam for my professional accounting designation the morning of the first draw; these tickets were meant to be a gift to myself for making it through the program.  I took the week off work too.  

When I reached my seat for the week for the second draw of the day, I found two couples seated next to me.  The two wives didn't attend every game but no matter who was there, someone was always willing to answer my questions.  One of the women had actually participated in the Dominion women's curling (the precursor to today's Scotties), and the man in the other couple had participated in the men's event several times as the representative from the Northwest Territories. 

They were all so knowledgeable and I learned so much that week, especially about the strategy of the game.  It intrigued me then and that interest has stayed with me ever since. When people refer to curling as chess on ice, there truly is an element of truth to it. The really good curlers are always thinking two or three shots ahead. 

As I noted in my last post there have been many changes over the years. Some of these were to make the games more entertaining, and others to correct some issues that arose due to improvements in the equipment.  Think of it as a golf game - I'm sure at some point the length of holes had to be increased because the technology of the clubs allowed for golfers to hit farther.  Curling has put away the old straw brooms in favor of brooms covered in synthetic fabric.  Curlers no longer have to deal with bits of straw on the ice, but rather contend with the new directional brushing that is possible with the newer brooms. (Basically what that means is the stronger sweepers can pretty much sweep the rock to any part of the ice.)

Curling is definitely a world-wide sport.  In many countries such as China, Japan and Russia, the players are selected to participate, and are supported financially as they train. Other countries provide some funding for their elite teams as well - there may only be one or two teams at that level.  In Canada and the U.S. the curling federations support the teams who become the country's representative but most of the funding for the various teams comes from corporate sponsorship.  And those sponsors want people to watch the games - hence the need to change the rules to ensure it is more exciting game otherwise there would only be the diehards like myself willing to watch. 

The next big world curling event will be the Olympics in Bejing in 2022. Curling was part of the first modern Olympics in 1924 but was not included for many years after that.  Our Saskatchewan women's team led by Sandra Schmirler, won their way into the Olympics in 1998 in Nagano, Japan where they won gold.  Sadly, Sandra lost her life to cancer just two years later.  

In 2018 the gold medal team on the men's side was John Schuster from Duluth, Minnesota.  His team is quite colorful and definitely fun to watch and not only for their ability to curl.  The women's side was won by the Swedish team led by Anna Hasselborg. They are still a young team and will be a force to reckon with for many years yet. She's at this week's event with her husband and her nine month old daughter.  

Okay, that was a whole lot of words to tell you how and why I enjoy watching curling so much.  It's been a journey from that one sheet curling rink, to various events across our province, and now in the comfort of my armchair.  Just don't ask me to sit in the hack and throw a rock. :)

39 years later - 21 days to go!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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