It never ends

Early this week I had thought of an awesome title for this post...I've forgotten it now, so who knows what it will be, if any. I'm tired.

It's been another busy week, with day camp, the library program, and swimming lessons for Eli, with mom or G'ma taxi for the assist. Household chores including laundry, vacuuming, dishes, cleaning cat litter, menu planning and meal prep for both D and I, and of course, the inevitable weeding for me. I managed a bit of knitting too.

With D and Eli off to the library (Wednesday) or swim lessons (every evening at 6:15), I've had the house to myself for a bit more than usual. The swim lessons are generally when the Blue Jays play baseball, so I can't say I've done much in those solitary moments. I did tackle my bedroom on Wednesday, as between my stuff and the cat's (Saku) stuff, it was feeling a bit cluttered and untidy. 

Speaking of Saku, the integration with Stanley and Spencer is happening very slowly. He can tolerate being in the same room for brief periods (always supervised), but heaven help either of them if they dare enter his space (my bedroom). This cat can yowl with the best of them. He also gets annoyed if he feels one of them is between him and the nearest exit. But he has fed in close proximity a few times. Again, just briefly but without any cranky interaction. One day, he was drinking water from the cat bowl out in the front porch; Stanley was sleeping on the chair just a few feet away. They were aware of each other but neither had a reaction to the other. Poor Spencer doesn't fare as well. Saku seems to dislike her, no apparent reason, and she has once or twice expressed her displeasure as well. We're hoping that by Thanksgiving (mid-October) they'll be more tolerant towards each other. 

By the way, Wednesday's photo was indeed, a field of canola against the very smoky sky. We were under a air quality advisory and it has lasted through the week.

Friends were camping in central Saskatchewan and had to leave early, as it was worse there. The province reports there are currently 56 fires burning in the province, four considered contained, 15 not contained and 19 being investigated. Now, I don't know about you, but that only adds up to 38 fires...no reporting on the other 18 fires. Eleven communities/areas are still under evacuation orders. Our provincial government is nothing if not incompetent. In fact, they have only now agreed to have the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) provide firefighting crews to assist. Meanwhile the northern half of our province continues to burn. 

On to lesser frustrations, I pulled the pea plants this week and re-seeded. I was hoping they'd put out another set of flowers and pods but after a week, I had nothing so they're gone. Peas tend to prefer to be planted in cooler temps so I may not get anything, but I'll give it a try.  My tomatoes have been busily putting out flowers but I've found only a few tomatoes that have set. I don't know if they are simply late or just not being pollinated. So I did what some annoyed gardeners would do, I used a paint brush to hand pollinate the flowers. I should note there have been bumble bees and various flies around the plants but I think other flowers have been more attractive for whatever reason. I'll let you know if it works.

The major weeding is finally complete, and I'm on to the maintenance portion. Basically that means I'm starting all over, just with smaller weeds. :p To hopefully reduce the weeding efforts, I picked up mulch on Friday for the front flower bed and the raised bed in back. I used a push hoe to weed the vegetable garden, but was on my hands and knees again to clear the front flower bed. The hollyhocks are just starting to bloom. (Don't mind the window sills and frames that need painting - that's a next spring job). 

The heat returned on Friday; just after noon it had reached 29C/84F and by 3 p.m. it was 32C/90F

Today is supposed to be slightly cooler 26C/79F and we may get rain and thunderstorms on Sunday. I know the temperatures I've shared don't seem that hot for many of you, but it is too much for this wuss. We've been watering from the rain barrels, except for the veg garden, and they are still pretty full. Even so, it would be nice to get a refreshing rain.

With the heat, I'm only working outdoors in the morning and back indoors for the afternoons. Besides the weeding, I have a couple of other projects. The shed is a total mess, as things have been rummaged through, with tools and bags of potting soil and fertilizer simply dumped inside. There are also items that need to be moved to the garage (my other project) to be taken to the dump. A couple of mornings should see it better organized. 

Indoors with baseball and football to watch, and a knitting project, I'll be a cool and happy camper!

Have a great week ahead everyone!

P.S. Five months until Christmas...and all the weeds will be gone.

A new project, time with friends.

I'm interrupting the cruise posts for my regular weekly round-up of the week's activities. Things started out quietly and got busier throughout the week. Other than unpacking, doing laundry and a bit of housework, I did very little over the weekend and into Monday.

On Tuesday, I went out to the garage and tackled a project that I've been pondering for awhile. The former renter of the garage had built a partial wall and a work bench that made it difficult to get a second vehicle into the garage. When I was driving the Corolla, I could wiggle my way into the spot (using S turns), but with the Equinox it was going to be more difficult. So I had decided to remove part of the wall. I started by removing the plywood walls and the work bench. I should note the bench was over 4 feet tall, so useless for much more than storage.

The goal is to remove the open section to allow more room to maneuver the vehicle into place. Well, I discovered that this wall was built to last as the sill plate is anchored into the concrete. I've neither the tools nor the knowledge to overcome this problem so I turned to the internet. I've found a journeyman carpenter who has agreed to do the work for me later this month. In the meantime I have a pile of scrap lumber (not shown) to carry out of the garage. I also need to find someone to haul away the old garage door opener. There's always something that needs to be done.

Wednesday was a busy day, as I did a bit of grocery shopping in the morning, attended Stitch and Chat in the afternoon, and went to dinner with the book club ladies. There were three of us at the library, and next week there will just be two as C is heading for California at the end of the month and will be busy packing. Book club was fun, with six of us in attendance. I haven't met with the group in months, so there was lots of catching up to do. We even discussed the book, "The Nanny" by Gilly MacMillan. It was my choice, and it seemed every one who read it enjoyed the book. 

I took the day off on Thursday and caught up on various programs, NCIS, NCIS:Origins, and FBI. As well, curling and the MLB games kept me entertained. Saku was quite content to keep me pinned to the couch. :) I did stir long enough to make meals and do dishes.

Friday was a chilly morning, just -2C/28F when I took garbage out to the bin. Good thing I had no plans to work outside that morning. Instead, I did some housework and watching curling. That evening, I met my friends K and J for dinner before attending a comedy event at the Center of the Arts. Our tickets were free, provided by financial advisors we use. We took along a few items for the food bank donations as well. Our meals were good, but the service was incredibly slow and we had to go to the counter, as no one came to the table to take our payments. I'm not sure I'd return to that particular restaurant again. The comedians were funny, without straying into very many controversial subjects. The funniest moment (for me at least) was when Erica Sigurdson told the story of getting her husband to hang a medicine cabinet in their bathroom. After he'd delayed the project, she took matters into her own hands, texting him at work about how to do certain things (though she wasn't actually doing those things). He returned from work and got the job done. 

It was late when I arrived home and by the time I had settled down, it was nearly midnight. Saku woke me just after 6, but I managed to ignore him until my daughter called shortly after 7. Although I meant to get up after our call, I dozed off and slept until 10:30! So my day is a little off-kilter. I've just finished breakfast while watching curling. There is football and baseball later today as well. I guess you all know what I'll be doing today. :) Time to pull out the knitting needles and keep working on the mittens.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Expect the unexpected

 On Monday, I tried to phone the landscaper and when he didn't answer, I left a message asking him to call. I explained I needed a more definitive date for a start of the job, and I asked him to call me back that day. Then I waited. Color me surprised when at about 1 p.m. a truck and trailer arrived. The landscaper and his helper, a young woman, hopped out of the truck. I met them as they started through the front yard and the three of us walked to the back yard. I confirmed the work that was to be completed and left them to it. 

Of course, I couldn't help but peek out the back door to see what they were doing, and I discovered her working away, using the drill to remove the deck boards from the portion of the deck that was to be removed, while he kept watch. The next time I looked out, they were gone and I spotted them, out the front window, sitting on the trailer having a drink of water. After their ten minute break, they moved some tools around to the back, and took a number of branches from the large tree that is being removed down. After dumping those into the trailer, they left. All told, they were here about an hour. I sent a text to my brother, "At this rate, they'll be done in a month." His response, "Which month, October?"

The photos I posted on Wednesday were taken Monday evening. I'm not surprised that some commentors didn't realize any work had been completed.

Tuesday, the young woman (Cass) showed up on her own about 10:30 or 11:00 in the morning. I knew she would be late as she'd told me the day prior, she has a child she drives to school in the morning, but I had hoped she would arrive earlier. Over the course of the day, she had questions and we had a chance to chat. It turns out she and Ch (the landscaper) are a couple. They had been together for some time, the relationship broke down, and they just recently got back together. Part of what precipated her return was Ch's health issues. Apparently, he had a heart attack a couple of months ago and isn't able to do much of the work any longer. Hence, she's pretty much on her own. I will tell you, she can out work and out-muscle many of the men I know. Although she left early (to pick up child after school), she had added bracing to the existing lower deck, had removed the joists for the deck being removed, added the board that will be used as a connection for the steps she'll build (after returning and replacing the piece Ch had erroneously measured), and hauled all of the debris out to the front. Later that evening, she and Ch arrived with the trailer to remove those items.

Wednesday, they both arrived, again late but for a good reason. They work with a bobcat operator on some jobs and the bobcat had lost all of its transmission oil all over the street. That spill had to be properly cleaned up, and that took a bit of time. Cass spent her time digging out the posts from the site where the deck had been removed, digging out roots, and moving rock around, while Ch took down the remainder of the tree. By late afternoon, he'd used a rototiller to dig up the old sod. He explained that his regular equipment just wouldn't fit through the space between the house and the fence, so everything else would have to be done by hand. I also learned, (who knew) that the old sod will be used a a filler under the new sod. I'm not sure I'm thrilled with this because there are weeds that I'm certain will make their presence known sooner rather than later. 

By Thursday morning, I'd figured there would likely be another delay so I ran some errands, and did a bit of yardwork. Sure enough, Cass showed up around 10:30 or 11:00. I'm not entirely sure the reason, but she said Ch was dealing with the bobcat issue again that morning and would be by later. She tackled the portion of a chain link fence that had been left behind by the previous owner - I assume it had once been part of a dog run. It was cemented in, so she had to dig and then use a sledge hammer to break up the concrete before she could remove the poles. In addition, she tackled more tree roots and the wood borders that had kept the rock and grass from encroaching on each other's area. She had moved all the debris by the time Ch arrived (about 2:30 or 3), and together they loaded those items into the trailer.

Ch took this load, and left to pick up some more rock. Meantime Cass continued to work, installing a short piece of railing on the deck and raking the old sod. Ch wasn't long, and then they brought the new rock into the back yard. I was busy in the house, prepping dinner so I didn't get outside until 5 p.m. when they were preparing to leave for the day. Ch told me that they'd be back Friday with the new dirt that will build up the yard, the sod will be ordered on Monday and delivered next Thursday. Hopefully we don't have a lot of rain between tomorrow and next week as I suspect it will be a mud pit back there.

In any event, this is how things looked on Thursday evening.

The mower and wheelbarrow are temporarily housed here, and I have other ideas for this corner. The telephone companies box is beside the tree, which I kept in order to hide the box.  I foresee a chair and small table where one could read in the shade. Or maybe I'll just put the bird bath there with a couple of containers. The tree that held the bird feeder is gone, and since I hope not to be here this winter, that's okay.

The railing piece that was added is behind the towering tomatoes (and marigolds) on the right had side. This spring there was a fair amount of heaving due to the amount of water draining through the yard, and several boards came loose as that portion of the deck was pushed up by several inches. Cass will replace those and build the steps, one for either side of the deck next week. 

John asked about the little shed on Wednesday. I have to assume that it was used by the previous owners as a play house for their children/daycare children. When we moved in there was a rug inside and there a few toys left out in the yard. This was many years before Eli and all of that was tossed. When I removed the large shed, that I used for storage of garden tools and supplies, I moved everything into this small shed. I should mention, I have to duck to get in the door (I'm 5'2") though the height inside is decent and there is even a small loft.

There is a bird house on the front of it that my brother built and installed. This year there is a family of wrens living in it and we can hear the babies chirping. The adults have been coming and going feeding them, except when the power tools are being used. Perhaps it is a good thing that the larger equipment couldn't be brought into the yard.

Although somewhat disappointed, I wasn't entirely surprised when they didn't show at all on Friday. Since Monday is a statutory holiday for most people, I'm not really expected to see them until Tuesday. (Canada Day, July 1 falls on Saturday). It's probably just as well as we had storm blow through on Friday evening, bringing about a 1/4 inch of rain. Enough to make the backyard a sodden mess, and of course, after I'd watered the front flower bed earlier in the day.

Today is Canada Day, the 156th birthday of this country that my great-great grandparents emigrated to prior to confederation. It seems fitting to spend part of the day on Ancestry, searching for more information on family members. I won't be attending any of the local activities, I will watch some of the news programs for the performances in Ottawa. Of course there are baseball and football games to watch too. The forecast suggests more thunderstorms are likely today, with a high temperature of 32C (90F) and humidity creating the perfect conditions. Mother Nature's fireworks!

Happy Canada Day to my Canadian readers. Do enjoy your day, however you decide to spend it. Have a great week ahead everyone.

 

Projects, plans, and purging

Wednesday's wordless was indeed a photo of my efforts to get part of the basement floor ready for new flooring. The family who lived here prior to us were a foster family, and they had put down indoor/outdoor carpet in that area - I assume to add to the play area for the children as there was a gate in the open doorway at one time. Several years ago, I had the interior walls framed in, insulated and drywalled, however since we didn't use the area except for cat litter boxes and some dusty exercise equipment I hadn't done anything more with that space. 

When I had the house listed in 2019, it was a bone of contention for the potential buyers. They couldn't identify it's purpose and didn't want to have to spend the money to finish it themselves. As I said then, damn HGTV and all the shows that provide, at least in my mind, unrealistic expectations. 

I've told my son that I will not, repeat not, live in this house beyond the summer of 2023. Between the yard work and the upkeep of the house, I'm ready to sacrifice space for less work. Plus I really don't want to spend another winter in the cold - or at least not all of it. 

I've yet to call the contractor for a quote, but expect I'll do so next week. He did the work in my brother sister-in-law's property here in the city and did a fantastic job. The work to be completed includes, not only the flooring through the entire basement and stairs, but installing a wall between the furnace room and the open area (which will put the cat litter boxes out of sight), a closet, and install a door. There is some electrical work to be done as well. I'm steeling myself for the price but it does need to get done. Besides I've finished paying off the roofing and fencing that was completed last year. :)

The weather finally improved this week, and I was able to get out of the house for a bit. While out, I made a stop at Value Village and the Salvation Army thrift stores before picking up some groceries. At V.V. I got six small balls of yarn, originally priced at $9.99 a piece, while I paid $7-8 for the complete lot. I did even better at the Salvation Army store, finding a pair of Roots sweat pants and two pair of Osh-Kosh summer shorts for Eli for about $6. My daughter tells me she won't use the sweat pants as is, because the cuff isn't elasticized. 

Well, I'll fix her. I had already planned to drive out this week to deliver her television and few other odds and ends that got left behind, so I measured a pair of his current pants to determine the length of elastic I'll need. Now I just have to pick the stitches of a small portion the hem on the pants, insert the elastic and sew it in place. 

The drive out on Thursday was occasionally white knuckled as there was heavy fog in some places. For the most part visibility was better than a half mile but there were times when it dropped to less than a quarter of a mile. My worry is always the dummies driving without headlights (there were a couple) or those that try to pass when visibility is poor (thankfully that day, none).  

After a short visit and a bit of lunch we headed off to Eli's occupational therapy appointment. D's car had to go into the garage for some work so we took my car. I dropped them off and scooted over to the Dollarama for a few bins, and Canadian Tire for some weather strips. I had a plan for the first, and had noted some gaps at both back and front door that needed some additional sealing to keep out the cold weather.

On Thursday evening and overnight we got about 5 inches of snow. D's car was at the shop and she'd ordered groceries for pick-up that morning at 9. Our first order of business was to shovel ourselves out. She did the front sidewalks while I started behind the garage. It took the two of us about 45 minutes to clear the snow so I could get into the alley. Thankfully, a neighbour with a truck had gone through so I had tracks to follow out to the street. 

Back at home, D unloaded and put away the groceries and then we got busy. We pulled everything out of her freezer to defrost it (the front porch was a great freezer until we were ready to put everything away). We sorted everything and put like products in bins. She has a small chest freezer and whatever she wants seems to be on the bottom. This way, she still has to lift out the bins but things won't get knocked upside down or simply lost. She was thrilled when that project was complete.

Then, while the deep freeze continue to defrost, it was onto clearing counters and shelves, sorting through toys and clothing and hanging and putting away clean laundry for her and Eli. When we finished there were four part bags of clothing for drop off at the local thrift store, and a bin of clothing to be taken to a consignment store here in Regina. Much of the clothing was Eli's, that he has simply outgrown over the past two years, but D found a tub in her closet of old clothing she'd forgotten about and lot of that was added to the donate pile.

By the time we finished all the sorting there were two full bags of debris, broken toys, papers, stuff from the bottom of the deep freeze, and other items to be disposed of. It was garbage day so the bin was empty when I took it out. I also put the four bags for the thrift store in her trunk so she can deliver it next she's out. Oh, that reminds me, we ran out after lunch to pick up her car from the shop. Hooray, the repairs cost less than she had anticipated! 

By late afternoon we were all exhausted and my fit-bit said I'd gotten in nearly 14,000 steps and 70 minutes of excercise. I will tell you, it felt like more than that! After dinner we relaxed, watched some television, and went to bed early. Both nights I had company; Eli decided he wanted to sleep in his big boy bed with G'ma. I must have been tired because I actually slept reasonably well with a kid who likes to spread out. Add on a cat (Sheldon) and it was definitely tight quarters.

Saturday morning was busy too.  The television stand she had in the living room wasn't large enough for the base of her new television so we did some furniture swaps in the house as well. There was a credenza in her office/craft room that was originally used as a tv stand when she first bought it (about 2007?), but had been put into use for storing craft supplies. We switched it out for an old dresser in Eli's room, and took the shelving unit she had been using for the tv stand up to his room. Have I confused you yet? This necessitated the movement of books and other items from one room to another. Once the furniture was moved, she took care of the vacuuming on the second level, while I swept and mopped floors on the first. By 9:30 a.m. we had pretty much everything done that needed immediate doing - we'd been up since 5 a.m., and I started getting ready for the drive home. 

The drive home wasn't all that great. The snow plows had been out but the highways still had snow on them with bare tracks where the majority of the traffic drove, there was blowing snow, and in some spots, even wet pavement. I used a fair amount of windshield washer fluid keeping the windshield clear of the moisture flung up by passing vehicles. Semi's are the worst.  

I was home by 10:30 this morning, and back out shovelling snow not long after. We didn't get nearly the amount of snow D did. I cleared the driveway and sidewalks, fed the birds, and then came in to get some lunch and just chill. I can already tell it will be an early night here. 

On that note, I'm off to catch up on my blog reading or maybe that will wait until I've had an afternoon nap. Take care everyone, stay well and have a good week ahead.

Welcome March

Despite the change to the calendar, March hasn't yet been any kinder to us than February was.  It's cold, yet again -31C this morning, and that is before the wind is factored in.

Yesterday morning was much warmer, thankfully, as snow had fallen overnight.  I was out early clearing the driveway.  Glad I did as the temperature began dropping throughout the day.

There is some relief in the forecast, but it will be several weeks yet before spring truly arrives here.  In the meantime, I'm looking forward to my next getaway in mid-March.  

It's been a busy week, as I drove C to and from work Tuesday through Thursday.  We had cleared out the Cobalt on Monday, and he got the news on Friday we were expecting, the car has been written off.  Tuesday, after work, we headed to a car dealership to test drive a Toyota Corolla.  The test drive went well, so after a bit of discussion on tires and block heaters, we met with the finance guy and completed the paperwork for a car loan.  C got the word on Thursday the loan had been approved, and I drove him to the dealership after work to finalize the purchase.  He is now the proud owner (or partial owner since the bank still owns most of it), a 2017 Toyota Corolla.  I drive an older model, a 2007 that I purchased from the same dealership back in 2010.  It's been a very reliable vehicle, so I'm hopeful C's will prove to be the same.  

Meanwhile at home I kept busy with my chores, my projects, and bit more packing.  I've nearly finished the baby blanket, just ends to be woven in, complete the edging, and block it.  I'll tuck it away for the next baby as I have no one in particular in mind...I just had the yarn.

Next up, I want to crochet a cat bed.  I found several free patterns on the internet and I bought the yarn at least two years ago with good intentions!  It's quite thick yarn so it should work up quickly.

On Friday, I met a friend for lunch.  We met nearly 42 years ago, and have kept in touch throughout the years, generally through Christmas cards and more recently, through Facebook.  I think the last time we actually saw one another was likely 15-20 years ago.  It was great catching up with her!

Later in the evening, there were just two of us for the Friday night dinner as four of the group are currently in sunny Jamaica.  We had a good visit, with a wide range of topics, before I headed home to watch the wildcard game of the Brier.  Yes, there's more curling!!

Today is a big day for this little guy.  Eli turns two today.  I had thought I might drive out for a visit but with the cold weather, decided against it.  I called this morning for a video chat just before 7.  He immediately grabbed the phone from his mom and took me up to his playroom.  While D and I chatted he showed off his mini-trampoline skills.  Then he headed back downstairs. Thankfully, his mom had the phone because he likes to slide down on his belly...it's a race to the bottom.

Next up I was introduced to his new toys, a talking Elmo, a talking Chase (this was my contribution) and a talking Octopus.  I confirmed with D that none of these toys were coming to G'ma's house.  :)

I snagged this photo off D's Facebook account.  He's watching his favorite program Paw Patrol, while enjoying his juice.  D said he's had his breakfast, a bowl of cereal and she's mixed up a batch of cinnamon buns as a special treat.  I'm sure he'll have a wonderful day, and I'll see him when they are here in mid-March.  We'll celebrate his birthday then too, though I'm sure he has no real clue what it is all about!

Have a great weekend everyone!  I'll be hibernating, watching curling, and working on my projects.  Sounds good to me.

Enough already!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It's official

I'm retired!  I realize I'm incredibly fortunate to be able to do so, at the relatively young age of pushing 60.  

When I look back the path that led me to this point, I see it was built on moments of sheer luck, being in the right place at the right time, and by setting and eventually achieving my goals.  I must admit, the latter was not part of my early experiences, I tended to float and took the fortunate circumstances for granted.  As I aged, and when my children were young, I learned that working hard wasn't enough (for me) and I had to step out of my comfort zone and take risks.  Fortunately, those risks turned out for the best.

I started my first part-time job when I was 16, as a cashier at the ice rink in my hometown for the winter.  I got the job, even though I had no experience, in part because of a comment I made to the interviewer.  When he mentioned my lack of experience, my immediate response was, "how the hell do you expect me to get any experience, if you won't give me my first job".  He sat back, and said "I remember how that feels" and I got the job.  My mom was shocked and a little upset with me for making the comment.  I learned to be a little more polite in interviews, however, I'm not sure I ever stopped being as blunt when I felt the need.

My first full-time employment came shortly after high school ended, when I went to another interview, walked in and was told I got the job because I'd showed up.  This took me to northern Saskatchewan, by floatplane (a Cessna 180), sitting in the back on a pile of parts destined for the hangar.    This is when I fell in love with airplanes and debits and credits.  I learned to do bookkeeping, first as the accounts receivable clerk, later taking over payroll, payables, and general ledger entries.  I was also responsible to dispatch aircraft...at first I didn't understand a word I heard on the radio but I learned quickly. 

Later, after my daughter was born, I moved back to my hometown due in part to the sale of the air charter service, and the distance from hospital and school about 50 miles (80 kilometers) away.  After a short vacation, I walked into a local bank branch on a Wednesday afternoon and handed my resume (brief as it was) to the manager.  He called me later that afternoon, to ask me if I could start work the following day.  It turned out an employee had been fired the previous Friday.  Serendipitous for me indeed, not so much for her.

Eventually, the job I was doing was cut to part-time, but I was offered a transfer to Regina, where I currently reside.  I left that financial institution a year or so later, simply because of my work schedule. I worked Tues-Sat, and with a small child I wanted a Mon-Fri position.  Again, there was a bit of dumb luck involved, as initially when the offer was made, I indicated I would need to give two weeks notice to my employer.  Another person was hired but left very shortly after as she was a teacher, and the offer was extended to me once more.  This time the two week delay was accepted.  During my career at the next financial institution, I obtained my first promotion to management and continued to work there for five years after my son was born, until the company was sold to another institution.  

At this point, I decided I needed to get further education - I'd run into the glass ceiling and without a degree I felt it would be difficult to achieve higher level positions.  While I went to school full-time, I also worked part-time at the student union center.  They were great, fitting my work schedule around my classes, without impacting my family life.  Both children were in school, with their own activities and social calendars.  I was also volunteering on the board of the daycare my son attended.  I look back now and wonder I ever got it all done!  

Unlike prior times in my life, finding a job after I finished my degree wasn't as easy.  I took a job with Kelly Temporary services, and found employment with a local retirement home as a bookkeeper. Six months later, I accepted a term position with federal department as a budget analyst, but left that job just three months later, to join another department as an auditor.  I worked my way up the ladder over the next 12 years, attaining my final position as a supervisor where I remained for the past 9 1/2 years.  It was my dream job, and although it wasn't always easy, the work I did was interesting, often challenging, and for more than 20 years I enjoyed going to work everyday.

So now what, in retirement?  Well, I may not be knitting underpants for squirrels, but I do have lots of projects to complete. Just in the past week, I've knit two pairs of slippers, for me and my daughter. I've started crocheting a shopping bag, it's going quickly, I'll probably finish it before the weekend is over.  My yarn stash is still large, so that will keep me busy for quite some time.  I also want to get back to sewing - the machine is set up and gathering dust.  A local fabric store went out of business a couple of years ago, and I purchased a fair amount of fabric that has yet to be touched.

In the meantime, I'm starting the process of getting the house ready for re-sale.  There are holes to patch and touch up to the paint, closets to sort through, clutter to have removed and so forth.  I suspect this will take me until April to complete and then I can turn my attention to outdoors.  With any luck the house will sell by the end of August and then....who knows for sure.  I may be staying with friends or family for a period of time until I head out to Vancouver Island. Whether I rent or buy will depend on what is available at that time.  I do know that I plan to spend the summer months in Saskatchewan with my children and grandson.  But beyond that, things are rather nebulous.  For the first time in my life not having a firm plan doesn't matter.

Because I'll have some time for this:

Wishing all of you a good day!

Keeping busy

Phew, having a baby in the house is reminding me that I'm grateful I had my children when I was young.  Eli is one busy boy!  Add in a rambunctious kitten and my home is moving and shaking for a good portion of the day.

D is doing better, this time, and seems resigned to the fact that she and J are not able to live together.  J has taken Eli for a couple of overnights since she returned and she's expressed her frustration that Eli's schedule is off when he comes back here since J is a night owl.  Plus he doesn't bathe the baby or change Eli's clothing (diapers, yes) so the little guy comes back a tad bit messy and smelly.  

I try not to interfere...oh but it's hard sometime. One of the lessons I've tried sharing is to get chores done while baby sleeps, leaving enough time for a short nap.  Most of the time she plays with her I-Pad or I-phone (no wonder they're called "I") though she's started doing some crafting.  My kitchen table is currently covered with various projects including a scrapbook for Eli, flash cards that she's printed out and needs to laminate, and several bibs she's sewn.  I showed her how to set up the sewing machine yesterday and she's partially finished four bibs.  I've given up trying to get her to clear the table...some day all of these projects will be finished, right?

As I said Eli has been very busy.  He's learned to play patty cake - I've been playing it with him for a couple of weeks.  Now he'll do it on his own!

He's pretty proud of himself and will clap and clap for several minutes.  I get such a chuckle out of watching him.

Eli has been drooling and chewing on just about everything and it was pretty clear his teeth were coming in.

On Halloween day, D checked and sure enough his bottom two teeth had come through.  Now he's working on the top two.  Still no photos though.  A friend of D's who is a professional photographer told her the best way to get a shot of the teeth is to make the baby cry.  Mean!

 Speaking of Halloween, check out my little dinosaur!
I picked up the outfit at Costco. The sizing said 6-12 months, thank goodness it still fit.  This kid is getting so big!

He is moving more so I expect his weight gain will slow down.  He can army crawl and scoots around on his butt.  Eli can sit unaided for long periods, but still hasn't figured how to pull himself up into a sitting position.  Soon, I'm sure!

His mom took him to her workplaces and he had a visit with his dad as well.  Apparently J was a bit upset that he wasn't consulted about the costume.  Sheesh, he could have bought one if he was so concerned!

Eli was quite happy to get out of his costume and into his pumpkin pj's.  After a cuddle with mom, he was ready for bed...he had a busy day!

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This morning we woke to at least four inches of fresh snow.  I went out and used my electric shovel to move most of it off the driveway and then cleared up the rest with my regular shovel.  The long range forecast is calling for more snow and colder temps this winter.  I'm not looking forward to it at all.

It is, however a good time to work on my own projects.  I have a shawl I started, meaning to take it on my cruise that isn't yet finished.  I also have a knitted cap on my needles for Eli.  This is attempt #2, as I didn't trust the pattern the first go around and ended up with a effort that was less than stellar.  This time, I'm using the pattern and making it up for the 2-3 year old size, as Eli apparently has a big head.  I have enough yarn to make him a pair of mitts as well.  Then there is all that sock wool I bought last year intending to make socks for my kids for Christmas...ain't gonna happen but maybe I'll get a start on those as well in the next few weeks. 

Yep, we're definitely keeping busy around here...it's a kind of busy, where I go to bed at night feeling I've accomplished something, no matter how small it is.  

Have a wonderful weekend!