Walmarts

Funny you should mention Walmart today as we went to Huntsville this morning and shopped in Walmart. This is a supercentre store and as you say, everything including a full grocery store. We wanted to pick up a few things to wrap for Mike as his birthday is this weekend and we are going to celebrate with him on Friday. I have to make a rhubarb pie and rhubarb crumble to take at his request. And today I spoke with him and asked what he wished for a meal - you will never guess! Bangers and Mash. He likes this and says he still has some deer sausage from his hunting last fall to eat and so would I make this dish. What ever happened to KFC or pizza? But back to Walmart - the store in North Bay is being enlarged to create another supercentre and it is really far too big. We don't shop there much anyway, but I do go in to get pictures developed from the camera at their photo shop when I need to. We go into the Mall infrequently and when we do we park in a little off shot lot at the far side - Harry calls it  "your parking lot" because I like it better than trying to manipulate into the cramped close quarters of the Walmart parking lot. So I guess you and I Patty have the same feelings about it, eh? Cathy do you go to a Walmart in Brandon when you go there?
After supper tonight while I was doing the dishes, a very nauseous smell started to drift into the window from the back room. It smelled like nail polish remover or something similar. I started to get all worried and went several times into the back room to investigate. I opened the big windows to get fresh air but still was worried. So I started an intensive search - this is a room filled with boxes full of stuff by the way. My nose took me to a box and further looking revealed some tins including a tin of spray enamel. And the bottom of the box was wet. So out the door with it and confirmed this was the source. I asked Harry to check the tin and for some reason it had leaked from the bottom and soaked into the cardboard and onto the rug a bit. But, I solved the problem and was able to head for bed with peace of mind. I just finished the final novel of five of the Patrick Bower series by Steven James I bought for my Ereader. I enjoyed every one of them - great thrillers and always a twist at the end. Now I can get started on the Inferno by Dan Brown. I bought it for the Ereader a few weeks ago but did not want to start it until I was finished the others. I called an old friend on Sunday as it was her birthday. I was friends with her in Victoria and we have remained in contact usually once a year at birthdays or Christmas. She never got into the computers or emails  but on Sunday said she had just got an IPad and was learning to use it. So we exchanged email addresses and perhaps I will be able to enhance another friendship in this manner. They live in Petawawa which is really not that far. She said they have booked a 6 months world cruise for next year and "why don't we think about joining them" Anyway I thanked her but said it wouldn't be possible. Wow! If I go anywhere it will be back to see you folks. Better get to bed. Take care

Research

Lately I've been enjoying Cafe Mocha from Tim Horton's ( made with decaf, of course).  I had the opportunity to try it at McDonald's a couple of weeks ago, and yesterday tried it  at Starbuck's while out with my friend Shirley.  Just to confirm my findings, I had another one at McDonald's last evening.  At Tims it is $2.30 (incl tax) for a medium and tastes quite fine.  At Mcdonald's it is $3.60 for a medium, and tastes very, very nice.  Starbucks charged me $4.98, and was just "ho hum".  Obviously McDonald's is trying to compete with Starbucks, and in my opinion, winning the competition hands down.  But since we are "living on the pension", I think I'll stay with Tims, except on special occasions.

Poor Shirley has been battling Shingles for the past couple of months. This has really knocked her for a loop, maybe because of her age, as she is 80+.  She has only been dressing for short periods lately, after spending almost a month doing nothing but lying on her couch without clothing.  She is a very "social animal" and has been suffering almost as much from "cabin fever" as the Shingles. It was nice to see her out, even if only for a few minutes, but she talked non-stop, and my head was spinning after our visit.

After our coffee, I stopped in a WalMart for a couple of things.  They have re-modeled our local store.  We went through almost two years of construction and parking lot chaos, as the parking lot had to be re-vamped along with the store.  For some reason they decided to put a traffic circle along one side of the lot, and when I was there yesterday, they are now working on that again.  My best guess is that they are installing some sort of barrier between the parking area and the traffic circle/roadway that runs along side of it.  The overall result is that while they have doubled the size of the store, bringing in groceries, and now keeping it open 24 hours, at the same time they have cut the size of the parking lot in half and are now making it almost impossible to get into.  I am unhappy with the interior of the store as well, and can see that I will be shopping there less often. Or maybe I'm just turning into a crotchety old woman.

Today it's back to the studio.  Having fun down there

Sunday again

I agree that we may finally be frost free for a while.  We lost a number of tomatoes and peppers to frost last weekend.  We covered everything we could the first night but still lost some the second night it was only supposed to hit 4 above as the low...... it was 3 below here and more plants were lost.  We only have 2 jalapenos left and I am hoping that at least 2 of our Sweet Chelsea tomatoes will make it. Jim was able to replace the green peppers and the hot banana peppers and bought some Super Fantastic tomatoes just so we would have some extra.  We have only 3 Roma's left, but since I use them only in sauce and salsa as a "thickener" we will survive.  All the potatoes turned black, but being a root crop they are all coming back. We replanted all the beans, and the peas came through unscathed.  A killing frost in June!!!  We were supposed to have lots of rain Friday night through Saturday but our patio stones are barely damp.  They are saying rain tonight, but I think we better water the garden anyway.  That will bring the rain for sure.  We met some people from BC last week.  They stopped at the legion for a drink.  The had driven across Canada to the East Coast and were on their way home.  They liked Neepawa so much that they stayed for 3 days. They visited the Museum twice and came to the legion everyday around 4.  Needless to say we made a point of showing up too.  It was like meeting a lifelong friend that you had never met before (if you know what I mean) Jim just got up.  I finally went downstairs at 4am to wake him up and get him to bed.  He says he had just fallen asleep and was awake most of the time.  Hmmmmmmmmm.  My friend Dennis is coming over for supper tonight.  His wife,Lynne, is house sitting in Barbados for a couple of months.  Keri is coming too and I am roasting a small turkey.  We talked about BBQ, but with all the rain in the forecast (yeah, right) we decided this would be a good time for the turkey.  Then, back to work.  Oh joy.  At least I get some extra money for all the work I do.  We have a "Teranet Celebration" committee on the go now.  They want this takeover to be a big event for all Teranet employees in Manitoba and in Ontario.   Of course we have no budget to work with so it will be interesting.  For a company that is so IT heavy, Teranet is not equipped for video conferences.  It has to be done in person or on the phone.  That is one thing that they have said they might have to look into for themselves.  They have never had the need before.  I am on the inter-provincial commitee for the celebration so I guess my future holds some teleconferences.  Time to clean the kitchen for my company.  We can't eat downstairs 'cause it smells so bad from the dogs.  It bothers me and there is no way that Keri could eat down there.  And, of course, it will be raining so we can't eat outside :)

Quiet perhaps but still around....

I just read your Mouse Factory blog and very interested in your activity "frenzy" and happy that things are moving along nicely - in the right direction for you! The little handbags must be a good seller and I can tell from the pictures you posted a while back that they are an eye catcher. Same old here - yard work - especially with such good weather and perhaps no more threats of frost in the immediate future. I did get some housework accomplished yesterday while Harry went to garage sales but then it was into the yard. He bought a 6'X8' Shelter to put up outside to house the lawnmowers and rototillers etc laying around. It meant purchasing 20 cement blocks to lay as a foundation and then construct this shed. I got the instructions and all the pieces organized and then it went up with some issues but overall not too bad a job! I apparently do not know how to work ratchet devices and there were eight that needed to be attached to the straps on all sides of the tarps that lay over the framework. Anyway, it is still standing this morning so hope for the best. Had to transplant a rose tree that I have had for years - it was in the middle of the spot we chose for the shed. It has been moved to another spot and I am hoping it will survive nicely as it produces beautiful flowers although a bit of a rogue tree - sort of like a wild rose bush but grew into a tree all on it's own haha  Harry also bought a record player and it fits nicely into the spot left from the turtle tank. It plays records and cassettes so I will have to dig out some of my old records that I used to love to listen to. Well, the days breaks and time for my second coffee and get ready for another day. The cats are chasing each other because yesterday I found the catnip bag hidden under the chesterfield and now they are all going crazy. Fun to watch! Take care

Aren't we a quiet bunch?!

Sorry to hear about your turtle, Beth. I know you had him for a long time, and that he had been well loved by your boys.  Several years ago David and I made the decision not to have any more animals.  I know they make the house a warmer, friendlier place, but they also tie you down.  I don't know if we are better off or not, knowing every back road and casino in Minnesota, but we had hoped to travel even further afield, although doesn't appear to be in our future.  The trips we made to California, Florida, Vancouver Island and Cuba would have been much more troublesome if we had had animals to provide for.

I've been experimenting with Rhubarb cake.  The one we tried yesterday was very, very tasty, but when I really thought about it, the flavour came more from the brown sugar it had been made with than the actual rhubarb.  I'm going to keep the recipe though, as it made a very nice cake.  I found that I had to bake it for an extra 20 minutes before it was done, but that might have been because the rhubarb was so full of moisture.  Tomorrow I will try another recipe, and let you know how it goes.

David has been hard at work in the garden, and it shows.  The neighbour keeps wanting to give us plants.  He says he loves his garden, and his (ex?-)wife keeps bringing him plants from the garden where he used to live --on Woodside Cres.  David has taken out the bush that used to be beside the front door, and I have to admit that the grarden looks better without it, but it was a battle giving it up because I loved the colour of it.  but is was half dead, and really had to go.  Both the Lady Slippers and the Lily-of-the-Valley are in bloom.  I kept smelling Lilacs when I was in the kitchen, but we took the Lilac out a couple of years ago,and the tree in the other neighbour's yard is quite far away.  Well, dummy me, the same neighbour has a smaller Lilac right beside our house.

The last few days have been spent going through all of my trunks and cupboards trying to organize myself for the sale in Pinawa in mid-July and the show in Selkirk in December.  At this point, I know what i| have, and have identified a couple of UFO's that could quickly be brought up to snuff.  I also identified a few things that will never be good enough for either show, and now I have to plan to dispose of them.  Then it will be working full out for the next few months on new work.

So I better get down to work.  Have a great weekend everyone.

Farewell to the turtle...

It died two nights ago. It had been failing for some time so not surprised. So yesterday I spent some time to clean the tank and put it away. I cleaned the filter machine and put it into a box. The rocks were taken outside and now are placed in the garden as a border. The tank is just overturned outside - likely turn into a planter, or go to the dump. The most remarkable thing is the absolute "quiet" - no noise from the filter that for so long monopolized the room. There is now an empty space where the tank once occupied on the large two shelf sturdy table bought especially for the tank - I wonder how long before it is taken over haha! I worked in the yard all day and accomplished a great deal - always satisfying to see your progress. This afternoon as I worked, I could hear the strumming of a guitar at one of the neighbours - I don't know which one but I found it very enjoyable. Obviously whoever was playing was not a real experienced player, but nonetheless, still very soothing and pleasant. A real treat. Now I am going to have a bath and head for bed. Tomorrow we go to North Bay early to attend Armed Forced celebrations. Sunday evening we were surprised by Mike and Erin dropping through on their way back to North Bay from Newmarket. It was her birthday and had gone down to her home to celebrate over the weekend. Isn't it funny that I had the feeling all day that he might drop in and so thankful to see him Always a good event for me. We, too, are experiencing colder weather and especially at night - we have been watching closely in case we have to get out and start spraying water on the plants in the early hours as I haven't covered anything and as everything is planted now, there is no way that I could! Take care

cold

It has been cold here. And wet. It is June 1st and my furnace is still on, and working.  I have been working in the studio.  Yesterday I finished a scrap quilt.  Suitable for a child, about 40" square, and made mainly from scraps that I acquired from other people.  One piece had been on my design wall for about 5 years.  Just over a month ago, my friend Shirley gave me some scraps to donate to the quilting group at the local Active Living Centre, and there was one that was perfect with the small piece I had.  After taking the rest into the Centre, I found another piece in the scrap pile there that was just as good.  The final piece came from somewhere,and had been in my stash for years, but I know I sure wouldn't have bought it!  The colour in the full view is most accurate. it is very simply quilted, except in the outer border where I decided to practice my "plumes"

Then today I spent a fair bit of time doing some hand work on a small picture I'm making for the sale in July.  This picture has been "in progress" for a couple of years, but now I'm determined to get it finished.  I may be able to post a picture soon.

Otherwise, David has spent a fair bit of time in the garden.  We have bloom on the lady slippers, and buds in the Lily-of-the-Valley.  The Nanking Cherries have bloomed, but it's too early to see any sign of setting fruit.  We have had our first picking of Rhubarb.  It looks like we're going to have to split the Hosta this year, and the front flower bed is soon going to be overrun with ferns.  Probably not really overrun as David is quite vigilant about digging them up if they grow in the wrong place.  Tomorrow evening is Gillian's dance recital.  David doesn't go with me, but rather drops me off and picks me up.

Today I managed the basement stairs with a reciprocal gait.  I haven't been able to do this for some time, so I am grateful for the improvement.