Settling in

I predicted that the week would be busy and I was right, in more ways than one. I spent the first couple of days sorting through the interior of the RV, emptying cupboards, wiping them down, and sorting through the contents. Unpacking of the clothing and the few personal items I brought with me also happened. It was a disaster in here, but by Thursday afternoon, I was pretty much finished. I took out a couple of bags of broken or damaged items to the bin and put several tote bags of items to be donated to the park garage sale in the back of my vehicle. There were also a number of items I returned to J, the previous owner, as I believed they would have some sentimental value.

Wednesday morning, I took advantage of the cooler temperature early in the day and opened up the shed under the nose of the 5th wheel. It was chock block full of stuff! There was not only the BBQ and mini fridge which I expected, but a patio heater (not needed now!), brooms, mop and pails, boxes of parts for the RV, boxes of various household items, insect spray, mice deterrents, and the motherlode of all...two large containers of yarn. There didn't appear to be any bugs, but I've left them out in the sun for 24 hours, just in case. I did check with J - they are hers but she no longer wants them. So I'm set for yarn for at least 10 years, and that doesn't include the stash I have back at home. :) Actually I plan to go through it at some point and will keep some and donate the rest to a local charity shop. 

H has told me she wants a scarf knit with the purple yarn (top bag on the left). She won't need it here of course. But it does give me another project to work on.

Meanwhile, Jose, the handyman had been here to set up the gazebo for me. He also hooked up the propane so I could cook, though I hadn't had to as yet. The big tank was empty so we used the BBQ tank for the time being. I'm expecting the fuel company to be by next Tuesday to refill the 100 gallon tank. That should last for the entire season. Jose was back at the unit on Thursday as the hot water heater wasn't working properly. I've only just met him, but it appears he is jack of all trades. Good thing, 'cuz this woman has no clue about most of these things. I did, after some help from J, figure out what I needed to do to empty the black and gray tanks. I do tend to make things more complicated than they need to be.

Every evening that the Jays are playing, we have been meeting in the clubhouse. After pizza night, we had L's famous chili, and on Wednesday, L brought potato salad and deli meat. The rest of us brought buns or vegetables. Tuesday, I took advantage of L&S's offer to take some of the leftover chili. I can heat it up in the microwave...again, no cooking!

As promised here are a few photos of my set-up. The living area is cozy and comfortable. It took me a couple of days, but I figured out the television set-up . I may not use it much as I watch a lot of programming on Y-Tube on my laptop. On the other hand the cable subscription is paid for by the park so it is a nice to have. I can sit on the couch or turn the television to watch from the dinette, or even watch from my bed! 

I haven't made much use of the outdoor space as yet, but will do so as the weather cools from the 90's we've been experiencing. It is a perfect place for a morning cup of tea, as it is in the shade until around noon'ish. I hope to find a few more comfortable chairs so others can join me for a visit.

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Outside the gazebo is the mini-fridge. I did plug it in briefly and it works perfectly. However, it is very dirty and needs a good scrubbing. That had to wait until the hot water heater was working. I did some cleaning in cold water (though the water here is never really cold - at least not like it is at home). I envision using the stand beside it for my electric kettle and perhaps a slow cooker. It will keep the heat outdoors rather than in.

I got the fridge cleaned out on Thursday, then met J. We drove to the DOT office to switch the registration on the RV. The plate and title should be in the mail in 8-10 business days. Once I receive the title, I'll be able to arrange insurance for the unit. It was the hottest day thus far, 95F/35C so the rest of the afternoon and evening was spent indoors. I did a bit of finishing work on the scarf, took an afternoon nap, and as expected had the leftover chili and rice for my dinner.

Friday morning, the queen mattress in the bedroom (the nose of the 5th wheel) was swapped out with L&S for a twin that was in their new-to-them park model. I didn't need the box spring so that went to someone else in the park. There tends to be a whole lot of trading that happens here. They also gave me a small fold up stool, and have offered a small crockpot. Meanwhile I had sorted the yarn, and S took the remainder. She'll take what she wants and the rest will be kept until the garage sale. I should note, whatever doesn't sell at the garage sale is donated to a local charity shop.

I was able to fit in a three drawer (plastic) chest, as a well as the container on the left to hold my folded clothing. For hanging clothes I've currently got them in the closet by the door, but I use that for the broom and vacuum as well so would like to get them out of there. I'll look for an extension closet rod that I can fit in next to the window. I don't have much to hang so it doesn't need to be drilled into the walls.

That afternoon, H and I went out to lunch at In and Out burger, then over to Sam's Club. Memberships for new members were on sale for $15 for an annual card, regular $50. I was able to get a companion card for H. Recall she's the baker, and left with a cart full of sugar, oil, chocolate chips, etc. along with a massive jar of minced garlic. There will be no vampires around her place! :) I didn't bother picking anything up as we both had things to do back at the park. I needed to drop off the burgers, hotdogs, and smokies for the evening BBQ, and she was heading home to cook up onions for the burgers.

The watch party grew slightly larger with the addition of J and her friend P. I took care of the BBQ, while others laid out the spread of food. In addition to burgers, there was leftover potato salad from the other night, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, pickles, and the usual condiments. J brought a bean casserole made with corn and Rotel spicy tomatoes, and D made roasted potatoes in the air fryer. We never run out of food!

Since there will be a Game 7 of the World Series (go Jays) tonight, we'll be having a "must go" meal. Everything remaining in the fridge will be laid out and whatever remains at the end of the night either goes home with someone or into the bin. Hopefully, the Jays will pull through and win the final game. In any event, it has been a great series to watch and a good time to get together. 

Today, I've nothing on the agenda until evening. The unit is pretty much organized as I would like it, so I'll spend my morning out in the gazebo reading. I'm midway through a Michael Connelly book with Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch. I feel as though I've read it before and it may very well be one of the episodes of that I watched on one of the streaming networks. I can't recall though and am enjoying it very much. The afternoon will likely mean indoor time again and I hope to finish sewing in the ends on my scarf. 

Have a great week ahead everyone! Welcome to November.

Foul weather, good food, fun, and big news!

We got rain! We got too much rain! Saturday afternoon, evening and overnight into Sunday, we had 60 millimeters of rain. That's just lightly less than 2 1/2 inches of rain in less than 24 hours. Then on Sunday night into Monday morning, we had another 10 millimeters of rain, about about 4/10ths of an inch of rain. D and I were kept busy emptying the overflow from the rain barrels on Saturday until I belatedly came up with the idea of opening the taps on both barrels. They each have a small hose on them, so we tucked those into extra pieces of downspout and laid the pipe so that the water flowed towards the lilies and the lawn. It meant the water barrels are no longer full, but old Mother Nature has done a good job of watering. So much so, that several of my tomatoes split before I could pick them!

Speaking of tomatoes we used the first batch, along with a green pepper, onion, garlic and Italian seasoning to make homemade tomato sauce. I did add the last tablespoon or so of tomato paste at the end to thicken the sauce slightly. The recipe made enough sauce for 3-4 meals. We used a portion on Sunday night to make baked pasta (fusilli) for dinner. I don't consider myself much of a cook, but it was sooo good.

After school on Monday was equine therapy for Eli. As it was very wet, his therapist had him assist in building a step for Rocky, the Shetland pony to step over. That meant he got to use a drill! He came home very excited to tell me about it. They also made a trek out to see the pigs, who are no longer piglets but should be ready to be bacon in the spring. Eli doesn't know this and I, for one, am not telling him. 

Tuesday we did a bit of meal prep. While D made a batch of her pizza dough (including parmesan and dried parsley), I boiled up a pot of potatoes for pierogi filling - these were mashed up with ricotta and old cheddar cheese, and onions cooked in butter until soft. The filling was put away in the fridge for a few days*. Meanwhile D cooked vegetable stir fry for Eli. It's a food he can always be counted on to eat. It will keep for a few days and he'll eat for lunch or dinner. I wanted to use up some of the latest batch of tomatoes but wanted something fresh. Salsa it was with tomatoes, corn, yellow pepper, red onion, lime, coriander, and chili flakes. It went well with chips for a pre-bedtime snack. But first, dinner that evening, used a portion of the pizza dough, with leftover air-fried chicken, yellow pepper, and red onion, and mozza-cheddar cheese using bacon ranch dressing as the pizza sauce. Very yummy!

Wednesday morning, I used the remainder of the second picking of tomatoes to make up a pot of tomato soup. It was good, but I think I put too much garlic in it. In the afternoon, I headed over to the library for Knit and Natter. There were only four of us (two were the librarians) but we had a good visit, and I learned how to use a pom-pom maker properly. The woman who brought the supplies even gave me one of the pom-pom makers as she has no use for them. Very kind of her!

On Thursday morning, D and I followed the school bus to the next town over (NTO) as Eli was to participate in a cross country run. Like the track and field days when I was a kid, it wasn't a pleasant day with gray skies threatening rain, but by the time we left NTO the sun was peeking through. Eli ran in the first race, but before that happened the children (and adults who ran with them) did a walk through of the course and a warm-up. His E.A. ran with him, and the pair managed to come in middle of the pack. I'd guess there were about 40 kids running. The fastest three came in way quicker than I would have expected, some of these kids can clearly run!

Before we left NTO, we stopped at Staples so D could purchase a new cellphone. Her old one was "glitching" as Eli would say. At home she was able to transfer data to the new phone but could not get the cellular to connect. She called the mobility provider in the morning, and they advised she would have to visit the store. So off we went to NTO after picking up Eli at lunch time. After she finished at the store, we headed over to one of Eli's favorite parks. As it turned out this was a great idea as the sim card began sending error messages. So back to the store we went where they gave her a new sim. Rather than head home immediately we decided to make a stop at the thrift store...just in case. It was a productive trip as Eli got a couple of Minecraft toys (don't ask me), D found some craft items, and I walked out with a lovely zippered cardigan. 

And the big news? We've known for a couple of years that Eli could read a bit, but lacked confidence. With D's support and direction this summer, the lessons have truly clicked. Not only is he reading in English, but also in French. On Friday as we were driving home from NTO, he was reading aloud to us from the back seat. We're so proud of him and his mom is thrilled that she is raising a reader. 

Have a great week ahead everyone! 

*We finally got around to making the pierogi on Friday evening. I think we made about four dozen and had lots of filling left over. Two bags of pierogis and the container of filling went to the freezer, while my daughter made a plateful for her dinner.  Lazy pierogi casserole will likely be on the menu soon.

Heating up!

 Summer has arrived! We've had temps ranging from 25C(77F) to 31C(88F) over the week. That may not seem overly warm/hot for most of you, but as we've been experiencing much cooler temps, the difference is truly noticeable.

I've spent time outdoors, early mornings with my tea, and later, tackling the weeds. We've had a lot of dew in the morning so it is often too wet, at least for me, to get down in the dirt. The garden is starting to look quite tidy or at least half of it. The asparagus is quite overgrown and the strawberries make a thick carpet, hiding some of the weeds. The photo on Wednesday was half of the pickings from earlier in the week. It's a small patch and I expect there will never be enough to do any canning/freezing, but they sure are delicious fresh out of the garden.

The large flower bed, on the other hand, is a jungle of weeds and plants. A number of the weeds are tangled among the rock surrounding the bed and impossible to remove. I've decided to cut back the alyssum (already started), and will dig it and the lilies (we have plenty) this fall. I'll harvest the poppy seeds and allow the lamium and the oxalis to do it's thing. We'll have to move as many rocks as possible - I'm thinking we'll roll them away temporarily - to get at the weeds. 

The peonies are still blooming, though I'm having to remove spent blooms every day. The containers are doing well, with the exception of one of the tall ones. For some reason it wasn't draining and the petunias I had planted in it were drowned by the excess rain. Poor things! The cherry tomato plant is doing very well, and seems to dry out quickly; apparently they are very thirsty.

Eli had twice a day swimming lessons, and day camp on Tuesday and Thursday as well. I drove them in on Tuesday, and while Eli had fun at camp, D and I went shopping. We went to Value Village first, where I found bath sheets, several brand new tea towels and dish clothes and a blanket for less than $15. D found several pieces of clothing for Eli and three bags of "real" Lego. In total we spent around $50 with my senior discount. Our next stop was Sport Chek as D needed a new pair of walking shoes, and found these and two pairs of shoes for Eli for school this fall (indoor and outdoor). She still has an employee discount as she is off on sick leave. I won't tell you what she spent, certainly more than I would have but with her discount, the cost was nearly half of what she would have paid at regular pricing. 

A trip to Dollarama and then to Walmart finished off the shopping for a few items she wanted and a few groceries we needed. It was time to pick up Eli at his day camp. They had taken the children to a nearby beach where the kids played on the playground equipment. With no lifejackets they weren't able to go in the water. That was okay, as Eli was in the pool before day camp and again in the evening.

We also had the contractor out on Monday and a half day on Tuesday. He replaced the screen door on the front porch with a proper door with a venting window. He also replaced and installed door knob kits and dead bolts on the door between the porch and living room, and the side door as well. He and his helper also did some caulking where the gate latch had damaged the exterior stucco, repaired the latch itself, installed a hook in the basement ceiling (after beefing up the joists) for a sensory swing, and repaired the door sill at the back door. He'll be back later this summer to retrofit the garage door opening to put in a header for a roll-up door. I don't think we were ever told that the current garage door is so bent it won't open. D will want to park the car in the garage in the winter, so the work is needed.

We made it to the pool once this week on Wednesday and she and I also got the basement set up again for Eli's play zone. Stanley, the cat also got his very own Catio as he likes to be outdoors. Now, when we try to catch him to bring him back indoors, it's much easier. He still argues, but I've been taking him out in the morning when I have my cup of tea and letting him hang out with me. Eli, decided to try it out too. :)

D took Eli to his day camp on Thursday while I stayed home (out of the heat, as I'd been out weeding and cutting back the peonies for most of the morning). Eli was a tired boy when they arrived home, so he missed out on his evening swim lesson and was asleep in no time. 

Friday, we awoke to a thunderstorm and rain. It didn't last long but remained cloudy until about 9. D and Eli headed to his swim lesson, while I went to pick up a few groceries. The heat and humity was high, the mosquitos and dragonflies were out in force (go dragonflies), so Eli and I spent the remainder of the morning indoors, while his mom went to get her hair cut and coloured. She wasn't happy with the cut at all, as she'd asked to have it cut to shoulder blade length, but the hairdresser took about two inches more.  She won't be able to put her hair in a pony tail for a few weeks but will try pig tails to keep the hair off her neck. It's a true shame as she paid a crazy amount of money for the cut and colour, and while the latter is lovely, the former is not.

I finished two books this week. The first was James Clavell's "King Rat", a story of POW's in Manila during World War II. It was definitely something different, and somewhat disturbing. The second book was "NYPD RED3" by James Patterson. It took me awhile to get into the book and I can't say it was my favorite book of his. I do like mysteries and this had some of that, but I felt there was some unnecessary incidents and the explanation at the end wasn't entirely satisfying.

 

Today we're expecting more stormy weather, but I think we'll head over to the park later this morning where he can play with friends. We live just under two blocks away. I'll get some more weeding done, and there is baseball and football to watch. I've also started a third book and there are mittens to be knitted. I'm certainly never bored, as I have lots to do.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Sun, blowing smoke, and still waiting

Wednesday's photo is of a mourning dove, which had been posing nicely in the sun at the top of the small shed. However it decided to fly down to the bird bath just as I took the photo, resulting in the shadow. I didn't want to move from my chair to take another photo as I was certain it would fly away. It splashed about in the bath for a minute so and then did just that.

Before I get into the house sale and weekly round-up, I'll share this photo of the sun one evening.

It was taken about 6:30 p.m. when I happened to look out as I was doing the dinner dishes. We've had a lot of smoke in the air this summer. According to a local news outlet, we've had 223 hours of smoke so far this year, and have been under special air quality statements many times as a result. On this day, the air quality index was a 10+ (7-10 is considered a high health risk). On those days I keep the windows closed in the house, and try to avoid being outdoors as much as possible. Thankfully, I don't have asthma or allergies, but find that my throat often feels irritated from it. The provincial authorities are saying that the fires in British Columbia and the Northwest Territories could continue until the snow falls. I'm beginning to think that winter will be a good thing...at least this year.

Back to the continuing saga of the house sale: Sunday's showing was short and I assumed the worst, that they had smelled cat, or decided the yard was too small, or for some other reason. My realtor touched base with the other realtor on Monday and discovered, despite the short period of time, the party did like the house. He was returning to Calgary and would know for 100% certain whether he would be moving to Regina by Friday. The other piece of good news was they were considering whether to make a back-up offer.

In the meantime, the current buyers were running out of time to get a conditional offer in place to meet the deadline of September 15. My realtor received a message back from their realtor, stating "we have had lots of action and offers that have not worked out yet. Did an open house yesterday (that would have been Sunday) and some possible activity from that tomorrow." We both had a good chuckle over that text, as he would have notified my realtor had their truly been an offer. In any event, Tuesday came and went with no indication they had "activity" from the open house.

I spent Tuesday morning grocery shopping with a trip to Value Village and the Salvation Army thrift store. I did well on the groceries, most items were on sale and I was able to find everything I needed. V.V. was a bust, it was Senior's day, and I suspect someone else beat me to the bargains that day. The S.A. store offered up a rubber tote, a watering can, and a book for $15. I've been gathering up the totes to use for packing, especially for craft materials and decorative items. The watering can is plastic and a much needed item as I managed to trip on my old one, ending up with my foot in it and breaking the top of it. I've continued to use it, with less water in it, but I'm happy to have this newer one that is much bigger.  

The book is a novel written by Lisa Scottoline,"Every Fifteen Minutes". I've read several of her novels and this one looks quite frightening to be honest. It involves a psychiatrist who has been targeted by a psychopath. This appears to be the overarching story line, though there is also an ethical decision to be made regarding a patient who is obssessed with a young girl. I likely won't be reading this one late at night. :)

I spent the afternoon out in the backyard reading in the sun. It wasn't particularly warm, only 16C (61F) but in the warmth of the sun it felt terrific. I finished reading Jeffrey Archer's "Paths of Glory", a fictionalized story of George Mallory and his life long goal of climbing Mount Everest. It's a good read, and though we'll never know if he actually reached the summit, one can't help but hope he did.

My realtor called that evening to tell me about a second potential back-up offer that may be coming our way. However, nothing was forthcoming and I spent Wednesday feeling sorry for myself. I didn't make it to stitch and chat, just hung out on the couch and watched baseball. 

On Thursday I went out and did some yardwork - picking up pine cones, deadheading flowers, and pulling up the petunias. The latter were looking past their prime, dying back, and straggly. I managed to get things cleaned up before the green bin was picked up that afternoon. Just being outdoors made me feel good.

I spent the rest of the afternoon out on the front patio reading my new book. While I was out there, my realtor texted to say the current buyers have lowered their asking price on their property "too little, too late". He also let me know that the fellow from Calgary hasn't let the realtor here know yet what his plans are. However the second realtor has requested a copy of the PCDS report (property condition disclosure report), which may be a good sign. And now, a third realtor has popped up indicating he has clients who may be interested. 

Later in the evening, I had a text asking if the third realtor could bring his party through on Friday at 5:30. Of course, I said yes. Fingers crossed and all that. That meant housework was a priority on Friday. I hope I'm not giving the impression that I don't keep the house clean and mostly tidy in any case, it's just not necessarily ready to show. The items that stay out on the counters or end tables are put away, and I also make sure that the rugs are freshly vacuumed, floors are washed (or spot washed depending on when I last washed them), clean towels are put out, laundry is done, etc. I mean, who wants to find someone's dirty laundry when one opens a closet door? I also walk through the whole house checking for evidence of the cat (think hairballs). After that experience of spilled water that the agent/clients assumed was cat pee, I don't want or need any more surprises.

The showing started on time and unlike so many before, they were in the house for at least 35-40 minutes. We'd returned home, and I'd brought Saku into the house and turned the oven on to cook a pizza, when my phone rang. It was my realtor - they were interested in the house, but aren't certain if they'll be making a back-up offer or simply wait until the 15th. He reminded their realtor that a back-up offer would ensure they'll be first in line. However, no back-up offer was received by the time I headed for bed. 

Today, we're meeting the realtor at a house that just went on the market on Friday. It isn't perfect (nothing is in my son's price range), and it would need new flooring throughout the whole house. But the price looks reasonable, and with a little help from mom, I know that C could get the work done reasonably quickly. It has three bedrooms up, a full basement (partially finished) with a newly renovated bathroom downstairs, and an interesting garage. I suspect the owner was a backyard mechanic, as there are doors at either end of the 20 X 33 ft. garage. This could be a good thing, as I'd have indoor space to park my vehicle when I'm travelling. One thing we'll be looking at is the basement to ensure it is solid and dry. The one possible drawback is location. It backs onto commercial property, though there is a fence between that property and the back of the house. 

Now that we have three potential buyers in the wings, and despite not having a back-up offer (yet), I'm feeling more positive that the house will sell soon. It's less than a week from the last deadline. Patience is a virtue I don't necessarily have much of, but I'll just keep busy - perhaps even start some packing this week.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Time marches on

Other than bouncing off the walls, counting off the days, what have I been up to this week? On Monday, I had hoped that Jason and his crew would be here to start the basement renovation. But that was not to be. I called him that morning to see what was up and he told me that one of his crew had gotten Covid the week before so they were delayed once again. (It would have been nice if he had called to tell me). On Tuesday I received a text saying they would be here on Wednesday afternoon. While here, he and his one helper Carter walked through with me, and confirmed the work to be done, did some measurements for the supplies they'll need.

After talking to Jason, I was a little annoyed on Monday so went out to do some retail therapy. Nothing exciting, cat food and bird seed, some peanut butter, and knitting needles. I had the right size of circular knitting needles to start Eli's new sweater but they weren't long enough for the finishing as I need to add the body and sleeves to the same set of needles. My original needles were 16", I needed at least 24". From there I went to Home Depot to try to get burner element for my range. Last week I had a pot lose a chunk of enamel on the burner - the burnt on enamel would not come off so I needed to replace the burner. Home Depot doesn't carry such things, and I was referred to a local business. I called there and determined they had the part I needed. I headed over and picked it up, and OUCH...it was $85 just for the element. Next up was the Salvation Army thrift store where I found a book to take with me next week...if I don't finish it before I leave. I'll take my Kobo too but I do like a real book. The book I picked up is Sandra Browns, "The Alibi".  At that point I decided I'd had enough retail therapy.

Tuesday was a cool day, but I did get out for a walk. It was just above freezing and the wind was blowing making it feel much cooler. Most of the wildlife was hunkered down - I saw a pair of ducks at the creek, three hares in the grass near the condos, a pair of robins in the grass, and a lot of geese and few ducks at the pond. While I took some photos, there was only one I think is worth sharing.

I've also been watching curling. :) The World's mixed doubles are underway in Geneva, Switzerland. Our Canadian team played well all week, losing only one game to Scotland through the regulation draw. Sadly, they lost to Norway in the qualification round and are out of the running.

While I'm watched curling I've worked on Eli's sweater and finishing a couple of other projects. 

This is the scarf I started while the Grand Slam was underway. It's made from the extra yarn I bought for the little dress in the next photo. It isn't a long scarf, but will be nice for under a jacket. It will likely be in my suitcase for the trip.

The other project is this little dress. I've no idea what I'll do with it, but loved the pattern, had the yarn and had to make it. The ruffle needs to be tacked down, and the little flower attached. I looked through my sewing items and I don't have a hook and eye for back closure. I'll have to purchase a zipper for Eli's sweater at some point so I'll pick the fastener at that time. 

Eli's sweater is coming along nice too but I don't expect I'll finish it until I return as I've set it aside for now.

Thursday was the day our weather changed for the better. And that means I want to be outdoors or at least in the sun room. Carter arrived about 8:45 that morning, along with the rubbish bin drop off. While he toiled in the basement removing the carpet, underlay, and tack strips, I spent the morning puttering and then headed out the door to clean up the front patio of winter debris. I swept up the leaves, pine needles, and pine cones on the patio and driveway and almost filled a large garbage bags. Then I checked with Carter as there have been some pieces of wood, which were left behind by the former owner, that I've been wanting to toss. He told me to go ahead as they won't fill the bin (and I'm paying for it). I was happy to get that cleaned up as well. 

Something funny about the basement demo. We discovered under the carpet at one end of the room, that someone had drawn out on the concrete plans for a large wet bar. Imagine if you will, a u-shaped bar, with a front and back counter, a sink and bar fridge, and glass shelving above. It obviously was never built but someone had grand ideas. :)

By Friday afternoon, a good part of the new wall and bulkhead was up, the upper level of what was a pony wall had it's framing as well, and I was now the proud owner of a small pump for the furnace run off. The furnace runs the a/c unit as well, and had a run off hose for the excess water. The hoset ran across the furnace room floor and out to the sump hole in the unfinished part of the basement. Carter mentioned it was going to cause issues with the new wall, so I agreed to have their plumber come and put in the pump. The hose from the pump is run up and through the drop ceiling, into the laundry room, across the ceiling and down into the same drain as the washing machine. It looks so much better as it is totally inconspicuous unless you know where to look. This turned out to be a very spendy week.  On the other hand Jason is giving me oak baseboards they took out of the last two jobs. He said they aren't quite the same as my originals (that will be going back in the main room) but my feeling is, since the baseboards will be a separate room, the difference won't be noticeable. 

Today, I've got the bronze and gold medal mixed doubles curling games to watch. Both games were played overnight (for me) so I PVR'd them to watch this morning. At the moment Germany is beating up on Norway, leading 3-1 after three ends. Lots of time left for Norway to make a come-back with five ends to go. Both are great teams and I have no favorite. The gold medal game will feature Scotland and Switzerland. In this game I'll likely cheer for Scotland.

Later I want to get out for a walk.  Our temperatures have really improved - yesterday we had a high of 15C (59F), and today's forecast is for 14C (57F). It does look like it might rain but that's okay as I don't melt, I just wish I would. :) There is laundry and vacuuming as well, and definitely some time on the patio or in the sunroom to continue reading.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and a great week ahead!

P.S. There likely won't be any post next Saturday unless I can access the internet at the hotel before I leave to for the cruise ship. I've not bought the internet package on the ship either so until I'm in a port where I can pick-up free WIFI I'll be off-line. 

After the rain

It's been another week of weather - isn't every week you ask?  Well, yes that's true, it's just been an up and down week that kiboshed some of my plans.

I started off the week in the best way, getting my second COVID vaccine.  This time I didn't have to wait in the drive-through, I had an appointment for 8:30 a.m. at the mega clinic.  When I arrived there were about 12-15 people waiting in line ahead of me, and although the doors were delayed in opening, I was in and out of the clinic by 9:15 or so.  I stopped on the way home to pick up groceries.  Once home, I received a text from the optometrist's office letting me know my new glasses were available for pick-up.

I went with some trepidation as Dr. Kelly had mentioned I might have some difficulty adjusting to the new prescription.  When the tech gave the glasses to me and I slipped them on, it was like a new world opened up.  I obviously didn't realize how bad my eyesight was getting.  I have had absolutely no issues with stairs or focusing near or far with them.  Hooray!

This time, with the COVID vaccine, I did have a sore arm.  My daughter described it as someone punching you very hard in the arm and that pretty much how it felt.  I was a bit tired the following day, but I think that had more to do with the general busy-ness of the two days.  Tuesday I was up early in the morning, it was going to be a hot day, and got busy in the yard. I swept up pine needles and pine cones on the driveway, weeded the front area by the containers (it is xeriscaped but the weeds come in by the sidewalk and driveway), cleaned off the deck chairs and tables, and watered containers before heading inside for more housework.

Wednesday and Thursday were considerably cooler and overcast.  So housework kept me busy, sweeping and washing floors, and cleaning the bedroom carpet (thank you cats...not!).  I spent some time working on Ancestry as well...it's quite the rabbit hole at times. 

We had a storm pass over on Thursday morning, but the sun made an appearance in the afternoon.  Out I went - our spring/summer is so short I need to spend as much time as possible outdoors. Other than checking on the progress of my containers, I enjoyed just relaxing in the sun and reading.  Earlier this week I finished a Sandra Brown novel Rainwater, and then I started Stranger in Paradise by Eileen Goudge.  I'm almost certain I've read the latter book before as it seems familiar as I read it, but I don't remember it well enough to not find it interesting.  I do recommend Rainwater - it's not the usual Sandra Brown fare, and was a very interesting story.

The storm clouds blew in again overnight Thursday into Friday morning.  I was wakened a few times in the night with the sound of thunder but was far too tired to get up to watch a lightning show. When I woke at 6 a.m. it was to the sound of water running out of the downspout at the corner of the garage - the weeping tile that drains the water down to the street just couldn't keep up.

It's not entirely clear in this photo but the eavestrough wasn't able to keep up either.  It's pouring down onto the edge of the spruce tree, and then running down the driveway to the street.  At noon we'd had close to 2 inches of rain in less than 24 hours.  That is close to average monthly rainfall for June in the city.  We can certainly use it as it's been so dry here but I'm sure the farmers and gardeners wish it would have come in smaller increments.

This photo was taken mid-morning Friday, and the amount of standing water in my backyard is gone now at midday Saturday.  I thought this was bad until I looked over to the backyards of my two neighbours to the west. The furthest of the yards looked to have a large pond forming. They have a fire pit and it was surrounded by water.  My next door neighbour told me today about a dozen years ago everyone along the street had to trench their back yards because one neighbour was getting flooded every year.  I'm thinking we may be close to needing some remediation again.

Today I woke to sunshine and decided it was past time for a walk.  After my morning call from my daughter I packed up the camera and headed out.  I keep thinking I should change up where I walk, but I really enjoy the paths near my house.  The terrain may be familiar but every time I walk there I see something new or interesting.

I spotted this young squirrel along the path just as he spotted me.  It initially didn't run away from me but waited until I got the camera out, changed the lens, and then it took off but not very far.

The prairie roses are blooming at one spot on the path.  These bring back memories to me of my childhood, as the bushes grew along the ditches near our farm house.

This fellow was enjoying it's breakfast in the sunshine.  I wonder if it eats dandelions?

After the heavy rain, the creek is beginning to fill up.  (That's a wee duckling swimming and perhaps it's father sitting on the bank).  

Just off the bridge were the mother duck and another of her young ones.  I was amazed how quickly the little ones can swim.  

I couldn't walk down the path on the opposite side of the creek as it was just too wet and muddy but I did risk a wander through the grass to get closer to the edge of the creek.  I was focusing on the Avocet (out of focus in the background) when I heard the sound of a gopher calling out a warning to it's friends. Ha, there it was just a few meters away.

When I got to the pond, most of the geese were on the far side, but I noted these two families swimming across towards me.  I waited nearby and was thrilled as they came right up out of the water just a short distance away.

This little one wasn't the least bit shy. It hopped right out of the water and came onto the path were I was standing.  I can see the feathers are starting to come in. Amazing how quickly they grow up!

There were two pelicans flying over the creek (I took photos but they weren't worth sharing) and two at the pond.  This one was feeding at the far end of the pond.

It's been a good week, even with the changeable weather. And I'm about to head outdoors to enjoy the rest of the day on the deck with my book.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

He warms my heart

We had a cold start to the week, with temperatures well below normal for early February.  When I woke to -20C (-4F) on Tuesday with windchills of -27C (-16F) I once again cursed my ancestors.  I understand why they came here....I just don't understand why they stayed.  At least I have a warm comfortable home, I'm not so certain they did.

By mid-afternoon the outside temperature was up to -6C (21F) and with the sun the sun room warmed up enough for the cats and I to enjoy it.  Of course, they have fur coats and I don't, but with a hoodie (or a bunny hug as we call them here in Saskatchewan), I was quite comfortable.  I got through several chapters of Jeffrey Archer's Heads You Win.  I started reading it sometime in December but put it aside for another book.  I haven't yet decided if I like it or not and I'm nearly to the end.  I enjoyed his Harry Clifton series but this new book doesn't have the same appeal.

I was out of the house on Tuesday for coffee with several of my former co-workers.  One couple was heading off the following day for a month's vacation.  They'll do a seven day cruise, a week in Florida and then two weeks in Mexico before returning.  One fellow was just back from a couple of weeks in Palm Springs, and two other couples will be in Phoenix in April.  Sigh....I'm so jealous.

On Wednesday I attended stitch and chat.  We were five this week, and I had missed last week so there was lots to catch up on.  I took along my crocheting as it is easy to work on while we're visiting.  At home I got a few pieces of the lamb sewed and stuffed, but I'm moving slowly on that.  Not sure why, just not in the mood.

Eli and his mom came into the city on Thursday.  She had a doctor's appointment so left him with me.  He was such a good boy, he played with his toys, watched Paw Patrol (me too), and ate lunch together.  I was able to get dinner ready to go and do dishes, while he amused himself.  When D returned, we visited for a bit before I headed out to my nail appointment.  I arrived home around 4:30, just in time to pop the casserole in the oven (Spanish rice). D had plans to go for dinner with her friend L, so it was Eli, C and I at the table.  Eli has never had Spanish rice so I made a couple of chicken nuggets for him.  He ate some of the rice, some cucumber, and some cheese but ignored the chicken.  Note to self: no need for chicken nuggets.  

He spent the rest of the evening chasing his uncle C around, had a bit of chocolate cake for dessert, and then it was time for his bath.  This kid loves water, and I warmed up the water twice before I could convince him it was time to get out of the tub.  He played a bit more with uncle C, had some grapes for a snack, and I tucked him into bed to watch another episode of Paw Patrol.  Midway through the episode he showed up in the living room telling me he wanted something to eat.  I gave him a few Cheerios and his glass of water, and he popped back into bed.  When he finished his snack and his show, it was time for lights out.

That's when he put up a bit of a fuss.  He cried for his mom, before saying one more goodnight to his uncle C.  I tucked him in and lay down with him for about 10 minutes and he was out like a light.  He's an early riser so I wasn't surprised that he was up by 6 a.m. The first thing he wanted was a cuddle with G'ma.  He brings me such joy!  D had another appointment on Friday morning, and when she returned they were off home.  Eli was ready by then to go to his "treehouse", his name for home.  

I did a bit of shopping that afternoon, picking up such exciting items as furnace filters and Mr. Clean.  I did swing by our thrift stores.  I found a brand new flat double sheet in dark grey for my daughter for less than $10.  At the second store, I bought...surprise, surprise...more yarn.  They don't often get it in so when I spotted several bags on the shelf, I couldn't help myself.  I came home with two bags for less than $10.  I don't think I'll ever run out of yarn.

Friday evening, I met friends C and D at a nearby Applebee's for dinner.  It was a nice evening, catching up as I haven't seen D is several months.  Today, there isn't much on the agenda.  I do need to wash floors as an almost 3 year old tends to spill.  Tomorrow I'm heading out to the farm to lend my sewing machine to my niece and help her with a project.  I'll take a look at her mom's machine while I'm there to see if I can figure out why it isn't working.  I've told her I want to be home by 2:30 p.m. so I can watch the curling finals for the Alberta and Manitoba women's provincials.

That was the week that was.  Not very exciting and no photos to share though I'll probably have some tomorrow.  I rarely go out to the farm without my camera - I'll share those in the next post.

Hope the weekend is going well for all, and have a good week ahead!

September's to-do list

1.  Count my blessings – daily

2.  Send a letter or card to someone

3.  Drive out to visit D and Eli

4.  Invite guests over for a visit or dinner - I borrowed my friend K's nose.  I guess I can count that as a visit as we sat and chatted for awhile

5.  Attend stitch, make, and chat at the library 

6.  Make a gift - still a work in progress.  Just have the back stitching to complete.

7.  Sew or craft something/finish an ongoing project - I sewed the cape for Eli for Halloween.  No photos of the little guy in it....sometimes he's just not cooperative- 

8.  Go to the $$ or thrift store - I know I bought sandwich bags at the $$ store, but I can't recall if I went to thrift store last month.  

9.  Try a new recipe - tried a recipe for brownies that used chocolate chips instead of cocoa.  Not impressed although it tasted okay.

10. Read a book - in addition to a couple of true crime books that I picked up at the book sale in August, I finished "The First Time" by Joy Fielding.  The story of a woman diagnosed with ALS, and the affects on her life and those who love her.  

11. Watch a movie - I PVR'ed "Girl in the Bunker", "Cast Away" "Keanu", "Suffragette", "The Notebook", and the "Secret Life of Walter Mitty".  Maybe this month I'll get around to watching movies.

12. Take a walk in the park - I'm counting my hike up to the ridge and Hidden Valley with my brother for this one.

13. Repurpose/recycle something

14. Bake something and share it

15. Invest in myself – join a yoga class or Aquasize, or use my weights - this is something I have to challenge myself on.

16. Mow the lawn once, sweep the deck weekly

17. Have coffee on the back deck or front patio

18. List something to sell on Varage sale

19. Volunteer

20. Listen to my Spanish CDs in the car

It was a bit of a mixed bag this month.  I got some things done, but others just fell by the wayside.  It is what it is and I'm certainly not going to worry about it.  The list is good for those days when I can't think of what to do with myself, which are very rare. 

Since I have no photos of my progress this month, I'll share a photo my brother sent me.  He and his buddy Pete went hunting last weekend up near our home town.  Beautiful, isn't it?

Weekly wrap-up

Another week of Fridays (everyday) has flown by.  The weather has been lovely so I've spent a great deal of time outdoors, either on the back deck or the front patio.  Who knows how much longer I'll have those spaces?  Nope, still no offers but we continue to have showing fairly frequently.  Sooner or later, someone is going to be interested enough to make an offer.

Besides being lazy, I've been re-reading a book I read many, many years ago.  Five Smooth Stones was written by Ann Fairbairn, and originally published in 1966.  The story line follows a young black man, orphaned at birth,raised by his paternal grandparents, and mentored by a "Viking" professor in the city of New Orleans. An accident when he was yet a small child leaves him with a limp.  His grandfather and his mentor push him hard to learn and eventually he attends a small university in one of the Northern states before studying law at Harvard.  While in university he meets and falls in love with a white woman and the novel examines the relationship between the two, the impact on their family and friends, as well as the racial tensions that existed at the time  in the United States.  There are marvelous characters in this book, not just David and Sara, but his grandfather Joseph, the professor Bjarn Knudsen, their classmates, and others.  I had forgotten more of the story than I remembered, but it's still a great read.

On Thursday, C and I went to the theatre to see Yesterday, the movie about a young man who, after being involved in a bicycle meets bus accident...brought on by a world wide power outage, finds that no one else seems to remember the Beatles or various other more current items.  He is a struggling musician who finds fame and fortune using the songs of the Beatles though he's never entirely comfortable with doing so.  It is part love story, part fantasy (who could forget the Beatles?), with the music wound throughout.  While a bit fluffy it was a far better movie than Rocketman, IMO.  I quite enjoyed it!

Friday was dinner with C at Denny's, and Saturday she and I, along with friend C, K, and T met to drive out to Moose Jaw for the Saskatchewan Air show.  It is held at the former military base, now flight training center and home of the Snowbirds the Canadian air demonstration squadron.  The last show was held 14 years ago, and was cancelled due in part to the significant costs of insurance.  The organizers obviously found a way to overcome those challenges and plan to hold the event every second year.  I've never been to one previously and was enthralled.

I don't have many photos as I did not take my camera with me. (There is a reason for that which I won't share at this time). So all of the photos I took were with my cellphone.  

There were a number of different aircraft, a bi-plane, two Harvards, a Spitfire, a P-40 Warhawk, a CF-18 Hornet, an F-16 Fighting Falcon (from the U.S.), an odd looking plane from Switzerland and several more that I've already forgotten.

One of my favorites was the Spitfire.  Watching it and the Warhawk fly through the sky was amazing.  These are the aircraft that were used in World War II.  There aren't many left and to see one that was in such pristine condition was incredible.

My other favorites (of which there are no photos) were the CF-18, the F-16 and of course the Snowbirds.  I think I spent much of my time looking up at the sky in amazement at the agility and precision of these aircraft.  Each of the flights was narrated and at times, we were able to hear the pilots over the radio.  They certainly enjoy their time in the air!

Harvard aerial show - the pilots were two brothers from Edmonton, AB.

It was a hot afternoon, with temperatures near 29C (84F), but there was enough of a breeze to keep relatively cool, while keeping hydrated with lots of water, and sunburn free with SPF 60.  There were clouds too, but no rain though just 75 km. away in Regina, there was a downpour.  Good, because I didn't have to water my containers yesterday.  

We stopped at Applebee's on the way into Regina for dinner before heading home.  That evening the Saskatchewan Roughriders played the Calgary Stampeders.  The game was not great for us, as we lost 37-10 but it was a relaxing way to end the day as I curled up in bed with the cats to watch the last two quarters.

While we were on our way to Moose Jaw, my agent contacted me to ask for a showing.  I called my son, woke him up, and asked him to ensure the cats were out of the house by 1:30 p.m.  I was concerned as the house wasn't as tidy as I like it to be prior to a showing, but when I came home I noted my son had taken care of the worst of it.  He really is a good guy!  He parked down the street and said the group was in the house for nearly 30 minutes.  But no offer has come of it.  

Yesterday was a quiet day, I did do a bit of housecleaning, more reading and hanging out on the deck, and simply enjoying my Sunday.  I did talk to my brother while he was driving back from Alberta where he participated in the Sinister 7, a 160 km. (100 mi.) Ultra marathon which can be run by solos (are they nuts?) or groups up to 7 individuals.  R ran legs 3 and 4, which totalled 54 km (34 mi) up and down the mountains.  As he ran down from the top of leg 3, a storm hit the top with rain, hail, thunder and lightning. I'm glad he was already on his way down!  He enjoyed himself immensely though I'm certain he was pretty sore.  He told me next year, he'll likely run an early and then a late leg as running the two were pretty wearing on him.  The race started at 7 a.m. on Saturday and their team finished about 7:30 a.m. on Sunday.  There is a limit of 30 hours for teams or individuals to finish the race so they did pretty well.

My agent also called to ask for a showing today at 6:40 p.m.  So today has been a heavy duty cleaning day.  Thus far, I've done my laundry, vacuumed the upstairs, washed the living room floor, cleaned the toilets/sinks in both bathrooms, cleaned the mirrors throughout the house, and Febreezed the furniture in the sun room and living room.  Next up I have to vacuum the basement, clean the toilet and sink in C's bathroom, clean cat litter (which will be the first task), sweep up the pine cones on the driveway, dead head and water my containers, and take out the garbage.  I'm sure there will be other tasks that I'll find as I'm doing the rest of the list.  Serves me right for being lazy last week.  :)

Have a great week everyone!