this and that

This has been a quiet week, as many of them are.  Most of it has been spent in the studio.  The piece I have been working so hard on, over the past couple of months, just didn't work out.  So I've been taking a few days off, and just playing, not something I often do.   We have had no appointments, and have just been sticking close to home.  This means that I read and sew. The  weather hase been weird, but usually with wind, so bicycle riding has been infrequent.

Since I had my eyes done, I've had to wear dark glasses whenever I go outside.  I've been using the pair that we bought in Kenora, last time you were here, Beth.  Quite awhile ago, and I think we paid $7.00 for them.  They sure don't owe me anything, but last week one of the arms broke.  David glued it together, and I'm using them again, but see the writing on the wall, so bought two more pair at Dollarama.  One of them is wrap around like the old pair, so I tried that first.  For some reason they make everything appear cloudy, so those are "no go", and the others aren't wrap around, so I'm back to the mended pair.

David did our taxes.  It took two very long days, and we ran into trouble right at the end.  Couldn't get hold of Amber, so ended up on the trouble line at the Tax dept.  It was almost a pleasant experience.  The lady was very patient and had a sense of humor.  We ended up laughing quite a bit, but in the end got them filed.  Hopefully they were done right, but there is no penalty for errors, as long as we file.  If everything is okay, we will both be buying new footwear, and not before it's time.

Both Loren and Amber will be over for supper tomorrow, and Amber has said that she will bring her children.  I look forward to that, even if it means cleaning the house. Then on Monday, my Ravenesque group is out to Steinbach.  This may prove a challenge as none of us has been out since Dianne moved and no-one knows where she is living.

The rhubarb is leafing out and there are signs of life in some of the peonies, even in one of the clumps of Ladyslippers.  Even the nanking cherries are showing buds.  The forecast for tomorrow is snow.  Figures.

I hope everyone has a great holiday.

Happy Hoppy weekend to you

Hard to believe that Easter is upon us this weekend. It seems only  a while ago I was enjoying my pancakes on Pancake Day Tuesday and thinking about Lent. The other aspect of this weekend for us is that we do not have to do the catering again at Mothers for the rest of the family as we have done every other year! Yahhh. We plan instead to spend the time here at home and I have a BBQ on the menu for at least one day or maybe more. The skies are supposed to be clear and sunny straight through although a bit coldish at night still. Today we headed to North Bay early and it was too early to turn off the heaters in the greenhouses but after a day of sunshine, when we got home the poor plants were weeping badly. So another hour was spent watering and fixing things up. Now after I write this note, and before I can go to bed, I have to go out again and fire up the heaters. And it is only April 5 which means a few more months before things can actually be planted. The neighbour is building a fence and he borrowed a tractor to dig the post holes – he told me tonight that there is still a foot of frost in the ground. The other aspect of greenhouses and plants is that each day soon we must carry them all outside during the day to harden down, and I can tell you that takes a couple of hours out, and then repeat that at night time to tuck them all away again. I chalk it up to good exercise and it gets me out of the house and busy. Maybe that will mean the time will seem shorter until I can jump in the car and head west???? Dream along with me, etc etc.  So I wish you all a Happy Easter and enjoy family and friends and a good meal or two with lots of goodies to eat! I bought a package of Hot Cross buns today and plan to have a couple toasted in the morning tomorrow for Good Friday along with my coffee. There was a time when I actually baked my own at Easter but it is so much easier to open a package instead haha Take care all.

Short week that is really long

It's not that I have nothing to say, it's just that I am afraid that most of what I have to say is just venting. I need to take time to calm down before I speak (count to 10000?) There is nothing wrong , it's just Work, Whitemud Comedy, ACTFest, ACT, other ACT members. People should not phone in sick to work when it is not only month end, but fiscal year end, and I have work piling up on my desk and then there is my fun, leisure activities. Someone remind me why I do this? Anyway..... love ya. I'll be better once I get some sleep

Mid week

The days seem to go by quickly when you work out in the garden everyday but it gets me out into the fresh air and invigorates me as well as gives me some good exercise. I tried to work today after we came back from Mothers house, but it kept snowing ice pellets intermittently with sun shine and was just plain "too miserable". Couldn't decide what it wanted to do so I gave up and came inside. I just remembered that today is Wed and I have no lottery ticket for tonight so after I write a few words I shall take the dog for a walk and stock up for our big win! My friend Sue just send an email asking if we could "do lunch" on Wed April 25. We always meet in Spring and in Fall for a visit and I always look forward to these visits even though she does most of the talking as she is so busy and involved in things/family events. I am often a bit envious at all she does, but as I have told you previously, I also find it difficult anymore to relate with all she does – not like my life at all! Oh well, it is a time away for me so it is all good I guess! Tomorrow we go to North Bay – a little off our usual schedule of Tuesdays but a change is as good as a rest?

Short note for now, but look forward to your reciprocal messages as always. Take care

Sharing

I seem to be dopey today as well.  Slept in until almost 9:00 and then was ready for a nap by noon.  Tried to get some work done this afternoon in the studio, but didn't think my brain could cope with anything too demanding.  So I started to put together a UFO and get it ready for quilting.  Carefully pieced some batting scraps ( after all it is a UFO), cut and pressed the backing fabric and got out the spray adhesive. Shook it well, aimed it toward the backing fabric and hit the button.  The spray nozzle flew off and, in the process,  sprayed both of my hands--well--so well that when I closed my hands they stuck together.  Now this stuff is very good adhesive.  I tried to clean it off with waterless hand cleaner--no go.  Then I came upstairs and tried my St. Ives Apricot Scrub.  Which worked a little bit, so tried it again, and again a little bit more came off.  But my fingers are still sticking together whenever they touch, and anything else I touch sticks, be it a towel or toilet paper.  And I'm doing this with my right pinkie stuck up in the air to keep the splint dry, except it, too, had been sprayed.  So I realize that my splint is now quite wet and about to fall off. David helped me change it ( it did fall off while we were trying to get the tape off), but there is still residue adhesive on the palm of my right and and between the fingers.  So he bravely tells me that it will wear off.  Back down stairs to try to  do the actual quilting.  everything is sticking to me.  What fun!

Today I'm grateful for David, who came to my rescue, and took over most of making supper.

Apparently I am already all doped up

My road trip does not start "this afternoon" but , as planned, "this summer! I should proof read before I press send but then it makes it all that more exciting this way, doesn't it?

April Fools Day yet all is well!

and I hope all went well with you folks – no jokes, no surprises?  Still suffering a bit with this cold and it seems to be hanging on longer than is wanted /expected. When speaking with others, I hear that there is a lot of this "going around" so I am holding tough and treating best I can and just hoping it will fade into nothingness. If not, then I guess other measures may be necessary. I went on an errand today and the car started ringing bells and screaming at me LOW FUEL<LOW FUEL and sure enough I was nearly on empty – just shows that when you are not focused on day to day issues because you are suffering with a cold, this kind of thing goes unnoticed until blatantly so indicated. What did we ever do without the computer cars to let us know how to drive or when the engine needs servicing, or when to put oil in, or in this case when to put gas in?? And I only paid just over $1.41 a liter for this privilege. I can't imagine what the price will be as I start out on my road trip this afternoon? Anyway, I shall go now and dope myself up with all sorts of medicines, and put the greenhouses to bed, and then put myself to bed. Here's to the week ahead to be a good week for all of us! Take care