I had great plans for yesterday - including creating birthday card for a good friend - however the constant threat of "parts run" reared its head. I really welcomed the opportunity to go to Regina though, because I needed to do a costco run. The other destinations were Youngs equipment, Waterboy irrigation supplies -BORING!
I managed to get to the city with minimal road rage which is nice. I really don't mind the 80 km/hr or even the 60 zones as today I had plenty of time. First stop Youngs Equipment, I pull in at 12:50. The parts were ordered and had arrived so a quick and easy pickup right? Nope. I had a small list of bolts and pulley that were not preordered and I had a bad feeling that this would become an issue. Right. Parts is always busy, but I noticed today that there were very few men getting parts - the women were obviously on call to get the parts and back to the farm pdq. Youngs have little niche like areas where a salesman sits by a computer and there is a comfy stool for the customer on the other side. At each little parts area stood a woman who was asked "Do you know the model number?" Each of us hung our head in shame as we said no. Note to self - look at equipment before leaving to get parts for it.
Of course my pulley had to be a make do one as the original no longer existed (we have machinery that was created shortly after the wheel). My parts guy - an extremely pleasant and patient man named Dale - put up with me phoning Murray to discuss what it was he needed. Dale then searched the computer, a couple of those huge parts books and in the parts bins. Then phoned the company - who said they would call him back. All this time I was wondering if I would hold up the process if I excused myself to go to the washroom. Turns out I could have had certain elective surgeries in the time that it took for this process. Turns out that Dale and I decided I should go do my other errands and come back to the store by 6:00. No problem, I would have plenty of time after all it is only 2:15.
But, I am in starvation mode. I can feel the emptiness through my entire body. This is a delusion of course as I have enough reserve 'fullness' to see me through an entire week, not just a few hours. However, I have lunch. This takes me to 2:45.
l head to Waterboy, with a list. Patty and Mary are wonderful (Rene is okay too but kind of a guy). They have questions so once again I call Murray and he not only answers questions but doubles the order! The girls ran around, filled the order, put it all in the back of my truck in record time, but still it was now close to 4:00 as I drive off the lot.
I head to Costco, which of course is insanely busy. I shorten my order by half and get essentials only - clam juice, low cal drinks, and two trays of cherries. Costco doesn't have the hand lotion Murray needs to keep his stumps healthy or Good Host Ice tea. These too are essentials and at 4:39 I sigh as I put my stuff in my truck realizing Walmart is now part of my plan. After I get cheap Costco gas. Everyone and his brother is getting cheap costco gas for the long weekend. After waiting, getting my gas, and pulling out of the lot onto the street it is now 5:05. Long ways from 6:00, but I better get a move on all the same.
Guess what. Walmart was crazy busy too. And they have a greenhouse. Okay, I will admit it I am an addict, and there is no way I can walk by a greenhouse with huge sale signs flapping in the wind. I pick up the essentials, and some plants including a really healthy looking patio tomato plant. I have to move it now so I hustle to my truck - and the wind blows the top of my tomato plant off the plant. I bite back the tears. When I get to the truck and open the door one of the cherry trays falls out and spills entirely all over the parking lot. Those damn things were $11 each so I take the time to pick up each and every cherry. Whats a little asphalt to oldtimers like ourselves that have already been exposed to a lifetime of carcinogens? Also the wind blew my cheap dracenea right out of their pots and had to be stuffed back into them. I bet they will be lovely!
I pull out of the lot at 5:35 and storm over to Youngs equipment. So, I forgot to mention that during my shopping my son called and asked me to pick up a part at Youngs for his friend. Ten minutes later the friend's wife called and said that a sister in law would pick it up and I didn't need to bother. I careen into Youngs lot at 5:41 and walk up to the parts guy who looks confused at seeing me. Not Dale, but his co-worker in the next niche. He thinks he gave Murray's parts to another lady. Oh no, I think, the sister in law. Just then Dale takes a break from his current customer to say that yeah, that happened but he caught the mistake and Murray's parts are in a box on the shelf. I made it.
I drag my now tired and miserable self into my truck and head for home. At 6:29 I am just at Edgeley when Murray calls and says "What's for supper". That put me in a pretty bad mood - and his comment that I sure get grouchy when I have to get a few parts did not help it.
At 7:00ish we sat down to A&W pickup food. I won't bother with the details of A&W, but suffice it to say that it was an appropriate end to a Friday the 13th day.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Saturday, April 9, 2016
It is all happening again.
I have been away from my blog for so long that I couldn't find it. So after at least one hour of searching on the internet, and possibly opening myself up to popups malware etc I have found it. Now I cannot remember for the life of me what I was going to say? I know it was an incredibly witty one sentence rant that was completely unique and all my own (NOT) and I am sorry I cant remember it as people would have benefited from my insite. Oh well maybe it will come to me.
I attended a dance competition in Regina last night. There were really only two people onstage - Grace Jarvis and Kaida Cochrane. Well at least they caught my eye the most. There were a lot of parents, siblings, grandparents, and assorted family members all sitting on straight backed chairs in the Performing Arts centre. The paying guests were privileged to be allowed in to the auditorium where the performances were going on. As this was not my first rodeo, I was aware the entire building and all that were in it were slaves to the adjudicators. No one came in during a performance as that might disturb the adjudication. No one left during a performance for the same reason. Guards called "volunteers" attended the doors and I was thankful that I live in Canada and they were not armed guards however the result was the same. Those who tried to come or go quivered in silent fear until the "volunteer" opened the door to allow egress and access.
As for the volunteers, I know who you all are. You are the husbands who were told "I am getting that kid to the hall, in full makeup with a costume and with hair extensions attached and fluffed and sitting in the basement with her until it is her time to dance and after I am getting her undressed, and out of the hall ALL BY MYSELF. The least you can do is watch the door."
Anyway, I love dance competitions. I may be a masochist.
I attended a dance competition in Regina last night. There were really only two people onstage - Grace Jarvis and Kaida Cochrane. Well at least they caught my eye the most. There were a lot of parents, siblings, grandparents, and assorted family members all sitting on straight backed chairs in the Performing Arts centre. The paying guests were privileged to be allowed in to the auditorium where the performances were going on. As this was not my first rodeo, I was aware the entire building and all that were in it were slaves to the adjudicators. No one came in during a performance as that might disturb the adjudication. No one left during a performance for the same reason. Guards called "volunteers" attended the doors and I was thankful that I live in Canada and they were not armed guards however the result was the same. Those who tried to come or go quivered in silent fear until the "volunteer" opened the door to allow egress and access.
As for the volunteers, I know who you all are. You are the husbands who were told "I am getting that kid to the hall, in full makeup with a costume and with hair extensions attached and fluffed and sitting in the basement with her until it is her time to dance and after I am getting her undressed, and out of the hall ALL BY MYSELF. The least you can do is watch the door."
Anyway, I love dance competitions. I may be a masochist.
Friday, June 27, 2014
The Griswolds catch their Horses and bring them home.
Our family has a strong affection for
the Griswolds of National Lampoon fame. So often during those movies
about going on a holiday, putting up Christmas Lights, having the
whole family over for Christmas dinner – instead of laughing until
the tears roll down our cheeks like other people – we just nodded
our heads and thought “been there”! Recently, as the popularity
of that series of movies has waned we have found ourselves feeling
less and less affiliated with the Griswold club. But then, something
happens that slams us right back into the familial arms of Clark,
Ellen, Rusty and Audrey.
This time it started with my son
getting two horses. The horses get out for the first time to be
caught (eventually) for Brad as he works in Regina and wasn't home,
by his Auntie Sharon and two female EA's from Balcarres and some guy
on a quad,. This was funny enough, but one should never ever laugh!
The second time is on a day when Brad
is home with his boys. The horses are there before lunch, but when
he goes outside for his after lunch smoke, the horses are gone. Myth
No 1: They can't have gone far. This was shortly debunked after
driving aimlessly around the farm and neighbourhood and no sign of
the horses. However, it was muddy, so there were prints. Myth No 2:
I'll just follow the hoof prints and catch up with them. That lasted
about an hour. Then, as his gas gauge slowly sinks to E, he realizes
that he needs to call in the Cavalry. Myth No 3: Dad is always
anxious to be the cavalry. Dad does head out to be helpful in
locating the horses, but his workaholism soon takes over, plus he
also is really low on gas – so he bales to go to the far end of
Fort San Road to do a job. The horses had been located but now, what
to do with them?
Doing his best cowboy imitation, Brad
manages to get a halter on the quiet little one. The little boys in
the truck cheer. He then manages to hoist himself atop the “quiet
little one” in order to try and catch (coax?) the larger not so
quiet one. He is promptly “ejected” from the horse's back (I
have no details of how), but eventually he does get both horses, tied
to the back of his truck. He heads back home. It is slow going.
The little boys are quickly bored. All Parents know that there is
NOTHING WORSE than being in a small closed-in space with two young
siblings and it is worse yet when they are brothers! Brad decides he
needs to make a better plan.
Myth No 4: Calling Mom is always a
good idea -- she is the smart one. I head out with dubious
directions as he really isn't sure of where he is anyway. North of
Lipton. Okay so north east right left – these types of words are
all meaningless Greek to me. I managed to get the information to
turn right and go north from his farm. Having lived on that farm for
36 years – I do know which way is north from it. “Go past
Onraits, turn and go left at O'Connors”. Ummm, okay...I have no
idea where either of those farm yards are (Yes I know I have been to
each of them, but who pays attention when they are taking a nice
drive and it was likely 20 years ago and I can hardly remember where
I park my car in the parking lot anymore!!) But...I decide to just
go for it. How hard can it be? I have GPS (which has no idea where
the Onrait and O'Connor farms are either)!
My instincts were right. He calls back
and says don't go past O'connors, turn ("right/left/east/north?????")
at Onraits and get on the grid that GOES PAST PLETZs. I know where
that is!! No problemo. I am on my way to the rescue.
The plan is that Brad will take my
truck, go to a neighbours and get a horse trailer, come back to his
truck and put the horses in the trailer and we all go home and live
happily ever after. (That was Myth No 5 by the way). I get past the
Pletzs, and onto the Lipton Grid going some direction but he has
included “towards Balcarres” in the instructions so I get it and
all goes pretty much as planned until I come to the tricky part “go
up to the big curve in the Lipton Grid and keep right and I am right
there”. That is exactly what I did. I got up to the big curve and
kept right which took me off the grid and onto a secondary road
which, a couple of kms down, is under water. We have a really big
truck, the road is really narrow, but I manage to get turned around
and head back to the Lipton Grid – stay on the grid around the
curve and there they are. A white truck, harried father, bored tired
excited hungry thirsty and dirty little boys and two horses smirking
at all of us as they are tied to the back of the truck. Just as my
truck flashes “low fuel” on my info panel!
Brad and I have been communicating all
this time using our cell phones so I am sure to grab mine, put it in
my pocket and Brad and I make the trade. His final instructions are
to keep going, he will catch up with us, just go about 3 -5 km/hr and
go back exactly the way I came.
My first little lesson is that the mark
between 0 and 20 km isn't indicating 5km/hr and the horses protest
quite a bit at the pace. Owen insists that I am hurting them, so I
slow down, secretly thinking “smirk at that losers!” So once I
know the right pace the horses follow along just fine.
Owen wants gum. I tell him I don't
have gum, but go ahead pull everything out of my purse and see if I
have any, which he is doing anyway so he might as well be following
orders. After 300 “how much longer” interspersed with 500 “when
is Daddy coming?” amid untold hundreds of little upsets regarding
who gets to sit where, window open/shut, elbow nudging, hair pulling
etc etc – I feel that it would be prudent to give Brad a call and
see just where we stand with all of this. I put my hand in my pocket
and.....pull out the fob for the truck! I am pretty sure this means
if Brad stops the truck he won't be able to start it again. It also
means that my cell phone is in that truck, that which will shortly
become useless to the driver. I glance at the contents of my purse
Owen has strewn around and see the second fob for the truck. The
real meaning of the phrase “well and truly screwed” comes to me
with blinding clarity.
“Oh f**k” I blurt out in horror.
Apologizing to two pairs of serious big blue eyes for saying a bad
word does take the edge off panic. I pleaded it was an accident and
really bad of me and then they listed the several things that have
been done to them after similar accidental occurrences. Nothing to
do but carry on with the horses, which I do.
All stops are pulled out now! These
kids are done done DONE with this nonsense and really, who can blame
them. I just agree with everything they say in regard to tired,
hungry, bored, but I am really in agreement when we get to thirsty.
It occurs to all three of us that we are, literally, dying of thirst.
We take our mind off it by deciding what the other two should do if
eg. Gramma dies first, or Owen, or Declan. Declan decides death
sounds interesting enough and punches himself in the head and falls
over “dead” on his seat. He is quiet and still for nearly 10
seconds, the longest he has ever been, and it is a blessed relief
that Owen and I savour.
And then Owen finds a Gaterade on the
floor of the back seat. The cheering and applauding are deafening.
After a few false starts in opening it, I snarl “give it to me!”
and remove the heat shrunk plastic around the top with a screw
driver. Then of course the big issue of who gets the first drink has
to be decided. We toss around the ideas of brute strength vs age vs
rock/paper/scissors when Declan starts to bawl. Owen and I roll our
eyes and tell him he can have the first drink. He hoists the bottle
to his mouth lowers it and starts to cry in earnest. Owen grabs it
and heatedly informs Gramma that we always have to take the foil
cover under the lid off. “Off every Gaterade all the time” and
really, poor little kid, he does have a struggle with me and my
general ignorance of anything that is important. Foil removed Declan
swigs down a huge mouthful. Owen swigs down an even bigger mouthful.
Gramma gets a sip. Then it is the millilitre monitoring of each
drink thereafter to ensure that one does not have more than the
other.
My initial thirst slaked somewhat, I
conclude that I really need a different kind of drink, and a strong
one! Soon! It is time to humble myself (even more) and take action.
I stop on the road and wait for
somebody to come along. Who does not have a cell phone these days
?Well I don't at the moment but that is an aberration of the the
norm. I watch and pray that a complete stranger comes along. A
white car slows down, opens the window and...it is somebody I know
damn it! After as brief an explanation as I can make, I ask to use
her cell, but it is hooked up to her car . Anyway, she is kind enough
to let me try and phone Brad – no luck – and against every fibre
of my being I choke out Murray's phone number. He is the last one
one wishes to speak too when in a situation like this. In the
meantime a truck comes up behind us. A farm truck. The farmer gets
out and trudges up to us.
My friend tells me that Murray is on
the phone and so the conversation through her open window into her
car's speaker starts with me listening patiently to the assigning of
blame as to whose fault this is (mine) who didn't listen when he said
put the second fob back in his pocket (I didn't), who had to quit
what he was doing and drive back from the far end of Fort San Road
with a paid employee to discover that the second fob wasn't in the
house (he did) who didn't have her cell phone (me) and who is
generally too stupid to live (that would also be me). All the while
I am having a signal and speak conversation with the farmer who says
he will get his other truck that is hooked up to his horse trailer
and take my horses home. I tell Murray, to Jackie's suppressed
laughter, to tell Brad that Thomas (the farmer) will rescue me and I
am bringing the horses home. Good Bye!!
We are saved. The boys and I see the
light at the end of the tunnel. The sun comes out. Birds sing.
Woodland creatures scamper around us in delight. Ah, thank you kind
Thomas the Farmer.
When I next speak with Brad, (he has
gotten a ride with the friendly neighbour who WOULD have let him
borrow his horse trailer), we just have to laugh. The horses, once
back in the corral, are fed and then Gramma is driven to her truck
and we all go to our own homes and live happily ever after.
Except that I have to put $140.00 gas
into my truck before I can get to the happily ever after part.
/bye
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Come down with a case of "TOO STUPID TO LIVE"
Have had a really bad week for doing incredibly stupid things. Things that even I realize are incredibly stupid without the help of family or friends pointing it out to me. ( I am surrounded by family and friends who love to help me in this regard. Totally surrounded. One just does not know how many helpful family and friends one has until one does something incredibly stupid).
Went to a specialist this week - positive I knew where his office was located. Of course I was entirely wrong. I couldn't pronounce the specialists name. I couldn't spell it either. I didn't bring his card, as I knew the time and place right?! Found out pretty fast that if you can't pronounce it or spell it 411 can't help you. I did manage to phone my own voice manager and listen to the message reminder the office made for me the previous day, got the number, got the address and to my credit I w a s in the right city.
On the way out I went to Michaels to get a dear dear lady a gift certificate retirement gift from several people in the office from where I retired from but seem to work at a lot anyway. We had collected enough for $175. Got the card picked out, and realized that I couldn't find the envelop of money. Struggled with the subconcious "where the heck did I put that? Did it drop on the ground or something?" voice all the time I was paying with my credit card and on the drive home.
On same trip to Michaels I bought yarn to make an "arm knitted" cowl for Aynsley. As well, I bought meat and fruit and vegetables in bulk from COSTCO. When I got home, I had some things to prepare for the Library board meeting the next night. But...to relax a little I started the cowl only to realize that I can't put it down until it is finished! How to you 'set aside' knitting that is being done on your arms??? Had to knit until the wee small hours (near 9:30 PM) and then start dividing up meat and veg and fruit and putting away! Not into my little bed until almost 11:30 AND I HAD TO WORK THE NEXT DAY!! God I am old....
At the Library board meeting the next night, it occurs to me that I never did get around to preparing stuff. I ask the board to move adoption of a blank budget, but the board is full of fidgety types when it comes to money and actually wanted details like real numbers in A L L the blank lines. Tabled of course. "Tabled" means prolong the agony for another month.
The next day is the DAY AFTER THE MEETING and the first DAY THAT I DON'T HAVE TO WORK AT THE OFFICE FROM WHICH I RETIRED BUT SEEM TO WORK AT A LOT ANYWAY. Phew. What a relief. I do an extra thorough job of housecleaning (i.e. the dishes and make the bed) and then treat myself to 9 episodes of Coronation Street.
Friday night is the supper out retirement party. So of course I spend the day making a card. Well, not just a card, a card A N D a gift card holder. Once the gift card holder is done, I try the gift card and it is just SMIDGE too small to hold the card. So I walk from my kitchen to the craft room to enlarge it a smidge and when I try the card to see if it fits now - I can't find it. Must have left it in the kitchen. While I am down at this end of my house I will gather up a load of laundry and then look for the card in the kitchen. I guess I see a bright light, as when it is time for me to leave I realize that I haven't found the gift card. I look. I search. I panic. I hunt. Murray helps me look. We look together. We look separately. We DO NOT FIND the card. I go to the grocery store and buy "Master Card" gift cards. I do, however, find the envelop of money as it is in the way in my purse when I am looking for my credit card to buy the gift cards. Someday, I will include "clean out purse" on my To Do list.
Anyway, I now breath a sigh of relief because last week is behind me and next week will be better. And next year will be wonderful when I come across the Michaels gift card for $175!!
Went to a specialist this week - positive I knew where his office was located. Of course I was entirely wrong. I couldn't pronounce the specialists name. I couldn't spell it either. I didn't bring his card, as I knew the time and place right?! Found out pretty fast that if you can't pronounce it or spell it 411 can't help you. I did manage to phone my own voice manager and listen to the message reminder the office made for me the previous day, got the number, got the address and to my credit I w a s in the right city.
On the way out I went to Michaels to get a dear dear lady a gift certificate retirement gift from several people in the office from where I retired from but seem to work at a lot anyway. We had collected enough for $175. Got the card picked out, and realized that I couldn't find the envelop of money. Struggled with the subconcious "where the heck did I put that? Did it drop on the ground or something?" voice all the time I was paying with my credit card and on the drive home.
On same trip to Michaels I bought yarn to make an "arm knitted" cowl for Aynsley. As well, I bought meat and fruit and vegetables in bulk from COSTCO. When I got home, I had some things to prepare for the Library board meeting the next night. But...to relax a little I started the cowl only to realize that I can't put it down until it is finished! How to you 'set aside' knitting that is being done on your arms??? Had to knit until the wee small hours (near 9:30 PM) and then start dividing up meat and veg and fruit and putting away! Not into my little bed until almost 11:30 AND I HAD TO WORK THE NEXT DAY!! God I am old....
At the Library board meeting the next night, it occurs to me that I never did get around to preparing stuff. I ask the board to move adoption of a blank budget, but the board is full of fidgety types when it comes to money and actually wanted details like real numbers in A L L the blank lines. Tabled of course. "Tabled" means prolong the agony for another month.
The next day is the DAY AFTER THE MEETING and the first DAY THAT I DON'T HAVE TO WORK AT THE OFFICE FROM WHICH I RETIRED BUT SEEM TO WORK AT A LOT ANYWAY. Phew. What a relief. I do an extra thorough job of housecleaning (i.e. the dishes and make the bed) and then treat myself to 9 episodes of Coronation Street.
Friday night is the supper out retirement party. So of course I spend the day making a card. Well, not just a card, a card A N D a gift card holder. Once the gift card holder is done, I try the gift card and it is just SMIDGE too small to hold the card. So I walk from my kitchen to the craft room to enlarge it a smidge and when I try the card to see if it fits now - I can't find it. Must have left it in the kitchen. While I am down at this end of my house I will gather up a load of laundry and then look for the card in the kitchen. I guess I see a bright light, as when it is time for me to leave I realize that I haven't found the gift card. I look. I search. I panic. I hunt. Murray helps me look. We look together. We look separately. We DO NOT FIND the card. I go to the grocery store and buy "Master Card" gift cards. I do, however, find the envelop of money as it is in the way in my purse when I am looking for my credit card to buy the gift cards. Someday, I will include "clean out purse" on my To Do list.
Anyway, I now breath a sigh of relief because last week is behind me and next week will be better. And next year will be wonderful when I come across the Michaels gift card for $175!!
\bye
Saturday, March 22, 2014
I have been busy
Recipe:
- neon green cardstock,
- Just buzzin by stamp set (wooden set from Stampin Up)
- Designer Series Paper from Stampin up,
- Happy Bee Day font "Bizzy"
- Got the "steps" design from a Youtube video.
- Used Stampin up pens and aquapainter to color hive, used pens on the little bees which are incredibly cute. Stickles on the wings.
- LOVE IT!!
- Chocolate Chip cardstock for card base
- Next layer:Off yellow - kind of a pale jaundicy type of yellow - then I ran the chocolate chip ink pad over the yellow lightly - which I then stamped paws all over in early expresso ink. Ran it through the big shot using the honeycomb embossing folder.
- Doggie - used clear stamp set from Michaels on whisper white, punched around square, sponged with crumb cake. Painted with stampin up pens and aquapainter pen. Same for hydrant. Fussy cut hydrant.
- embossed black paw print using versamark and black powder, used my 13/8" punch to cut around it. Created a slightly bigger circle using Cricut - matted paw print on Crumb Cake. Adhered with sticky spots.
- Having a Birthday? on computer on crumb cake cardstock. Sponged with early expresso.Inside that same jaundicy yellow, sponged with crumb cake, after printing sentiment from computer, stamped a brown paw print.
- Used the tools background stamp set, adhered to blue card stock.
- Chocolate chip ink on ivory cardstock for background
- Stamped again in red, and cut out wrench and level - colored/shaded with rust colored pen
- Used dimensionals to stick tools on small square of dsp.
- the ticket punch and ticket stamp are from stampin up
- brown rafia string attached
ITS PRETTY NICE.
Followed directions on Gina Ks website.
Just in case I give them all away!
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
At long last
I was on my kub kadet for the first time in 2013 last night. You may recall that my kub kadet is my ride-on lawn mower, and that very few things give me as much peace as mowing my lawn.
Well, it was too early to mow any grass, but after Murray 'thatched' the lawn, there was a lot of dead grass and leaves and junk to mow up and bag. It was a dirty job - dried grass clippings, leaves and detritus billowing up into my face and hair and onto my clothes and down the back of my neck and then there was the dust which affected all other areas of my being. And then there was Murray asking me trick questions like "if the wind is blowing in this direction which way should you turn to avoid all the dust". As soon as the word "direction" or "left" or "right" enter the conversation I panic, and I flash my deer in the headlights look. And he would turn in frustration, wildly gesture with his artificial arms and say a few choice words to himself which were likely not that complimentary to me.
Anyway, I mowed away happy as a clam. I was happy when the bagging tube kept coming apart and dust flew unhindered into the air and fell like snow banks onto my head. I was happy when the bagging tube plugged up and I had to stop and empty it manually while the dust swelled around me. I was really happy when the bags were filled and needed to be emptied because Murray was doing that part for me.
Alas, nothing lasts forever, and it was soon back into the house and laundry and dishes and all those general miserable jobs. But, I have the hope that the grass will grow and that soon I will be mowing for real.
There is nothing more therapeutic than a ride-on lawn mower.
Well, maybe a roto-tiller but that is a story for another day.
Well, it was too early to mow any grass, but after Murray 'thatched' the lawn, there was a lot of dead grass and leaves and junk to mow up and bag. It was a dirty job - dried grass clippings, leaves and detritus billowing up into my face and hair and onto my clothes and down the back of my neck and then there was the dust which affected all other areas of my being. And then there was Murray asking me trick questions like "if the wind is blowing in this direction which way should you turn to avoid all the dust". As soon as the word "direction" or "left" or "right" enter the conversation I panic, and I flash my deer in the headlights look. And he would turn in frustration, wildly gesture with his artificial arms and say a few choice words to himself which were likely not that complimentary to me.
Anyway, I mowed away happy as a clam. I was happy when the bagging tube kept coming apart and dust flew unhindered into the air and fell like snow banks onto my head. I was happy when the bagging tube plugged up and I had to stop and empty it manually while the dust swelled around me. I was really happy when the bags were filled and needed to be emptied because Murray was doing that part for me.
Alas, nothing lasts forever, and it was soon back into the house and laundry and dishes and all those general miserable jobs. But, I have the hope that the grass will grow and that soon I will be mowing for real.
There is nothing more therapeutic than a ride-on lawn mower.
Well, maybe a roto-tiller but that is a story for another day.
/bye
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Can you call (sniffle choke snort) Mom?
Murray and I have discovered a new low in pathetic-ness. We both have a gastroenteritis that is particularly vile and disgusting. Thank goodness we have two bathrooms - otherwise things would really be messy! Have you seen the commercial where the grown man is sick in bed calling to his harried wife "Pam, Pam can you call Mom?" That is us. Of course my husband is more pathetic than I - but really not much more. I have, of course, self-diagnosed on the internet and we are suffering from the Norovirus - or the Black Plague - either way we don't really care.
I blame myself, really, as I was just about over the cold and cough that has been lingering in my chest for the last month. It was bound to happen - right.
Possibly it is a reaction to the fact that we cannot go on a winter holiday this year, because I was so ill in the summer. No more discussion of staying here all winter, as I will be driven to tears. Trust us to get Montezumas revenge at home! Not a bit like takin' a trip and never leavin' the farm either! (Please don't email me if you are too young to know what I am talking about - I just don't have the strength for that).
We are beginning to run out of supplies here too. Mr Really Really Sick (unlike me who is just, you know, sick) wanted an orange, or an apple, or grapes or a banana. I suggested I could peel him a carrot, and he passed on that indicating that he is "not a Cochrane" (slight slam at "healthy Holly" - who is not sick btw - hmmmn? Any connection I wonder?) Same for the frozen peas. How pathetic.
One of the first comments anyone who has had the pleasure of hearing all this in person makes is "and you had the flu shot too" . Pul - lease people. This is gastro, not respiratory, which is the one your are immunizing against with the flu shot. (See paragraph two above) - Yeah well, I still swear by the flu shot and get one every year.
Anyway, my sister in law emailed a really nice New Years card to everyone. It was a very nice photo filled gallery that summarized their year. So, not to be outdone, and yet put my own personal spin on it, I thought I would write this really nice blog post - and wish everyone a Happy 2013.
May your year be measured in something else besides kleenex and toilet tissue use.
I blame myself, really, as I was just about over the cold and cough that has been lingering in my chest for the last month. It was bound to happen - right.
Possibly it is a reaction to the fact that we cannot go on a winter holiday this year, because I was so ill in the summer. No more discussion of staying here all winter, as I will be driven to tears. Trust us to get Montezumas revenge at home! Not a bit like takin' a trip and never leavin' the farm either! (Please don't email me if you are too young to know what I am talking about - I just don't have the strength for that).
We are beginning to run out of supplies here too. Mr Really Really Sick (unlike me who is just, you know, sick) wanted an orange, or an apple, or grapes or a banana. I suggested I could peel him a carrot, and he passed on that indicating that he is "not a Cochrane" (slight slam at "healthy Holly" - who is not sick btw - hmmmn? Any connection I wonder?) Same for the frozen peas. How pathetic.
One of the first comments anyone who has had the pleasure of hearing all this in person makes is "and you had the flu shot too" . Pul - lease people. This is gastro, not respiratory, which is the one your are immunizing against with the flu shot. (See paragraph two above) - Yeah well, I still swear by the flu shot and get one every year.
Anyway, my sister in law emailed a really nice New Years card to everyone. It was a very nice photo filled gallery that summarized their year. So, not to be outdone, and yet put my own personal spin on it, I thought I would write this really nice blog post - and wish everyone a Happy 2013.
May your year be measured in something else besides kleenex and toilet tissue use.
/bye
Friday, September 21, 2012
Home At Last
Well my health finally got to the point the I was admitted to the cardiac ward of the Regina General Hospital last Thursday, September 13. Finally, all the tests were being done. Finally, things were happening that made me feel better. But, the news was not great.
Whatever has attacked me this summer has seriously damaged my heart. It is enlarged, and just not pumping like it should. There is a function used to measure the hearts efficiency, called the ejection function or ef. A normal persons ef should be 50 - 70 %. Mine is at 19%. I have a leaky valve. My left ventricle is not pumping well and is out of sync.
The better news is, is that there is a lot of medical intervention which can improve all of these things. I am on a long list of drugs to make the heart pump stronger, to reduce the fluid retention, to slow the rate so that it doesn't work as hard. At some point I think I will have to have a defibrillator put in - which is much the same procedure as a pacemaker - but they are going to monitor me on the drug therapy first to see if there is improvement.
The good news is my arteries and veins are free of any blockage. Yay, something good.
As for my lungs it looks like they are clearing now that the fluid has been removed from around my heart. I will have to follow up with the respiratory surgeon but he thinks they will likely clear on there own. However, my pulmonary function is at half of what it should be so there are issues there too.
In any event I am just tickled to be home and looking forward to getting on with things. Adjustments have to be made, but that will be possible. I have a wonderfully supportive family backing me up, as well as terrific friends, and believe me when you get news like this, these are the people you need to have around you.
Thanks to everybody who visited, sent cards, texted (even if that is not a real word!) phoned and just generally were there for me. But especially to my daughter who is already too busy with her life and had to put many of those things on hold because I was not well. Bless you all.
Whatever has attacked me this summer has seriously damaged my heart. It is enlarged, and just not pumping like it should. There is a function used to measure the hearts efficiency, called the ejection function or ef. A normal persons ef should be 50 - 70 %. Mine is at 19%. I have a leaky valve. My left ventricle is not pumping well and is out of sync.
The better news is, is that there is a lot of medical intervention which can improve all of these things. I am on a long list of drugs to make the heart pump stronger, to reduce the fluid retention, to slow the rate so that it doesn't work as hard. At some point I think I will have to have a defibrillator put in - which is much the same procedure as a pacemaker - but they are going to monitor me on the drug therapy first to see if there is improvement.
The good news is my arteries and veins are free of any blockage. Yay, something good.
As for my lungs it looks like they are clearing now that the fluid has been removed from around my heart. I will have to follow up with the respiratory surgeon but he thinks they will likely clear on there own. However, my pulmonary function is at half of what it should be so there are issues there too.
In any event I am just tickled to be home and looking forward to getting on with things. Adjustments have to be made, but that will be possible. I have a wonderfully supportive family backing me up, as well as terrific friends, and believe me when you get news like this, these are the people you need to have around you.
Thanks to everybody who visited, sent cards, texted (even if that is not a real word!) phoned and just generally were there for me. But especially to my daughter who is already too busy with her life and had to put many of those things on hold because I was not well. Bless you all.
/bye
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Lace Shawl
I am on the last few rows of the latest venture into knitting lace. I am almost afraid to finish it, because then it will have to be blocked and I really don't have much experience doing that.
Yesterday I cleaned out my deep freeze. Yes, I am that troubled about the blocking thing that I procrastinated by cleaning my deep freeze. Oh man, I am in big trouble.
Whats next? Sorting out the office, actually filing all that sh*t that Murray and the taxman think should be kept? Cleaning out closets? Tidying up the basement? It will have to be something awful, because its been my experience that if I procrastinate doing something fun, others disapprove. I hate others.
Still it feels good to have the deep freeze cleaned out and organized. I have been lifting the lid and looking around inside just because I can. I could buy a frozen pizza and I wouldn't have to eat it within 5 hours of bringing it home as there is a place where it can be kept until I actually want to eat pizza. I can respond with smug assurance should anyone ask me how many roasting chickens are in my deep freeze. If asked, I could declare in a clear voice that I do not have any T-bone steaks in the bottom of the deep freeze. Nor freezer jam from 2004. Of course, no one will ask until my freezer is a mess again when my responses will be vague and quiet and non committal.
Yesterday I cleaned out my deep freeze. Yes, I am that troubled about the blocking thing that I procrastinated by cleaning my deep freeze. Oh man, I am in big trouble.
Whats next? Sorting out the office, actually filing all that sh*t that Murray and the taxman think should be kept? Cleaning out closets? Tidying up the basement? It will have to be something awful, because its been my experience that if I procrastinate doing something fun, others disapprove. I hate others.
Still it feels good to have the deep freeze cleaned out and organized. I have been lifting the lid and looking around inside just because I can. I could buy a frozen pizza and I wouldn't have to eat it within 5 hours of bringing it home as there is a place where it can be kept until I actually want to eat pizza. I can respond with smug assurance should anyone ask me how many roasting chickens are in my deep freeze. If asked, I could declare in a clear voice that I do not have any T-bone steaks in the bottom of the deep freeze. Nor freezer jam from 2004. Of course, no one will ask until my freezer is a mess again when my responses will be vague and quiet and non committal.
/bye
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
More of the same
I have continued to enjoy "poor" health for the rest of the summer. Early in August I managed to get hospitalized because the doc wasn't impressed with my follow up x-ray. They have, after extensive testing, discovered that they do not have a clue what is wrong with me.
The most recent "specialist" did go so far as to name it. It is an "ideopathic lung inflamation". Roughly translated that means "we do not have a clue what is wrong with you". Health care is much like roulette, I have found, only the wheel turns grindingly slow. One can only hope that at some point your name will come up and all the tests/procedures they want you to have will be assigned to you. Until then, I sit here doing nothing to become better - just sitting and waiting for the phone to ring like a high school graduate hoping for an escort. But, I am not bitter.
I have been thinking a lot about my future. I dread the day that the remote becomes a complete mystery to me. It is kind of one now, but I just avoid the buttons that I don't recognize - like aux, and cbl, and amp. As long as I can remember TV and SAT and PVR I will be ok, but the day will come when they are as outdated as VCR and then I am pretty sure I will be relying on younger generations to turn on my television. I can remember my mother yelling at Murray and I to "just put it on a channel that gets Another World and leave it A-LONE!" That will be me. My children have so much to look forward to.
The garden is dying a natural death - and I am happy with it for the most part. I had wonderful corn again, the tomatoes are fantastic so far, nothing to complain about with the cucumbers, the potatoes are kind of sparse but ok, carrots look good. Soon it will be time to pick it all off and then Murray can have at it with the big roto-tiller and those weeds will be plowed under once more. Next year, things will be different. I am going to be weed free!
The most recent "specialist" did go so far as to name it. It is an "ideopathic lung inflamation". Roughly translated that means "we do not have a clue what is wrong with you". Health care is much like roulette, I have found, only the wheel turns grindingly slow. One can only hope that at some point your name will come up and all the tests/procedures they want you to have will be assigned to you. Until then, I sit here doing nothing to become better - just sitting and waiting for the phone to ring like a high school graduate hoping for an escort. But, I am not bitter.
I have been thinking a lot about my future. I dread the day that the remote becomes a complete mystery to me. It is kind of one now, but I just avoid the buttons that I don't recognize - like aux, and cbl, and amp. As long as I can remember TV and SAT and PVR I will be ok, but the day will come when they are as outdated as VCR and then I am pretty sure I will be relying on younger generations to turn on my television. I can remember my mother yelling at Murray and I to "just put it on a channel that gets Another World and leave it A-LONE!" That will be me. My children have so much to look forward to.
The garden is dying a natural death - and I am happy with it for the most part. I had wonderful corn again, the tomatoes are fantastic so far, nothing to complain about with the cucumbers, the potatoes are kind of sparse but ok, carrots look good. Soon it will be time to pick it all off and then Murray can have at it with the big roto-tiller and those weeds will be plowed under once more. Next year, things will be different. I am going to be weed free!
/bye
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Just a bit of news...
If you are reading this, then you likely were not hit by the DNS malware plague that was all over the news a couple of days ago. Since Y2K, I am highly suspect of "the sky is falling" news when it comes to computers. One day that will come back and bite in the tush but for now I am in my happy place.
I really don't have much to say, other than I have pneumonia. I woke up at 3:00 am last Weds because I was having trouble breathing. It took a little while, but I finally decided that I needed to go to the hospital, and got Murray up to take me. Anyway, end result of bloodwork and xrays was diagnosis of double bilateral pneumonia. So, I am on antibiotics, staying out of the sun, and resting.
I was told, in the gentlest way possible, that my Stampin Up supplier will be moving to Stony Plain Alberta in August. This on top of my illness. It is a wonder that I am able to function at all!! I will so miss the stampin up times, but more so I will miss Chris and her family. Stony Plain has no idea how lucky it is.
I am not able to be out in the garden much, or to mow my lawn, or do any of the outside things I like to do because I am supposedly ill. So, I am knitting fiendishly on another lace shawl. For very different reasons, it has been every bit as much fun as the first one was! However, several of the Knitwits group are working on the same patterns so we are able to commiserate together. Misery loves company, as they say.
Well, it is getting close to my bedtime - these days I follow a newborns schedule of being awake 1 hour and asleep for the next 4. Hopefully I will be "cured" soon and able to stay up for a long time, like 2 hours, without having a nap.
I really don't have much to say, other than I have pneumonia. I woke up at 3:00 am last Weds because I was having trouble breathing. It took a little while, but I finally decided that I needed to go to the hospital, and got Murray up to take me. Anyway, end result of bloodwork and xrays was diagnosis of double bilateral pneumonia. So, I am on antibiotics, staying out of the sun, and resting.
I was told, in the gentlest way possible, that my Stampin Up supplier will be moving to Stony Plain Alberta in August. This on top of my illness. It is a wonder that I am able to function at all!! I will so miss the stampin up times, but more so I will miss Chris and her family. Stony Plain has no idea how lucky it is.
I am not able to be out in the garden much, or to mow my lawn, or do any of the outside things I like to do because I am supposedly ill. So, I am knitting fiendishly on another lace shawl. For very different reasons, it has been every bit as much fun as the first one was! However, several of the Knitwits group are working on the same patterns so we are able to commiserate together. Misery loves company, as they say.
Well, it is getting close to my bedtime - these days I follow a newborns schedule of being awake 1 hour and asleep for the next 4. Hopefully I will be "cured" soon and able to stay up for a long time, like 2 hours, without having a nap.
/bye
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
July 1, 2012
I love the July 1 parade. Whenever possible - all family members come out. ESPECIALLY Holly and her family. WITHOUT a doubt one of my VERY FAVORITE FAMILY MEMBERS CERTAINLY WORTH NOTING AND NEVER, EVER FORGETTING. (trying to assuage hurt feelings. Hmmm???? Peri-menopause?????? Nope nope, not going there, goodness knows how I would every assuage THAT!).
This year was a particularly big crowd, family wise.
/bye
 | ||
| back l - r Princess Dana, Tyler, Bev Dodd, Brad, George, Kelly | ; Middle Bonnie and Wade, Front: Owen, Declan, Grampa |
 | |
| Kenzie on CU Float |
 |
| Brad, Declan, Owen |
 | |
| Declan watching the most interesting thing in the parade |
 | |
| The most interesting thing in the parade |
/bye
Friday, June 15, 2012
It seems to me...
As everybody knows, I have been around a long time. Over 60 years. 6 decades. Long long time.
Over that time I have noticed that, for the most part, men are terribly busy and terribly important. Anything men do is always way more important and way busier than what women do. I have observed first hand a doctor, leaving her clinic early so she can pick up the kids, get the mail, buy the groceries and not disturb her terribly busy husband during his terribly important tennis game. Many many farm wives can relate horror stories about giving birth during seeding or harvest, or spraying, or preg checking cattle, or...you get the idea. Everything is way more important if a man does it.
Just take a drive down any of our highways and you will see proof positive that of which I speak. Dotted along the roadside are these large billboard type signs, some of them solar powered flashing lights, some of them bright orange, with big black letters declaring "MEN WORKING". Women don't do that. I guess we just don't feel the need to advertise like that.
Over that time I have noticed that, for the most part, men are terribly busy and terribly important. Anything men do is always way more important and way busier than what women do. I have observed first hand a doctor, leaving her clinic early so she can pick up the kids, get the mail, buy the groceries and not disturb her terribly busy husband during his terribly important tennis game. Many many farm wives can relate horror stories about giving birth during seeding or harvest, or spraying, or preg checking cattle, or...you get the idea. Everything is way more important if a man does it.
Just take a drive down any of our highways and you will see proof positive that of which I speak. Dotted along the roadside are these large billboard type signs, some of them solar powered flashing lights, some of them bright orange, with big black letters declaring "MEN WORKING". Women don't do that. I guess we just don't feel the need to advertise like that.
/bye
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Corduroy Lawn
I am not sure that I have mentioned it
but I love to mow my lawn. I have a state of the art Kub Kadet ride
on mower and something about cruising up and down in straight strips
making an immediate difference to the look of the lawn is so relaxing
to me. There is a beginning, and I can see that there will be an end
to the job. So unlike most of the other tasks around the house –
i.e. Cooking, cleaning, laundry ad infinitum.
To add to my revery, I have developed a
new type of lawn. A corduroy lawn. When one strip is 2 to perhaps
as much as 6 inches taller than those on either side of it. Now, I
have heard comments like “your mower blades are dull/off
balance/need to be set”. But, how can that POSSIBLY be the case.
Both my husband and my son are LANDSCAPERS. My son in law has TWO degrees. Of course my mower
blades would be set at precisely the height and balance they need to
be set at. No, it is done on purpose. This will be the next big
craze. You just watch the next great Kate and Wills outdoor gala –
they will be on the band wagon with the corduroy lawn too. You should
come out and see mine before the lineups get too long. I am such a
trendsetter.
My corduroy grass will change the face
of summer sport. Echo Ridge, for example, with its pristine expanses
of levelly mowed fairways and flat greens. There really is only one
word for it. Boring. Bocci ball will become a team sport, much
like curling, but this time the two team members will be tramping
down the ridges of grass so as to guide the ball closer to the pin.
Special stomping shoes will be developed to give the elite Olympic
Lawn bowlers better control as they develop the finesse it will take
to bowl in corduroy grass.
The owner of Valley Lawn Services thinks that I
am taken in by his subterfuge, pretending to pick up his equipment
stored on the lot next to mine, or visiting his sister across the
street. I know that he is calculating the exact method of creating
my corduroy lawn. How tilted is the deck that holds the mower blade?
Just how flat is the left front tire? Oh yes, he is ciphering away
in the hopes that he will be ready when the great demand happens.
No, no, my corduroy lawn is not the
result of everybody being too darn busy to take a look at my sad
little mower and fix it so that it mows in level swaths. Rather, it
is part of the fantasy leisure world that I live in since my
retirement.
/bye
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Going in circles (or elipses)...
A friend called me last night to ensure
that I hadn't dropped off the face of the earth, as my emails were
bouncing back to her and I wasn't writing in my blog at all. So,
just to clarify, I still circle the sun along with everyone else but
have been very busy, and pretty lazy, therefore no blogging. (Also,
I have very little to say!). As for my emails...hope my spam is
bouncing back as well!!
As long as I am here I will share some
excitement I had on Sunday. A bear, a big brown bear, a big brown
man-eating bear ran through my back yard! It was just barreling
along, so something had spooked it, and fortunately it didn't stop
for a snack of hysterical woman and small child (Owen was with me).
It headed up into the coulee behind the neighbour's and I haven't
seen him since. When I called the now named Ministry of Environment
on Monday I was told that bear was also sighted at the Mackie Hill.
Later on, I heard that a bear was tracked from Katepwa to this area –
but still remains at large. I just hope if there are resident bears
they chase the cougars away and not the deer. My garden is coming up
so nicely and the dear deer do so enjoy that – I haven't had a
freshly picked home grown beet since 2007. Stupid *%*&^!! deer.
We had to order a part from the USA
last week and it is being shipped UPS. I hate UPS. First of all,
they conveniently give you a tracking number and a website to watch
your shipment make its circuitous way through several states, past
the Canadian border, into Winnipeg and then Regina where it promptly
disappears! There is, conveniently, a toll free number to call to
check on your package. Once dialed you get several options, none of
which say “to find your package once it gets to Regina press...”.
Anyway, knowing full well it will be futile, I press 0 to speak to an
agent. Who is located in the Asia Pacific call office.
He doesn't know Regina, much less Fort
Qu'Appelle, even less the RM of North Qu'Appelle. He tells me that
the package will be delivered between 10:00 – 2:00 to my home. I
tell him that UPS will not deliver to the RM. He asks what is an RM.
I give a brief educational summation of the various Geo-political
designations in the province of Saskatchewan. He asks where is
Saskatchewan. I say Canada. He says Canada like it was some kind of
multi syllable disease.
This is where the conversation goes
distinctly astray and I ask him a few questions like – how can you
be customer support if you don't even have any idea where I live, or
where my package will be delivered? He assures me that he has
resources to help him. I suggest he tap into those resources now.
He agrees.
Five minutes on hold and he comes back
on to say the drop off station is the Tempo gas station on Broadway
street. I tell him the Tempo gas station on Broadway Street has been
shut down for several years.
Hmmmm....then he will use his email
resources to contact UPS in Regina for the information needed. Could
I contact the UPS station in Regina myself?? (I know, dumb
question). Of course not. That would be entirely too convenient.
UPS prides itself on ALMOST being convenient not on actually BEING
convenient. I listen as his keyboard clicks away with his email. He
assures me someone will contact me with the information. I ask him
if it will be a real person who calls me. He assures me that it will
be a real person, who is aware of the urgency of the situation.
Knowing full well that this is a lie, I thank him and hang up.
Twenty minutes later my phone rings and
it is a recorded message saying that my package will be delivered
between 10:00 – 2:00 to my home address. The recorded message cuts
out once the useless information has been passed along and I hear
dial tone in my ear. I hate UPS.
/bye
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Hey - long time no hear from!
So, what does it take to get a procrastinator like myself to finally write a blog post? When said procrastinator vows that she will work on the income tax papers without stop until they are complete! That was a stupid vow (so many are) as it means that I will put off starting for as long as possible. That window of "possible" growing shorter and shorter by the second.
I do have some news to share - since I haven't blogged for so long. We went on two holidays this winter. The first was to Cabos with our friends Bonnie and Wade, and Rita and Shawn. It was wonderful - the resort we stayed at was the Riu Sante Fe and it was beautiful. We couldn't swim in the ocean due to the undertow, but there were a couple of pools where we could stretch out and relax in the sun. With a pina colada. Or two.
It was just a beautiful, peaceful, restful place to be. I just loved it. That was in January. A friend of mine went to the same place in February and it was party central with loud, obnoxious, vomiting drunks all over the place. Timing is everything I guess.
In February we went to Cancun with Holly, Cory and the girls. What a blast. Lots of hot sun, fun times in the ocean, never a dull moment. The resort was kid friendly, which meant noise and activity at all times. Good thing we were well rested from the first vacation!
Then, I was home for a couple of days - and I retired! From work! Forever! Well actually I have a casual position which may have me back once in a while - some people just don't know when to quit do they. Then, once I was retired for a couple of days I had my 60th birthday. What a milestone! My amazing family threw me a party on the actual day (Friday March 9) when I went over to Holly's for a wonderful meal and some fun times with my little girls, who know how to party hard (just like their parents ha ha on them!). Then, they also threw me a surprise birthday party the next night - which totally blew me away. With the help of Bonnie and Wade and Rita and Shawn, Holly, Brad and their crew were able to get me out of the house and to get everything ready so that they could yell SURPRISE when I got home. It was just great. Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who helped out and to everyone who came. I am so happy you did.
Then it was time to actually get down to the grind of being retired. So far I have spent a weekend making cards, signed up for a retreat to scrapbook, knit a pair of socks, working on a baby blanket (or two), cleaned out my closet of clothes that are too big for me now (yay!) and just generally enjoying life. Until now. Tax time. It all had to end sometime I suppose. Anyway, hopefully I will be able to just drill down through the huge pile of paperwork to get to the pertinent details for CRA. Pray for me.
I do have some news to share - since I haven't blogged for so long. We went on two holidays this winter. The first was to Cabos with our friends Bonnie and Wade, and Rita and Shawn. It was wonderful - the resort we stayed at was the Riu Sante Fe and it was beautiful. We couldn't swim in the ocean due to the undertow, but there were a couple of pools where we could stretch out and relax in the sun. With a pina colada. Or two.
It was just a beautiful, peaceful, restful place to be. I just loved it. That was in January. A friend of mine went to the same place in February and it was party central with loud, obnoxious, vomiting drunks all over the place. Timing is everything I guess.
In February we went to Cancun with Holly, Cory and the girls. What a blast. Lots of hot sun, fun times in the ocean, never a dull moment. The resort was kid friendly, which meant noise and activity at all times. Good thing we were well rested from the first vacation!
Then, I was home for a couple of days - and I retired! From work! Forever! Well actually I have a casual position which may have me back once in a while - some people just don't know when to quit do they. Then, once I was retired for a couple of days I had my 60th birthday. What a milestone! My amazing family threw me a party on the actual day (Friday March 9) when I went over to Holly's for a wonderful meal and some fun times with my little girls, who know how to party hard (just like their parents ha ha on them!). Then, they also threw me a surprise birthday party the next night - which totally blew me away. With the help of Bonnie and Wade and Rita and Shawn, Holly, Brad and their crew were able to get me out of the house and to get everything ready so that they could yell SURPRISE when I got home. It was just great. Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who helped out and to everyone who came. I am so happy you did.
Then it was time to actually get down to the grind of being retired. So far I have spent a weekend making cards, signed up for a retreat to scrapbook, knit a pair of socks, working on a baby blanket (or two), cleaned out my closet of clothes that are too big for me now (yay!) and just generally enjoying life. Until now. Tax time. It all had to end sometime I suppose. Anyway, hopefully I will be able to just drill down through the huge pile of paperwork to get to the pertinent details for CRA. Pray for me.
/bye
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Notes to self...or woe is me..
The big day has come and gone, and once again I am putting away the wrapping paper/gift bags for another year. In case I forget - again - I have enough paper and bags and bows and gift tags (the tacky store bought kind) to last for the next 10 years so DO NOT BUY MORE NEXT NOVEMBER WHEN IT COMES OUT IN COSTCO. I am counting on you, dear reader, to remind me. I don't need more tree ornaments, I don't need more decorations to put up around the house. I DO need to get my wreath decorated and put with the wreath hanger to use next year. When I figure out where to store it, I will let you all know so that when I can't find it next November you will be able to tell me where it is.
Sometimes, being organized and ahead of the game just frustrates me. I had pictures of Murray and I taken on July 1st, had them printed out in October and had them lying around my house in one spot or another for at least 6 weeks for the purpose of putting them into the Christmas Cards when they were ready. Then...one grey winter's day...Declan had them in his little hands and I took them from him and put them in a safe place. Never to be seen again. My cards were nice though so maybe it was just as well I didn't ruin them with pictures of old people.
So, that covers the notes to self section, now onto the woe is me (I know you can hardly stand the suspense...) I have fallen off the health wagon and have been run over by the team. I have eaten probably 40 pounds worth of tarts (Thanks Dianne - they are sooooo good) - cherry chocolates (Thanks Tyler they are sooooo good) - Crisp Stix (Thanks Bev and George they are sooooo good)- Surprise Spread - lazy man cabbage rolls - stuffing/gravy/turkey/sweet potato casserole/mashed potatoes...and on and on and on. Thankfully I have a wonderful daughter who pointed out to me that I should take my blood glucose levels. I will go blind and loose a foot if I am not careful. Reminded me of my dear dear mother - Gramma Dodd you will never be far from our thoughts - especially this time of year.
So, with that misery out of my system and pinging around the internet, I think I can finally put it all behind me and start over with my steely resolve to live a healthier lifestyle even if it kills my husband. (Steely resolve can result in total bee-achh-iness - just ask him).
On a more positive note - I got my advent calendar made for the girls (in just the nick of time). It turned out to be a big hit - they loved it and used it to count down the days. At one point, when there was only four days left to open, Kaida said to her mother "you better get this house ready, you are running out of time". Holly was so grateful for that calendar at that moment, I have no doubt. Making it was a lot of fun right up to the 17th day - then it was kind of a drag for the last 8 boxes. However, I had no time to be fed up with it as it was the 30 of November! I was not organized or ahead of the game here and it worked out so well. My only regret was that I didn't get time to take a picture to post - because I just wasn't organized or ahead of the game enough...
We had a wonderful Christmas Day - thanks to Holly and Cory for breakfast and Bev and George for supper - and my four little sweethearts for so much fun in between. I hope all of you had as great a day.
Sometimes, being organized and ahead of the game just frustrates me. I had pictures of Murray and I taken on July 1st, had them printed out in October and had them lying around my house in one spot or another for at least 6 weeks for the purpose of putting them into the Christmas Cards when they were ready. Then...one grey winter's day...Declan had them in his little hands and I took them from him and put them in a safe place. Never to be seen again. My cards were nice though so maybe it was just as well I didn't ruin them with pictures of old people.
So, that covers the notes to self section, now onto the woe is me (I know you can hardly stand the suspense...) I have fallen off the health wagon and have been run over by the team. I have eaten probably 40 pounds worth of tarts (Thanks Dianne - they are sooooo good) - cherry chocolates (Thanks Tyler they are sooooo good) - Crisp Stix (Thanks Bev and George they are sooooo good)- Surprise Spread - lazy man cabbage rolls - stuffing/gravy/turkey/sweet potato casserole/mashed potatoes...and on and on and on. Thankfully I have a wonderful daughter who pointed out to me that I should take my blood glucose levels. I will go blind and loose a foot if I am not careful. Reminded me of my dear dear mother - Gramma Dodd you will never be far from our thoughts - especially this time of year.
So, with that misery out of my system and pinging around the internet, I think I can finally put it all behind me and start over with my steely resolve to live a healthier lifestyle even if it kills my husband. (Steely resolve can result in total bee-achh-iness - just ask him).
On a more positive note - I got my advent calendar made for the girls (in just the nick of time). It turned out to be a big hit - they loved it and used it to count down the days. At one point, when there was only four days left to open, Kaida said to her mother "you better get this house ready, you are running out of time". Holly was so grateful for that calendar at that moment, I have no doubt. Making it was a lot of fun right up to the 17th day - then it was kind of a drag for the last 8 boxes. However, I had no time to be fed up with it as it was the 30 of November! I was not organized or ahead of the game here and it worked out so well. My only regret was that I didn't get time to take a picture to post - because I just wasn't organized or ahead of the game enough...
We had a wonderful Christmas Day - thanks to Holly and Cory for breakfast and Bev and George for supper - and my four little sweethearts for so much fun in between. I hope all of you had as great a day.
/bye
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Saturday - again
My very first blog was about how I hate Saturdays. Well, that has come to an end. This morning was the very first meeting of the knitting club, aptly named the Knitwits, at the Fort library. There were 6 of us with our knitting projects, and our ideas, and our ENTHUSIASM for knitting, sitting around discussing all things knitting, looking over knitting books, while we knitted. Did I mention it was a knitting group? We decided to get together on a weekly basis and that we would try to do a knit along. SUCH FUN!!
My Saturdays will never be the same...thank goodness!!
Oh, and on another topic that brings me satisfaction - I have lost 40 pounds. Just another 5 and my BMI is in the "normal" zone. I have never been in the normal zone in any sense so it will be interesting to experience.
My Saturdays will never be the same...thank goodness!!
Oh, and on another topic that brings me satisfaction - I have lost 40 pounds. Just another 5 and my BMI is in the "normal" zone. I have never been in the normal zone in any sense so it will be interesting to experience.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Cardmaking again...
The only bad thing about the wedding was that we missed Brandon's graduation brunch. I hear it was fun though, and I hope he enjoyed it. I made this card, using the same enclosure pattern. This time I put my cricut to work and did the frame and year and sentiment by cut out. The paper is SU's craft paper (new name is cookie crumbs or something like that). The twine I picked up from the Library's craft and book sale for a dime - last year - finally used it.
I have had to make too many sympathy cards lately. This pic is really bad, but it is "with sympathy". Everything is SU this time. The flower is from their Pretty Things collection which I have had around my house for a year and a half. Finally used it.
One year ago today, Cathy Cochrane and I stayed up all night waiting for the arrival of KENZIE. She was more than well worth the wait. She is having a Ladybug themed party this year, so I used my cutting system from Creative memories and made this simple simple little card. You can't read the message, but it just says Happy Birthday which I think you can guess. I got the googly eyes at the Library Craft and Book sale - and well - finally used them.
So, to all those people (Murray) who say "You have all this stuff and you never use it" I say
HAH!!
/bye
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Insert catchy title here
It has been a glorious week when the only thing to mar the perfect blue skies are jet streams. The hot hot days were followed by cool still nights. Usually this is a recipe for a wild storm or something, but not this week. I enjoyed!
But, over the last week the valley has taken on a distinctly "the good times are over" look. There are fewer green leaves and more are coloured. The grass is not growing as fast or as lush, the flowers are getting leggy and, well, tiresome. My garden has been tilled down to just the corn stalks and a few tomato plants. There are plenty of veggies sitting in my garage waiting to be eaten, but that really isn't the exciting fun part for me. I like to see them sprout, and blossom and then produce. I don't like to pick and process. Thus, the good times are over.
So, in order to avoid slipping down into the abyss of total depression, we booked a holiday! We will be going to Cancun with Holly and Cory and the kids. And, just to keep me buoyant and interested in the sea of life, I have another holiday with the Dubiels and the Baldocks to look forward to booking. The booking is a lot of fun, right up to the "buy now" button stage. Then, one really has to have determination and fortitude because once you click that, what happens next is the hard part. Facing the credit card. (There is always something to sap the joy). Oh well, a month before I have to even THINK about that part.
You have probably read my daughters "Harvest 2011" post, and my rude comment that followed. But really, in my defence I just have to speak out. There were many, way too many to count, days when I was weeding and watering and fertilizing and caring for that garden when she was boating, visiting, entertaining, or off to some glamorous locale like Vegas or Lethbridge. So I was 10 minutes late with the harvest bee. Lets make that the big deal that goes on the internet. Not the countless - way to many to count - hours I spent getting things to the point where you could pick them. In the blistering heat. By myself. Oh well, she is raising two little ladies who will, tragically, put her in her place soon enough.
Revenge is sweet, especially when you have to wait as long as I have...
But, over the last week the valley has taken on a distinctly "the good times are over" look. There are fewer green leaves and more are coloured. The grass is not growing as fast or as lush, the flowers are getting leggy and, well, tiresome. My garden has been tilled down to just the corn stalks and a few tomato plants. There are plenty of veggies sitting in my garage waiting to be eaten, but that really isn't the exciting fun part for me. I like to see them sprout, and blossom and then produce. I don't like to pick and process. Thus, the good times are over.
So, in order to avoid slipping down into the abyss of total depression, we booked a holiday! We will be going to Cancun with Holly and Cory and the kids. And, just to keep me buoyant and interested in the sea of life, I have another holiday with the Dubiels and the Baldocks to look forward to booking. The booking is a lot of fun, right up to the "buy now" button stage. Then, one really has to have determination and fortitude because once you click that, what happens next is the hard part. Facing the credit card. (There is always something to sap the joy). Oh well, a month before I have to even THINK about that part.
You have probably read my daughters "Harvest 2011" post, and my rude comment that followed. But really, in my defence I just have to speak out. There were many, way too many to count, days when I was weeding and watering and fertilizing and caring for that garden when she was boating, visiting, entertaining, or off to some glamorous locale like Vegas or Lethbridge. So I was 10 minutes late with the harvest bee. Lets make that the big deal that goes on the internet. Not the countless - way to many to count - hours I spent getting things to the point where you could pick them. In the blistering heat. By myself. Oh well, she is raising two little ladies who will, tragically, put her in her place soon enough.
Revenge is sweet, especially when you have to wait as long as I have...
/bye
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