So much to do

I had to chuckle; the post about blogger issues  garnered over 450 views and 15 comments. Much more than I normally see. Perhaps my content needs to change? I did find it interesting that some are having the same thing and others are not. In any event, I'll continue to write about the mundane moments of my life and toss in a rant every so often. 

We had a full week, though it started off quietly with Thanksgiving Monday. We'd had our big meal the day prior so dinner was easy, just leftovers. D and I did a bit of laundry (she washes/dries and I fold), and she unloaded, I loaded the dishwasher. Otherwise it was a restful day.

I did a five hour shift at the thrift store on Tuesday. There were more than the unusual number of volunteers as we were preparing for the annual fall/winter sale on Saturday. Three ladies were in another area of the building unpacking the totes and hanging coats and sweaters, folding scarves and toques (I think others call them beanies?), and matching gloves, mitts and boots. These are items that have come in over the year and are stored until this sale.

My time was spent clearing racks in the store and walking them down to the other room. We certainly didn't clear out the store but were able to take 5 more racks out to use for the sale. I also did something that has frustrating me for weeks; I sorted the children's clothing racks by age, there are now spaces for 2T-5T, 6-8, and 10-14. Not only was it all jumbled together, I found adult clothing mixed in too. It is easier to just stick things on racks, but this should make things easier for the parents to find what they need. 

I should note, we weren't sorting the regular donations that day, except to look through the bags for anything fall and winter related. It was a bit annoying to some as it means we'll be sorting those bags again in a few days. I tried to stay out of the way as much as possible and my self determined project in the store was helpful for that purpose. In the meantime, the donations have piled up in the sorting room, the back hallway AND in our coffee room. I can only imagine how much more shows up over the next week.

I'd had my tires rotated at the garage last week, and realized I'd only driven 7 kilometers (less than 4.5 miles), and needed to put 100 kms. on before the bolts could be re-torqued. So D and I decided to make a run to the next town over on Wednesday after Eli went to school. First though, we had our booster vaccines for both Covid and the flu. We hit up our favorite stores and were home in just under 3 hours, in time for lunch.

I found, in the night, that the arm with the Covid vaccine was quiet sore, especially when I rolled over and laid on it. But otherwise I had no serious reaction to either. I've found that continuing to keep moving my arms seems to resolve the tenderness. 

D and I dropped into the thrift store on Thursday morning. She was looking for clothing for a friend who has recently returned to work and has little that is business casual. The store was having a sale for $10 a basket; we filled those baskets to the brim, not only with clothing for her friend, but for Eli, D and I, as well as items for her friend S and her children. Here are the bags we brought home, with just under 60 pieces of clothing for $20! She mailed the package to K on Friday; she's receving six or seven pairs of dress pants and five or six tops. Even with the cost of postage, it cost less than a new outfit at a women's retail store. 

Knit and Natter was held on Thursday afternoon. G and I were joined by two young women. The youngest, has learned to spin her own yarn, and was knitting up a cable sweater for herself. The older sister was busy memorizing lines for a play she'll be participating in. I had finished the ornaments for my brother and SIL, so planned to started on a snowman that D requested. However the library recently acquired a decorative goose, named Willie Honka in a recent contest, that is in need of winter wear. While I was there I made a crocheted scarf, with fringe. Earlier this week, I'd tried to make a bell, that ended up looking more like a hat. I brought that home to add elastic so it will stay on Willie's head.

Definitely the final garden update: We had a heavy frost two nights this week, so it was time to pick whatever tomatoes we could and pull the plants. I so dislike pulling plants that have gone mushy from freezing. Here's our one and only pick from the cherry tomatoes. 

Friday was a very tiring day; I hadn't slept well through the night. On the bonus side, I nailed down my route for my travel to Yuma, had come up with a solution for a niggling problem, and had cleaned up after my cat threw up several times before my daughter woke and stepped in it. The latter was my fault, I'd given Eli ice cream for a bed time treat, and not reminded him to take his bowl to the kitchen. Saku loves anything dairy, anything dairy does not agree with him.  

After far too few hours of sleep, I had to be up and at it as I had agreed to help with the set-up for the Saturday sale. At the community center by 9 a.m., I worked alongside the rest of the volunteers until just after noon. Some came later in the morning, but there must have been 20 of us there. The gymnasium is an array of racks, tables, and shelving units holding all of the clothing. I did get a brief nap in the afternoon - I needed it.

Today, I'm heading back in for another shift at 9:30 a.m. A well-known fellow here in town died suddenly  From what I have heard, he was very involved in the community, active in his church, a volunteer fire fighter, played in a local band, and just a long-time resident. Many of the volunteers to attend the funeral, and one asked if I would replace her as a cashier, at least until 2 p.m. when they expect to be available. We are anticipating a good turn-out and will have two check-out areas staffed with extra people. 

This is anticipated to be our last day of nice weather, so back on home, it will be time to pull the remainder of the annuals. I'll miss the colour but we're waking to frost most mornings now. Time to get everything put away. My inner wimp is on high alert.

The day lilies have taken a beating from the frost, while the sweet peas on the fence are still going strong. Most of the deciduous trees have lost all of their leaves.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Winding down

Another full week is nearly in the books. If it seems like I am fixated on time recently, you are correct. The days before I leave for my winter home are passing quickly. I've got a to-do list that is growing shorter by the day, but seems to get added t as well. 

This week, I finished the ornaments for my niece and nephew, completed a short scarf to wear under a jacket, and started on crocheted Christmas ornaments. I also managed to find gifts for D and Eli (from Santa), for my brother and SIL, and ordered an Ancestry DNA test for D - this will be her gift from Eli. She agreed this was something she really wanted. The gifts I've ordered should arrive sometime early next week, so I'll get them wrapped and tucked away in the closet. 

Every year I buy Co-op gift cards for my niece and nephew for Christmas through Eli's school fundraiser. It ia held in late November so this year, D will purchase them for me and arrange to mail the gifts to my brother's family. I've made certain that everything I've made or purchased will be light weight and easy to mail. 

I've been through my food box, most of which I brought back from Arizona in the spring. These were items that would not have done well in the extreme heat; spices, oil, etc. Checking through the list of banned items, I discovered the chicken boullion cubes cannot cross the border as they contain chicken fat. Ooops! While it is unlikely this would result in anything more than a confiscation, should the officer even check the box, I'll be leaving them behind. I am taking a box of tea bags, a few packets of yeast, and a bag of flour with me. These didn't appear on the list of items that are banned.

Outdoors, I pulled two more containers of annuals as they were looking rather rundown. The Gerbera daisies and petunias are still looking great - I'll wait until a really hard frost or...heaven forbid, snow. There is some possibility of that horrid word in areas of the province this weekend. We may see some rain on Friday, but unless something changes I think the flowers will last another week or two.

Iin the meantime, my daughter has installed Halloween in the front yard. She had a bit of an accident one afternoon when she was mowing the front lawn. The large pumpkin is gone. I was hoping to get a nightime shot for you, but I keep forgetting.

I worked at the thrift store on Tuesday for nearly 5 hours. Oh my, did I hurt after that stint. I was on my feet for most of the time, and though we have fatigue mats in the sorting room, I also spent a fair amount of time moving racks and reorganizing clothing on the store racks and shelves. Again, the sorting room was full of donations, there were mounds out in the back hallway and at least two more loads came in from the bins during the time we were there.

It was also our "Halloween sale" where everything collected for the holiday since last year was put out in the hallway leading to the store. There were two racks, one of adult costumes, and one for children, along with anything decorative you can imagine on the tables. Adult costumes were $5, children costumes $3, and the decorations were $2. We didn't get rid of everything but it was well picked over when I left just before 3 p.m. 

D and Eli dropped by as one of the donations was a guitar, and he is interested in learning to play. For $5, it was a steal. She also brought home several pieces of clothing for herself, Eli, and for friends. Average price was 48 cents per piece. Then the thrift store posted a basket sale on Thursday for just $10 a basket...she went back again, with even more clothing. This time the average cost was 38 cents per piece. I'll deliver the items for S and her children when I go into the city. D will mail other items before Christmas to her friend K. (I don't need any more clothing, though I suspect I'll go thrifting in Yuma this winter).

Knit and Natter on Thursday was quiet, with just G and I there. I'll see her again next week, as that will be the last afternoon session. J, the librarian joined us briefly while she cleaned cushions from the couch in the children's area. They both said that the afternoon sessions get busier in the fall as people finish their gardening or lake trips, and have time to attend. This is in contrast to the group I attended in the city. Many were snowbirds, and with colder weather there were only two of us there for most of the last winter I attended. I'll likely drop by the library the week I'm in the city before I leave just to check in.

It's a long weekend here, with no school for Eli on Friday or next Monday. We'll have our Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday, with roast pork loin - it is the other white meat (did you ever see that advert?) We season it with sage and poultry seasoning and there will be mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, mixed veg, and fresh buns. In other words, too much food!

To my Canadian readers, enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend, however you choose to celebrate (or not). 

Have a great week ahead everyone! 

A slow week

This week was pretty quiet productivity wise. The temperature has dropped with morning lows of 1-4C/32-39F. The afternoons were decent, ranging between 13-19C/55-69F. I managed to get the garden bed weeded, the asparagus and chives and the regular lilies cut back on Sunday. But the rest of the week was pretty much a wash for yardwork. 

We did all the normal stuff; I picked up groceries on Monday, while D made a run for pellets (used for cat litter) and a couple of other errands. Tuesday was housework...we really are creatures of habit aren't we?

I hadn't slept well Monday night and had thought I'd have a brief nap while D and Eli were at equine therapy in the afternoon.  However, Stanley had other ideas. Somehow he got out the back door and went for an adventure. I thought I heard the door close and got up thinking D had forgotten something.  But they weren't there. Nor was the blanket.

What blanket, you may be asking? Stanley, too, has his habits. Every time his mom and boy leave the house Stanley grabs a blanket and hollers for a few minutes. I immediately headed out the door calling for Stanley. No sight of him. I came back in and checked all of the places he normally sleeps and some he doesn't. I did this a couple of times, indoors and out, shaking a treat bag and calling his name. No Stanley until my 4th trip to the yard. I spotted him sauntering across the neighbour's yard 2 doors down. The bugger saw and heard me when I called out but didn't stop. I caught up with him just outside the garage one more house down. Oh, he was mad to see me. He hissed and growled but apparently had enough sense not to scratch. I footballed him back to the house and gave him a couple of treats. I swear he took three years off my life...I could only imagine how upset D and Eli would have been had he not been found.

The photo on Wednesday was of Saku (18 1/2 years) and Spencer (about 3 1/2 years). D says Saku likes his space, and Spencer also likes Saku's space. He's a grouchy old man cat so I'm always surprised when he decides to let her settle nearby. The almost touching paws was particularly unusual. Tolerance is the goal with these two.

More housework on Wednesday, and I dropped some items off at the thrift store bin. Eli was at school until 2 p.m., and I picked him up so his mother could nap in the afternoon. While he played on his device, I sorted through the items I've put together to go south with me. I managed to wean out a container and a small box of stuff...though I'm certain I'm taking more than I'll need. The park has an annual garage sale in January - I can get rid of any extra things then.

There has been lots of activity at the houses on both sides of us. The good landlord (GL)has been emptying the house of all of the garbage, and I mean literal garbage, and other household items in preparation for a new tenant. GL told D that she has taken nine trailer loads to the landfill and expects she'll need to take at least one more. Apparently the previous tenant bagged his garbage and threw it in the basement - though were lots of bags found in the garage when he first left. They lived there for almost two years...I'll let you use your imagination.

The new tenant moved in on Thursday and had lots of help. There were at least two half tons and a couple of SUVs used to move her items. She likes colour - her dresser is pink and there was a very colourful chair brought it. I told D the two of them can bond over those items. :) Apparently, the unpacking continued until 2 a.m, at least, as D said she heard music though it wasn't loud. I slept through it.

On the other side, the house that seemed to have been used as a transitional house has being emptied out. The original tenants were there with a number of other individuals. They've taken away two U-Haul truck loads, and returned on Thursday to remove a pile of debris, mattresses, couch, chairs, etc. that had been lingering in the yard for weeks.

I do have another garden update! If you recall I shared that a few tomato plants showed up in the perennial bed. I'd tossed a few rotten tomatoes in the bed and forgot about them. Well, they bloomed, and more surprisingly have set fruit. We're having to cover the plants as temperatures are dipping near freezing, but we may just be getting cherry tomatoes in a week or two. :)

Thursday afternoon was Knit and Natter at the library. I finished the first ornament at home, with the backing (red felt) and a cord to cover the edges. I was able to finish the cross-stitch on the second ornament at the library, so I should have that one complete this week. Of course, I've started another project! I want a short scarf to tuck into a jacket and had a ball of orange yarn I felt would give me the length I needed. 

Eli was home from school on both Thursday and Friday with a head cold. His mom may be coming down with it too, but I feel fine. In any event, Friday was a fairly quiet day, Eli and I were up early while his mom slept. We definitely had frost overnight, it was only 1C/33F when I checked the temperature. Brrr!

I did get out in the early afternoon to bring in the geranium. I alsos removed some annuals that were dying back. There are six containers still with annuals outside; I'll continue to water them occasionally until they show signs of frost damage. The rest of the outdoor furniture was put away in the shed.

Today looks to be the same kind of easy day. A bit of cross 3, some crochet and sports to watch. The Riders played last night but I didn't watch until the end...too nerve wracking.

Time ticking by

Another week is nearly in the rear view mirror. When I look back, it seems this summer went by so very quickly. Yet, at the beginning of summer it seemed we had so much time for all the plans we tentatively made. But with Eli's activities, our house and garden work, and my volunteering, there wasn't a whole lot of time remaining for other possibilities. We did make the one trip to a town nearby for the parade, garage sales, and swimming pool. 

This month, too, is flying by. In spite of no time required at the thrift store this month, I've still managed to fill the time. There won't be any more garden updates, as I brought the carrots in this week. While I still need to cut back the asparagus ferns (they are laid out on the garden over winter), and I'll plant garlic, lily, and tulip bulbs closer to the end of the month, this season is coming to an end.

The Manitoba maple tree leaves are starting to turn yellow. It is the last to leaf out in the spring and the first to drop its leaves in the fall. While it is sad in some ways, I can use the leaves to protect some newer perennials, the clematis, spirea, and the hosta. I appreciate how nature takes care of its own.

Indoors, I've been puttering. My closet got cleaned out and reorganized, as did the cabinets that hold the spice jars and various baking incredients. When I had finished that job, I showed D how it was organized. Fingers crossed she keeps things up. :)

Eli and his mom finished the back of the teacher's Christmas ornaments, so I was able to finish putting the last of them. D has tucked them away for later. My cross-stitching is continuing to be a slow process. But I am determined to have these finished by mid-October. My brother and SIL may not get one but the niece and nephew will. Since most of the gifts I am planning to give are gift cards, I will be able to wrap up Christmas before I head south. Eli's gift was purchased months ago, and D has asked for a dashcam for her SUV. In other words, she'll arrange the purchase and installation and I'll pay for it. :)

I'm planning to head to the city on October 25th, to spend a few days with my son, his g/f, the granddog and her kitties. There are few things I want to do while I'm there, meet with a few friends, purchase those aforementioned gift cards, and finish the preparations for the trip to Yuma. It seems like a long way away right now, but I suspect that time will pass quickly as it did this summer.

I did get out of the house a couple of times this week. On Monday, I made a trip to NTO for groceries and a stop at the $ store for items, our local store doesn't carry. Btw, Wednesday's photo was from the $ store....my jaw almost hit the floor when I turned the corner to find both Halloween AND Christmas!

The grocery list was heavy with items for baking, and wow have the prices gone crazy. A small bag of Chipits was $6.44 at Walmart - it was $7.49 at our Independent grocer. That works out to between $4.20-5.33 in USD. As you might expect, I didn't buy any. D will keep an eye out for sales later this fall. Oddly, I cannot find Eli's favorite apples, Red Delicious, in any store besides our Independent Grocer. I needed to make a stop there and at the local Co-op when I returned to our town for some sale items. 

On Thursday D and I did some shopping. First up I made a stop at the grocery store for more fruit and milk, then the two of us headed to the Legion hall for the Friends of the Library book sale. I found three paperbacks, while D managed to find several treasures including more books for Eli.  Later we headed to the thrift store after seeing they were having a sale - a basket for $12. We agreed to share a basket and between the two of us, we filled it quite quickly. I found five pieces, she found another 20-25 items for Eli and two of her friend's children. 

D immediately grabbed a nightgown, while I kept two tops, a pair of leggings, and a t-shirt dress. I loved the pattern on the front of the dress.

On the way home, D dropped me off at the library for Knit and Natter. Just G and I again, but one of the librarians joined us for part of the time. Lots of chat about the weather, books, and crafts. 

Friday was a mostly quiet day, some housework was completed, and I worked on the Christmas ornaments for my niece and nephew. I realized I am missing two colours for the one ornament, but I managed to backstitch a portion of it. I'll pick up the last floss when I go the city, as I'll be seeing my brother when I'm there. 

Stanley, the cat is healing though not as quickly as D would like. He's been through his course of meds. But he hasn't been eating very much. We've been mixing the vet food with the Fancy Feast..he'd eat a little and walk away. I tried feeding him just the vet food and he refused it entirely. So I gave him the regular and he ate some but not all of it. D called the vet and has an appointment for Monday for a check-up.

As for today, our football team is on a bye week but there are two CFL games to watch. I'll do more stitching while I glance at the television..as I'm not invested in the games. Have a great week ahead everyone!

Weather woes, cat worries, and lots of harvesting

We got rain, a lot of it, over Sunday and Monday. The first day we saw 52 millimeters and the following day another 20 millimeters. That is approximately 3 inches in total. The worst of it was the inch or so that fell in less than an hour on Sunday. Again, we had water in the basement, through the one window well. I'm considering digging out the well and added a layer of heavy plastic to cover the bottom and sides, then a layer of rock, and replacing the window well cover. The one I have doesn't fit snugly so I'll have to do some finagling to get it to fit better. There's a bit of a low spot in the pavement which creates an issue I can't correct. The window and it's rotting wooden frame is the big issue, but that will have to wait until spring to be dealt with. 

Regina had a deluge of even more rain. I've heard four inches on Sunday alone. A friend posted video of her street; their car had water up past the wheel wells, and across the street cars had been moved by the current and were perpendicular to the sidewalk. More fell on Monday, and my son called to tell me his basement was flooding as well. He contacted a plumber who came out and removed the drain cover to allow the water to flow. C is going to have to arrange to have a sump pump installed soon, and this was a good reminder to him why he needs to clean the gutters regularly!

Tuesday started out with a bit of sun but it soon clouded over. Oh, and the wind! My corn stalks were nearly blown over by this point. The gazebo frame had been pulled out of the pots of sand that we use to stablilize them - thank goodness we have it staked down too, or I think it might have ended up a few doors down. 

I did my grocery shopping, mostly sale items and D dropped her vehicle off at the dealership for some warranty work. What was supposed to take about 45 minutes stretched on into the afternoon. Part of this was a software update that took far longer than expected. We did a bit of housework in the morning before Eli came home from school at noon. Then the two of them were off to equine therapy and Eli's haircut. That meant I had much of the afternoon to myself.

Wednesday, we had sun in the morning, hooray! But it also started with some not so needed excitement. Stanley, D's cat - age 11, was exhibiting behaviours that had us thinking he had a blockage of some sort. A few years ago, she lost her Sheldon to a twisted bowel, and of course, our minds went to the worst case scenario. She called the local vet office when they opened at 7:30 and we were able to take him in immediately. The vet's examination indicated a urinary tract blockage and surgery was required. By lunchtime, they had called to say the surgery went well, he was cranky but resting. He remained at the clinic until the following day.

Meanwhile I kept D outside after she dropped Eli at school. We took down the gazebo, dug potatoes, picked the remaining tomatoes and cucumbers, and put away some of the decorative items. The cucumbers were quite the surprise as the two were well hidden in the foliage. Both are overripe, one more so than the other. I plan to keep the largest one on the counter for a few days and harvest seeds from it for planting next year. 

I continued to toil away when she'd had enough, then I harvested the basil and oregano, and weeded the raised beds. Everything was cleared out except the marigolds, oregano, and the green onions. The latter were left for harvesting on Thursday. I determined that the oregano is hardy to Zone 4. We're more in Zone 3 than 4, but with a good covering of straw and leaves, I'm hopeful it will survive the winter.

In the evening, I headed to the library for Knit and Natter. Another new woman joined me, she hasn't knitted in 40 years but thought she'd try it again. Good on her! She brought her knitting needles, some yarn and a few patterns. After some thought, she decided to start with a slouch beanie, knit flat and seamed. The pattern was a lousy one (in my mind) as it didn't give instructions for the number of stitches required to start. I recommended she start with a swatch to decide the opening row. I worked on my cross-stitch ornament. It is taking forever as I have to change colours frequently. Also, because I have had time to work on it at home either.

Thursday morning was busy, with more harvesting of corn and green onions. I didn't have great luck with the corn, just six small cobs. That was likely my fault because I planted it in rows and apparently they prefer to be planted in a square pattern. I also planted them behind the potatoes which grew faster than the corn and shaded them for a good part of the summer. We'll get a decent feed from them, as part of our Sunday dinner this week.

Potatoes were peeled for hash browns, and after blanching set on a tray to dry a bit before going into the freezer. The green onions were cleaned; some went into the fridge for use this week, while the rest was chopped up to be frozen. I added about a tablespoon to the slots in an ice cube tray, then added a bit of water to cover. We can use those over the next while in various dishes. 

I had washed and dried the basil the day prior, along with dehyrdrating the oregano. D and I made a small batch of pesto with the basil. Friday night's dinner is a chicken pizza and we'll be using the pesto as the base. It tasted delicious on the spoon, so I was sure it would be fantastic on the pizza.

D and Eli left to go to NTO about 2 p.m. and I took advantage of their absence to sweep and mop the kitchen floor. I'm not the neatest prep cook. :) After a bit of a rest, I headed over to the vet clinic to pick up Stanley. After I paid the bill and got instructions, they asked if I would go to the back to get him into the carrier for the ride home. Apparently, he'd been quite cranky with them. He seemed pretty happy to see me, but still fought going into the carrier a little. But he didn't fuss at all on the way home. I brought him into the house to the front porch as we'll keep him isolated from Spencer and Saku for a few days. Of course, they're curious and he wants to be in the main part of the house. Trying to get in and out of the porch without a cat escaping can be a challenge. 

The librarian had given me a bag of white onions on Wednesday evening (in exchange for some tomatoes...though she didn't need to do that). Friday morning, was spent peeling and chopping onions, some were carmelized and some were dehydrated for onion powder. The remaining half dozen were tucked in the pantry for cooking. When cooled the majority of the carmelized onions were placed in ice cube trays for future use, though I put some in a bag for our pizza. It was a very flavourful pizza with pesto, carmelized onions, BBQ chicken and of course, ooey gooey cheese. :)

Meanwhile I also cut up more potatoes for French fries. Some became my lunch. They do take a little longer to air fry, but definitely worth it to me. There is still a container of potatoes to be dealt with. We'll have some with our Sunday dinner, but I suspect I'll be making more hashbrowns and fries over the next several days. I do wish we had some cold storage! Next year, I'll just plant a couple of hills.

Garden update: The only thing remaining to be brought in are the carrots. We may see a mild frost this weekend, so I'll leave them out until early next week. Mom always said they tasted sweeter after the first frost. I must say the ones I've had so far were plenty sweet...but one should listen to their mother, right?

I'll keep watering the flower containers (has not been needed this week since the rain). But it won't be long before the plants start dying back. I'll pull a few more marigold seeds and perhaps the pansies. The good landlord has given me permission to harvest seeds from their hollyhocks as well. 

There are four CFL games on Saturday - I'm guessing scheduling has something to do with the NFL. Hence, I'll be doing not much of anything. Maybe I can work on my cross-stitch.

This post is getting incredibly long...and probably very boring. I'll end it now with a photo of my granddog Sage and her bestie, Kota. 

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Goodbye August

The end of August already? Our summer is nearly over, though we don't count it done until after the long weekend (Labour Day) which falls on the 7th of September this year. 

Interestingly, the provincial government, in power since 2007, legislated that school was not to be in session until after the long weekend. Apparently no one could read, or perhaps, understand how the calendar works. If school started on September 8, classes would run until July. That's not allowed either, so I'm assuming they've made an exception. D had a meeting with the school team on Friday, and it certainly sounds like they are ready for Eli's return. He will start with part days with a gradual increase to full days, hopefully by October.  She learned he has a new E.A. this year, along with a new school counsellor. The principal isn't entirely new, as he filled in for last year's principal when he was ill, and was a teacher at the school for many years prior.

Something else that is confused is the lilac I planted a few weeks ago. It is blooming!

My week flew by. It started Monday with the cleaning shift at the thrift store. We arrived to a van being unloaded into the bin, and found a huge mound of donations in the sorting room. I worked there this week, leaving the cleaning to others. It was another week of sending wrinkled clothing to Value Village, we just don't have the room for everything. G and N opened boxes and bags containing glassware and household items. N had told one of the board members that we needed to hold a glassware sale a few weeks ago...it didn't happen and now we have even more of it!

Tuesday was housework day, as it has been the last few weeks. I've totally forgotten what I did on Wednesday - probably not a whole lot. Thursday we were up early in the morning to head to Regina. D hadn't heard from the doctor's office in time to arrange for a blood test at the hospital for Eli - for genetic testing - but had arranged to have eye exams for the two of them. 

We stopped at my son's place first to drop off a couple of things. I was glad to see B (g/f) was working from home that day. Sadly, Oliver, her 17 year old cat had passed away the previous morning. It's hard losing of our fur babies. After a hug or two, we headed out.

Next up was the bank where D was able to get a new debit card, then to Walmart for shampoo and conditioner. She is quite concerned that the upcoming tariffs will increase the price so bought enough to last several months. I picked up my preferred brand - just a couple of bottles. While there I popped into the Magicuts to make an appointment for a haircut. Our last stop was Costco, where she shopped and mainly stuck to our list, while Eli and I had a bite to eat. 

We made it to the optometrist office in good time, where I dropped the two of them, and drove back to the hairdresser. I was in and out quickly, arriving to pick them up, within a few minutes of them leaving the office. We left at 8 a.m. and were home by 3 p.m. (3 hours driving with a couple of brief stops for construction) so we ccomplished a lot in a short amount of time! 

I didn't sleep well that night, up from 2 - 5 a.m., and was up at 6 to feed the cats. D and Eli were up shortly thereafter but I managed to doze off and sleep until 9. That's the latest I've slept in a very long time. Remember when you were a teenager and could sleep until noon? Or was that just me?

The day's entertainment was watching a crew of two work on the garage roof of the LND (landlord next door). Did I tell you he has the property listed for sale? It is way overpriced for the community and I doubt he'll see a sale until he reduces it. Meanwhile the family that was living there appears to have moved on, but the original renters have been back and forth though don't seem to be staying overnight. Some mattresses were taken out but otherwise we haven't seen a lot of household items being removed. Their lease is up on Monday so we'll see what happens next.

Back to the entertainment. I was making my breakfast as they started work to remove the shingles. Clearly whoever did the work last failed to put the paper under the shingles and they were having a heck of a time peeling the shingles off. AND then there were the holes in the roof! By late afternoon they had replaced the rotten plywood and laid the paper. 

Garden update: 

On Saturday, I dug two hills of potatoes and picked three more tomatoes. I had chopped up six tomatoes earlier in the morning, which made 4 cups, added a teaspoon of garlic per 2 cups, and placed in freezer bags. D makes this awesome pasta recipe (it was a viral Tiktok video) last week. It calls for the tomatos, garlic, and onion to be placed in a oven proof dish with a block of feta, baked for 20 minutes or so, stirring every so often. Add the pasta, salt and pepper to taste and serve - though we do add a bit of grated Parmesan. It is easy and delicious, especially served with marinated grilled chicken.

Back to the garden, I yanked up dying lettuce, the pepper plants that did nothing, and the patio lilies. The latter did nothing except get bug bitten, but I did keep the bulbs to replant somewhere else in the yard later this fall.

My corn has very small cobs forming. Since we're expecting decent weather for a few weeks yet, I'll leave them be for now. I checked my carrots and many are looking to be a good size. 

Christmas preparations are continuing. I finished three of the ornaments for the educators, and started another ornament for my nephew/niece. I decided the first cross-stitch pattern was larger than I liked. These won't be more than a couple of inches in diameter and should hang nicely on the tree. Eli is printing his name on the back and his mom is adding other details. As they do their thing, I'll complete the ornaments.

For other gifts, I've been looking at a website started by Tod Maffin of Nanaimo, B.C. He asked small businesses to contact him, provide a short 10 second video of their products, and has created a database of these companies. Many of them will be impacted by the tarriffs and countertarrifs that have been applied as a result of the recent trade talks. There is everything from arts and crafts to clothing, paper goods to household items, jewellry, tools, and so much more.  Supporting these small businesses is important, not only for the financial aspect but as a show of support for Canadian sovereignty. Many of these businesses ship to Canada and the United States, and some even worldwide. If you are interested the website is mainstreet.todmaffin.com. Scroll down the page to view the various sites or sort by category.  Each time I've visited there are even more options to look at. 

Well, I'm a day late and probably a dollar or two short. Even so, it has been a good week with a few things accomplished. The gardens continue to delight me, though I may be sick and tired of tomatoes shortly. Too soon, it will be time to clear the garden beds and put away all the garden tools and decorations for the winter. 

We're expecting rain today, up to 30 millimeters, about 1.2 inches. It will be an indoor day!

Have a great rest of your weekend everyone.

Wordy Wednesday - a trip review

My visit with friends, S and P, was wonderful. The drives there and back, not as much. On the way there, my windshield took a rock hit from a passing semi causing a decent sized chip. I'll be taking it into the auto glass shop to determine if the chip can be filled, or if I need to replace the entire windshield. On the way home, I ran into heavy rain about two hours from home. There a a lightning storm to the north as well. By the time I reached the turn-off to the secondary highway (about 45 minutes from home), the sun was breaking through. 

Our visit made up for all of that. I arrived about 5 p.m. on Thursday, and after a tour of their lovely home, and some catching up, we headed out to East Side Marios for dinner. I haven't been to that chain for a number of years and we all enjoyed our meals. After dinner, we stopped at Walmart while P ran in to pick up dog food for their shih tzu pup, Bop.  Back at the house we watched some television, before we all went to bed early. S takes a pain reliever around 8:30 p.m. and is ready for sleep by 9.

Despite the early bedtime, I slept in until 7:30 the next morning. I hadn't slept well the night prior and coupled with the long drive, I needed the extra sleep. After our breakfast (toast and tea/coffee), S and I did some laundry and tidied up the laundry room. They recently purchased a new washer and dryer. These things have more bells and whistles than some automobiles! The dryer had options for refresh and steam, as well as about 5 settings for heat levels. S changed the load between the two machines, I folded and hung the laundry the laundry, then P was responsible to put it away.

I had brought along some yarn for a crochet project, but quickly discovered it wasn't the appropriate weight. S and I went to Dollarama where I found what I needed, then the two of us went on a walk about through Home Depot and then Walmart. She and P are looking to replace the upper portion of their deck (floor and railings) so she was checking prices at HD. Let me just say, I'm grateful I'm not the one who will be buying! Over at Walart, I found a pair of outdoor cushions for our bench for $3 each, and two t-shirts and a pair of shorts for Eli, also on clearance. 

After lunch (leftovers) we watched television, and I crocheted, until about 4 p.m. when we took our cold drinks out to the front deck. P built it a few years ago because their back deck faces south and it gets very hot throughout the day. The afternoon temperature reached 28C (82F) - sitting in the shade of the house was pleasant. Bop thought so too.

That evening, P made us dinner, panko breaded chicken with roasted veg, and a garlic mayo sauce. Included in the vegetables were yellow tomatoes he grew in the garden. Oh my, were they delicious, as was the rest of the meal. 

On Saturday, S and I drove out to Ol' MacDonald's Resort near Erskine, Alberta. It's an amazing campground with beach access, several playgrounds, an arcade, movie theatre, a mini-golf course. In addition there is a small convenience store and restaurant. It pretty much has it all! There are group sites where families and friends can gather, with access to a dining area, a fire pit and close to showers and restrooms. It also hosts a farmer's markets on summer Saturdays. S has been a vendor selling teas for a couple of years. She was able to catch up with several people. I picked up a jar of slime for Eli and S bought coffee for P. We stopped at the restaurant for lunch, as P had recommended the burgers. Sadly, they are no longer made fresh so it was a bit of a miss.

We were back in Camrose about 3:30 p.m. just in time for a Happy hour on the front deck. P had made a decision we were going out for dinner again that evening. We went to a local restaurant owned and operated by a former cruise chef and his wife. I certainly wasn't disappointed with my salmon, rice and vegetables. After I had eaten, I headed off towards the ladies room but tried to go the front counter to pay for our meal first. That darned P - he saw where I was headed and got there first, though he did let me contribute the tip. I can thoroughly recommend the Monte Carlo for the food, the service, the ambience, and the reasonable prices.  

Sunday I was up early, packed and out the door by 8:30 a.m. I had thought I might stop at a landslide site about 90 minutes out but changed my mind once I was on the road. I did stop in Saskatoon at Michaels to pick up some DMC cotton. That was a bad idea because of the ctonstruction! But I eventually I made it out to the highway and headed for home. By this point it was beginning to rain, but lightly. That changed just over an hour later when it started coming down in sheets. Visibility was poor so I kept my speed a little lower than the limit. The best part of the rain is it cleared the front of my vehicle and windshield of the bugs. I arrived home just after 5 p.m. Bedtime came early that night too.

Family fun, neighbours, and harvesting

Good golly, Miss Molly! August is half over, and today is the anniversary of my maternal grand-mother's birthday. She was born in 1906 near a small community in southern Saskatchewan. Her parents and two older siblings had moved from Grey County in Ontario to Saskatchewan about 1905, when the youngest child was a year old. Her parents went on to have five more children, the youngest of which died at birth and her mother passed away less than a week later. Nan was sent to live with relatives, though I've not been able to determine which family she spent time with. Great-grandpa married soon after and had another six children with his second wife.

When I started writing this post, I hadn't thought I'd be sharing family history, but the date brought to mind my grandmother. She refused to be called Grandma, hence she was called Nan. She was a tall woman and quite strict. She kept a weighted paddle hanging on the wall, and we children knew it could be used if we didn't behave. On the other hand, she spent hours teaching and playing Canasta with us on Sunday afternoons. She and Grandpa always came to the farm for Sunday dinners.  Sadly, she died when I was only 13, so my memories are few.

Back to today, or at least this week, it passed by in a flash. Monday is merely a blip in my memory, though I do now recall we cleared out the storage area in the basement, and I went into the thrift store to clean for a couple of hours. 

Tuesday was a busy day. D and I drove into NTO, dropping Eli off at his morning program before heading to the stores to do a bit of browsing and shopping. Later we brought lunch to Eli, which he ate in the car before he went off with the afternoon program to play mini-golf at a nearby provincial park. It had rained in the morning, but cleared up nicely for them. 

Meanwhile D and I headed to a sit-down restaurant for lunch. We relaxed, read the news to each other (we're weird like that), I watched a bit of Blue Jays baseball, and enjoyed a leisurely meal. Before we picked up Eli, we stopped to pick up a head of garlic for planting in the garden. I'd found it advertised in FB, and the woman had harvested dozens of heads of garlic. I'll be planting it once I've removed the pea plants. I thought the peas were done but they are blooming again.

We picked up Eli and were home about 4 p.m. where we were met by three hungry and vocal cats. :p After unpacking our purchases, I fed the cats, washed dishes and we all collapsed for the remainder of the day.

The photo on Wednesday was taken at the pool on Saturday. We had such a great day; there was a parade, garage sales, lunch at a Chinese restaurant, and ended with time at the pool. The photo shows the portion of the pool that is considered the lazy river. There is nothing lazy about it - when one enters the space the water pulls you into the current and one has to be careful not to bump into others sharing the space. Eli does enjoy it very much, but first he had to go down the water slide a few times.

This is the waterslide. Since I've never been one and there were two slides, I decided I'd join Eli in the fun. Ha! It all was fine until I reached the spot where the slide dropped...I shouted OMG and fell onto my back which sent me shooting out into the water. First and last time I ever do that!

The parade was short but fun, with Eli the recipient of many pieces of candy tossed from the vehicles. There was a police car, a couple of firetrucks, several older vehicles, and a float carrying a few Ukranian dancers. Other dancers were dancing on the street alongside the float. 

Garage sales were meh to interesting. One of the best, though we didn't buy a lot, was a house where the current owners had been left with many of the previous owners possessions. There was jewellry, kitchen gadgets, china tchotskes, and everything CHRISTMAS! One went through the garage, into the back yard where the Christmas items were laid out on the grass and in the garden shed. I do know we bought some labels, and maybe a small wreath. Prices were reaonable. The husband mentioned he's tired of living with all of this stuff.

Back to the remainder of the week. Eli had his activities; library program and the last of his morning program on Thursday in NTO. D and I cleared out an area in the basement where Matt will be removing the wall next to the furnace and putting a new wall to create another storage space. This will allow D (or I) to access the area that tends to collect water when we get a heavy rain. Plus D will have room to store toys - she plans on using see-through tubs that Eli can access easily. One of our purchases this week was two 6 foot shelving units that fit bins.

I spent the late afternoon and evening with my cousin B and her husband G. They arrived at the Yorkton City camp grounds mid-afternoon, and were set up by the time I arrived. They are driving a Class A motorhome and towing a Jeep. They've got a large octagonal gazebo where they keep out the bugs and use their propane firepit. Inside the motorhome, they have a king sized bed! The latter was apparently a must have, along with proper cloth storage. Pretty nice, and if you've got to camp, that might work for me. :)

Friday was a quiet day - I worked on some Christmas ornaments for Eli's teachers and E.A.'s. I'll show you these when I actually finish a few. At the moment I'm crocheting all the pieces and will put them together later. I also did a very important job - Eli's kitten stuffie had sprung a small leak. As I told him, it now has a scar but it's all better now. 

Garden update: I've been harvesting lettuce and cucumbers every couple of days. The tomatoes are finally starting to ripen, and to my delight the corn is starting to show silk. I thinned out the carrots and pulled a few small ones and I ate them, yum! The red onions stems seem to be falling over, which I'm told are a sign they are done. I dug up a few on Friday - they look more like shallots than onions but we'll use them in salads anyway. The rain in the forecast for Friday didn't amount to much, just enough to give everything a decent watering.

Next door GL (good landlord) has been working hard to remove the garbage and other items from the garage. She told D there was a good year's worth of garbage that never made it to bin, and it was never wheeled to the street for pick-up. The homemade trailer they are using has been filled at least six to seven times, not only with garbage, but mattresses, bed frames, tables, chairs, and so forth. GL says she'll need to fumigate the garage now that area is cleared. The trailer has been moved closer to the house and I suspect we'll seem the trailer filled multiple times.

AND LND (landlord next door) has listed his property for sale! He did this a couple of years ago, but pulled it off the market in just a few days so I'm not holding my breath. He texted to mention he'd like to have the fence built on the other side but Matt has told him he hasn't the time this season. I didn't have the information of the other fellow so he'll have to find someone else on his own. So much for saying that a fence doesn't improve the resale value...or at least that's my thought. The realtors were by on Thursday and it wasn't long before someone showed up whipper snip the weeds in the dog run (some were 5 feet tall) and in the xeriscaped area on the side of the house. I'm not sure if he sprayed as well, but so far the perennial bed isn't showing any ill effects.

Today, I've no real plans for the day. I should get the spirea into the ground and perhaps do a little more weeding. There is a Rider game this evening, with an earlier game...so I might end up planted on the couch where I can continue crocheting. 

Have a great week ahead everyone!

A cool but entertaining week

Who turned down the thermostat? From the highs of 32C/90F to a week where 19C/66F was the best we could do, I went through a bit of weather shock. I even put on socks in the morning (at 10C/50F I felt the need). BTW, if you haven't noticed, I'm rarely happy with the weather...it's a Saskatchewan thing. Eli had his second week of swimming lessons, but spent more time out of the pool than in. 

We did get out on Monday to do some yardwork. D took care of tree branches that were overhanging the front sidewalk and the garage out back, as well as cutting out a smaller elm tree that was growing among the roses. I'd got some of the branches of the elm tree last week but the trunk was too big around for my clippers. To assist I hauled branches to the brush pile - we'll have all of it hauled away in the next couple of weeks along with the bags of yard waste from my weeding efforts. D also cleaned gutters on the garage and on one side of the house. Our ladder is only 6 feet tall (picked up at a garage sale) and the house gutters are difficult to get to - we'll have to keep our eyes open for an 8 foot stepladder. She did a great job and we didn't have to pay someone to do the work!

As a result I didn't make it into the thrift store on Monday for the cleaning day. Next week for sure! With the cooler weather I've been spending more time indoors; I've caught up on my budget spreadsheets, updated a document of personal information, and spent a lot of time on Ancestry. I thought I was getting close to reviewing all of the hints available, but every time I'd re-open the program there would be more. I'm not liking the changes they've made though - they've made the review of hints more onerous and there are some hints that are so clearly incorrect...I'll bet money more AI is "helping" with the collection. 

Wednesday, the city showed up in the morning to (finally) clear the empty lots across the street.  We had contacted the commissionaire in the spring about the height of the grass and weeds, but nothing was done until now. It took a good 90 minutes for the fellow on the mower to knock it all down and run over it a couple more times to mulch it. Meanwhile another worker used the weedwhacker to edge the sidewalk, and removed some low branches on the trees. The after and before photos below will give you and idea of how tall the grass and weeds had gotten.  

Later I attended Knit and Natter in the evening. When I arrived the part-time librarian S and a 9 year old boy were waiting for me. They asked if I could teach them to crochet or knit. Oh my, I'm not much of a teacher but we all tried. N (the boy) couldn't get a handle on how to hold the crochet hook, but we got him started on a pair of knitting needles. I showed him a simple way of casting on which he managed well enough (just 10 stitches). He struggled with the first knit row, so I knit it for him demonstrating the technique. I was impressed as he was able to carry on for four or five rows. He did add a few extra stitches and dropped one or two, but for a first attempt he did great. S picked up the crochet hook and made a chain but gave up when she started the single crochet row. She watched a few videos on her phone while we chatted and I kept an eye on N's progress. 

Thursday evening the landlord next door (not the fence landlord) arrived to start the clean-up of the property. (I'll call her GL - short for good landlord). If you recall the tenant left in May and the landlord went through the proper channels to officially evict him by the end of June. GL told D she had then gone through the authorities to determine what could be done with the possessions he left behind. The provinicial authority has given her permission to get rid of things. She and D went into the house, and it was clear he had taken only items that were useful to him and left pretty much everything that were the children's including their beds, toys, and much of their clothing. There was also a nearly full pantry of food! Yet we never saw him bring more than a few bags of food into the house. It turns out that almost everything in the house was donated to the family. The deacon of the Catholic church was by as well, and has agreed to to pick up and storee some of the more useful items to pass on to other needy families in the community.

I suspect it will take GL a few weeks to clear out the trash and other items from the house. She has another tenant who will be moving in when the property is ready. We're told she, the new tenant, is quiet and respectful and very clean. D and I are both looking forward to meeting her.

On the other hand, the rental unit on the other side has been interesting for different reasons. The original renters, two elderly people, seem to be running some sort of a short term transistion home. Neither R or K actually live there, instead there have been two different family groups in the last six months or so. It started with the son, then his three children and is now a family of four, parents and two children. At the end of the school year, the first group of children left with someone we assume is their mother. The son disappeared shortly thereafter and now this new family has moved in. R shows up on a weekly basis with groceries. Not sure what is happening there but the LND has already said he doesn't care who lives there so long as the rent is paid on time.

Garden update: I've continued to water every evening, though this week it's much less frequent and less volume. Picking included peas, cucumbers and more lettuce. The latter is amazing me, I cut it one day and it seems to fill in the next. The corn is showing tassles but still no silk. Hopefully I'll see signs of ears soon. The potato plants are starting to die back, so I expect I'll be harvesting those by the end of the month. Tomatoes continue to fill out but have yet to start ripening.

I've written notes in my gardening journal about the successes and failures (thus far) so that I can plan better for next year. Radish and peppers will be grown in containers, with the goal of keeping both in more shaded areas. The cucumbers have nearly outgrown their trellis (as did the peas) so I'll be looking for better and taller supports. I've also made a list of annuals to purchase next year...and that includes gerbera daisies! 

Today we're off to a community an hour away. They are having a parade and a town wide garage sale. We know Eli will enjoy the parade, and D and I are hopeful we'll find some treasures. This is the community that has a swimming pool with a lazy river as well as waterslides. Hopefully we'll be able to make a stop there as well. 

Have a great week ahead everyone!

The heat is on!

The past weekend was stupid hot (for us at least), so while I did go out and water, the rest of the day(s) were spent indoors. Thankfully, the mini heat wave ended overnight and Monday morning was perfect. I got outdoors and finished weeding the rock areas. I also got the rest of the plants in the ground. The patio lilies were split in three and planted in the new perennial bed. That bed still has lots of weeds, but I'll work on it later and add some mulch. 

The lilac bush took some digging. I'm putting it up in the "ugly" area that was xeriscaped, so that meant I needed to remove a portion of the rocks, cut back the weed barrier (which as you know is pretty much useless after a few years), and dig a hole for the bush. It is a bit of a shaded area, so likely will be a little stunted, but at some point the neighbour's tree will come down. 

I had planned to plant the raspberry bushes behind the garden shed, but there is a pile of crusher dust that needs to be moved around onto the parking area (also gravel/weeds), so temporarily they have been planted beyond the garden fence next to the compost bin. They are small enough now, that I can move them again at some point in time. Like the lilac, this required removing rock and weed barrier cloth before digging the holes. I did discover that the soil back there has a lot of sand in it, so added some of the lovely compost the add some nutrients. If memory serves, the raspberries on our farm when I was young didn't seem to mind poor soil conditions. We'll see how it goes.

The garden grew by leaps and bounds with the heat, with the exception of the green peppers. I've already made a note to plant these in containers next year. The radishes bolted, so I pulled those, but the lettuce is now ready for picking. The corn is catching up to the potatoes which are blooming like mad, the peas have pods, and the tomatoes are putting out fruit. Lots of flowers but no cucumbers yet, hopefully they aren't all male flowers. We've harvested cilantro and basil and the oregano is ready too. 

The gerbera daisy, a plant I've never had much luck with is doing beautifully. It has four flowers on it and more buds. I've got a sunflower too, that is budding again, and the roses which we cut back last fall have decided they are very happy. You'll have to use your imagination but the perfume from them is lovely.

Tuesday D and Eli were off to NTO early, and I did a bit of puttering in the yard before heading to the thrift store. This week, I spent time in both the store and the sorting area. We actually got through everything that had been dropped off since the past Thursday. Woohoo! The store wasn't as busy as it had been the past Tuesday, which apparently was a stellar day with over $700 in sales. Knowing that most items average $2, that's a lot of items that left the store. D had asked me to keep an eye out for clothing for her friend S's daughters. I was able to fill two resusable grocery bags with jeans, legging, tees, a couple dresses, a hoodie and a rain jacket for them for just $15. Everything was a size up from their current sizing, so should help outfit them for the next year.

Back at home, I packed for my week away at my son's in the city. I didn't need to take a lot as I have clothing there, but wanted a couple of things to work on (knitting/cross stitch), a book, and my laptop. I knew I'd have lots of other things to do but wanted options. I left home shortly after 8 a.m. and arrived in Regina about 10, after encountering some construction on the secondary highway. The construction crews are creating passing lanes to improve safety. 

My first stop was Costco, where I picked up a life vest for Eli, some groceries and a Ninja Flip combination toaster oven and air fryer. It was a good price (better than Amazon!), and will allow us to free up some counter space in the kitchen as both those appliances take up a fair amount of room and are used frequently. Then it was off to Michaels to get some stitching thread. I've decided this year to make cross-stitch ornaments for family members, rather than crocheting. We'll see how far I get with that!

At the house I dropped off a few groceries, had a chat with B (who was working from home), and checked the fridge. I was surprised and pleased to see she had gotten some items that I enjoy eating (whole wheat bread rather than white, yogurt, and some extra veg). I did run out again though to pick up some Deep Woods Off and a couple of packages of deli meat. C arrived home about 4:30 p.m. and we sat and had a good chat. 

Thursday morning, I tackled the job I had planned to do while I was here. If you recall, just over a year ago, I planted the back yard with a mixture of grass seed and clover. My son, who I love dearly, is not a outdoor person, and failed to get back there to mow last year and this year. As a result, it is jungle back there...with tall weeds and loads of clover. There are places where the grass is doing well, and has gone to seed. This is the before, the second photo is after a couple of hours pulling and digging weeds and using the mower. 

Friday dawned quite warm with the temperature expected to reach 30C/86F, so I needed to be out early to get as much done as I could. I was in the backyard by 8:30 a.m. and within minutes my progress came to a halt. I'm using an old electric mower that I bought about 15 years ago or so...and I accidently ran over the cord. Shoot! Off I went to get a new cord, and since I was out to pick up a few groceries I needed for dinner that evening, and some cat litter B asked me to pick up. I was back at the house by 9:15 a.m. and within 90 minutes and a lot of hard work, I had the rest of it cleared. I've informed my son that he needs to mow regularly, and spend a bit of time EVERY day to keep the weeds at bay. 

Today, I'm taking a break, and probably Sunday too. The temperatures are rising again, it reached 28C/83F on Friday, and we're expecting temperatures of at least 30C/84F both Saturday and Sunday. I've pulled some yarn from my stash under the stairs and am working on a blanket in the cool of the a/c. I've a book to read if I need a break.

I do have plans for today, as friends I met in Yuma live less than an hour away and I've been invited to lunch. Another friend in the same community works at the Farmer's Market selling her baking on Saturdays, so my plan is to leave mid-morning and hopefully catch up with her. It's been awhile since I've chatted with her, and I know very well that I'll find something sweet for dessert. K and I worked together years ago, at a financial institution and though we don't see each other often we keep track of one another through Facebook.

Have a great week ahead everyone!