Pondering Life

As I sat here in my computer chair early this morning, I realize how fortunate I am. I always have something that I can do whether it be crafts, housework, reading or gardening. And it is my choice, my time , what and when I do it. How wonderful that is ! We do not have much money; I am still working way past retirement but we lack nothing. I have a full freezer, fridge and pantry. We have a large enough yard that I can grow vegetables and wonderful flowers. I have contact with my kids nearly every day. OUr YGS was with us early yesterday while his dad went to the doctor. He told his dad as they were going to work [ ES is a caregiver of two developmentally disabled men] that it was a perfect day ! He spent time with Grandma and Grandpa and now

he was on the way to the acerage with his Dad.

Wasn't that a lovely  thought ?  He ate an orange, played Solitaire and helped rake leaves. Certainly nothing exciting and we didn't buy him anything. We were just with him. lstening and talking. He came over after supper; hs auntie said she'd watch him at home while her brothers played baseball, but no, he thought he needed to coe over to visit. He is quite fascinated with the hexagons and likes to 'make' things with them. 

We got most of the front lawn raked We have oodles of leaves used as mulch  on the front flower beds, but our compost is full !! We might fill up some garbage bags this weekend[ a forecast 18*C high] and then empty them  into the composter next week after it has been picked up. Luckily I was able to get a hair appointment yesterday afternoon. My stylist was not in later in the week so I was fortunate to get an appointment when I did.  I am quite pleased with it.

Cutting out more hexagon shapes and sewing. I don't know what exactly what I am going to do with them all. I've no pattern in mind, but I am finding it very relaxing. As long as I am doing some sort of handicraft while I am watching tv I don't feel guilty.

A few vegetables and flowers started this morning. We will have to rearrange a few things to get the greenhouse in the dining area in the kitchen. Hubby will have to do something with all his 'bits' that he leaves 'island'. If the weather holds, I might try and get the vertical planter painted on Saturday. then I'll put more potting soil in and maybe start some onions and spinach.

YS either pulled a muscle or pinched a nerve in his neck/ shoulder so he is off to the doctor's this afternoon. He had to go ito work to attend a meeting and I was worried about him driving.Hubby will drive him to the doctor's.

Supper tonight will be potato salad, deviled eggs, tossed salad and baked ham. 

Now I have to decide whether to sew, clean or read ! Life is wonderful when you have choices !

A Productive Day

 We set off fairly early  to go to Value Village to look for some specific pants for Hubby;Cargo Pants.Success !! and for once I do not have to hem them. I found two tops for me, and two wool blankets--Plaid ! for ED's Outlander Wine Party in November. It was Senior's day so we saved 30% , an added bonus.

Then we went to Liquidation World and bought a new mat for the front door. The old mat went into the garbage. Onward to Service Canada to pick up passport forms. Now Hubby wanted to immediately have our photos taken etc, etc. However we might not need them for another year so there is no rush......and I need a haircut ! WE dropped our purchases at home and then headed off to pick up some onion sets and seed potatoes in one store. then off to the next for potting soil[ Hubby gets a retured employee discount ] We're all set to start planting seeds.

The sons were off with a couple of fellow team members to throw a ball around. Naturally YGS came over and again ate and ate and ate. It's amazing what he eats after he eats a good supper. And again he was in the hot tub twice. Good thing he has multiple bathing suits here.

ED is still not feeling well. I am thinking it is time to see a doctor.

More hexagons done yesterday. This morning I cut out 50 more shapes so I'll be able to do a whole lot more today. Later on I will phone for a hair appointment for tomorrow. Today we might start in on yard work, raking, moving some leaves etc.  It was very warm when I got up 7*c so hopefully any rain will hold off til we at least get a start.

A change from ham tonight; I'll do something with some hamburger.

Spring Break Begins

 We are officially on Spring Break, although shorter than normal as our school board gypped us out of one day ! However , the weather is beautiful and I got a lot done yesterday !! Mostly ordinary household jobss and a small start on Spring housecleaning ! I even got out into the garden to clean up the Day Lilies that I didn't manage to get done before winter set in. The debris was burned as that is how dry it is.

Tulips are up on the south and east sides of the house. The Mayday and Cherry trees are  ready to burst out in blossom. That is a bit worrying after all, the May Day tree is called 'may' for a reason ! The Scarlet Tanager flock is growing. I suppose the easy food supply is a real draw. I counted seven male and lost count of the females. The birds are quite brave; they often do not fly away if we move outside. Lovely to watch.

English Paper Piecing  !!! I basted 24 hexagons yesterday ! YGS thought they were really neat and I should make him some so he could make flowers and patterns ! I said - some day !

 ES and YGS were over twice yesterday. The first time was to just go in the hot tub. After their supper, YGS came over while my two sons went off to the field to  up their practicing for baseball. The boy must be going through a growth spurt- he had 1/4 fresh pineapple, a banana, an orange and a few potato chips after he had eaten steak and salad for supper ! Then when his father and uncle came back, they were all out in the hot tub again !

We're going up again to 14 or 15*C again today. Hubby thought he'd get out and rae up so me more pine cones today. I swept up a lot of Spruce needles yesterday. The past two years we have noticed how many we have that have fallen. I am thinking it is because of the dry conditions as I never remember the trees shedding so many. Gray water is starting to be used again . Soil is like dust.


I am thinking a trip into Value Village for some new , well hardly used ? , pants for hub and some spring clothes for me. I also need a new kitchen mat, threw the old one out yesterday - beyond saving. We need to pick up some potting soil  and get the greenhouse going.

Gobsmacked

Gobsmacked accurately describes how we all felt when we were told our YD and family would be moving to Memphis Tennesse which is  over 3 000 km away. We all have been so close to our two grandchildren and the news has hit us hard ! My sil was headhunted by this company so off they will go ! It has coloured our whole weekend. We're sad, very sad. My YGS is heartbroken. But our liives will go on and we'll save like mad to make the journey a couple of times.

Meanwhile I have knit 2 cowls and one shawl for ED's Outlander wine/ dinner party -----in November ! Oh well, it's one more thing off my list. I am going to try and make a few jabots for the men !- to wear with their  kilts. Zipper was successfully put in Hubby's pants so that was another chore off my list. This morning I am cutting out hexagons to start doing some  English Paper Piecing.

Yeterday YS made Ukrainian Garlic rolls and I made Pineapple Delight for our Easter eal at YD. The kids had fun with their egg rolling ! Today we will have our own ham  and a smaller Pineapple Delight. There will be fresh pineapple for Hubby.

The weather this week is going to be warm - up to 14*C ! We might even be able to do a bit of yard work. Certainly we will start a few plants inside. First I must wash the kitchen floor  so that we can put up the mini greenhouse.  Cukes, squash and  corn as well as some flowering plants - as I had gathered seeds from my daughter's garden ! She had some beautiful thistles.

Interesting aside to the drama that is the egg donor. Apparently she had her daughter, but the father and grandmother could not get a hold of her. So the grandmother phoned her mother to see if she could reach her. Now if you couldn't speak to your daughter, would you not phone the police ?  Also the ' in laws' are saying they are finally changing their will-- they had said that they had already done that -- who knows. ...and will be making ES the executor of their estate. Now if the whole story were known as to how they had treated him, one would laugh themselves silly. Hopefully they will do this right away which will be a shock to their lawyer as the lawyer was also the egg donor's lawyer where she leveled false accusations against him.[ all of which we were able to prove false, by the way !  ] Time will tell if they do exactly what they planned- or say they have planned.

So today I'll try and start a new quilt, do bathrooms, floors and see what I can get started for the garden.

So this is Spring

Before 6am this morning, the oven was sprayed. Once that is done there is no turning back so the oven will be cleaned ! The fridge needs a good cleaning too, so I have two big jobs to do this morning !!Hubby will do the laundry as usual. After that a swish of the bathrooms and floors and maybe the dreaded dusting ! LOL
   It is funny how we put off some jobs that really don't take all that long to do once we get going. A couple of hours work  is all it takes. Every cupboard, closet and shelf in my house needs a thorough clean. This morning is a start !
We need to start some of our plants, especially as we seem to be having a very early Spring [ which starts tonight at 10:30pm] I even spotted two pansies growing under the snow! I think a trip to Rona or peavey Mart is in order to pick up some soil and a few seeds that we are missing. I may sow some spinach and lettuce seeds in the upright planter to get some early greens.We also need to rake up some of the sunflower seed hulls from under the tree. I'll have to check when our green bin is picked up this month.

School was very busy and I was so tired Friday that I actually lay down for a bit after school; too tired to even eat supper. I signed up for another year !! What was I thinking !

I'll take a break from doing the fridge to watch the morning news and then I'll be back at it !  Work on the fringe on the doll's blanket will be done at the same time.

the guys are anxiously preparing for baseball season. They're out in the fields fielding shags and throwing the ball around. Little one starts baseball later this spring.

Much work awaits !

Time Change Be Gone !!

 That time of year has rolled around again, the dreaded time change. We don't need to change the clocks twice a year. It plays havoc with my sleep pattern and affects the kids at school very noticeably. I woke up this am mentally putting the hour ahead so I'll have two days  before going back to school. I hate it !

School was very busy this week. Report cards were due to be finished ready for admin perusal and editing by Friday. As a new teacher has taken over some classes- and he's 'old fashioned' - expects the kids to reember what is being taught from one day to the next, we've had a few tears. It is amazing that grade 7 students can sit for two whole blocks and the next day remember nothing ! As he said[ and this is a comman complaint with this particular class, they are lazy.

I'm still knitting on the wonky afghan. Haven't knit as much as usual because I actually read two books ! LOL   ED is in California for her friend's Bachelorette and wedding. some of the pictures have been quite fun ! YS was off to Red Deer yesterday for work, and probably back there on Monday. EGS swam 140 lengths of the pool in two hours to help raise money for his swim team.YGS  had an excellent report and teacher interview ES went to hear from someone outside the family how well he is doing !  We certainly know he wouldn't have done as well if the egg donor had been in his life. He is secure, well behaved, loving and extremely smart. No trantrums, no bad behaviour. Of course he talks a lot, but that is his character. The teacher is amazed at his French accent and vocabulary.

Today we must get on with housecleaning. And we have to get it done before YS and ES go through a baseball around !! YGS  is at his other grandparents so ES has some free time. The dog is missing her mistress a lot !  She hasn't eaten for 2 days although she will eat her treats ! I think we're having steak tonight so I'll save a few scraps for ES to put in her food bowl so she'll start to eat something. She's a funny little thing; she still has two members of 'her family' around, but still waits for her mistress !

The Scarlet Tanagers have not been seen since Sunday. We had quite the snowstorm which greeted us as we came home from the cheerleading competition Guess that scared them...who knows , maybe they turned around and headed back south. We might have a snow rain mix today . It is so dry around here. The majority of yards have no snow left. I remember having snow in the yard well into May.  Anyone who does not beleive in Climate Change caused by man is a fool.

I enjoyed  watching the PM's visit to Washington. I think he did us proud. The jealous negative comments from conservatives  are beyond the pale. They need to grow up and accept defeat as well as giving the new government a chance. Some truly do not understand the younger generation and are unwilling to hand over the reins . The world has changed and old men in suits will not rule the world. As long as the younger ones listen to some advice from their elders I think we will do well. The order has changed and at least in Canada, we do not have a Trump -- yet. For that I am thankful.

Edited to add - The Flock of Scarlet Tanagers is back this am ! Whoo Hoo

In Like A Lamb

 We've had a good start to the month. In fact yesterday the temperature went up to 13*C !! This morning the fog has rolled in, with rain and snow predicted for later today. Very little snow left on the ground.

YGS was sick for three days, fever, lack of appetite etc. he seems to have bounced back. ES was a very good nurse, taking two days off work to take care of him. Guess it wasn't all the candy he was fed ! [ However that still must change ! ] He's back in swimming lessons which he just loves. We had the other two grandchildren several times as sil was in Memphis  and then had an exhibition which he had to attend. DH had two on Friday as it was a PD day . Their dayhome provider had gone away for the week !

Our PD day wasn't too bad. We had a meeting of EAs and people were honest and a lot of things came out.  However  5 EAs were absent[ and the admin did not realize that they had not shown up. Hmm ]Hopefully we will not be punished for being honest. We had a lovely lunch out at a new Vietnamese restaurant.

Yesterday I finished the afghan and I'm starting the next. It's kinda wonky, but I like it. It is amazing that I did finish it as I was constantly checking the bird feeders as we had 3 male Scarlet tanagers as well as some females visiting ! they are well off their territory !

Today we are off to WEM to watch our gd perform in the Cheer competition. So I had to get up early to do my hair and nails done ! Tonight is the final for Downton Abbey. I'll have to tape that as well as Quantico - back after a 3 month hiatus !! YS is going to cook supper !
It's a long stretch til Easter and Spring Break. Hanging in there !