Christmas Past

Christmas week was definitely slower than the week prior. Thank goodness!

Besides the big day, I filled my time with packing for leaving today (to the city), reading, watching television, and making mini-quiche for our Christmas breakfast. D had errands to run on the 24th in the morning and also baked buns and set a pan of cinnamon buns for the next day's breakfast. 

That evening we dressed in our new Christmas pajamas and went for a drive around town to look at the Christmas lights. There were some pretty fantastic displays, no photos though. It was clear that at some point small inflatable snowman were purchased by many; we ought to have counted them up as we drove around as I'm sure they would have numbered in the dozens.

We had hoped that a bath and the drive would help Eli fall asleep that night. It did not, and D said it was nearly 11:30 before he dropped off. I wasn't far behind him - not sure why I couldn't sleep but I was up past midnight. This is what our Christmas morning looked like:

5:30 a.m. Eli is up and raring to go. His mom attempts to distract him with his stocking. That takes about 3 minutes for him to unwrap some small gifts. He does go downstairs to play with the cap gun in the stocking...for about 1 minute.

G'ma gives up and gets up at this point. We discuss whether we ought to have breakfast before opening gifts. Eli vetoes that idea, but I manage to put the cinnamon buns in the oven before he has his say.

5:45 a.m. Gift opening commences. We have a tradition in our family, that only one gift at a time can be opened. It must then be admired by all before the next gift is handed out. This extends the amount of time.

6:05 a.m. I check the cinnamon buns and give them another 10 minutes.

6:15 a.m. Gift opening continues. Eli opens a gift from Santa and finds Mario Bros. underwear. It is the only gift that disappoints him. G'ma and Momma get slippers from Santa; we are not disappointed. 

I pull the cinnamon buns out of the oven and put the mini quiche into warm up for 10 minutes.

6:25 a.m. Quiche are ready. D realizes that she forgot to put one present under the tree. (She didn't really but she wanted to prank Eli). It's the Nintendo Switch that he asked Santa to bring. Much joy is observed, at least until she has to start the process of making it work with the television. 

6:30 a.m. I sit down with a cup of tea, two mini-quiches and a cinnamon bun. Eli has a bowl of cereal and a pear due to his egg allergy. D doesn't eat until later.

The hilarity (for me, at least) continued for another hour or so while D set up a profile on-line, watched several videos on how to set up the Switch, tested it, and said a few HBO words. When the video game was finally passed to the small child, I did the dishes and she went up to bed where she napped for three hours. Eli and I hung out in my bedroom, where I watched the Great British Baking show. 

Christmas dinner was a sirloin tip roast done low and slow in the oven, mashed potatoes, carrots, peas, and my daughter's favorite, Stove Top stuffing. The beef was so delicious - it's been some time since I've done a roast. There is enough left over for a sandwich or two for D. 

We were all in bed early that night! Eli slept for over 12 hours and woke just as D left the house to do a bit of Boxing Day shopping. There was a table on sale that we wanted for the office/craft room at Canadian Tire. I was just as happy to stay home with the kid and the cats.

Christmas was taken down and put away on Friday. While D likes the sparkle, there is a lot of it to deal with. I had brought in the tubs from the porch the day before, and we made quick work of dismantling the Christmas tree, and the other Christmas stuffies, Nativity set, green garland and such. We did leave up the snow flakes and blue and silver garland. So, still a little sparkle and winter themed.

This morning I will get the car packed with the Christmas gifts for my brother and his family, my bags - duffle with clothing, laptop, and knitting. There are a couple of errands to run in the city before I head for C's house. Hopefully I'll have everything done, so I can park the car in the garage, where it will stay for the next two months. Then it is just packing for Yuma, hanging out with my son, Saku (the cat) and Sage (the dog) before I fly out on Tuesday!

Have a great week ahead everyone! 

Back in the thick of things

This Eli's jack o'lantern - his idea executed by his mom. His face is obscured because it was used on the public school website. 

How on earth can it be November already? In a few days, it will be the anniversary of moving day from my old house to my son's. Do you recall we had a nice day for the move, and then the following day we had nearly over 4 inches of snow fall? I do! With the exception of one morning, about 10 days ago, when we had snow flakes in the air but melting before it hit the ground, we've no snow this week, nor in the upcoming forecast. I mention this, because the weather seems more as though it is October rather than November. 

Back to last weekend, the contractor Aaron did an amazing job in the garage. It took him less than 20 minutes to complete the work. He mentioned he had responded to me because he knew that no concrete companies would be willing to do it. When he pulled up the smaller anchors it caused some flaking of the top layer of the concrete, and the larger anchor resulted in a small hole. He recommended I pick up some concrete patching material to fill these areas, though said it they wouldn't like cause any issues.

I ran out to Home Depot for the material on Monday, and completed the patches. Then I spent about an hour mowing the front lawn and raking and picking up the leaves. By mowing, I was able to mulch many of the leaves, but there was still a full green bin gathered from under the hedge, along the driveway and sidewalk. I said to my son when I went in to the house, that if he got rid of the hedge, the leaves would blow across the lawn and into the neighbour's yard. :)

Tuesday was a housework and packing day. I did laundry in the morning, and sorted out the clothing I needed to take with me (home to my daughter's). When we talked that morning, I asked her to check the dresser drawers as I had left some clothing there, and the bathroom for toiletries. In addition, I asked her to check the pantry and fridge for a few items; peanut butter, tea, and parmesan cheese. These are items I like to have on hand and are on sale at Costco this week. D asked me to pick up cat food too as she is running low.

That meant a trip to Costco on Wednesday before meeting S at the library for Stitch and Chat. The store was nuts and although I had only a few items to pick up, it took much longer that I had hoped. First, I discovered I'd misplaced my membership card so had to wait in a line to get a temporary card. Then, the parmesan cheese I was looking for wasn't where I expected it to be and even after asking a store employee it took some time to find the display. I still managed to make it to the library about 5 minutes ahead of schedule. It was a pleasant surprise when another lady arrive (Io) who hasn't been there for several months. She had surgery in early summer and is still working towards her full recovery. We had a lovely visit, the three of us, and it was a nice way to spend a couple of hours.

Thursday, I spent the day finishing my packing, and vacuuming the house one more time. I ran out to do a couple of small errands and filled my vehicle with fuel. That evening I spent my time answering the front door to the trick or treaters.

The next door neighbour decorated the front of his house a week or so ago. It's often windy here, and when I was outdoors, I'd catch a movement out the corner of my eye, when the clothing and hair of the goblin/creepy guy moved. It made me jump every time!

I was packed up and on the road shortly after 8 a.m. Getting out of the city was the most difficult part of the journey.  I avoided the Ring Road around the city because of construction. Then as I turned south  onto a main street, I was stopped in a line-up because of a train. It was stopped at the crossing but started moving fairly quickly...but it was a long train.

Continuing south, I planned to turn left at the next set of lights. A broken down van meant a change to the next lane and a wait of two lights in order to make theturn safely. Do you know what I like about small town living? Very little traffic! I did have one more interesting moment when I spotted an eagle in a tree just off the highway. Had I noticed it earlier, I would have stopped to get a photo. 

We unloaded the car, put away everything I'd remembered to bring (oops left one bag behind), D did laundry, and we tidied the craft room together. I can get to my sewing machine! I have a couple of small projects to do, now I just need to ensure I have the supplies needed.

Today will be a mostly relaxing day. D and I plan to sit and work out a meal plan for the next few weeks. I'm recommending tonight's dinner be a simple one, as the Roughrider's game starts at 4:30 p.m. This is the western semi-final, thus a must win for the team if they hope to reach the Grey Cup game later this month. There is curling to watch too, and I've got another pair of mitts started to work on. 

Preparation and the final countdown

First off, the Wednesday photo was a shot of the city crew in the process of replacing the sidewalk across the street. There are 5 workers (one behind the two standing), two with shovels, the hidden one cutting up the sidewalk to the condo, and the two guys standing there. I assume one of the standing guys was the driver of the truck...the other a supervisor?

It was a busy week leading up to today. I like to think I'm prepared for travelling, but there are other things that needed to be done before I leave the house this afternoon. 

We had cool weather through the weekend and into Monday, but it did warm up enough on Sunday afternoon enough for my son to clean out the eavestroughs on the house. As he pulled out the gunk, he dropped it below onto the front deck and the back patio. I followed along behind with a broom and dust pan and garbage bag. Most of the accumulation was at the ends of the eavestrough, especially at the downspout. In fact, he asked for his toilet auger to clear the downspouts! I'm thinking it has been awhile since the job was done. I brought the hose and he ran water through each eavestrough so we could confirm the water was flowing well. (And yes, I'm aware he bought this place last November and this is the first time he's cleaned the gutters.)

Seemingly overnight., the trees across the street have turned yellow

On Thursday I picked up a few grocery items for my son, and for the cat too. We were running low on wet cat food, and I bought eggs, some sandwich meat, and a loaf of bread for C. Breakfast for dinner is something C will make for himself, as well as grilled sandwiches. He actually is quite adept at cooking, but tends to do that when he has more time. I remember the days of coming home from work and being tired and not wanting to cook a big meal.

I also got the weeding finished in the backyard! With the rain we received, the ground was easier to turn with the pitchfork. It was tiring work, even so, and I'm glad to have it done for a couple of weeks. I'm certain some will come back though the area I'd finished early in the month has stayed mostly clear, just a few weeds that needed to be removed. The hard part are the tree roots - those suckers go far and deep. I've run into a couple that will require me to dig down as far as I can and then use an axe to remove as much of the stump as possible. That will be left until I return from my trip.

That pile of brick and blocks by the wall were dug up as I cleared the weeds. You'll note I never posted a before picture...take my word for it was bad. The soil in pretty much the entire backyard was dug up and turned over.

The other big news this week is the neighbour next door with the big dogs is planning to build a fence this weekend. He came over to talk to C, one evening, and discussed his plans. Those plans changed slightly but he let us know, and I'm looking forward to knowing the two dogs are contained. They are large dogs, and clearly not well trained. The couple bring them out on leashes, but if I happen to be in the back they lunge towards me, and the wife, especially, doesn't seem to have great control. She manages, but I suspect the dogs could get away from her if they really wanted to. We had planned to put up a fence anyway but were waiting until next spring. Now, it should be complete by the end of the weekend. Fingers crossed, though I won't be here to see it.

Packing is done, with the last few items tossed in the bag this morning. That includes the phone charger because, if you were with me last March, it caused some issues when I forgot mine at home. Amazon did come through, but barely. I was asked in an early post about concerns of Covid on the ship. It's a possibility, as it is on an airplane, in a mall, at a concert, or anywhere that people congregate in large groups. I prepare as best I can, wearing an N95 mask on my flights, washing my hands frequently, and avoiding touching my face. I take cold/flu meds with me just in case as well as a couple of testing kits. The bigger issue on many ships is Norovirus which spreads due to improper washing of one's hands (or lack thereof), transfer through shared use of serving utensils in the buffet, and door handles and stairwell banisters. It frustrates me to see people enter the buffet and bypass both the sinks and hand sanitizers that are provided. While I do use the buffet, I tend to take my meal outside the open air tables, even on cooler mornings, and I only rarely take an elevator to avoid the hordes who fill them. Better, that I use the stairs and the reason that I book a cabin on a floor about midway between the upper and lower decks. Hey, I don't want to climb eight to ten flights of stairs unless I absolutely have to! I've been cruising since 2011 and I've yet to contract any illness, knock wood. There is a medical facility onboard too, that I hope never to use.

My son is dropping me off at the airport this afternoon for my first flight to Calgary. I have almost 3 hours layover there before the flight to Seattle. Without delays I should be at my hotel by 9:30 p.m. local time. I've pre-arranged transportation to the port from the pier, and should be picked up about 8:45 a.m. the next morning. I've been warned that traffic is quite congested due to the time of day, as well as on-going construction. Boarding won't start until 10:30 or 11:00 a.m. - I might be a bit early, or maybe I'll be just on time. :) A few of us on the FB group have arranged to meet in one of the main dining rooms for lunch. It will be nice to meet some fellow passengers, at least two that are also sailing solo. Plus it ensures we avoid that darned buffet that is absolute zoo on the first day. 

Assuming I'll be able to access free WiFi at the various ports, I may post a few phone photos. Regular posts will begin again in a couple of weeks. 

Take care everyone!

Wacky weather, travel prep, watching sports

Wednesday's photos were take on Tuesday afternoon. It was a lovely day, we reached a high of 26C/79F. As you've seen we are just starting to see the leaves changing colour. Early that evening, we started receiving watches and warnings for thunderstorms on our phones. AND oh boy, did we get storms! I stood outside for awhile and listened to the thunder in the distance, but quickly went inside when the rain started. At times, it was very heavy, to the point the eavestroughs were overflowing. The storm moved past us later in the evening but more followed through the night and into the early morning.

In the morning, I went out to check the back yard. It wouldn't take much effort to pull up the weeds after all the rain (about an inch by 9 a.m.), but the back yard is a mud pit. Although I have rubber boots, I can imagine I'd get mired in the mud. So indoor day it was!

I had been out Tuesday morning and cleaned up more weeds...I'm getting there but there is still work to do. The worst part is the tree roots I've encountered. I've asked my son to help with this task on the weekend, as we need to use an axe to complete the task. It's clear that the weed barrier that the former owners had put down was meant to conceal the mess underneath. Once I've cleaned it up as much as possible, I'm considering having it roto-tilled later this fall, and then covering it in black plastic until spring. Ultimately, I have plans to have it regraded (to keep water away from the foundation), to seed half of it with microclover, and lay down gravel for parking. My son will be replacing the old fence in the spring too. 

I did some prep this week for my cruise. I tried on items that I consider "cruise" clothes, some no longer fit, and I know darn well I won't be losing weight before or during the cruise. I also sorted out my regular clothing and decided on those items. I realized after I'd layed everything out, I had a colour theme going: mostly blue for daytime, mostly pink and black for evenings. I've limited myself to about 6 days of clothing, as I have access to a diy laundry, as well as the ship's laundry. Since I've reached the "elite" level, the latter is free to me. There are very few perks left at this level, but laundry is definitely a nice one to have. However, the downside is on a full ship, it can take up to 72 hours for the return of one's laundry.

It appears this cruise won't be completely full. Last week I received an e-mail offering an opportunity to bid for an upgrade. I decided to send in a lower than minimum bid for an obstructed balcony. This just means that the lifeboats on the side of the ship obstruct a portion of the view. This week, I got a counter offer for a standard balcony for the original minimum bid and the offer was in Canadian dollars. I decided to go for it, and after the bid was accepted, I moved down the floor a few cabins from my inside. I'll be on the starboard side on our way south - meaning there will be sunsets from my balcony!

Out of curiousity I priced out the current cost of the cabin, if I were to purchase today. Funnily, the only one available on the deck I've chosen was the one next door. Overall, my cost savings is about $200 in comparison to today's prices. Speaking of money, I went into the bank to pick up US dollars. My goodness, the exchange rate is ridiculous. I don't intend on spending a whole lot of money on this trip, an occasional drink in the evening, maybe a t-shirt, and of course, some sort of souvenier to bring back for Eli. :) I do have a USD account that I can use while I'm there as well, if needed.

For a few days this week the city has been cutting and removing a portion of sidewalk across the street. I'm not sure why they only work on it for an hour or so at a time. On Thursday morning, they were working as the rain fell excavating the sidewalk. There was rain in the forecast until today, and I'm sure they don't work weekends, so I expect it will be next week before the concrete is poured.

Clearly, I wasn't spending time outdoors. I sat down to watch the Blue Jays game that afternoon, then lay down with the cat and after 3 innings, I found myself watching eyelid theatre (thanks for that expression, Anne!) I woke just as the announcer commented that the Jays won their game. 

There are a couple of curling events happening as well, so Thursday evening and most of Friday were spent watching live curling from Okotoks, while keeping an eye on the scores from the other event. The Blue Jays (baseball) had a late afternoon game, and the Riders (football) played in the evening. It's really hard to get much done! I did some knitting and finished another mitten, and when my son came home from work, he helped me remove and replace the dryer hose. The old one had been taped a bazillion times but clearly was leaking as I was constantly cleaning up lint particles. Oh, and I baked a cake in the morning - from a box - I was really lazy!

Today, there will be more curling, more baseball, more football to watch. Besides reading blogs while I watch I'm planning to get more knitting done.  It's also going to be the coolest day we've had for some time, with a high of 15C(59F). I woke to an outside temperature of a mere 7C(45F) this morning. The house has been cooling off at night (17F/62F), so I may have to bake something to warm it up slightly. The forecast is for more normal temperatures through the rest of the week, and it is just too early to turn on the furnace.

Have a wonderful week ahead everyone!

Carry and Tote

Wednesday's photos were a trip down memory lane for me, from my visit to Victoria in October 2009, to visit my godmother Gladys. I believe the houseboat photo was take on our walk along the seawall, and I know the other photos were taken at Butchart Gardens. Another story about Gladys, her full name was Cecilia Gladys and when she lived in Victoria, she used Cecilia as her name. Of course, I was expected to call her that too - it wasn't easy. As for the gardens, they were created at the direction of Jennie Butchart, in a former limestone quarry. The development began in 1912 and continues to this day. According to their website, the gardens are spread over 55 acres, employs 50 fulltime gardeners, and is open year-round. It is definitely a place to visit in Victoria.

As Patsy would say, the jello jiggled for me on Monday. The original plan was to start moving boxes from the kitchen/spare bedroom to the garage. However, as the temperature was expected to drop overnight Monday to -18C (0F), I didn't want to leave the car out on the driveway if I didn't have to. Warmer temps were in the forecast with highs near freezing and lows around -5C (23F). In addition, it would have been colder to be working in the garage and while there are heaters, they are electric and expensive to run.

So instead, I did more packing and made lists...lots of lists. What cupboards still need to be emptied, and which box the stuff is to go in (kitchen and bathroom), what boxes/bags and other items are to be sent to the house in my son's car, and what will go in mine. 

Halloween was both busy and fun. It warmed up quite a bit by mid-morning, so I pulled the car out of the garage and started moving boxes. The spare bedroom was cleared out and a good portion of the kitchen boxes were moved, as well as the boxes/bins from the sunroom. I also got the rugs from the sunroom rolled up, taped up and moved to the garage. This all took several hours, with breaks including lunch in between. It's tiring moving boxes.

The first child arrived at the door about 5:30, and after a bit of lull, they began appearing in earnest from about 5:45 to 6:30. It quieted down again before the hordes started arriving again just before 7. I ran out of potato chips (40 bags) and was left with a couple dozen small chocolate bars by 7:30. There were some fun and interesting costumes including one that looked like a cross between a one eyed fly and a demon, as well as a wee elephant, and several princesses and super heroes. I asked about the fly/demon costume and was told by the wearer that they are creating a cartoon so the creature was of their own invention. 

Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't add a photo of our very own astronaut. He had a wonderful day at school where they were able to wear their costumes throughout the day, and then into the early evening trick or treating with his mom. She said the wind had died down, and the -2C temperature was perfect for walking. I'm sure they both slept well that night.

Wednesday saw me carrying more boxes and bins from the basement to the garage, doing laundry, and running a few errands before meeting S at Stitch and Chat. There was a whole lot more chatting than stitching. In the morning, I met with my insurance agent to arrange the cancellation of the house insurance. It amused me that this has to be done in-person, while starting a new policy or making changes to an existing one can be done on-line or by e-mail. 

I finally got a sense that my son is getting excited about the move on Thursday morning. His first words to me were, "four more sleeps." I replied, I thought I was the only one counting. :) It was a wee bit cooler -5C (23F) that morning so I wasted watched some curling before heading down to the basement. My goal was to get the rest of the boxes/bins into the garage. That was accomplished in relatively short order between curling games. There are just a few pieces of furniture left in the basement for the movers. 

I was also able to contact the garbage haulers. I'd used their services back in 2019, when the house did not sell, and hoped they would still be in service. They are, and have been scheduled to make the pick-up on Tuesday at 10. I'm expecting the cleaners at 8:30 (now changed to 12:30 due to the long weekend) and this will give me time to check for any items left behind and to sweep out the garage. 

The curling continued through Thursday afternoon and early evening, and again on Friday. In between draws, I moved some boxes* that were on the shelves in the garage to the pile to be moved, and then did some housecleaning. With my trips back and forth to the garage with the boxes, I've been bringing in leaves and debris that has been blown in or come in on the tires of the cars. (I did put down plastic on the floor of the garage before I started piling the boxes.)

Today I'll finish packing a few more boxes and moving them to the garage. The last ones with the remaining dishes, glassware, and cutlerly will go out sometime Sunday evening. There is no more cooking happening for the weekend, we'll eat any leftovers from earlier in the week, sandwiches, or take-out pizza.

*The boxes are kitchen items that C moved home from his two years in Lethbridge in 2008. The boxes haven't been opened since. It will be interesting to see what they hold and if he wants to keep any of it in his new home.

Have a great weekend everyone! 

Time ticks on by

Yes, we got snow this week. I was so hoping that it would wait until mid-November, but the winter weather has arrived in earnest. After the snow fell, the cold followed, and we reached a low temp of -12C (10F) on Tuesday overnight. Thankfully, it has warmed up some, but both day and night time temperatures haven't been above freezing. More snow fell on Thursday but just enough to dust the sidewalks and driveway. No shovelling was required.

More packing was done over the week, and Wednesday was especially exciting as both C and I met with the lawyer to complete the final paperwork for the purchase (his) and sale (mine) of the properties. I can tell you, there is a whole lot less paperwork involved with the sale of a property, than there is for a purchase. I'm sure C felt as if he was signing his life away...and I suppose in some ways he was, at least for the next 25 years. :)

With this upcoming move, I've cut the ties with cable television - my son doesn't want it, and since I won't be here all the time, it made sense. I had called in to SaskTel to disconnect and decided to end the cable on the last day of the this billing, which was Tuesday Oct 24. In my conversation with the rep, I got the impression that it would be cut sometime in the morning...and I assumed that meant after 8 a.m. I was quite surprised when I turned on the television to watch the news, that it had actually ended at 4:30 in the morning (the screen of the channel I'd been watching when I turned off the television that night showed the time). I just received my bill from the company that provided the cable, as well as my internet and cutting the cable has saved me nearly $50 a month, but will be partially offset by a couple of streaming services. 

When I was out at my daughter's on the weekend, she had given me her fire-stick and had pre-loaded several apps on it for me. In anticipation of the change on the 24th, my son set the fire-stick up to recognize our WiFi, so it was easy enough to switch that first morning. However, finding the news was a little more difficult. When I talked to D, I got her to give me a list of programming for each of the apps. I'm not sure when or even if I'll be ever be able to remember what is found where. But, since most of what I watch is available for streaming, it won't matter as I can watch it when I want.

We're sharing the cost of the current apps, and I've signed up for Sportsnet (Now/plus?) for $20 per month. I'm sure most of you knew I couldn't possibly live without sports. I went with a monthly subscription, because I can foresee cancelling it for a period of each year, when the sports I enjoy most are in hiatus. I enjoy baseball and curling, and football occasionally though our local team has played so poorly over the last few years, I haven't watched very many games. 

On Thursday, I did some laundry and housecleaning before heading out to run some errands. I picked up cat litter at Pet Valu (senior's day), cat food and few groceries at Walmart, dropped off the equipment for return to the cable company at the drug store post office, and picked up my new glasses. The streets were still a bit icy, and I took care as I drove. 

Friday, was a packing and cleaning day. I'm cleaning the interior of cabinets and drawers as I pack, and keeping the bare minimum of items needed in the cupboards. There are a few boxes that remain open for those last minute items.  I'm pretty certain I have sufficient boxes to finish the packing process, and groceries from the fridge will go into shopping bags, while I brought back the cooler from D's for moving the frozen food.

I did get some sad news this week as my godmother passed away on Monday. She was a month shy of her 99th birthday.  While there is sadness, there is also gratitude that she lived such a long and, for the most part, a healthy life. Sadly, she had serious fall four or five years ago and her physical and mental health were impacted. Her daughter told me she hasn't recognized family members for a few years now, and she rarely spoke. Throughout her life, Gladys was a force to be reckoned with: for over 33 years she operated a florist shop in my home town, was very active in the Anglican church, and was constantly on the go. A number of years before she retired, she purchased a house in Victoria, B.C. and spent time there when she could. Her husband, Vern refused to go often, so she moved out there by herself for several months of the year when she sold the business. There too, she was active in her church and charitable activities, spent hours working in her gardens, and went walking in the neighbourhood. I visited her there in the fall of 2009 (I was there four days): we had dinner with a group of her friends one evening, spent a good portion of one day at Butchart gardens, drove to Chemainus to see a play, walked the sea wall, and ran errands. I often said I wished I had had half the energy she exhibited. More recently, we kept in touch via phone calls, but that ended when she moved to the nursing home. I am left with many happy memories and some funny stories. One, I'll share: As I've mentioned, Gladys was always on the go - she was an early to rise person as there were things to do and people to see each day. When she and Vern would come to the farm for dinner, they would stay for a visit after the meal was finished and dishes were done. As Dad and Vern talked farming, Gladys would settle into a chair and we kids would start watching to see how long she could stay awake. She would chat with Mom or voice an opinion about Vern's ideas, but soon her head would start nodding and her eyes would close. We'd start giggling and her head would come back up and she'd carry on as if nothing had happened at least for a few more minutes. She always insisted she wasn't sleeping and eventually Vern would get the hint and they'd head home. As my Dad would have said, she was a real character!

Today, I'm continue with cleaning and some packing. My goal is to have everything packed except what we'll need for the next 9 days before tomorrow evening. Next week, I'll focus on moving the boxes and tubs to the garage space where my car normally sits.  That way, the movers will only to enter the house to pick up the furniture, and can easily transfer the boxes to the truck. We'll have the movers put all the boxes in the garage there, and just move in the furniture into the house. I'll be organizing the boxes so that the first in will be the boxes most needed, since they will be the last out of the truck. It should save the movers time, and save me money. At least that's the idea.

Have wonderful weekend everyone, and stay warm and dry!

Winding down

We had lovely weather over the Thanksgiving weekend, so I finally got the yard work completed. The annuals were pulled from the containers, I cut back a few of the perennials, and the lawn was mowed. We're heading into some cooler weather, so I'm assuming I won't have to mow again this fall, so the mower was moved around to the garage. 

The long range for the week we are moving looks less than favourable, so I decided I'd best get the shed and decks cleared as well. The photo from Wednesday included tubs and boxes of items stored in the shed, along with a box containing the small stereo, a heater, and a small shop vac that I kept in the sun room. The deck chairs and tables were brought in too. There are a pile of items destined for the dump on the front patio - tucked behind the evergreen so the neighbours won't be annoyed. I'll have the items removed the day after the cleaners are done. The larger items including shepherd's hooks and garden tools have been stored in the garage for now. 

All I have left are several containers that will be going to my daughter's, and some that will need to find new homes. I've listed five of them on FB Marketplace as well as local buy/sell groups. I did offer some to a neighbour but she thought about it and declined the offer. The movers will not take the containers with dirt in them (not sure why), so I'll have to load them in my car, if I can't get rid of them before we move. 

On Tuesday, I did a little shopping: cat litter, AAA batteries, and a drop off at Value Village. Yes, I keep finding more stuff to donate. But the big task of the day was going to the pharmacy for my Covid and flu shots. I arrived ahead of time, knowing there would be paper work. Good thing as apparently, since I'd booked on-line, no one in the pharmacy seemed to aware anyone had an appointment. Once in their system, they then had trouble printing of the needed documents. Eventually though, everything was straigtened out and I had both vaccines. They did ask me to stay for 15 minutes, but after wandering the store for about 5 minutes, I decided to head to the car. The only after affects were sore arms, one shot in each, and by Wednesday afternoon the pain was gone except if I pressed on the spot. No redness or swelling, thankfully.

I did get out to stitch and chat on Wednesday afternoon, with just C and I there. She was finishing off the last of the washclothes she's been crocheting, and I finished another mitten. C and her husband will be heading south to Arizona in 2 weeks time. We had a good chat, about their travels, my planned travels, and our various projects. We had visitors too, as a young woman walked in, grabbed a chair and dragged it to a table across the room. Then a young man followed her and did the same. C and I looked at one another, as it isn't usual for the room to be used by others when our group is meeting, but we weren't bothered by it. Not long after, a staff member came by and asked the young couple if they were studying; they said yes, and she explained the room was booked for a library program. She offered them the use of another room, and asked if they had stopped at the desk on the way in. (Of course, they answered no to the question).  I found it interesting as the library provides study carrels in another area of the building, but I can understand wanting more space. Still, I think I would have asked before settling into a space where it was clear other people were using it.

The rest of the week has been cool and quiet. The high temp on Thursday was only 9C (48F) so it was a day spent indoors. In fact, it was a lazy day entirely. The only thing I accomplished all day was making homemade pepperoni/bacon/red onion pizza for dinner and the dishes. Instead I watched PVR'ed television and later baseball. 

Of course, that just meant I had to bust my butt on Friday and get caught up on the housework. Laundry, vaccuming, washing floors, and a bit more packing were accomplished. All of the items hanging on the walls (mostly photographs) were wrapped and packed away. It is starting to echo in here! I also went through my clothing and packed away my summer clothing, bathing suits, sleeveless tees, capris, and shorts. I sorted out some items for donation to the thrift store, as well as tossing some pieces that have seen better days. (I'll admit I have far too many tees, capris, and jeans). 

Late in the afternoon, I ran out to pick up a few groceries as Safeway had ground beef on sale. I've enough meat tucked in the freezer now, I won't need to buy any more meat until after our move. After my busy day, I spent the evening watching football. Our Saskatchewan Roughriders had a good lead on their opponent after the first half, and while the Calgary Stampeders tried hard to lose the game, our team managed to snatch defeat in the last five minutes. Sigh, the last few years have been so hard for fans. I won't be surprised to see many changes in the coaches and players at the end of this season. 

Today, my son and I are heading out to find new mattresses and bed frames for delivery to C's house on moving day. I see no point, in having them delivered here and then have the moving crew move them. The old mattresses are worn out and the metal frames, are those cheap ones that the store threw in when we bought our mattress and box spring sets. (I don't think they do that anymore). We're both looking at platform beds so we don't need box springs. 

And tomorrow, I've heading out for an overnight visit with my daughter and grandson. I'll deliver some of the containers and some other items to store in her shed. There are a few things I've picked up for her over the past few weeks too. The weather is supposed to be nice for the next few days, so it's a good time to make the trip.

To end, I'll leave you with a photo of a Adirondack chair my brother built. I've been drooling over it since he built it a few months ago, and we settled on a price yesterday. I've told him to keep it for now, as he'll be doing a couple of trade shows later this fall, and I suspect I won't be the only one who thinks it's very special. (He'll have to build them a different one! But he can use it as a prototype.)

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Making a list (or two)

We've had a busy week! Monday was inspection day at my son's new house. There were a few minor issues that we hadn't already noticed, and one potentially major problem that we could not have seen. Some of the simple things were a extension on a downspout that needs to be re-attached, smoke detectors that need to be replaced, and a dry sump hole. The latter is actually a good thing in my mind, but the inspector seems to think it means the weeping tile outside has failed. As long as we keep the water away from the house, we should be fine. I would note that the sump hole in my current property has been dry for the last 13 years (that I know of).

The more potentially dangerous issue is due to the use of aluminum and copper wire through the electrical system. The inspector advised that there was a 40/60 split of the use to the breaker box. When these metals are mixed, there can be arching resulting in a fire. The fix is to have an audit performed, testing each plug/switch in the house, and adding some sort of goop (his word) to the ends of the wires. Not fixing it could result in insurance companies refusing to insure the property. Our realtor contacted theirs when we left the house, and discovered the sellers had the necessary work done in 2019. Interesting that it was only recently identified as an issue - the house was built in 1971, and they purchased it in 2005. 

So Tuesday was the big day, as the conditions were lifted and the house is officially C's as of November 6. He seems a little less excited than I am. But I think he's feeling a little overwhelmed. He was reading the inspection report - things like anode rods (water heater), a/c coil and furnace/duct cleaning made his eyes glaze over. I think he's recognizing too that yard work is going to be part of his routine as well. I'll help of course, but I don't always plan to be there. 

In fact, I've booked a bus trip to Minot in late November. The price for three nights of hotel, breakfast, and transportation was very good. I haven't really started my Christmas shopping - I've got Eli's gift - so I'll try to get some done there. A stay over 48 hours allows me to bring back up to $800 duty free and I can't imagine I'll come anywhere close to the amount. The fact they have shuttles to Joanne's and Hobby Lobby were definitely tempting. Do you suppose I'll come back with more yarn? I have to remember this is meant for Christmas gifts. It's also an opportunity to meet others on the trip and I'm sure I won't be the only solo on the bus.

I also made calls to several moving companies, as my first choice has no availablility for the date we're planning to move. I spoke to two representatives of companies that operate across various provinces, including here in Regina. Wow, have prices increased since my last move. I'd hoped that one of the local companies will provide a better rate. In addition, I'd sent requests to a couple of cleaning companies, as I'd like to have a move-out cleaning done that I don't have to do myself. We'll move on the Monday, but the new owner won't have possession until the Wednesday, so I will have time to clean myself, if need be.

Wednesday was also Stitch and Chat, four of us in attendance, as S is away visiting family in Victoria. We had another woman pop in, wondering if any one of us knew anything about hooker rugs. I said, rug hooking? and she said, no it's another form of making rugs that uses material rather than strips of yarn. None of us have ever heard of it, but we asked her to come by with her project to share it with us. It would be nice if she does, as our group will soon be even smaller as two of the members will be heading south in about 3 weeks time.

I did get some more packing completed this week, including the rest of the basement craft room. All that is left downstairs is to pack up the laundry room, and for my son to pack his clothing and personal items. There is lots of time to get the main floor packed, though I have gone through drawers and other storage items to sort and pack some items. I've found more things for donation. I'd packed up a box of books and that silly cat of mine got hold of an edge of tape and pulled it off. We've always said he's the "eat the paste" cat and it is true.

Friday, I was feeling frustrated by the lack of response from the movers and cleaning companies, so I made the decision to stay on the phone until I reached a real person. The first moving company didn't answer, but the second one did. It is a local company, with availability on the date I want to move. Their price seemed a bit high but there are no hidden fees - it's an all-in price. To save the movers time (and thus me money as they charge by the hour), we'll move all of the boxes to the garage. They'll only need to enter the house to move the furniture pieces, none of which are particularly heavy. On the other end, we'll do the same with boxes to the garage and furniture into the house.

After that, I phoned a cleaning company and they answered almost immediately. They, too, had the availability I needed and the price is about what I had anticipated. So that is booked too! 

Now I get to move on to the more mundane tasks, cancelling my cable and house insurance, setting up a mail forwarding, and changing my address with a myriad of businesses and governmental departments/agencies. That's where the lists come in. I'm sure I'll forget something - but hopefully not something that is very important!

This weekend I'm going to be cleaning up the yard. We had frost overnight into Friday, and the first of the annuals, the impatience gave up the ghost. Poor sad thing, it did so well this year. While there may not be frost for the rest of the week, the window of decent is closing quickly so I can't procrastinate any longer. Of course, I'll have to fit it in between baseball (sad that my Blue Jays are done for the year), football, and curling. :)

I'll leave you with a photo my daughter sent of Eli. She remembered to get his hair cut before school pictures this year, and this was a photo she took before he went to school that day. I do hope he behaved during his school photo!

Have a great week ahead everyone!

A start and a finish, and ready to go

 After the not-so-stellar end of 2022, I'm certainly hopeful that 2023 will be a better year. Starting it off with a trip to the heat of Central America and Mexico is a definitely a positive. We haven't had any more dumps of snow for the last few days and I'll take that too. 

I've spent my time cleaning the house, working on my crochet and cross stitch, finalizing some spreadsheets for 2022, revising a document for my kids that I update each time I travel, and finishing packing my suitcase and carryon. The document I revise has instructions should anything happen to me while I'm away, with important numbers and other information. I have a theory - nothing will happen, if the information is available. 

I've made a list of chores and reminders for my son too. He's likely to manage to do the dishes before I get home, but I suspect the vacuum will remain parked in the closet for the next couple of weeks. He also has a bad habit of ordering in, so I made a list of food items in the freezer and pantry that he can make for himself. He did tell me he is planning to cook more...we'll see.

My stash blanket is finished. It's not meant to large, just enough to cover me when I'm feeling chilled. It used up four balls of various yarn I had from other projects. I used a simple stitch pattern called lemon peel or griddle stitch and it worked up quickly. I finished off the edging with single crochet stitches. It will never win any prizes for looks but it does what I need it to do.

The counted cross stitch is a kit I picked up at Value Village on my last visit. (I know I have several I got earlier this year but this one will be perfect for D & Eli). I need good lighting to stitch so only work on it in the afternoon. I have a lamp set up behind the couch that helps - my living room window faces north so I don't have a lot of natural light. It's difficult to see in the photo but it's a piggy relaxing in a bathtub, with the starts of yellow rubber duck as well. Eventually it will have a list of rules for the bathroom. I use the magnifying glass with the pattern - trying to focus switching back and forth from the stitching to the pattern, even with tri-focal lenses, is slower than it used to be. 

When the cross stitching is complete, I'll do the backstitching and that will provide definition to the piece. 

I've managed to keep my suitcase well under the weight requirements - more room to bring back a few items on my return. Plus, I've learned that visiting countries with high humidity adds weight. The carry-on will have the last few items added just before the cab arrives to pick me up....at 3:45 a.m. I probably won't sleep; not to worry, I'm one of those people who can sleep on a plane. I certainly want to sleep in!

It happened to me once. I don't know if I set the alarm incorrectly or if I rolled over and shut it off. In any event, the cab driver called my phone and woke me up when I didn't come out of the house. I asked him to wait a few minutes, tossed on my clothes, splashed some water on my face, grabbed my bags and ran out to the car. I made my flight in plenty of time, since I'm always there well in advance but I never want to do that again!

I'm off to do the lengthy list of chores I've created to keep myself busy for the rest of the day. Otherwise I'll be bouncing off the walls. I'm home again on Jan 20th, and back to posting within a few days of that. 

Take care everyone!

Bored? I think not

Rhetorical question for you....how can an adult be bored? I was talking to my daughter this morning and she mentioned she was bored.  Am I doing something wrong, because I can honestly say I can't remember being bored very often as an adult.  There is always just too much to do and not enough time to do it in.

This weekend, case in point, while grocery shopping I picked up a few more Christmas gifts, including gift cards, cards and envelopes for the gift cards, and a package of Tim Horton's steeped tea.  The latter is for my brother - he likes nothing better than sitting on the verandah of his home, enjoying a good cup of tea, and relaxing.  However, he too, does't suffer from boredom as his acreage keeps him busy when he isn't working his full time job.  

So that got me thinking that perhaps I should start decorating the house for Christmas.  I know it seems a bit early (though I'm told by friends it is not), but since I'll be away for a good portion of December it makes sense to put away the autumn decor and bring out the winter/Christmas.  I decided to limit myself to just winter decor, of which I have very little.  I replaced the wreath on the front door, tucked the snow penguin up on the shelf above the basement door, replaced orange candles with white (tied with red ribbon) and traded out the tablecloth with a snowflake motif one.  I'm done for the moment, though will likely do more next week.  Everything but the tree can be brought up, it can wait until I return from my cruise.

Time too, to start thinking about packing.  I pulled out my suitcase and brought it upstairs to the bedroom.  This is always a bit of a conundrum because I have a tendency to over pack especially if I start too soon.  Each time I try to reduce but I don't want to run short either.  On a Norwegian cruise I don't have access to laundry facilities, and though the ship will provide laundry service the cost is too high in my mind.  So I've added some laundry pods and a mini box of detergent.  I'll hand wash a few items on the ship, and we'll likely find a laundromat (if needed) when we reach New Orleans. On the other hand, I just realized that packing for the January cruise will be easy...just wash and repack from this one!  

Saturday morning, I actually slept until until 8 a.m.  Well, after a wake-up call from Sasha about 5:30.  I ignored him for a half hour and he finally let up and let me sleep.  He hasn't been eating well lately, and hadn't eaten much the night before, but he sure ate well this morning.  I worry about him, but at 18 1/2 years old I assume he has the right to be a little fussy.  I bought some new pate for he and Saku, which I'd given them last night...Sasha would not eat it.  Back to the Fancy Feast.

I didn't do much for the first hour or so, just relaxed, drank coffee and did some reading.  It was cold out, -20C (-4F) and I didn't feel like moving from my comfortable chair.  But eventually I convinced myself that the baking wouldn't get done by itself.  I mixed a double batch of cake batter and made 39 cupcakes - it should have made 48, obviously some were larger than they ought to have been. Of course, I had to taste test one so there are 38 remaining.  I had crushed a dozen candy canes and put the chopped peppermint through a fine sieve.  I used the dust to flavor the batter (and color it pink) and will use the rest of the candy for a topping.  The plan is to dip the cupcakes in melted white chocolate and sprinkle a bit of candy on top.  I thought about making another batch as it won't be quite enough to for everyone on my floor to have one, but I think I'll put together a batch of cookies to take along with it.  Something with chocolate and coffee I think for a totally different flavor.


From there I went on to do a bit of packing, which means trying on my shorts, capris, t-shirts, and bathing suits to ensure things fit and are in good enough shape to wear.  (Doesn't everyone have a bunch of clothing that is worn but not worn out...good enough to wear around the house but not out of it?)  I have some dressier items that I'll wear for dinner, that I currently wear for work so those will have to wait a few more days. That includes a couple of sweaters as the long range forecast for New Orleans looks a bit cool, with day time highs of 64F (17C) and overnight of 45F (7C).  I had picked up a couple of pairs of jean capris this summer that should come in handy as they are a little heavier.  I've packed a pair of flip-flops, sandals, and my dressier flip-flops as well.  No heels for me, not only are they heavy to pack but I no longer find them comfortable.  At my age (and weight) I want comfort more than style.  Also packed are my cross-body purse which has RFI pockets to hold my passport, other identification, and my cell phone.  I don't use the cellphone except to access free wifi when we're in a port, but it's handy to have when I'm on my way home. 

Also in the suitcase are a bag for laundry, the detergent, magnets, towel clips, and paper straws.  Magnets are useful because the ship's cabin walls are made of metal - I use the magnets for invitations and other information.  The paper straws are a new item; Norwegian is no longer providing plastic straws with drinks.  I'm quite happy to hear that, as our oceans are already polluted with plastics.  I purchased these on Amazon, they were shipped from somewhere in China and I was beginning to think they'd never show up.  I have 200 so that should last for these next cruises at least.  I wasn't to find any locally but maybe in the next while they'll become more readily available. 

Still lots to pack, unmentionables, nightwear, tops and toiletries.  I have pre-packed a couple of quart sized bags with mini toiletry containers, one will go in my carry-on, the other in the suitcase.  I always ensure I have at least a day or two worth of clothing in my carry-on, along with a change of shoe wear, a bathing suit and toiletries.  Thus far, I've not had my suitcase go missing but better safe than sorry. 

Next up was to strip my bed and wash all the bedding.  One of the cats (perhaps Sasha) had upchucked at the head of the bed between my two pillows.  The night before I'd thrown a towel over it and slept there anyway.  I know, I know,  I'm lazy!  But in my defense, it was late and I was tired.  Besides the one who made the mess was the mostly likely to sleep in that particular spot.  

The rest of the afternoon was spent watching university football, knitting, chatting on the phone with my brother and my daughter, and generally just putting my feet up.  I did make dinner though for C and I, I had some ground beef in the fridge and I asked him if he'd prefer meatloaf or Spanish rice for dinner.  He choose the latter, so I made both...I used half the package for each resulting in a good portion of the rice for us for dinner, and a meatloaf for sandwiches or to re-heat for the next day.  I know most people don't put meat in their Spanish rice, but my mom always did as it made a one pot meal.  I brown the beef and drain it, add in some chopped onion and let that cook a couple of minutes, and then for an easy Spanish rice, I add a cup of salsa, 1 1/2 cups of minute rice and an equal amount of chicken broth.  Let that come to a boil and let it simmer for ten minutes.  Dinners ready! It isn't how my mom would make it but still tasty.

This morning, I was able to sleep until 7:30 which is a near miracle.  Neither cat bothered me this morning - I guess they were tired too.  Another mostly relaxed morning, reading e-mail and checking Facebook, and knitting.  I've finished a second toque but have started a third because of the sizing.  I'll find out in two weeks whether any will fit Eli.  I'm pretty sure I have one small enough for Knox.  

Eli met little J.P. last week and was not very impressed. D says every time he sees the baby he heads for the car seat seemingly to suggest that perhaps the baby should leave.  This bodes well for my hope that he stays an only child.  

The rest of the day has been spent doing housework, washing floors, vacuuming the bedroom and the living furniture, and cleaning bathrooms.  There is nothing like watching an episode (or two) of Hoarders to motivate one's self to clean house.  I know my home isn't that bad, but I also know the mess has to start somewhere.

Back to my initial thought, I am never really bored, though there are times when I'd prefer to sit and relax rather than do what needs to be done.  Occasionally I get help with that...Saku makes a far better door than he does a window!

Have a great week everyone! 

What to say...

I've written two posts today and erased them both.  Nothing of real interest has been happening here.  We're continuing the packing (just 19 sleeps to moving day!), so my house looks horrendous with boxes half packed and items scattered about as Eli helps unpack.  He's going to be a great helper on the other end of this.  His newest favorite toy is a cheese grater.  It makes a very cool noise when it is banged against the stove, the television stand, the lamp on the side table....well, you get the picture.

D has packed away most of his toys and I've noticed he doesn't seem to be missing them. Well, except for his ride-on police car.  He tried very hard to pull it out of the box before she moved it out to the garage.  There is a small toy box of items that will stay behind so he'll have something to play with at G'ma's.  I hope she'll learn from this and not put everything out for him at the new house.  It will be like Christmas when she brings out a new box.  AND, if she gets rid of the broken and outgrown items each time, she should be able to keep things under control.  To be honest, I'm doubtful that will happen.

On another note, I had to take my car in for some work this week.  I'd noticed a noise from the front end and a bit of shimmying.  The tech thought it might be a bearing, but when they took it out for a drive they couldn't hear the noise.  Of course not!  However, the mechanic did find that my brakes on the front right were seizing...something about calipers and brake pads, that they thought might be causing the sound I was hearing.  It was a bit of an unexpected expense though I was expecting something needed to be fixed, and something that could not wait.  Heaven forbid, that my brakes failed when I'm driving Eli out to Melville on moving day.

D's decided that I should take Eli away from the house while the truck is being loaded.  I agree, though I'm not sure what we'll do for the 2 hours.  I am planning to drop into the office, as there are several co-workers who would like to meet the little guy.  They've seen many of G'ma's brag photos!  Then I'll take him somewhere for a bite of breakfast before we head to Melville.  He'll be staying with D's friend A while the movers unload.  He loves to play with her little boy so hopefully he's not too upset when I drop him off.

I'll admit it, I'm going to miss my little sports watching buddy.  Today, the mixed doubles in curling was re-broadcast (it was live in the middle of the night as the game was played in China). Eli used to sit with me last winter/early spring while I watched curling and I didn't think he'd remember.  Well, when I turned to the curling he came skidding to a stop in front of the television and stood there mesmerized through the first end.  

His mother suggests I am brainwashing the child.  I say I'm training him right.  :)  Either way, this child enjoys watching sports.  He's a big fan of football - he'll even point it out when an ad comes on.  Eli and D also watch gymnastics together.  I know she plans to take him to the gym in the next town over for classes.  He's certainly got the flexibility and energy for it!
He's also demonstrating his talents in finding his nose and mine though he does have a tendency to poke his finger up my nose.  Ew!  Next up, mouth, ears, and eyes.  New words this week include thirsty and shirt. I suspect to the unaccustomed ear it probably sounds like gibberish but for the most part we understand him.

*******
My thoughts and best wishes are going out to those currently affected by the storms in North and South Carolina, in the Philippines and China.  I cannot fathom the devastation that so many are facing.  Beyond the loss of life, of which there are far too many, there will be so many more who will have lost their homes and possessions.  It cannot be easy.

While I may grouse about the mess in my home and express my annoyance with my daughter, I'm truly grateful for my family and my life.  It is a reminder that I am truly blessed.

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead!

30'ish hours and counting

Packing is nearly complete, I just have to do some laundry tomorrow so I have some extra clean unmentionables.

Check out my little packing buddy.  Another cat who has to know what's happening at all times.

He really has been a blessing these last few days.  I miss my Sami so much, but he makes me laugh at his antics.  Sheldon also has a tendency to curl up next to my ear at night, with his motor running.  I wake up to the sounds of his purrs.  He's such a love bug.  At the moment he's laying beside me in my chair on his back, front paws in the air, fast asleep.  If I knew it wouldn't wake him, I'd try to get a photo.

Back to the trip....I am so looking forward to getting away for a short time.  Work has been so hectic for the past six weeks with the change in workload, as well as new employees and then my coworker had some back issues and has been off work for over two weeks.  I've been covering for her as well because she has my old group.  And just for fun, there was a last minute call to two half days of meetings this week that took me away from the rest of my work.

What doesn't get down by tomorrow at noon will just have to wait until I get back.  I'm scheduled to fly back from New York next Sunday Sept.24 but apparently Hurricane Jose is currently tracking to head up the east coast of the United States.  Some of my fellow passengers have expressed some concern but I'm not worried.  I suspect if it makes it that far north it will be a rain event only, but if by chance it chases us out to sea....it means I'll have a few extra days off work.  That wouldn't break my heart at all.

What would be disappointing is if the weather results in the cancellation of two of my excursions - sailing in Newport, and whale watching in Bar Harbor.  So if Jose decides to ruin the party he better wait until we're returning from Halifax to New York.

Time for bed as I'm working tomorrow for 6 hours, then home to do laundry, some housework and finish packing.  Then it's dinner with friends before an early night.  Cab will be at the front door about 3:45 a.m. so I can be at the airport in time for my flight.  I'm hoping I'll be able to post from the ship, but if not I'll be back in 10 days(or maybe a few more) with lots of pictures to share.

Have a great weekend!