What a difference a week makes!

The photo I shared on Wednesday is of the lilies in the front flower bed. When C bought the house back in the fall of 2023, I had noticed three lilies in the bed, but there was no sign of the them in 2024. I planted a few ground covers, including a dead nettle from the house in town, and two varieties of bugleweed. My goal was to make the bed low maintenance. If you recall I moved the rocks around last fall (I found a bazillion of them in the back yard). Well, apparently moving those rocks provided an opportunity for the lilies to make another appearance. I'm thinking that the rocks would have warmed earlier in the sun. In any event, they have also multiplied. I'm looking forward to seeing them bloom - I have no idea what colour they might be.

It's been a full week with some work and some fun (and more of the latter to come). On Sunday, I had the refuse removal fellow come and he took away fence boards, the plywood and 2x4's that were the wall and work bench that I removed from the garage last fall, and some old metal pieces and other odds and ends we found in the area between the fence and the back of the garage. One old gate we weren't able to remove because a tree had grown through the wire and we would have needed to cut it apart or taken the tree down. This is one of those horrible Lombardy poplars that have a narrow trunk and grow very tall. This one has a trunk about 3 inches in diameter and is at least 16 feet tall.  Can you imagine how long that has been there? I'll leave it for now, and since the fence won't extend across the back of the garage, we'll be able to take care of it later...maybe next spring.

Monday was more weeding. I did a run to the garden center with my handy gift cards and picked up grass seed. Initially I had thought I'd just seed micro clover, but have decided to do a mix of grass and clover. I also picked up a seed spreader, with the hopes of getting a more even looking lawn at some point. 

On Tuesday, D and Eli were in the city for a couple of doctor's appointments. We were hoping that the neurologist would agree that Eli can stop taking the seizure meds as he's been seizure free for nearly 15 months, and his recent EEG was clear. However, Dr. I. wants Eli to see the pediatric neurologist as he specializes in adults, primarily stroke victims. He also suggested Eli's brain is still developing, and he's uncertain what impact discontinuing the meds would have. Eli's been on the waiting list for the pediatric neurologist for more than a year. D had contacted their office last fall and was told to wait 12 months and try again. (I should note that he wasn't considered to be a priority because he hadn't had a seizure after his hospitalization.)

Before their next appointment, an eye exam by another specialist, they met me at the McDonald's in the east end of the city near the Costco. We made a quick trip to Dollarama (in the same area), before enjoying our lunch. It was so great to see them both, and I got a couple of amazing hugs from my special boy. I was able to send back the groceries and other items I've gathered up for her, which is nice, as I'll have less to take with me in a few weeks. 

When I arrived home, I discovered the utility company rep had been out to mark the underground utilities. I had originally assumed the skid steer company had made the request, but it was actually the fence company. I learned this when Kevin called to say he'd be by Thursday morning to complete the skidsteer work in the back yard. 

Stitch and chat was Wednesday afternoon. It was an easy morning, with a bit of housework, before I headed out before lunch. It's been a long time since I've gone for a walk in the old neighbourhood and decided it was time. I ought to have taken my Canon with me but here are a few photos from my cellphone.

I was shocked to see that many of the trees that lined the pond had been removed in the last year or so.

Not only did they provide some shade for the geese and ducks who nest here, but the blackbirds would often be found singing their hearts out atop the trees.

At the other end of the pond, the trees were still in place, as you can see the pair of mallards enjoying the shade. 

On the right, I was able to catch a Canada goose landing on the water. It was so bright, I didn't always capture the photo I was wanting!

Like this photo below there are two families of ducks. Mama duck on the left was leading her brood out of the drainage area into the creek, while the second mama on the right (who I didn't see at first) appeared to be marshalling the troops. 

And, of course, I couldn't leave without a photo of the younger goslings!

Early Thursday morning, about 8:15 a.m., I heard noise in the backyard. I went out to check, assuming it would be Kevin the skidsteer guy, but instead finding Garrett, the fence guy. He and his worker were taking down the last of the fence and gates. He'd had a call from Kevin so came over to get some help removing the fence posts. Kevin arrived minutes later and used the skidsteer to lift the posts out of their holes. We had thought they might be cemented in, but in actuality several of them were dug at least three feet in. No wonder my con C, wasn't able to remove them! The skidsteer did the job in seconds. 

Once the fence was removed, Kevin went to work. Here's the before and after:

This was taken on Sunday after I'd done much of the weeding but before the fence was taken down.

It's difficult to tell in these photos but Kevin moved the dirt higher at the front of the yard by the house to ensure that the rain moves towards the alley. (I put the drain pipe back after the photo was taken). He also filled in a dip between the back yard and the alley. We didn't have to bring any additional dirt into the yard, it's just been moved around. I am beyond thrilled with the work.

Garrett and his helper/Dad arrived on Friday morning to start the process of replacing the fence. First off was digging the postholes. They were able to use some of the older holes but needed to dig a few news ones for reasons not known to me. The materials were delivered mid-afternoon with the exception of the fence boards. Garrett was back just before 5 p.m. to set the posts. I went out to talk to him because I was certain there wasn't enough material - he explained that there weren't enough fence boards, more are expected to arrive later this week. He finished up the posts before heading home for the day and said he might be back Saturday to finish the supporting rails. 

I'm actually hoping he takes the day off. We are currently under a weather advisory due to the smoke that has blown in from the fires in Northern Saskatchewan. By noon'ish on Friday, the smoke had settled in and the view towards the highway looked like this: 

It's only expected to get worse through Saturday. As a result outdoor activities are not recommended. No yardwork for me, instead I am heading to Manitou Beach to meet my friend S for two nights. (I'm hoping the smoke will have passed through there, though the mineral pools are indoors.) We're staying in the resort Saturday and then joining two more ladies in a resort owned small apartment across the street for Sunday night. The apartment has a kitchenette, a 2 bed bedroom, and an outdoor area with a BBQ. Meals have already been planned for Sunday and the other women will bring the groceries; we'll share the cost. Although we can't check into our room until 4 p.m. today, we're meeting earlier in the afternoon as we'll have access to the pools. S was told that we'll be able to get into the apartment as early as noon. I'm looking forward to relaxing and hanging out with the group. I'm more than ready for a break!

Have a great week ahead everyone! 

More wind, curling, and knitting too

On Sunday, my phone buzzed with an alert about a wind advisory for Yuma, with high winds expected to last from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. the next day. I decided to make a trip to the grocery store on Monday morning. I'm glad I did, as the winds definitely picked up. My landlady had sent over several clamps that I used to hold the sheets on the outside furniture. This time around, I didn't find as much blown about the outdoor area. I spent the day in the house working on a jigsaw puzzle, reading, and watching television while listening the wind blow outside.

Tuesday was housework day. I've realized this is a habit from living with my son. His EDO's fall on Mondays, and I tended to wait until Tuesday to do a lot of housework (even on the weeks he wasn't home). I did laundry, vacuumed and washed floors, and scrubbed the bathtub. The clothes dried quickly as it was still quite breezy. Mid-afternoon I went out to the front to sit in the sun and read before walking over to Happy Hour. 

The Saskatchewan provincial curling playdowns started on Tuesday as well, and I was able to catch three of the draws (slept through the first one). Until recently, the men and women have had separate events, but this year, the two competitions are being held at the same time. Two men's draws a day and two women's. I set my alarm, just in case, so I'd be awake by 7 a.m. on Wednesday for the first game of the day. 

I had a couple of hours between the first and second draw so I went for a walk down to the Walmart Supercenter (the photo above is from that walk). It took me about 40 minutes to walk there. I'd run out of cotton yarn and figured it would be the closest place to find it. On the way back, I stopped at Albertson's (similar to Safeway in Canada) and picked up a few sale items, peppers, cucumber and bagels. I had planned to catch the bus back, but it passed by just as I left the store and the next one wasn't for an hour. So I walked back, stopping at Burger King for lunch - the thought of an original chicken sandwich was too tempting. :)

Back at the unit, I unloaded my bag and tuned into the curling. This game started well, but turned into a blow-out for the one team - I dozed off on the couch and woke up an hour later! I guess the fresh air from the morning, and the sunshine streaming in the windows put me to sleep. The third game started about 3 p.m. and again, it was turning into a rout by mid-game so I wandered over to visit the folks at Happy Hour. I did get asked why I hadn't made it to canasta that afternoon. 

Thursday was coffee hour at the clubhouse. I left the curling game before it ended; another lop-sided affair and joined several others for a chat. There were a few announcements: a potluck supper on February 4th, a pancake breakfast on the 6th, and the Heritage potluck on the 22nd. I've signed up for the two potlucks with "dessert" as my offering for the first and Scottish shortbread for the second. Since I don't have, nor need a full pantry, I think I'll pick up a brownie cake mix, and try to time it so I take it out of the oven shortly before the dinner. Who doesn't like chocolate after all? For the Heritage event, I've already bought sugar, butter, and flour and plan to use some of that up before hand. I get a craving for something sweet once in awhile too!

I was awake by 6:30 a.m. on Friday, and turned the heaters on in the unit. It was a mere 4C/39F outside and just 13C/55F inside. Just a little chilly. I went back to bed until 7 before heading to the living room to watch the curling. With the little heater it had warmed up to 17C/63F, and felt quite comfortable. 

While watching, I continued working on a knitted hanging dish towel that I had started on Thursday. It is meant to be a gift, along with a couple of dish cloths. It still needs to be blocked, and I will need to find/pick up a button for the tab. I'll check the thrift stores for buttons and pins, as I certainly didn't bring any with me. This is the yarn I picked up at Walmart, as I've finished the yarn I brought with me. Pretty soon, I'll have to start working on the cross stitch, though it is harder to do when I'm watching curling. I have to pay attention. :)

Later in the morning, I made a batch of shortbread dough and put in the fridge to chill. In addition, I cut up the last two corn tortillas to make chips for nachos. I didn't have the lime, but I baked them with a brush of oil and salt - they turned out delicious. When the shortbread was baked, I couldn't resist, and had three cookies with a tea. Yum! The rest were tucked into a container, because I could have eaten several more.

I was able to get about 30 minutes outdoors in the sun too, reading for part of it, and chatting with my daughter. Then it was time for game 3 of the day - I watched until mid-way through the game, went to Happy Hour for 45 minutes or so and returned home in time to watch the end. The playoff picture for the women was settled Friday evening, while the men had one final game on Saturday morning.

I'll be watching the final round robin game, and then have plans to go to an event at the Civic Center with a couple of the residents. It is Health fair from the sounds of it, and it could be very interesting. I'll let you know next week. :) Playoff curling will keep me entertained as well and I should have enough viewing time to finish a couple of dishcloths. If the wind isn't blowing (it wasn't on Friday), I must get out and sweep up the sand on the outdoor patio. 

Whatever your plans may be, have a great weekend and a wonderful week ahead!

More fun in the sun

Goodness, I've been here for over two weeks already! The weather has been quite cool in the early morning, as low as 2C/36F one day, but generally around 6-7C/42-44F. Have I mentioned the furnace in this unit doesn't function? I do have two small electric heaters and when I wake up, I turn both on and climb back into bed for a bit. Usually I talk with my daughter, check the weather and the news before I get dressed for the day. A half hour usually is enough to warm it enough to be comfortable. 

I had planned to go to Art in the Park at the Gateway Park on Sunday but didn't realize the buses didn't run on Sundays. :( I almost wished I hadn't stayed home to watch curling on Saturday...almost. The entrance fee was a mere $1, with vendors and artists showcasing their work. I'm disappointed I missed it. On Monday, however, I planned to do nothing...and as I said to someone at Happy Hour, I think I got half of it done. 

L & S and I went out thrifting again on Tuesday (Senior's day). This time we went to Goodwill (I misspoke last post) and the Humane Society thrift store. I wanted a sweater for the cooler times of the day and lucked out. I found a pullover, as well as a pair of capris, and a new nightgown with pockets! At the Humane Society, I got a book and 1000 piece puzzle for just $1.50. I'll leave these latter items behind when I head home. 

L had suggested we go for lunch at the Black Bear Diner (Yuma Palms mall for any who are familiar). The food and the company was great! The portions were large and delicious. I had a crispy chicken wrap with a side salad, taking half the wrap home for dinner that evening. But S's Cobb salad was the star - it was so large that she ate about a 1/3 of it and took the rest home in two boxes for dinner for her and her husband. If you ever in Yuma, I highly recommend this restaurant. In addition to the great food, the prices were reasonable, and the service was good.

On Tuesday evening, I ran out outside to attempt to capture the full moon. It's definitely not a great photo!

I made up for a quiet Monday, when I did some shopping on Wednesday. First, I walked down to the water store to pick up a couple of one gallon jugs of drinking water. On my return, I washed the floors in the park model before walking to Walmart for some groceries. The backpack, I picked up in Bismarck in November, fits the water jugs perfectly. I had run out of some basics, milk, butter, and cheese and needed a few other items. Everything fit well in the bag and it makes it much easier to carry. It is a bit odd to get groceries in plastic bags, and lots of them, as the cashiers rarely put more than a few items in each. I'm using the bags as garbage bags - I may switch to self check-out to reduce the number of bags I use.

Wednesday afternoon was Canasta. Don't ask me how, but my partner and I won the game. It was a long game, nearly 90 minutes, partially because I don't understand the strategy and we likely could have won sooner, had I not messed up. I've learned that they are playing with a hybrid of rules, as each player brought something different to the game.

The Grand Slam of Curling event is being live streamed, as I discovered, so Thursday morning started off with a game while I enjoyed my breakfast. after that was over, I decided to try to find the canal walking paths , but was stymied to find a road closure that I wasn't certain I should go around. Apparently, I should have as that would have been the quickest route. In any event, I gave up and decided to treat myself to an iced coffee and a sausage McMuffin at McDonald's (another further 15 minute walk). 

My landlady, C, came over for a visit in the afternoon. Just to prove I'm multi-talented, I was able to chat with her, keep an eye on a curling game, and crochet. No, no I couldn't - as it turned out I'd made a mistake with the pattern. :) During dinner, I watched another match and started the dish cloth over again.

I glanced up at one point and saw this incredible sunset. It was cloudy for part of the day, and the colours were simply amazing.

Friday, the park's social club was holding their annual garage sale. I donated the dish cloths I'd made as I figure I'm benefiting from the activities provided while I'm here. Several of us met around 10 in the morning to organize the items for the sale. Ranging from furniture, to kitchen items, to blankets, sheets and pillow, to golf balls and golf clubs, a range of games and books, both men and women's clothing, and soooo much more. There is something for everyone (except small children).

The rest of the day was spent watching the Grand Slam of Curling, though I did take a break for Happy Hour. I'm working on the new puzzle as well, and started yet another dish cloth. Didn't like the pattern of the one I started the day prior. 

Today, I won't be attending the garage sale - I haven't room to bring things back. I'm told the early birds will start showing up about 7 a.m. (sale starts at 8). I'm hoping to avoid the traffic, and instead, I'll try fit in a walk between curling games, and enjoy the sunshine.

Have a great week ahead, everyone! 

Martinique - March 14

Welcome to Martinique! This is one of my favorite islands to visit in the Caribbean, as there is so much to see and do, both in the port and around the island. 

We had a bit of rain, followed by a rainbow, prior to reaching our berth, but the day promised to be hot (95F/35C) and it did reach that temperature. 

Again, I had no excursion planned here, but planned to do a wander around the city and perhaps a little shopping. 

I believe this is the Royal Clipper ship docked next to us. (I neglected to get a photo of the ship's name). It carries 227 passengers and 106 crew. Compare that to the 3080 passengers and 1200 crew on the Ruby Princess.

I was off the ship by 8:30 a.m. My first destination was La Savane Park in Fort-de-France. I was looking for the headless statue of Josephine Bonaparte. I know, I know, I'm weird. The statue was installed in the park in 1859 and in 1991 the statue was "beheaded" and splattered with red paint. Martinique is part of the French Republic and the outermost region of the European Union. Thus, the primary language is French and the currency is euros. I came prepared with some of the euros, though not as prepared with the French language skills. Un petit peu, seulement. 

The park was oceanside and a short walk of ten minutes or so from the downtown. I wasn't successful in finding the statue though as I didn't veture to the far end of the park. 

On my way back to the city center, I decided to stop in at a store and purchase a baseball cap as the heat of the day was ramping up and the sun was hot on my head. In addition, the store offered free WiFi, so I took advantage of that too. D and Eli had an appointment in the city and I wanted to check in with her before she left home. Eli was having some issues with the medication he had been prescribed for the seizures, however the pediatric neurologist in Saskatoon wasn't able to see him yet, so the neuroligist in Regina agreed to see him. This doctor doesn't generally work with children but a med change was indicated. He's now on another prescription and I'm happy to say he's doing much better.

Back to Martinique; I wandered downtown looking for the bookstore where I had purchased a book for Eli on an earlier trip. Like the statue, I couldn't find what I was looking for but there was more to see and do regardless.

This is St. Louis Cathedral (it is featured in the first photo as well). The cathedral was completed in 1895 in the Romanesque Revival style. There was a service being held at this time, so I didn't enter the church.

Across from the cathedral is a small park. This allamanda cathartica or golden trumpet was blooming beautiful! I had to stop and enjoy the beauty. I've since learned that I can purchase this as an annual for my garden containers. I'm sure it won't grow nearly as big and bushy for me here. I'll be looking for it at the nursery later this spring.

Beyond the park is a building that captures the cathedral in its windows. 

I wandered through the market vendors and found a street vendor selling fresh squeezed juice. With a glass of grape, watermelon and mango juice, I settled in at a table and watched people go by. 

I did chuckle at the sight of the KFC store, it seems to be a staple in the islands.

Feeling refreshed and well hydrated, I headed off to walk about more. No luck still in finding the bookstore, but I did find a fabric store.

Oh, if only I were talented enough to sew well. The fabrics were gorgeous - and I ought to have taken a photo of the interior. I was looking for a crochet hook and decided a fabric store might very well carry them - and it did! I had thought, being as port heavy as this cruise was, that I wouldn't have time to work on a small project so hadn't brought yarn or a crochet hook with me. However, the sea days at the beginning of the cruise reminded me I like to have something in my hands to work on. I'd found some cotton yarn in the dollar store in Fort Lauderdale, but no crochet hook. It was in this store that my lack of French was obvious. However, the clerk and I managed through pantomine and a few words to find what I was looking for. 

I took a bit of time to wander through the open air market, but bought nothing there.

Look at the size of the melon slices!

There were tables of souveniers available too, and while I loved the colors, nothing said take me home.

You could not convince me to drive on these streets. They are incredibly narrow and with pedestrians walking about, it would be a nightmare (at least for me)

I much preferred those streets that appeared to limit vehicular traffic. After my walk-about, I decided it was time to head back to the ship for a late lunch, some reading in the shade and a short nap.

From this perspective it appears the clipper ship's masts are almost as tall as the Ruby. 

The clipper left port before we did, and very shortly had its sails up.

If I ever won a lottery, I think I'd really enjoy an opportunity to sail on one of these ships. On the other hand, I've never experienced seasickness on the large ships - I'm not so certain I'd be as lucky on such a small one. 

It was a wonderful day in Martinique. The weather was simply incredible (and hot!). I spent much of the day off ship just enjoying the atmosphere of Fort-de-France. Everyone I met and spoke with were friendly, even when there was some difficulty in understanding one another. 

Next up - Barbados

Spring joys

Spring has truly sprung! We've had decent weather, if a little below normal temps, with rain overnight a couple of nights. The snow from last week had mostly disappeared with just a few stubborn spots where the sun didn't reach it, until Friday when our temperature reached 18C (64F). It will be a few weeks before I'll be able to plant anything doors, so for the moment I'm enjoying watching my seedlings grow. As it is still too cool to leave them in the unheated sunroom, I keep them in the kitchen window, until the sun warms up the room and move them back and forth as the temperatures allow. I darn near forgot them one evening, oops!  There are tomatoes, marigolds, a cucumber, and peppers in these pots. I added a couple of the bottoms of green onions this week, as a test to see if they will really grow. 

It's been a busy week, with a few outings. I had to run out to do some errands for my daughter on Monday, so took the opportunity to drop by Value Village while I was nearby. I bought a few items including...you guesed it more yarn! There were four cakes of Loops and Threads cotton yarn in a navy color, for a mere $5.99. The same yarn costs about $10 per cake at the Michaels store. I could not resist picking it up. I'm not entirely certain what I will use it for, but I will, someday.

A few weeks ago, a friend contacted me to ask if I'd like to join the book club she belongs to. I thought it would be good for me, and said yes. The get-together was held on Tuesday evening, at a lovely Mexican restaurant. The food was delicious, though I was less enamoured with the book we read. The Stranger in the Lifeboat, by Mitch Albom was the choice of one of the group. It was a very odd story and I was happy it wasn't a long read. I even read it twice, thinking it might grow on me...it didn't. I would give it a 2/10 at best. Others in the group quite enjoyed it though, so it must have some redeeming qualities. I found the event interesting, it was more about the meal and visiting, with very little discussion of the book, beyond whether we enjoyed it or not. Another book (Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult) was chosen and we'll meet again in about 6 weeks. 

Wednesday was stitch and chat, the first meeting I've attended for a couple of weeks. There were only three of us there, S, R, and myself. Sadly, I's husband isn't doing well; he was hospitalized last week but has since been discharged, however his family flew home to visit so it must have been thought to be quite serious. He was recently diagnosed with recurring cancer and the prognosis is not good. 

I've spent the rest of the week at home, working on various projects and tackling some spring cleaning. It amazes me how much dust accumulates, even when the weather is cold. While I vaccum and dust the furnitured regularly, it's the tops of windows, doors, and picture frames that need a wipe down. The sun room doesn't generally get much of a clean over winter, and it desperately needed a good vaccuming. In that room I found far too many maple bugs. I'm uncertain how they've found their way in - I'll have to check around the outside to see if I can find any access point. The front patio and parking pad were swept and the debris filled a large garbage bag. Lots of pine needles, leaves, and the inevitable rabbit poop. I set up the patio set, and hope to spend some time out there in the next few days.

I also went for a walk on Friday morning, and captured some of the wildlife. It always amazes me the variety that we see here in the midst of the city.

Not as many hares in the park as usual. Bet that won't last too much longer.

Over at the creek, it was pretty quiet though I did spot a pair of robins getting water and feeding on the bank.

At the other end of the creek I found a few mallards and a pair of geese.

Over at the pond, I spotted three red-winged blackbirds. They seemed to be calling to each other. I love how their tail feathers spread when they sing.

Most of the geese were skittish and would head for the water as I walked along the path. This one, however, could have cared less. I do hope it was merely sunning itself and not nesting as it is far too close to the path.

I need to remember to put my camera on sports mode as this photo is blurry. But I like it anyway. There were several (7 or 8) cormorants on the water, and this group flew off as I went to take the photos. I've never seen a group this large at the pond. While there seem to be a pair who nest here most years, I suspect they are in transit.

Finally another group of mallards. They seemed to be following one another around the pond, with some calling back and forth.

Today is another beautiful day, already 7C (45F) mid-morning. There is a baseball game later this morning, and then I plan to head back outside. The decks need to be cleared of debris and washed down - lots of bird poop has accumulated, and the plastic Adirondack chairs and the tables need to be washed as well. The forecast is for temperatures over 20C (68F), which means time on the deck or patio reading! The book for the book club is in at the library so that will be top on the list.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Cool and quiet

The weather has definitely turned to autumn. The photo on Wednesday was actually taken mid-morning after it warmed up several degrees. And yes, the thermometer is measured in Fahrenheit. We've been overcast with occasional light rain for several days and it doesn't warm up much during the day. While the house feels cool, I haven't yet turned on the furnace but I have had to wear socks! I've been using the oven to make dinner and baked a cake one day in a effort to bring the temperature up a little bit. Normally at this time of year I'd open up the sunroom - it helps to warm up the rest of the house but without sun it hasn't been nice enough to do so.

I did go for a walk Wednesday morning as I wanted to check out the creek and pond. As I entered the park I spotted the tree that seems to be the first to change color every year.

The thistles have gone to seed.

It was quiet at the creek; I only saw eight ducks in total.

There were far more geese at the pond, but far less than I've seen in years past. I have to wonder if, due to the heat we've had this summer, they haven't delayed their departure to the south. I'll have to ensure I do my walk more often.

My childish nature came out when I spotted this goose with it's butt in the air. 

I was watching for the red-necked grebes and found one at this end of the pond as well. I think it's one of the young ones from this year due to the mottling on the feathers.

This shot was a lucky one, as this bird was just resurfacing after a dive. I think it's a cormorant because it doesn't have a red neck like the grebe. I haven't seen the cormorants this summer at the pond but they've been their in the past.

Then I was excited to spot a marbled godwit on the edge of the pond. I was able to get fairly close before it spotted me and flew off.

I made it back to the house just as the rain started. Perfect timing. That afternoon I went to my stitch and chat group. We were joined by someone new to the group who came to check it out. P had moved the city just a year or so ago. She didn't bring a project with her but stayed to chat and said she'd be back next week. There are a few regulars who haven't yet turned up - a couple are away and another is working. For a small group we certainly have no problem finding things to talk about.

With the exception of Wednesday, I didn't leave the house for errands or shopping. Good for the wallet, though I did make on on-line purchase. I've finished knitting the tank top and I've blocked it before I sew it together. Since I tend to procrastinate, that might happen in a week or so. :)  I've finished three toques/beanies as well. The counted cross stitch is still in early stages and I've already found a mistake I made. Argh! I've pulled another skein of yarn for another toque/beanie and have started the little crocheted ghost. If you can't tell, I've spent a lot of time sitting and not a lot of time on much else.

I have to say September baseball is a lot of fun to watch. Though I do wish the Blue Jays were a bit more consistent; one game they look amazing and then another game they tank. Last year they were out of the play-offs by a single game, so I'm hoping they can pull out a wild card spot this year. 

The Riders finally got rid of the player I was so upset about, but they too are not having their best season. This isn't unusual for the team throughout its tenure, but the last few years have been better than most. This week, the QB and his wife welcomed a son, so the commentary was the need to win the game for the little one. It didn't happen, as the opposition managed a last minute drive to score a field goal for the win. I'm pretty certain the baby neither knew nor cared about the outcome.

Curling has started in earnest, though there is no televised events. YouTube and Facebook are my options for watching the live streams.. This weekend there are both men and women's events - lots to watch. For the moment I'm catching up on blog reading, some PVR'ed television, with a cat on my lap wanting attention. It looks like the weekend is going to be much the same as the rest of the week.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Cleaning things up

Wednesday's photos were the result of a thunderstorm that rolled through overnight into Monday, bringing wind and hail. I was woken about 12:30 a.m. by the sound of thunder and worse yet, hail hitting the bedroom window. I got up immediately to close it as well the windows in the front room and sun room. I normally enjoy a good thunderstorm, but the hail that came with this one was downright frightening. I can't recall ever listening to what sounded almost like gunshots as the hail hit the windows. I kept running between the front of the house and the sunroom as I was worried a window would get broken. Thankfully, that didn't happen but my veg and flowers got beaten pretty badly. Several peppers and tomatoes were literally torn in pieces. My flower containers looked a mess. 

The hail fell for nearly 20 minutes, and the rain continued for some time afterward. (I went back to bed when the worst of it seemed to be over). When I got up in the morning, I went out to survey the damage. I didn't lose any plants, but the tomatoes lost a lot of their fruit, at a least a couple dozen that were pitted, and I picked up another couple dozen that had dropped from the plants onto the deck or the lawn. The evergreens lost bits of the branches and lots of immature pine cones. I spent about an hour outside cleaning up the debris and had nearly a half a large garbage bag full. 

I'm grateful that the storm didn't cause more damage than it did. I'm also grateful that our vehicles were safely in the garage. Many of my neighbours park on their driveways or on the street and I can't help but wonder if they didn't see some damage, even if it was minor. 

Though I hadn't planned to go out early this week, I received an e-mail with a couple of sale items at Costco so I made a trip to the store. Furnace filters (3 in package) were on sale for $33.99 - the same filter is over $20 each at Walmart. I also picked up a bag of Whiskas cat food for D. I did wander the store but I didn't need any large volume items so the stop was short. From there I headed to Walmart to pick up some fresh veg and bread. I stopped at home to put away the groceries and then headed back out to the thrift stores. I picked a few items, including a new bathing suit and a pair of pants for Eli. He's such a skinny kid, and he's stretching out. Both articles have draw string waists and the pants have elastic at the ankle. I'm hoping they'll fit and will find out when he and his mom come for a visit next week. If not, I'll return them for store credit. 

Mid-week I finally got off my butt and ventured downstairs to finish the caulking and start the sanding process. The closet in the new room, the door frames, and the other bedroom were caulked, and the sanding was completed in the main room, hallway and laundry room the first day. I had been working for about an hour when my brother called, and I decided I was done for the day at that point. When the call finished I went out to deck to read. It was raining but I have top area under the overhang of the sunroom. Oh it was so nice to sit and enjoy the fresh air. 

I finished the book, Back Fire by Catherine Coulter. It is billed as an FBI thriller, and a thriller it was. There were quite a few twists and turns and by the last few chapters I didn't want to put it down. Of course, I knew the story would end well, but it still had me  I'll definitely look for more books by her in the future.

Beyond that I've been doing more knitting on my tank top and I started a cowl with some yarn I picked up on sale some time ago. I have enough I should be able to make two cowls. They may end up being gifts - I probably won't donate these.  The baseball and junior hockey has kept me entertained most evenings (and some afternoons) so I can sit and knit and look up at the television when something important happens.

I harvested my first container of potatoes and was very pleasantly surprised to find I had over fourteen pounds of potatoes from one container. We don't normally eat a lot of potatoes and a five pound bag usually lasts us a couple of weeks. I doubt I can keep these for more than two weeks in back of the cupboard so I told my son we'll be eating more potatoes for the next while. There is no storage in this house cool enough for them to keep. I recall when I was a child, we had bags and bags of potatoes in the cellar that fed us all winter. Even thinking about it, I can smell that aroma of dirt and potatoes and remember the feel of the burlap bag they were kept in. And yes, we did have potatoes for dinner that evening. 

It was a little cooler on Thursday morning, so I headed out for a walk. There were a few ducks at the creek, but the water level is pretty low. I was hoping to see the grebes and the pelicans at the pond and I got lucky. There was only the one pelican, but the family of grebes was on the water. I was a bit worried as the water level had been raised and their original nest appeared to have been flooded. So seeing them was a real treat.

The grebes were a distance away from the shore so it's not the best photo. There were actually three small ones, the other was way ahead of the rest of the group.

I've no idea what is in the pond to feed on, but it is obviously enough even for this large bird.

It's childish of me, but I always get a kick out of the upside down ducks. I snapped off a number of shots but didn't all three underwater...does one look out for the others?

Most of the wildflowers have dried up or gone to seed, but this purple loosestrife on the edge of the pond seems to be at its peak. Considered a noxious weed, it tends to overtake native plants and isn't critter friendly. Such a shame because it is so pretty. 

Today, I've had a lovely chat with a friend, while getting in my walk. We got caught up on the happenings of each other's lives, our children's lives, and of course, how wonderful our grandchild/ren are. The baseball is on the television so my knitting needles will be kept busy. It's a lovely sunny day, with the temperature climbing - it's 26C (79F) at noon. I'll need to get out and water the containers and pick more tomatoes at some point. But for now I'm going to relax, have a bite to eat, and cheer on the Jays.

Have a great week ahead everyone!