Hooray for May!

April is in the rearview mirror and don't a moment too soon. It was a month of weather, most of it not very pleasant. Between snowstorms we had cool/cold temperatures, lots of melting and that meant water in the basement. My daughter was responsible for dealing with that issue, thankfully. We're waiting for a warm day before we do some waterproofing both inside and out. I should note, we're lucky in that we know exactly where the water is coming in, as some of the parging on the foundation has come away. The best way to resolve the issue would be to dig up the corner of the house, put in weeping tile and paint the foundation with some type of sealant. We can't afford to do that, so we'll simply be coating the foundation and the interior walls with the sealant. With the rain barrels set in place and the water draining away from the house, we should be in a good place until we get a downpour...when the window wells become an issue. I've been looking for window guards, though my daughter doesn't think they will suffice. Instead she wants to put in new windows. Owning a house is never inexpensive.

Speaking of difficulties of home ownership, my son sent me this photo earlier this week. One of his g/f's cats managed to get into the drop ceiling. She started to fall through one tile and made a mad dash across the ceiling knocking panels out as she ran. C tried to replace the tiles, but the system is in rough shape, so has decided to contact the contractor who did the work in my house in the city to get a quote for replacing the entire ceiling. 

We had another full week, highlights included my second stint at the thrift store on Tuesday, and a trip to Saskatoon on Thursday. At the thrift store, I spent about 4 hours, again sorting items for resale, trash, and to be shipped on to the Value Village. The bags of donations keep coming in, though the store had a big sale on Saturday, with loads of items going out the door. Next month, my shifts will be shorter, just two hours on Mondays from 10-12. I must admit being on my feet for four hours straight was not easy. I almost left without buying anything, but spotted this bag on my way out the door. For $1, I came home with another bag to hold a knitting/crocheting project. Will that encourage me to finish one? No, I have not finished the project that I said was nearly complete two or three weeks ago - the knitting is done and it can be sewed up - but D has asked for pockets.  It never ends. 

The trip to Saskatoon has been in the works for over 2 years now. We just had to wait for an appointment for Eli with the pediatric neurologist. As many of you will know, Eli was diagnosed with epilepsy with absence seizures in February 2024. He had his first seizure in mid-January and then a second one in February. After the second seizure he was sent by ambulance to Regina, where he was in hospital for about a week. His diagnosis was made after an EEG. With medication, he has since been seizure free. There is no pediatric neurologist in Regina, so he's been seeing a neurologist who works primarily with stroke victims. He had another EEG that didn't indicate any issues, but it is up to the pediatric doctor to determine if he can stop the meds or at least reduce his dosage.

I went with them, as it is a 3 1/2 hour drive to Saskatoon (without stops), and after an appointment, I knew my daughter would be emotionally exhausted. We planned to take Eli to the NTO on our return for his private swimming lesson depending on how the two of them were feeling.    

Good news! The appointment went well, though another EEG will be booked in Regina (1.5 hours away). Once the neurologist has those results and confirms no seizure activity, Eli can be weaned off his seizure meds. If there is any evidence that suggests otherwise then he must wait for another year. I'm addition, further appointments with the neurologist can be done by telephone, hooray for no long drives.

We did get to Eli's swim lesson and he had a great time. By the time we drive home and had a bit of dinner, we all fell into our beds.  

Friday was our first day of truly lovely weather reaching a high of 19C/70F. I spent some time outdoors, cleaning up the peony bed. I ran out of steam after I cleaned up the debris, so will continue my efforts through the weekend. There are four more peonies as well as day lilies to cut back. Then there is the big project, moving the rocks from the flower bed in the back yard. It's supposed to cook down again by midweek so I expect that will be delayed.

In the meantime the seedlings I planted a few weeks ago are growing list with the tomatoes and basil looking good. No pansies or peppers so I re-seeded these as well as a couple of cucumbers. Fingers crossed! Can you tell I'm looking forward to this gardening season? I just have to be patient a little longer.

   

Yes, that is an onion in the middle pot - my daughter found an onion growing in the bag and asked if we could try to see if it would continue to grow - I don't believe it is, but sometimes you have to humour the kids (even if she is in her 40's). :)

With the nicer weather, I plan to spend more time out in the yard, though will work on some knitting this weekend. Happy May to all, and have a great week ahead!

Saying my goodbyes and so long to Yuma

I spent much of this week packing, rearranging and organizing my space and vehicle in preparation for my trip home to Saskatchewan. It was bittersweet - I am looking forward to seeing my family, and I'll be happy to see some cooler temperatures too, but I'll miss the folks here. Many of my fellow Canadians are also heading home for the season. There are a father and daughter duo flying out of Palm Springs, and another couple who are heading to a cruise today. I'm planning on leaving by 8 a.m. for my first day of driving. 

My initial plan was to drive as far as Laughlin, Nevada, spend the night there and do the drive through Las Vegas early Sunday morning. I've reconsidered that plan and think I will try to make it to Ely, Nevada, about a nine hour drive, where I'll stay for the night. I had considered avoiding Vegas, and driving through the Lake Mead National Recreation Area (park), but the cost to non-residents is an additional $100 USD to visit. I'll keep that money in my pocket to pay for the additional costs of fuel, thanks! 

I did get to Canasta on Wednesday, and coffee hour on Thursday. There was a trip to Walmart on Tuesday to pick out grocery items to take home to my family. These were items that are not available in Canada or at least flavours of things we don't get there. For example, Duncan Hines cake mixes are no longer sold in Canada and my daughter wanted some different blends of Hamburger Helper. The latter is something I don't eat, but she enjoys on occasion. Overall I spent about $100 including two containers to carry them home in. I purchased clear tubs, which along with the ones I brought here in October, should be useful at the border, should the agents want to see what I'm bringing into the country. 

Jose came by shortly before sundown on Thursday to take down the gazebo. It looks so forlorn out there with just the metal structure. He also unhooked the propane tank so I was without a stove and water heater for Friday. That was okay, as I still had the BBQ grill, a toaster and microwave and heated up water in the kettle for washing. 

Speaking of water, I filled up several jugs to be placed around the unit, and put water in plastic bags to seal the drains in the sinks. Both the dinette benches and couch were covered with sheets in the hopes that I won't find them as dusty when I return. This morning, I stripped the bedding, laid the hanging clothes on the mattress and covered it with a fitted sheet. Again, keeping the dust at bay. H did tell me, that even with all of these preparations, I will still come back to a mess to clean up. 

I had done as much as I could by mid-day on Friday, so left the a/c running (it was 88F/31C when I returned after Happy Hour the day before), and went to visit friends. S and L and I had a good visit, before I headed home to grab my last beer for Happy Hour. I tried, somewhat unsuccessfully, to not cry as we said our goodbyes but I know I'll miss this group of wonderful people. S and L were extended an invitation to dinner, which I accepted, so I didn't even have to cook or do dishes. 

This morning, I've still got a laundry list of things to do before I leave: empty the black and gray tanks, turn off the electricity at the pole, turn off the water, put the foam pads up in the roof vents, ensure the fridge door is left slightly ajar, put out bay leaves, and load the car. So I'd best get at it, so I can get on the road to home.

So long Yuma, see you in November.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Laughlin, Nevada to Yuma, Arizona

This was my short travel day. I was up and out the door by 6:45 a.m. local time, arriving in Yuma at 12:30 p.m. This included a stop for a leisurely breakfast at the Crossroads Cafe in Parker, Arizona. The food was great, and the prices terrific too. 

Laughlin is a short distance from the California and Arizona borders, and at least twice I was "welcomed" by the GPS to one or the other states. Gas prices in Laughlin were stupidly high, at $4.20 a gallon. I'd checked online and found that I could get fuel at a Maverick station in Bullhead City (12 miles away) for $3.09. You can bet I took the short trip for less expensive fuel. 

A note about the Pioneer Hotel and Casino in Laughlin. At a cheap price, it gave me what I needed, a comfortable bed for the night. But, the tile floors were filthy, the telephone flashed as though it had messages constantly, and there was a constant stream of people outside my door until past midnight. It is more of a motel than hotel and I think next time I'll stay at a more conventional hotel. I ended up wearing socks in the room, unplugged the phone, and got up early and left. 

Now, I'm a little confused on exactly how I got to Yuma. My GPS kept telling me it had a shorter route and I kept taking its suggestions. I do know I went through Kingman on Highway 93, then onto I-40, and then eventually Highway 95 into Yuma. The scenery in places was amazing and I was excited to see various cacti as I got closer to Yuma. No photos as I couldn't find a decent pull-out. But I did get a shot from the car of the green desert. 

I was meeting with J about 1:30 p.m. to go through the RV (technically a fifth wheel but the generic term works for me). Since I was early, I stopped at the Walmart Supercenter to pick up a few groceries and drinking water. Another stop at a liquor store for a few beer for Happy Hour too. I had just parked my car near the clubhouse when another winter residents, H, came walking up. After a hug and a brief chat she was one her way.

Since I was early, I stopped in at S & L's new place for a visit. They purchased a park model in the park last winter and have started the move from their small trailer. It was so good to see them, and we had a great chat. I was informed that we'd be watching the Jays game that evening at the clubhouse, and would be ordering in pizza. Nice to know, as I hadn't bought a lot of groceries. 

When J arrived we walked over to the unit, and she ran through the various things I'll need to know. The power had been turned on, but I'm out of propane for the stove and hot water heater. We turned on the fridge and by this morning it was cool. The unit has an RV toilet, so I need to go out every so often to release the handle to empty it into the sewer line. She said once a week would be enough...I'm icked out enough that think I'll do it at least every other day. We also turned on the air conditioning - it was 88F in there, I set the thermostat to 74F and by bedtime it was 63F. Oops, I guess the thermostat isn't hooked up to the a/c. Great sleeping temperature.

There were eight of us at the clubhouse to watch the game. The pizza and company were great, and the game was exciting, though I didn't stay through to the end of it. After the Jays had their bat in the 11th inning, I headed home for sleep. I wasn't surprised to wake to the news that the Dodgers won this morning. It was a true pitcher's battle throughout the entire game.

Today, I'll be busy, as I need to buy groceries, have a interview with the board (a formality), I'm sorting through the cabinets and cupboards*, and we're have another watch party this evening. L is making his chili, M is making rice, I offered to buy shredded cheese and sour cream, and I expect H will show up with one of her homemade desserts. She actually has a outdoor kitchen set up in a shed, though she says her stove isn't working properly.

*When one purchases a unit here, it comes with whatever the former owner leaves behind. In my case, that includes various pots and pans, small appliances, dishes, utensils, containers, bedding, towels, a stick vacuum, an iron and board, and other decorative items. There is also a mini fridge for outdoor use, a barbeque, and the gazebo.  There's far more than I need, or want, and I need to do some reorganization so things are where I think they should be. It's going to be a busy few days. I'll share a few photos when things are tidier.

Have a great day everyone, and thanks for checking in.

Elko to Laughlin, Nevada

Today was a short day made longer by my mistake. However, the hotel at Elko was nice, clean, and quiet. Just what I needed for a good night's sleep. I'm fortunate, Jackie, that I can sleep pretty much anywhere. 

I was on my way back to Wells about 6:45 a.m. (local time). We had a bit of rain, not heavy, but enough to use my wipers until 10 minutes or so out of Wells. The GPS gave me a little grief, sometimes I need to listen to my guy, as it turned me in the wrong direction. Thankfully, Wells is a very small community and I was soon heading south on Highway 93. I took that highway to Ely (pronounced eelee). After a short drive on Highway 6, I turned off on the 318 south to the I-15. I stopped in Ely for fuel, as there is little to nothing on this highway for miles and miles and miles...you get the picture. There are signs just outside the community of Lund advising that "no gas for XXX miles". I'd hate to figure that out 100 or so miles down the road. Fuel was $3.29 at the Exxon and I grabbed a breakfast sandwich and coffee at the McDonalds across the street. There was a Carl's Jr. in the Exxon but I have no idea what they serve for breakfast so went with the familiar.

At the end of 318 (no town), I turned west on the I-15 which took me into Las Vegas. I followed signs for the 11, 93, and 95. Let me just say, I'm glad it was Sunday! The freeway was busy, and some drivers are less patient than others with vehicles with out of state plates. I did okay, only once needing to get into a left hand lane to avoid an exit. I arrived there at about 1:30 p.m. and was out the other side on Highway 95 about 2:15 p.m. Keep in mind, in my small town, a traffic jam is four cars arriving at the four way stop all heading to the school to drop off kids! Regina is a bit more congested, but I know the city having lived there for nearly 38 years.

Again there were some incredible views, but I only captured a few photos from the car. After Ely, I only made one stop at rest area about 20'ish miles for Laughlin. The drive out of Ely towards Vegas, and the drive into Laughlin from the highway were both spectacular. No real pull-offs though so you'll have to take my word for it. 

While at the rest area, I had arranged for a hotel in Laughlin. When I arrived about 3:45 p.m. or so,  I found the Pioneer Hotel and Casino along Casino Row. It's a dated property but sufficient for one night, and the price was right. 

When I left Elko in the morning, the temperature was 46F/9C; Laughlin was 92F/33C. As soon I got into the hotel room, I changed out of my jeans and put on a pair of capris. Once I was settled, laptop plugged in, toiletries on the counter, and a call to my daughter, I walked over to the Golden Nugget next door. There restaurant, Claim Jumper, had decent reviews. I concur, the food was plentiful, the one beer I had was cold, and it wasn't horribly busy for the time I was there. Here is a photo of the cheese bun I was served (separate from my meal) - I did NOT eat it all. You'll see no photo of my dinner, which were two fish tacos and a bowl of fruit. But the tacos were delicious and the fruit was refreshing. I needed the walk back to my hotel...and I could have used another three or four miles to wear off what I ate.

I'm settling in for the night, watching a bit of football or at least for background noise. No, my Jays did not win last night. :(  I expect I'll be in the clubhouse with the other Canadians watching the game Monday night.

The remaining drive is about 4 to 4 1/2 hours from Laughlin depending on whether I stop along the way. I'll pick up fuel in the morning before I head out, though the price looks daunting. The lowest I saw on the way in was about $4.25 a gallon. Oh well, needs must. 

I'll stop and pick up a few groceries items on my way to the park. The previous owner of the RV is aware of my ETA as well. I'm not how quickly I'll get the WiFI hooked up - there are other things more pressing like electricity, water, and propane. In any event I'll post as soon as I can, most likely on my phone as I have the data. Be prepared for multiple typos. :p

Thanks for following along!

Bozeman, Montana to Elko, Nevada

It was another long driving day, less than yesterday, and a conscious choice I made. Not only does it mean tomorrow and Monday will be shorter days, but I've ensured I'll miss the winter storm that are forecast for both Montana and Idaho. I had hoped the forecast from earlier in the week would be wrong, but I was told by several people in both States that they are expecting some snow. 

I got away from the hotel at 7:30 in the morning, and was checked in at the Comfort Inn in Elko at 5:30 p.m. (my time, it was 4:30 p.m. here).  I don't feel nearly as tired this evening as I did yesterday, so the plan is to stay awake and watch the Jays game. Watching the highlights of yesterday's game was fun, but not nearly as exciting as watching a game. Rather than go out for a meal, I picked up a sub sandwich on the way here and will enjoy that for my dinner.

Leaving Bozeman, I initially planned to take a shortcut to Dillon about Whitehall, but somehow I managed to miss the turn off. When I realized what I'd done, I keyed in Dillon and the GPS took me cross country  before connecting to Highway 41. The initial highway wasn't the best but thankfully it wasn't a long distance. The route was quite scenic, and I stopped at one point to take a few pictures. While I've been amazed by the scenery in Montana many times during the drive, this was the first time there was a pull-out I could drive into.

I don't recall exactly when I crossed into Idaho from Montana but I do recall thinking that Montana is a HUGE state. I did cross from the northeast corner to the southwest, so that likely has something to do with it. Idaho on the other hand took far less time to drive. I had joined Highway 15 at Dillon and took it as far as Dubois before turning west onto 22, which turned into 33, then 26 and finally 93 before I reached Twin Falls. I had stopped in Arco at a gas station - I've forgotten the name. It was around lunchtime and they had a small cafe there. I purchased a grilled cheese sandwich and a muffin - less than $6 USD! No fuel was needed at that point.

The scenery in Idaho certainly wasn't as exciting as Montana. I did see multiple magpies and several tumbleweeds. 

My next stop was Twin Falls for fuel. Darn GPS had me passing by several stations before landing me at the place with the most expensive fuel. I turned around in their lot and went back to a Shell station. The price was $3.39 per gallon. I'd noticed prices were higher in Idaho than Montana. It still took less than $30 USD to fill. It was early in the afternoon still, just after 2 p.m. so I decided to carry on to Nevada.

The drive was definitely scenic, with lots of traffic on the two lane 93 to Jackpot. There were several passing lanes, and the speed limit was 65. I kept it about that speed and was passed by semis and smaller vehicles alike. I discovered when that cell service is spotty, as I tried to call my son to wish him a Happy Birthday. 

As you can see, aside from the morning in Montana, it was a cloudy day. The morning temperatures were in the high 40's and low 50's (8-12C), and it wasn't until I reached Nevada that I saw a temperature of 67F (19C). Tonight it will be quite cool, but I expect I'll see warmer temperatures the further I go south. Meanwhile D tells me they reached 17C (63F) at home.  

I've just realized I messed up and will be heading back to Wells on the I-80 in the morning. Thankfully it is only about 50 miles. I should be taking the Highway 93 to Vegas before I hop on the I-95 which will take me to my overnight at Laughlin. Oops...I chose Elko based on the hotel, and didn't check my map. On the other hand there would be anywhere to overnight before Ely which is at least a two hour drive from Wells. I wouldn't have wanted to drive that far today...so as Patsy would say, the Jello jiggled. :)

I should have about an 8 hour drive tomorrow, depending on the traffic going around Vegas. As it is a Sunday, I'm hoping it will be an easy drive. Wish me luck! I'll give myself a little extra time in the morning, as I won't be able to check in to a hotel until 2 or 3 in the afternoon. No gambling for me!

Most of the information in these posts is meant to remind myself for the next trip. I hope you don't find them too boring. 

Regina to Bozeman, Montana

This will likely be a short post, as it was a long day of driving, I'm tired, and the Blue Jays are playing the Dodgers. They can't win if I'm not watching, right? Actually, early on the Dodgers are up 2-0. It's not that the Jays can't come back, but the Dodgers are a darned good team. Edited to add: I woke this morning to learn that our Jays beat up on the Dodgers 11-4! You can bet I'll be watching the highlights today.

In any event, I was up and out the door by 6:30 this morning. It was dark in the city, but within the 20 minutes it took to reach the south end, the sun was beginning to make itself know to the east. How pretty is that?

The border crossing was easy. I was the only vehicle there, she asked a few questions, checked my passport and looked inside the back of the vehicle and let me go. I don't know if an I-94 was issued, but will check when I get to Yuma. If not, I'll need to apply for another form, a something, something 325. I recall the number, just not the name. All visitors to the US over 30 days are required to apply for one or the other. When someone flies, the first is automatically issued, but not so at land crossings. I didn't bother to ask...she didn't seem all that friendly.

I took Highway 16 south to Glendive, then joined the I-94 through to Billings. There was a stop in Glendive for fuel ($2.99 for a gallon - I'm too tired to do the math to tell you what that works out to a liter), and a second stop in Billings for another top-up. In total I spent less than $60 for the fuel, and have a little over a half tank to start the day tomorrow. There were other pit stops for potty breaks and something to eat, as the one rest stop I wanted was closed. I won't stop and use a washroom without purchasing something, so picked up a couple of Sprite for later. I had water in the car to drink, and picked up a sandwich for lunch.

The route from Billings to Boseman on I-90 is incredibly scenic. Lots of hills, a mountain pass or two (not too high), trains, cattle, and often a view of Yellowstone River. I took a couple of photos on the highway - just above the steering wheel so I didn't have to let go of it. I saw two police cars, one entering Billings, and another 20-30 miles out of Bozeman on the other side of the divided highway. The latter was moving fast with the lights flashing. I certainly hope it wasn't an accident, rather a speeder.

Speaking of which, the speed limits here are NUTS! On both interstates the limit was 80 mph for smaller vehicles, and semis were limited to 75 mph. I stuck to the truck limit most of the time and sometimes slower. I also stayed in the right hand lane unless I was passing a slower vehicle, and would often slow to their speed to allow faster moving vehicles to pass us both. I did not feel comfortable taking some of these crazy curves at such high speeds! 

Note there are no photos from Billings to Bozeman. We were in the more mountainous area with lots of climbs, drops, and curves, so I wasn't taking a hand off the wheel.

I reached Bozeman about 5:15 p.m., checked into the hotel and walked down the block and across the street to Applebee's for dinner. Goodness, there portions are large! I think I ate half of it, knowing I want to be in bed early tonight and I want to avoid heartburn in the middle of the night.

I've got the game on the television and will crawl into bed. If I fall asleep, so be it, I'll turn it off at some point. My goal is to be out of here between 7-7:30 in the morning. Tomorrow's stop is planned for Twin Falls, Idaho, about about a 7 hour drive. I may go into Nevada depending on my mood (and level of exhaustion!) I won't do more than 8 hours of driving though.

Thanks for following along! 

On the road

Just a quick recap of the week - it was pretty quiet. Our weather was less than stellar and while I did start weeding the back yard on Sunday, I had to give it up as a "wintry" mix arrived on Monday. It was mostly rain and was quite cold for this time of year. Our high was only 5C/41F. I spent the day indoors doing very little.

My son's roommate B has been dealing with a cold for a few days and C woke up with it on Tuesday morning. B was working from home too so I decided to do a little browsing at the thrift stores. I told myself that I wouldn't buy anything unless I had an immediate use for it. Ha! It probably won't surprise you that some yarn jumped into my cart, along with a brand new photo album, a cute mug and a t-shirt. But.my best.purchase was a pair of slip-on walking shoes for $10.  They appear to be knockoff Skechers but are very comfortable.

As you learned in Wednesday's post, I've decided to try and avoid the potential cooler weather and head south at the end of the week. I needed to do a bit of banking that morning to transfer funds to the previous owner of the unit. I'm the afternoon I went to Stitch and Chat.

Thursday I got my laundry done including my bedding in the morning. In the afternoon I drove out to Moose Jaw to visit with friends from the RV park. They will be flying down in mid November so it was nice to see them ahead of their arrival. They provided lots of information about the trip down as they've been going there for over 10 years. I feel confident about the route I've chosen and have a few ideas for places to stay and even for meal stops.  Back at the house, I loaded the rest of my items in the SUV in preparation for my departure this morning. 

By the time you are reading this I'll be on the highway. It is about a two hour drive to the border. My destination for the day is Billings, Montana. If I find I'm not too tired I'll push on to Bozeman. That would be about a nine hour drive; Billings is a couple of hours less. I know I'll be excited to be in my way but I also know I have two and a half more days of driving ahead.

I'll try to update daily but it may be every second day.  I'm pretty certain there will be photos!

And I know I won't be missing waking to frost on the windshield.

Transitions

It was a busy start to the week, but has settled down as we're coming up on the weekend. Monday had me finishing up my packing and helping with a few household chores.

We had our flu vaccination booked for Tuesday morning . I was pleased to learn that we could get the Covid vaccine at the same time. That's definitely a benefit of a small town pharmacy. Im pretty certain in the city we would have been asked to make a second appointment. I dropped D and Eli back at the house with hugs for them and a quick cuddle with Saku. Then it was an uneventful drive to the city.

After dropping off my backpack and a couple of bags I headed for the mall. My first stop was Magicuts for a haircut! Much needed. The thrift store was next where I found an apron. There are regular potluck meals and coffee hours at the park. I recognize I tend to spill or splash water on myself.. Hopefully this will help keep my clothes a little cleaner. My final stop was the bank for some US cash. 

I had a good visit with my son and his roommate B in the evening. We ordered in pizza for dinner; a pepperoni pizza with red onion and charred corn. If you've never tried corn on a pizza do try it, it was so good as the sweetness of the corn offset the spicy pepperoni.

I slept in on Wednesday  until 7 a.m. It felt wonderful.  That morning I met with my friends, K and J to go over my potential driving route. They've made the drive south a number of times and were able to give me some pointers.

After lunch I went to Stitch and Chat. It was nice to see a few regulars as well as three or four new(er) attendees.  The latter thought I was new to the group...no, just rarely there. While we had a break due to the pandemic, I started attending the group six years ago.

I went out to get a few groceries on Thursday; some items i prefer including whole wheat bread, bananas, and old cheddar cheese. I also picked up a few items they were low on. The rest of the day was spent relaxing, working on Ancestry, and hanging out with  Kota, the cat. He looks a bit like my Saku but is quite a bit rounder.

I mistakenly made a trip to Costco on Friday morning.  Dumb idea...the lineup to the cashiers extended through the store. I took my time and found a relatively short line on my way out. While standing there a clerk asked if I would like to pre-checkout. Sure, as all I had to do at the till was show my membership card and make the payment.  

This week I've been watching the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners in the MLB playoffs. If you had asked me on Tuesday how the Jays would fare I wouldn't have had high hopes but watching the team rally and win both games in Seattle had me much more hopeful. Tonight they lost in the 8th inning when a relief pitcher gave up a grand slam. Game over! They will be back in Toronto on Sunday in a must win game.

Our Saskatchewan Roughriders played Friday night as well. Since they've clinched a playoff berth they weren't playing several of their starters. The game was a close one which they lost by a single point. Penalties likely cost them the gane as there would have been enough time left on the clock to make a play for the win. 

Today we are off to an appliance outlet to pick out a new refrigerator.  When we moved into the house in November 2023 I had called in a repairman as the freezer fan was making a loud noise. He checked it for a blockage and said it was failing. Parts were impossible to get and he said it could last for awhile. This week it started intermittingly making a very loud noise so it is time to get a new one.

I'll leave you with a photo of my son and his dog Sage. Miss Mooch is hoping there might be a crumb or two leftover.  (There wasn't).

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Preparing for Winter

Regarding Wednesday's photo: I always knew one could trap a cat in a box, I hadn't realized it would work on a kid too. :)

Monday started off cool, so after Eli was dropped at school, D and I started in on the end of fall yard-work. The last of the tomatoes were picked. Reminder to self - we only need 2 containers, not the 5! we planted this year. After my initial worries that we weren't going to see any fruit, the plants went crazy. I'd estimate we had at least ten pounds of cherry tomatoes, probably more. I had put away the majority of decor items, but D found a few I had missed. I also cleared out all of the containers. We had quit watering and everything was dying back. D mowed the yard, mulching the leaves, cut back the regular lilies, and did some weeding. We loaded my wooden chair and table, the bird bath, the solar lights, and a couple of the folding chairs into the shed. By the time D went to pick up Eli, I was ready for a break.\

The rest of the afternoon was spent in my bedroom starting the process of packing. For what you ask? You'll need to read a little further before I share. 

Tuesday started cool, but heated up quickly. I decided that the rest of the yardwork could wait and suggested to D that we head to the NTO (next town over) for a bit of retail therapy. We dropped off some donations at the thrift store and then went in to use my senior's discount. D did exceptionally well. She found a pair of Kombi gloves for Eli, regularly sold at Sportchek for $40-50. She picked up this pair, another pair of mitts, three pieces of clothing for Eli, a large bag of crayons*, and two bags of assorted toys for a total of $50 including the tax. I found a few items to and spent about $20. 

From there we headed over to Walmart for some groceries, and I also found the batting for the quilt flimsy. Now I just need to find the material for the backing. I have a tub of material that I purchased when Fabricland in the east end of Regina closed many years ago (I was still working!), and I'm almost certain there will be something I can use in there.

It reached a high of 30C/86F, so yardwork was out of the question in the afternoon. D and Eli did additional school work, while I relaxed and did a bit of knitting.

I didn't want to get out of bed Wednesday morning, dreading what was coming in the afternoon. D drove me into NTO to the dentist mid-afternoon. It wasn't a pleasant experience though it could have been worse. For some unknown reason the freezing wasn't taking, and after numerous needles my gums were pincushions. I finally decided not to tell them that I could still feel the area around the tooth and after much digging and pulling the tooth was finally out.

With a couple of extra strength Advil I was able to sleep a restless sleep, up several times during the night. My best sleep came between 4 and 6:30 a.m. By this point the pain was lessened to the gums and my jaw. The dentist gripped it with one hand while using the other to extract the tooth. I would describe the pain as feeling like someone had punched me in the face several times. 

D and I got back to the yardwork on Thursday morning. She finished the mowing, while I cleared up the stalks from the lilies and asparagus that I will use to cover the strawberries and asparagus in the garden bed. I also went out to the front and cut or pulled the stalks of lilies - the peonies I will leave until the spring. Outdoor toys were sorted, with a number of items ending up in a garbage bags and the bins were stacked against the shed. In the garage we removed a lower shelf and packed camping gear in the shed. We did not empty the rain barrels as we're expecting rain this weekend. The rain barrels keep the water from ending up in the basement. These will be taken care of next week.

While D and Eli went to an event in the evening, I headed to the library to Knit and Natter. There were three of us, plus the librarian. I've finished the back, left and front sides, so I started the sleeves for Eli's sweater while I was there. I'm knitting both on the same needles - that way there shouldn't be an extra row added in when I'm counting increases and decreases. At least I hope so!

I slept better that night but at one point woke in extreme pain. I was dreaming that I was waiting for the pain med to kick in, waking to realize that I hadn't yet taken said med. For pain control, I'm alternating Tylenol and Advil, and have added salt water rinses several times a day to the routine. There seemed to be a bit of swelling in the night but an ice cube wrapped in a face cloth helped with that. My next appointment (filling) is Tuesday so I'm hoping by then this side of my mouth will be healed up.

Friday was a quiet day, we had rain so no outdoor work. In the morning, D and I partially put together a new climbing apparatus for Eli, and after school she took him to the local arcade for some fun. I've been watching curling (Pointsbet Invitational), catching up on blog reading and knitting. Today will look much the same for me. I'm hoping to finish Eli's sweater before I head out on the 14th so I've got my work cut out for me. 

About the packing, initially I'm off to Regina for a couple of weeks to help my son with his yard prep for winter, have plans to visit with several friends, and maybe (not likely) paint my bedroom. Then I'm off to Yuma, Arizona for most of the winter. As regular readers will know I spent a couple of months there last winter and enjoyed myself immensely. What you won't know is I arranged with one of the Co-op members to purchase an RV this fall. The unit is permanently parked on a site, has water, electricity and internet connections. I do need to learn to use the propane stove and furnace, but I'll have lots of help with that. There is also an outdoor living area with a gazebo. The two thing it is lacking are a regular toilet and a shed for laundry. I'll be having a proper toilet installed this fall/winter, but the laundry shed will need to wait. There is a laundromat nearby and one of the regular visitors has offered to do my laundry in exchange for rides. We'll see, I'm happy to give her rides on occasion, but doing a couple of loads at the laundromat doesn't bother me.

I'll be flying home in early December to spend time with C, D and Eli, and then fly back in early January. The plan is to be back in Canada by the end of March, weather depending. I've been working on a plan for driving and will go over it with my friends, K and J, who have made the drive many times when I'm in Regina. 

I'm looking forward to missing most of the winter weather and meeting friends who were so welcoming last year. 

Have a great week ahead everyone!

School's out, time to travel

I'm starting this series of post from Monday, June 23rd as I neither had the time nor the inclination to post last week while we were away. It was a busy time!

Monday was busy; Eli had school in the morning and equine therapy in the afternoon. D and I had a long list of things to get done too, laundry, vacuuming, dishes, cleaning the kitchen, etc. in order to leave the house in decent shape. D dropped off her car at the dealership as the parts needed for a repair had been received, and they would take care of it while we were away.

We picked up Eli at school around 11:30. He delivered some small gifts to his classmates and teachers before the morning ended. I waited in the car, and when he came out of the school, two of his teachers followed him to give him hugs and wish him a wonderful summer.

I went along to his final session of equine therapy for this session (his mom has arranged for another session in the fall). Miss Stephanie allowed Eli to set the agenda for this session. First up was visiting the horses in the pasture. Ten of them! He has absolutely no fear of these large animals (only one is miniature) and has learned to move them away by waving his arms and making a loud noise if they start crowding him. While we were there they did, and he did what was needed.

Next up was visiting the young mama cats and their kittens in the barn. The first litter is old enough that three of the five kittens have been rehomed. The second litter of three or four are old enough to have their eyes open and are starting the toddling phase in the manger where they are located with their mama. We were also met by the tom, who is likely the papa of the second litter, based on his colouring. None of these adult cats are older than two years. 

Finally, there was a visit to meet the newest addition to the farm, piglets! There are fifteen of them! Eli demonstrated how to walk quietly behind them so as not to frighten them. Archie, the corgi, not so much. Eli also learned they don't like to be picked up and squeal...like a pig. :)

Back at home, there were more chores to finish before we left for the city at 6 p.m. Laundry was folded and last minute packing was completed. We managed to feed Eli, but ran out of time for D and I, so stopped for fast food before we went to C's. But before we ate, we played a round of musical cars so I could park in the garage. A single lane driveway can be a real nuisance.

Eli got to meet Sage (dog) and two of the roommate's cats (there are five). Kota, a black and white tom is the friendliest as I would learn as he landed on me a few times during the night.

We all settled into bed/couch by shortly after 9 p.m., but no one was asleep before 10. Too much excitement and anticipation. D's alarm went off at 2:50 a.m. and we were dressed and out to the garage to grab our suitcases by 3:20 a.m. Good thing, as the taxi cab I'd ordered arrived about that time.

At the airport we had a short wait before the check-in counter opened. All went smoothly, except both my and Eli's carry-ons were selected for secondary screening at security. The issues: a package of antacids for me, and an empty water bottle for him. I actually think there were new staff in training, so they were more vigilant.

Breakfast at Tim Horton's and time for Eli to play on the indoor play structure took up the time before we headed for the gate for boarding. We were last to board (intentional) and the flight was uneventful. We were early resulting in a slightly longer layover.

Again we boarded among the last guests and then we sat on the tarmac. While Eli and his mom amused themselves on their devices, I slept. When I woke, were were at least a half hour into the flight. I had no memory of the take-off.

We did hit a bit of turbulence about an hour prior to landing in Halifax. I was a bit worried that Eli would find it troubling but he didn't seem to even notice. When we landed, we discovered it was hot in Halifax, 32C/88F. Quite the difference from the 7C/45F we had left behind in Regina. Our immediate need was for a family bathroom were D and Eli changed into lighter clothing. 

We picked up our rental car and were on our way to Bedford (just outside Halifax) soon after. We stayed at a Comfort Inn that was clearly a converted older hotel. There were stairs in a few places in the hallways, the property had a lovely front porch with a view of the basin, and a single elevator at the rear of the property. It also had an unheated pool that we would make good use of, and offered a continental breakfast each morning. Finally, it was a reasonable distance from downtown Halifax and the waterfront. This is the view from the front porch.

The rest of our evening was spent quietly and we were all in bed by 9 p.m. (or 6 p.m. at home). It was early but we were all tired from the travel day and ready for a good night's sleep. Eli told me a bedtime story and it was lights out.

We're home!

We arrived back in Regina late on July 2, spent the night at my son's and then drove back to town the following day. I plan to post updates of our trip, and have the first blog almost ready to post - so be prepared to take a trip back in time. :) 

Yesterday, I dealt with the "math" related to the trip and paid off the credit card. It was easier to use my credit card for the majority of the expenditures and then split the cost between us when we returned. We did very well with the costs related to our accommodations, averaging about $225 a night. With the exception of one hotel, all had a continental breakfast available, so saved us on one meal a day. We didn't skimp on meals out, frequently having lunch at sit-down restaurants, though we usually brought something back to the hotel for evenings. 

Our rental vehicle was a 2024 Toyota Camry hybrid. I've never driven a hybrid or electric vehicle before and was very impressed with the fuel efficiency. In total we (I) drove about 1400 kms/880 miles.  I wouldn't want to drive this particular vehicle again though as the front end seemed so low to the ground in comparison to my SUV! Fuel prices ranged between $1.43 to $1.45 a litre, so the savings from the hybrid were appreciated. 

More on the rests of the trip in near future.

Things have been busy since we arrived home, unpacking, laundry, along with some yardwork. It is amazing how much things have grown in ten days or so. The tomatoes aren't yet flowering but the plants that were about 5-6 inches tall are now close to 18 inches in height. I guess some rain and heat will do that to them. 

I need to weed the flower and garden beds. The peas have flowered and are producing pods, though I think they'll need to be watered regularly to ensure we get a good harvest from them. The poor wee carrots and onions are up but almost overwhelmed by the weeds. The latter need to go, and I'll thin the vegetables this weekend. The lettuce that Eli planted at school is also doing well and we should be able to start using it soon. 

The peonies need to be trimmed too, as they seem to be close to finishing flowering, lots of spent flowers! I'm sorry we missed most of it. However the salvia is blooming and the holly hocks won't be far behind. My containers of annuals are doing exceptionally well too.

I was pleased to see how well the clover and grass is doing in the city. (No photo). There are areas that need to be re-seeded especially near the high spots by the neighbour's fence - I suspect the rains were washed to lower areas. And the weeds are doing well too. My son should be able to start mowing back there in another few weeks, and that will hopefully keep the weeds from going to seed. If/when I get this yard tidied up, I may head into the city for a few days to do a bit more work there.

If you've been reading my blog for a long time, you may recall that each of the properties my daughter and son purchased has had lilies growing in the yard. Lilies were my mom's favorite flowers (along with red carnations), and mom collected and grew many Asiatic lilies in her flower beds at home. Finding lilies has always been a sign that we're in the right place. When C and I visited the property he later purchased, we noticed three struggling lilies in the front flower bed. Last summer they were nowhere to be found, but this spring they reappeared. I had moved the rocks in the bed, and I suspect this may have created the needed microclimate, with the rocks heating up in the sun. All this to say, that the first bloom opened the day that we arrived back in the city. I had no idea the colour and it was pleasant surprise to find a white lily.

We'll be hanging around the house this weekend, as the town is expected 60 (!) baseball teams to attend a tournament here. I plan to spend a good amount of time out in the yard, D has a list of chores to complete as well, and Eli...he's happy to be home and have access to all the fun stuff here. 

And our newest addition to the household is my cat Saku, who was living in the city at my son's. However, the new roommate came with five cats, and we figured it would be easier to acclimate him to two others here. He did well on the trip home, occasionally reminding us he was in his crate in the back seat. He has seen Stanley and Spencer through the glass doors, and hissed a couple of times but otherwise ignored them. We won't be introducing them in person for awhile yet. The other two seem curious but aren't upset about the newbie. He's my lap cat and cuddle buddy, and I'm happy to have him with me again.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Trip review - Manitou Resort & Spa

A bonus post as it is too long to include in my weekly post.

Our weekend at Manitou was short but fun. When I was about ten minutes out, I called S to see where she was at. Funny thing, she was in the same small town at the local thrift store! I caught up with her there, and she found a vintage "Family" cribbage board with the deck of cards and the pieces. The board was made of cardboard, the pieces were like those from a Sorry game, and surprisingly the deck of cards was complete. The reason it was a family board was eight people could play as singles.

Since we were in town, we decided to stop for lunch. The gals at the thrift store recommended the cafe across the street, "Lost Aviator Coffee Lounge." S had the beef sandwich with a pasta salad and we ought to have shared it, but I chose the sausage roll. Both were good, but pricey. 

We arrived at the resort around 2 p.m. and were able to head up to our room. We chatted for a bit before heading to the mineral spa for a soak. Later we had dinner at the Water's Edge restaurant (again pricey but good), before we settled in for a drink or two and a few games of cribbage.

S's friends, B & B showed up the next morning. We expected them about 11:30 but were returning to our room after a soak in the pools at 11:15 and met them at the elevator! We quickly changed and we all headed to B1's van for our lunch. She had picked up sandwich meat, bread and condiments. B1 drives a Pleasure-Way camper van with a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Lots of storage - it's very nice.

There was a flea market happening down the road and as we couldn't get into our cabin/suite until after 2 p.m. we decided to visit it. Basically it was a garage sale at the drive-in theater. This one fellow was set up with a sound system and sang for us. :)

Back at the spa we were able to use our room from the night prior to change to use the pools. After another nice soak, we were able to pack up and move to the cabin. It was quite nice, with a full kitchen, living room area, two bedrooms with queen beds, a large bathroom, and out the back door a large deck and a BBQ. 

Once we had settled in and had a drink, the other gals headed back over to the spa. I'd had enough so stayed behind to relax. I chatted with my brother, my daughter, and my son before I started putting dinner together. I used the BBQ to roast vegetables (potatoes/carrots/onion), to reheat a loaf of garlic bread, and to grill the chicken skewers. The latter two weren't put on the grill until the gals returned from their soak. They were pretty happy to find dinner was nearly ready.

On one trip out to the grill, I spotted two deer in the backyard. I called to the others to come look, but they weren't nearly as excited as I was. 

The evening was spent visiting, having a couple of drinks, a few hands of cribbage and another card game. I can tell you, that I was skunked in cribbage and was in last place in the card game.  We were all ready for bed and in our beds by 10:30 p.m.

We had our breakfast at the Water's poolside cafe...slightly less pricey than our previous meals at the resort. After packing up the cabin, we went back to the spa for our last soak, as we had to check out by noon. I headed out before lunch and grabbed a sandwich at the Subway in Watrous. 

About a half hour before I reached Regina, I checked in with my brother and found he was home. Since he's only a 15 minute drive off the main highway I told him to put on the tea pot. While we waited for the kettle to boil, he showed off the fence he's built around the garden. I assumed it was to keep out deer, but no, it's meant to keep the neighbour's dog off the plants. Apparently Wally likes to visit when someone is working in the garden and tends to lie down on the plants. That might be fine if she was a wee dog, but she's massive! I have no idea what her breed(s) might be but she'd be taller than I am if she stood on her back feet. (I'm 5'1")

I was pulling in the driveway just after 3 p.m. and ready for a long shower. I had rinsed off at the spa, but those minerals do a number on your hair. It needed some serious conditioning! 

We've already decided this needs to be an annual event. Last year it was just S and I, we doubled our group this year, maybe we'll add a few more next year. Should we do it again, I think we'll rent the cabin instead of doing the move from one building to another. Although the hotel was kind enough to let us use the room until we moved over, we were locked out briefly when we went to pack up for the move and had to get a new room card. In addition, it was nice to be able to prepare some of our own meals, and a lot less costly. Though we will need to plan our meals a little better as we ran out of some items and had far to much of others. 

It was a great weekend get-away!

Painting continues and future travel plans

More painting happened this week. A couple of days in, I was thinking it would never end. The first coat was finished in the basement area by mid-day Tuesday. It could have been sooner, but I took a break Monday afternoon...to plan a trip.

D, Eli, and I had been talking for a few months about travelling to Nova Scotia this summer. Eli is old enough now, at 8 years old, to remember most of the trip. We had meant to book for 8 days, 7 nights, but somehow I managed to book flights for 9 days, 8 nights. Probably a good thing as our days will be full! We'll be staying in Halifax for a couple of days, then travel to Peggy's Cove and Lunenburg before spending another night in Halifax. From there, we're off to Baddeck, with a couple of stops along the way. From Baddeck we'll travel to Sydney for one night. A one night stop in Antigonish, will have us back in Halifax on Canada Day, before we fly home the next day. There are museums, parks, gardens, and historical sites to visit. The day of our flights home, we've nothing planned, and we have late flight. We'll have time to pack and some playtime at a park before we drop off our rental car at the airport. 

Eli will miss a couple of days of school, but it is the end of the school year so won't be missing much. D has been working with him on his phonics for his French language and discovered this week, he is ahead of his classmates! Sadly, there was an issue with his in-class teacher and he hasn't been able attend class for a couple of months. He is working with a resource teacher (one-on-one) on his other subjects, but it has been left to D to provide the French language skills he needs. She attended French Immersion from kindergarten to Grade 12, and has her Education degree. As a result, she's well able to help Eli with his school work.

We're all looking forward to the trip. I did a road trip to the Maritimes with friends back in 2016. This will be different travelling experience. I suspect, though, like that trip, I'll be doing the majority of the driving. I do like feeling in control. :)

The photos on Wednesday is the work I completed on Tuesday. The first coat of paint was on the walls, and I was tired. I had taken part of the morning off to go thrifting. I found a couple of pretty decorative cushions and a 2 cup glass measuring cup ...with the markings on it. So many times the thrift store measuring cups have had the markings missing - I don't know if they were washed off, or if they were simply so poorly made. My daughter measures things using a coffee cup; I'm not that talented. But my best buy was a pair of brand new blue jeans (still had the waist tag on them) for under $7. 

The painting party continued over the next few days. I did have an accident on Wednesday morning. There is/was a water fountain for the cat and I managed to knock it over and when I got back from the bathroom where I had taken it to dump, I found I'd also managed to tip over the paint can. There is now a large splotch in the carpet. I cleaned up as much as I could, and will use a carpet cleaner later to see if I can any more of it out. If not, the carpet is ancient, there is a cat and a dog in the house, so at some point I'm sure my son will want to replace it. 

By Thursday afternoon, I had finished the second coat throughout the basement. I noted, as it dried, a few spots that needed to be touched up but decided I needed an afternoon off. Since I'm on nobody's schedule but my own, I chose to do just that. After a much needed shower, I went out to do a wee bit of shopping. I can't say I found anything special, but came home with a pair of pillows and bath mats. 

Friday morning, I made a few touch ups before I tackled the stairwell. There were some holes to patch that needed to be left to dry before sanding. I was able to continue painting other areas, though, while that happened. I'm not able to reach the full height of the walls at the top of the stairs, so will send my son up the ladder on the weekend. He's over 6 feet tall, about a foot taller than I am and should be able to do the edging along the ceiling.

By midday, I decided to call it quits. Can you tell I'm getting tired of painting? Oh, I'll power through and get the rest of the foyer and stairwell painted, but my bedroom is going to wait until my next visit. I plan clean the basement next week, and then I'll start packing the car to go back out to my daughter's. 

Instead, I spent much of the afternoon watching television and cross-stitching. Guess what I did, for part of it? Not painting, not stitching, but snow shovelling! We got about an inch of snow over a 24 hour period. While we could drive through it, the snow had piled up in front of the garage. My son likes to park in the garage over the weekend, while I like to have my car available (we have a narrow driveway). It only took 15-20 minutes, but it is the first time I've had a shovel in my hands since December. 

Later today, I'll continue the painting up on the landing and the stairwell. I'm using latex paint, and as it dries quickly, I'll try to get the second coat on in the afternoon. Then I can clean everything up and put my supplies away!

Meanwhile I'm watching the women's world curling from Korea. Canada is playing Scotland this morning and at the moment the game is tied up. I've got my tea and bagel with peanut butter to enjoy along with the curling. Go Canada go!

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Coming home, work to be done

Over all the trip home from Yuma was probably one of my better travel day(s). Although the Desert Bus wasn't a bus, but a 9 passenger van, there were no lengthy delays, no lost shoes or passport, and there was even an empty seat between me and another woman on the flight from Phoenix to Calgary. And I got about a 90 minute sleep on that first flight. From the time I left the hotel in the morning until I arrived at C's that night, was only 12 hours. That is a short travel day for me, as getting here from anywhere is always a lengthy process.

I spent the weekend unpacking, cuddling the cat, doing a bit of cleaning (my son had vacuumed the basement!), cuddling the cat, watching curling, and cuddling the cat. C and I took Sage, the dog, for a walk too, and she is much better mannered wearing a harness rather than just a collar. Sage does not like other dogs however, and C needs to restrain her. He's looking into obedience classes for this spring. I think it will be good for both of them.

I did some shopping on Tuesday morning. I will be here in the city for a few weeks, with my goal of painting the basement. The bedroom is pink and the main room is a blue that makes it feel very dark. My first stop was Home Depot for paint and supplies, and home again to drop these items off. I had more shopping to do and didn't want to leave the paint in the car, as it was -7C (19F). There followed stops at Value Village, Salvation Army thrift store, Costco and Dollarama. My best deal of the day were two kitchen chairs at S.A. for $20. We've been using fold-up chairs at both houses and I'll leave this with my son. I'll keep looking for other chairs for our house in town. The Costco run was made for my daughter and I purchased everything but the chocolate chips she wanted. At $26.99 for a 2.4 kg/5.3 lb. bag, I thought the price was outrageous - according to my daughter it is not. So I'll have to make a stop before I leave the city - it's on the way out anyway.

BTW, the photo on Wednesday was a vehicle parked at the Salvation Army thrift store. I'm assuming that the individual didn't want to park further ahead as the parking lot has ice on it. In any event, I found it amusing.

On Wednesday, I had a meeting with my financial advisor to discuss moving some funds around. She is expecting in May, but works with a team. Some of the transactions will happen now, but there is one that is pending for October. It will be diarized, but I'll be in touch too, to ensure it happens when I need it too. 

I got started on the basement prep that morning too (after the curling game!). The previous owners clearly liked to hang things on the walls as there were holes even where there were no hangers. I'd decided that painting will start in the small bathroom, so cleared the room out before patching the one wall (not pictured). By the time I finished patching all the holes and a couple of cracks in the main room, it was time for more curling. 

I had an appointment with the optometrist early Thursday morning and walked out of his office a whole lot lighter (in the wallet) than I went in. Progressive lenses are not inexpensive! I had been noticing a difference in my left eye primarily and this was confirmed by the doc. My cataracts, he says, continue not to be an issue. Frankly, I'm not even aware of them, though it seems to me the last time he only mentioned one and now there are two.

I got the bathroom painted on Friday morning with a pint of "oops" paint. You know I have a hard time passing up a bargain, and at $3 for the paint, I thought it would work well with the flooring. There are a few small spots that need touch up, and I'll do that this morning, before putting everything away. 

I did some sanding (and some vacuuming) in the main room as well. Watching curling took up the afternoon before I met friends for dinner. We'd last been together in October, so there was a lot to catch up on. It was a good time, with good food, good friends, and lots of laughter. Back at home, I watched curling - it was late night, hence the late posting of this blog. 

Today, I'll wash walls in the main room before I start painting. This is a large room, with three areas: a hallway/foyer at the base of the stairs, the open living area, and an alcove where I believe they had their television. There isn't a whole lot of furniture, mostly cat stuff and a chair and table that I use for jigsaw puzzles. As a result, I won't be rushing to get it done. The paint is not a oops paint, but a slightly green toned off white. Since the room is the blue that was in the bathroom, this colour should really lighten it up.

More curling today too, a match this afternoon and another this evening, the semi-final and final will air tomorrow. I've been working on my cross stitching while I watch. My bedroom was a former sewing room of one of the previous owners. The overhead florescent lights provide good lighting for this project and my old eyes. And on that note, I'll finish this post...

Have a great week ahead everyone!