A few tears but a big job done

The bulk of my books are gone.  It has taken almost two years, but I slowly sorted through my fibre/craft books, and now, they have all gone to new homes.  At one time I had one of the best focussed collections in the city. By doing the job myself, I made sure that they went to appropriate places.  It still represents a big step for me.  While I understand the need to do it, I still expect that I'll go through a bit of a mourning process.  So much of my life was invested in those books.  I have one shelf left out of two 7" book cases, but what's left is pertinent to my current interests.  So about 2/3 of my supply stash is gone, most of my periodicals, and now the books.  However, I'm not yet ready to get rid of my collection of dvd's.

Oh Dear-got people worried

Amber came over yesterday (to try to get the pink lip gloss off my white wing chair--"nuff said?)and expressed concern about our moving, and now Beth asking for details.  David has found that the garden is getting to be too much for him, and we have replaced a flower bed and the vegetable garden with grass.  I'm not moving around as well as I was.  So we both recognize that we won't be in this house forever, and one of us, alone, wouldn't be able to manage.  So we are giving extra priority to attempting to maintain the value of the house, as it is really our "nest egg" for the future.  This is what was behind replacing all of the flooring,a few years ago, and the painting that was done this summer. Leveling the garage floor is a future project, and we now know we need to do some work on the heating system.  We may not sell for 10-15 years, but time passes quickly.  It's hard to believe we've been here for 12 1/2 years now.  Remember that day, Cathy, and the police coming in response to the alarm?

Re: the heating system.  Our carbon monoxide detector went off Monday.  Gave the trouble bleep a couple of times and then went silent.  We've both been battleing headaches and the desire to sleep constantly, so, putting it all together, I got on the phone.  The fire department was quite willing to send a bunch of firefighters over with sirens blaring, but I was more interested in getting information.  We had the window open and were feeling better. The fire service dispatcher ( non-emergency) suggested that I call HealthLinks.  Now, HealthLinks make me crazy.  I can understand their reluctance to give out any information unless they ae able to see the whole picture, but I wanted information on the symptoms of CO poisoning.  That's all I was asking for.  However, she needed to do a full nursing assessment, so was asking for my personal identification info, my medical history and a listing of all of my medications.  I thanked her without identifying myself,  and hung up. ( I know they have call display)  Then I called the gas company.  They said to keep the windows open, go out and walk around the yard if we felt the need, and they would have some one out within two hours, probably much sooner--which was the response I was looking for.  Now we know that we have a negative pressure problem--not CO.  This means that when the furnace is going, it draws much of the available air in the house, so if the waterheater turns on, the lower inside pressure will cause it to vent inside the house, rather than up the chimney-- increasing the CO2, not CO.  He suggested that we have a vent installed in the laundry room, that will allow outside air into the area, when the internal pressure is lower than the  ouside pressure.  Makes sense to me!  Otherwise the heating system is in good shape ( he replaced a small piece of cracked metal tubing while he was here)

Now, I have to look forward to my painting class this afternoon, and then some shopping.  I have two grandchildren with birthdays this month.

where to start....

Hard to jump in with any interesting messages when I haven't written for awhile, and life here continues to carry on in it's usual manner! However, exciting yesterday as we went to North Bay – saw Mike for a bit, and did some shopping. Harry needed a new catalogue book for coins so dropped into the Coles Book Store . Immediately I spotted the long awaited volume number 4 of the Christopher Paolini Trilogy  - yes, there is a fourth book just published so they are calling the series now the Inheritance Cycle ( the other three books being Eragon, Eldest, and Brisingr) All about a Shadeslayer and Dragon Rider about to save civilization. It was on sale for $20.00 so I could not resist as I have purchased and own the other three. I look forward to getting into this huge novel but intend to finish up the latest Steve Berry novel I am currently reading albeit, slowly. Cathy, I believe you have read the other books as well.

Today Harry is at his Mothers, as both his brother and sister will come also and it will be the first opportunity for the three of them to discuss ``things``. Ted is driving down alone this morning, and Donna has taken the day off work. Harry and Ted will spend the night there as Harry will help Ted to load up some glass fronted cabinets that he requested.

For myself today, I plan to make an apple pancake – the recipe you sent to me Patty ``The Like Original Pancake House Apple Pancake``. That will be my treat! Patty, you mentioned something about the idea of moving in a few years so I am curious as to what you will be looking at – downsizing to what – condo, townhouse, or apartment. Well, I hear on the news, and see pictures of all the snowy weather you are experiencing in Manitoba right now. Hopefully it will dissipate on its way east! It is raining here right now, but the temperature is milder and therefore, no snow for now. I have the yard all in order ready for winter. On Monday afternoon, all by myself (Harry went to his Mothers) I hauled out the huge heavy ladder and attempted to clean out the eavestroughs full of leaves. I did a great job except I had some difficulty carrying and moving the thing, and consequently, I have a few bruises and stiff joints to account for my trouble. Harry still wants to put a new door on the greenhouse which it will need before spring comes, and seedlings are planted and the heaters are in place. I expect we will be out there in the wind and snow one day trying to install. On that happy note, I bit ado for today.

Good analogy!

Looking at my calendar for the next couple of weeks, today's peace is to be treasured.  And since there will be little girls here for supper, that peace may be short-lived!  Have been trying to clean the studio.  When I had students here a couple of weeks ago, one of them left some dirt on the floor, and I finally got around to washing it--NOT!  Could not lift the stain, no matter what we tried, which lead us to look around for others and we sure found them.  David thinks it may be moisture  or something else coming up through the concrete floor underneath.  I could have cried!  All of the money we spent on having that new floor put in and now we have big ugly stains in it.  We have spoken of selling the house in a few years, and this will be a problem should that day ever come.

It's true that when you look for work to do, you find it.  I can see that I will have a week of housework someday soon.  I hate to do work , and not be able to see a difference, so, of course, I have to leave it until I'm sure that the difference will be noticed.  I think the time is here, so plan to tackle some of it over the next week, because, come Friday, I won't be around much for almost a week.

It's early in the day, so I'm not really sure what I will be grateful for come bedtime, but right now I'm grateful for finally winning a poker tournament last night--my first first-place finish in almost two months.

Friday afternoon we drove out to a huge art sale at the racetrack.  There was so much to see, such a variety of styles.  A few of the artists were acquaintances and we spent time talking with them.  A windy day and hard on gas, but it was nice, for both of us, to get out.  And I got a treat--Timmie's French vanilla.  It has a little coffee in it, but tastes wonderful!

Hi, it's me.....

and a moment to send a long overdue message. An analogy I could use that seems to describe things right now is that of being in a hurricane. I have never been in a real hurricane but imagine that the last few weeks I have been in the turmoil of the high winds and rain, and now I am in the "eye". That means I expect to be thrown into the turmoil again soon as we sort through the remains. Harry is at his Mothers place with his sister today and I was able to stay home and do some badly needed housework. But I did manage to walk over to the library to return an overdue book, and past the Red Brick Cafe where I bought a coffee to sip on while I made my way to the Lottery store to purchase some tickets which I haven't had for some time. So it sounds as if there is some semblance of normalcy for today anyway. Harry's sister insists that he take the old chair in the living room that he always sits on, and on which his father sat, and apparently his grandfather. So this morning I carried, on my own, the easy chair we had in our front room, and put it outside to be taken to the dump, and cleared a place for the chair I expect to be coming. It comes with a foot stool so will need a bit more room, and it is one that leans backwards (similar to an easy chair) so needs a bit more space behind. His sister is mournful to the point of tears still so she will need a bit of time to feel better. We were at Mothers yesterday where I cleaned up, did all the linen and remade all the beds. Harry started to pack up family pictures and when his sister came in about noon she became very upset because she wanted some time to be in the house alone and see it just the way it was. So Harry and I left. He is back there today with her and it appears things may be a bit better. Time will ease some of the anguish but it makes it harder for Harry who wants to forge ahead and get everything done as he needs to as POA and Executor. Anyway, I'm happy to be back on track with the blog for now, and glad to see all the messages and glad to have two sisters who are thinking of me. Amazing how those zen hugs travel over the miles haha XX

A Good Day

The horoscope for Picses said that today would be a good day and it was.  Not for any big, earth shattering reason, but rather for several little reasons.  David helped me get veggies ready for the stew I planned to cook in the Crock Pot this morning--or should I say that David did the veggies and I supervised.  So supper was well in hand by 10:00.  Then we headed for the doctor's office to get those ugly black stitches out of his nose.  As we pulled into the parking lot another car was pulling out of a handy spot, so we just pulled in.  The other car stopped and the woman came over and offered us her parking receipt that still had almost 3 hours on it.  The wait was short and the stitches came out and now he is almost back to normal.  Still some swelling and a scar, but these should disappear over time.  A quiet relaxing afternoon.  I finished the quilting on my most recent piece and now it's ready for binding--which will wait for finishing until I use it Tuesday to demonstate for a student.  A short nap and enjoyed supper--which wasn't cooked to death despite being in the pot for a lot longer than expected.  We both won money playing internet poker tonight, ( it's been a long drought) and then I actually got to watch Prime Suspect, before reading my e-mail.  A very nice note from an acquaintance saying she had been out to the gallery and was very, very impressed with one of my pieces.  This is another artist whose opinion I respect.

Now I'm grateful for those laid back relaxing days when life just feels good--and I'm grateful for the privilege of a good shot of Southern Comfort at the end of the day.

The Cat came back....

it seems to have posted so I will try again. Of course I can't remember all the garbage, oops, I mean interesting information, I put in the ones that disappeared. We still have 3 young ex-Hutterites sleeping here. They came back to visit and were denied permission to stay at the colony. The really sad part is the preacher that denied permission is one of the fathers. They've snuck on in the past and stayed at Sam's, but the preacher said he would be searching the houses for them so they didn't want to get anyone in trouble. Hence..... 3 young men. I can't remember if some of the things I said were sucessfully posted or not, so I may be repeating myself. Patty and I got up the nerve to speak to the boss, Elizabeth, about Mallorie. She is forgetting so many everyday things that we are worried about her. Some days she is fine and other days she comes to us with questions that are really basic. Anyway, Elizabeth said that she had noticed that the quality of work had dropped. She was putting it down to Mallorie breaking her arm and the related stress, but now we are not sure. Elizabeth was going to contact some HR specialists on how to broach the subject with Mallorie. SOmetimes I am really grateful that I am not the boss. We've had a couple of cooler days and nights here, but the weather is still holding. We still really need some rain. We have had very little since the spring. I need to organize my office here at home. I started, and as a result I now have 3 piles of papers on the floor. The trick is to now sort them out. Rrain got me to sign up for a writing challenge this month. I think she said the goal is to write 50000 words during November. I am having enough trouble just coming up with the idea! I asked if I could write 100 - 500 word stories (more my style) She says that is not really the idea. Oh well. It is already time to get ready for work and I haven't even finished my tea yet. Time sure goes by when you are having fun. Must be why the work day seems so long. Today I will be grateful for technology because it keeps us in touch.