Winding Down from Yesterday

Yesterday was the Viscount Christmas Wish Sale. (They call it a wish sale rather than a Craft sale, because there are also commercial venders there for things like tupperware, spices etc.... home type businesses) Jim & I worked from 8-10 helping crafters unload, then Jim went off to clean the office. I worked 10-11 selling raffle tickets (we didn't win anything) and them 11-12 just roving the hall. All we bought was a pizza for supper and a tea leaf strainer. ( I also got a bunch of free sample of tea) We bought paint for the kitchen (green) and went back to town at 5:30 for the Parade of Lights. When I write it down it doesn't sound like much, but I was tired by the time we got home. Today we are going over to Gary & Jean's to watch the Grey Cup. Gary invited us over last week. He doesn't get out much since his stroke. Jim played a game of crib with me this morning but it was such a bad loss for me I don't even want to play Crib again! (I told him to let me win, but noooooo)The last of the laundry is in the dryer, and Jim wants to get a bit more wood cut today. I need a shower, but there is no way I will do that before we cut wood. I come out of it covered in sawdust and chain saw oil! I also have no committments on my calendar until next Saturday (I have to work a supper at the Legion) It is going to be kind of nice to just come home and putter. I have lots of dusting to do around here, but I am not going to do it until Jim is finished sanding the walls. It's just a waste of time . Tim called us yesterday. He has broken up with his girlfriend. I can't say that I am sorry as I found her very self-centred and demanding of Tim. I know he wants to find someone but I hope he doesn't convince himself he is in love just for the companionship. The dryer is buzzing at me, so I suppose I should fold the laundry. Pretty boring post, but I guess I am just vegging out right now

Mortality

Pati here!
Have just heard that the husband of an acquaintance died suddenly yesterday. They were both younger than we are, and her health has been poor. Those of us who know her have been quite worried about her, and she has been very reliant on his care and support. They live in a rural area and, while it has never been discussed overtly, I have gathered that they foster/provide room and board for mentally challenged adult men. We have only recently become acquainted with them as a couple, and have both thought that he was a good person and well worth knowing. He was a long haul trucker, as well as providing mechanic services to his employer--a highly respected man. I'm guessing he was in his early to mid-fifties. Quite a shock to both of us.

The last sale is over. We did fairly well, well enough that I would consider going back again, but I still have a lot of stock left over. Since I'm determined to take a break, I now have to find somewhere to store it all--but not tonight. We're both exhausted. Recovery time seems to be much longer these days.

We now have snow--just a dusting of it, but enough to make the streets slippery. It has been a long and truly beautiful fall. We have been blessed.

Be - sharing in the excitement

I took a quick look into the blog and was so pleased to see all the news. Happy for you Cathy with all your family good happenings. I met Ruth in Toronto when we were there together Cathy - where will she be settling and what will she be doing now that her education is complete? I have been watching the progress of the torch runs on TV so now knowing Kris will be one of them, it makes it that more interesting - I hope I will see that particular segment!
I'll be thinking of you both as you are having a very busy weekend by the sounds of it. Hope you do well Patty, and Cathy try to take a few quiet minutes for yourself and Jim. Take care....

What exciting news!

You must be so very pleased Cathy. Tell Kris I'm proud of him!

I find myself getting clumsy whenever I'm stressed or worried--as you must be right now. I hope you can relax this evening--the weekend is coming. Oh- right- you're working at the craft sale! More stress!

Today we shopped. Left home shortly before 11:00 and kept moving until we got home at 4:30, but the bulk of the Christmas shopping is done.. Now I have to clean the kitchen--it looks like it does when I usually sit down and cry because I don't know where to start. I was going to go full out tonight, as we've been existing on snacks 'cause neither of us felt like cooking. HAH! It's chicken fingers and french fries--yet again. At least I'm no longer constipated because of not eating veggies--but the toilet is plugged and I have a plunger standing by. Life is just so exciting!! As soon as I've eaten and cleaned up, I have to start packing my stock for the sale tomorrow and Saturday. Since I have to charge sales tax, we had to go out and buy a calculator today. I can't say whether it is a good thing or bad, but the sale tomorrow evening goes on until 10:00, complete with life music and a bar! I'll be sure to take a bottle of Tylenol with me.

I've been enjoying the Southern Comfort we bought when we were last down south, but enjoying it a bit too much. So last night we opened a bottle of wine we had in the basement. Bad reaction. So now I'm back to worrying about what exactly it is I'm reacting to. We have a Pinot Blanc kit just about ready to bottle--the first we've done since I stopped taking the medication I thought was causing the reactions. We also put a wine kit on our Christmas list. Now I'm concerned that the home made wine may be part of the problem. It would be a pity it I couldn't drink anything but Southern Comfort or B&B for the rest of my life, wouldn't it?

Hello from Neepawa

Here I am at "hump day'. We are not overly busy at work, but what we have is garbage, and I have to figure out what they want us to do! Good news from both Keri & Kris..... Kris was selected to carry the Olympic torch on January 8 in Brandon. I entered, but I sure didn't get chosen! All he knows so far is 6pm on 1st Avenue. He will keep me posted. That is soooo exciting. I entered, but I sure didn't get chosen. Of course Sandi entered too, and had the same luck I did. Only 14 people were chosen from the Royal Bank website to carry the torch between Portage la Prairie and Brandon. Neepawa is a stop on that route. Coca Cola also had a contest, and each community got to select a couple of people that they thought deserved the honour. I think they only carry it about 300 metres. It is "trucked" between communities. Keri phoned last night to tell me that Ruth got her PhD. She is now "Doctor Ruth" (I am sure she is sick of that joke, but I couldn't resist) Okay, She is Dr. Hastle. I still think it is exciting.... we have a PhD in the family!! (or almost). Jim went for all his tests today. I don't think I mentioned it to you, Pati, but he blacked out a couple of weeks ago. It really scared me. I called his name and he just stared at me blankly and his arms were jerking. It only lasted a few seconds, but I was still upset. They seem to think it is his heart, but he had a heart ultrasound this fall (after his surgery) and it was okay. I guess we just wait now. They also sent him for the "poop" test, so he has had no beef, fruit, veggies etc for a week . I told him he could have whatever he wanted today, and he chose lazy cabbage rolls ( I was thinking steak, baked potato and salad.........) Oh well... I promised. He was going to paint the kitchen wall today, but they have him wired to heart monitor for 24 hours, and he felt very uncomfortable with it. I can understand that he didn't want to paint. He was afraid that it would move on him....I had a very clumsy day at work... I shut my finger in a file drawer, hit my knee on my desk.... tripped over the carpet ( the floor jumped up...honest!) and had a "seniors moment" (what was I doing when I walked over here??) I would look forward to the weekend, but Jim and I are working at the craft sale at 8am on Saturday. He is done at 10, but I work until 12. That means that he does the office by himself ( yippee!) The parade is on Saturday, too. We have a parade of lights in Neepawa now. It starts at 6pm, and all the entries have christmas lights on them. It is really neat to watch. I think that we are ignoring Christmas this year. No one is coming home. We will be at Chicken Delight again. Judy (Jim's ex) asked if we wanted to go in with her and Crash (her husband... everyone born in Neepawa has a nick name) on prepaid Visa cards for Tim and Mady... if we go together they get more money on the card. It is a good idea when they are so far away. I may do the same for Kris and Sandi..... I think Keri would maybe appreciate money or food more right now. She says that she used to post jobs on the internet, and January is the month that sooooo many jobs come open. I hope she gets a dream job. The timer went... suppper is ready

love ya

Children

Amber's sitter has a son who has been down with H1N1, so her house has been in crisis mode. Phone call yesterday asking if I could come out and care for the children. So off it went, but had time to plan a couple of activities. A fairly nice day. Samantha and I tidied up the dining room before lunch, and then Jessica and I tidied up the livingroom while Samantha napped. We did a little painting and baked some cookies ( not made--baked--I bought the dough on my way into town). Then the three of us headed for the park, before making supper. Then I headed home and more or less crashed. It was very different looking after the little ones in their own home--much easier when they were around their own things and routines.

But this made it three days without any sewing. OMG--I need a fix! David is making shortbread today, so my best bet is to hide in the basement. I have some work to do before the last of the sales--this Friday. It will run until 10:00pm and there will be a bar and live music--something quite new to me.

Be - Logging In

I always have a problem to get in and just thought it was the usual process, so happy to hear it may not be... but I don't intend to fool around because I may lose it completely and then never be able to log on.
I figured that this past week may not be everyon'e best because there have been few words from anyone including me. Nothing really new here in way of exciting happenings except that yesterday I put a real push on and completed that quilt that I was making - the "quilt as you go" with all the nine square blocks using your little pieces Patty. Sewed the binding on and voila - done. Tomorrow at Mothers I shall hang it up and take a few pictures and if look good, I'll send some to you both. I cannot imagine the number of hours work that I actually put into it's creation but I am happy with end result even with it's little bluppers.
I have not had a needle yet for H1N1 but it is now open to all people. There was a clinic in Sundridge Friday night but it was so rainy and miserable and I did not want to have to stand in line. I'm sure there will be many more available. Then on the news it stated that there was vaccine withdrawn because was causing increased allergic reactions - in Manitoba actually as they had interviewed someone from Winnipeg. So this scares me also...it is so hard to know what to do with all the information that is coming from so many sources - credible or otherwise.
Well today is housecleaning day for me and I should try to actually do something - Harry is at an auction so I have no excuse not to be getting it done.
Hang in there everyone and write when you can...Take care

Blogger glitch

Had a terrible time getting in today. Finally it asked if I wanted to change my password, and I was so frustrated I said yes. Then it took me directly to the dashboard. Go figure.

Boring week. We are both not well. Not really sick, but not really well. Finally I'm eligible for the flu shot, but still have remnants of a cold, and I'm not sure they'll give it to me. I'm also not sure I want it, as we are both suffering the same cold as we have had ever since David got the seasonal flu shot in early October.

Yesterday morning I helped Amber do some screen printing on a backdrop she plans to use for the children's Christmas party at work. They plan to sit Santa in front of the backdrop to take pictures. This means every child there, as it is part of the price for the party. Then I headed downtown to drop off the stuff I had for a sale at Dalnavert Museum. By then I was exhausted and only wanted to get home to bed for an hour or two before heading out to a quilters' guild meeting in the evening, where I had booked a sale table. Unfortunately I ran into what turned out to be a physical assault on a Post Office truck driver in the middle of Provencher Blvd. After the kurfuffle, I took a piece of paper out of my purse to give the driver my name and address etc, before heading to the bank to get my float for the evening's sale, and deposit a refund cheque from Blue Cross. No cheque. Did I use it to write my name on? I called David from the bank and, thank Goodness, had left the cheque at home. By now the adrenilyn is really flowing, and I was in no shape to sleep. So I ended up at the meeting in a bit of a fog. I took all of the stuff that I haven't been able to sell over the past 5 years. (I had cleaned out my corner cupboard so I could store more beads.) Most of it sold!! Shocked me!

So yesterday turned out to be a bit more exciting than my usual Friday. While I was at the Quilters' Guild meeting, I signed up for a two day workshop for next April. This is a "just because" gift to myself. I know the lady we are bringing in to teach, and bringing her in was my idea in the first place. Thank Goodness (again), I made enough money to cover the cost of the workshop.

Reality returns

Back at work again this week. I was right, there was a lot of work left for me, but Patty did really well. She says by Friday she was really burned out, though. I am already almost caught up, so I guess it is just a matter of familiarity. Our new person starts Nov. 30, but she has a weeks training in Winnipeg so we won't even see her until Dec 7. Maybe by February...... Mallorie has started working on some of the plans I haven't been able to get to. The ones she picked are a real mess and I am soooo glad it's her and not me. I changed two of my holidays to sick days last week. I figure it's not much of a holiday when you don't even get dressed. Jim has enlarged the hole between the living room and kitchen. It opens up the kitchen more, but it will take some getting used to. Of course, as he cut into the wall it spread a layer of white dust over the one room I did manage to get really clean last week! :) I have an AGM tonight and a regular board meeting after it. It could be a late night. Erin has a cold too, and we agreed that if we start to get fed up, we will both start coughing really hard. It should scare the others into ending the meeting fast. We are still having conflicts on what to do about the paid position in the VCC. I am afraid it will start to split the board. Monica phoned me at work yesterday and spent almost 20 minutes trying to convince me that her opinion was right. I don't think that it will come up at the meeting tonight because it is discussed in camera and there is a lot of other stuff on the agenda. I can only hope. Time for work... have a great week

Beading day

was less than stellar, not what I expected, but valuable for other reasons. I was at Dianne's by 10:00. No-one else was there, so Dianne and I started to fill in time by sorting through her bead stash. ( She has a big room with floor to ceiling shelving full of "stuff") By 12:30 we figured no-one else was going to come, so sat down to start stitching, and talk about lunch. Before 1:00 there was a voice in the hall and Ann Marie arrived. She had a bag from A&W in her hand,and said that she had thought we would have already gone for lunch! ( the plan for the day was lunch at Subway, and we had been expecting there to be about 5 people in total) So Dianne found food for the two of us and then we had to go through the stash, again, with Ann Marie. AnnMarie was just starting and had to figure out what she was doing, and Dianne was also planning a piece. So all three of us spent a lot of time "auditioning" stuff for both pieces. ( I had taken one, planned out and the supplies for it) Dianne had to start with showing the basic stitches to Ann Marie, and I stitched along on my piece. By 4:00 I realized that my stitching wasn't working, and took it all out. And by then it was time to head home. So I came home with some new ( to me) beads) and my piece in the same state as I had started with. Dianne and I had bartered a lot of stuff, and I even bought some things from her. This meant that yesterday I had to re-organize my entire bead storage. Anyone want some picture frames--I have a full Safeway tote to get rid of.

David is sick again--this has been on and off ever since he had the seasonal flu shot---in October. It always affects his lungs, and when he is having coughing fits all night, he usually sleeps in the spare room. So now I'm getting far too used to sleeping all by myself in the big bed.

But otherwise it's "same old-same old". He watches tv and plays poker and I work in the basement. I've been reading more of Andrew M. Greeley--his novels as opposed to his mysteries ( a different section of the library) I'm not recommending them to David because they are so very heavy in religious theory. Good books , despite that or maybe because of his very clear explanations of history and doctrine. But I've also discovered Stuart Pawson's British police procedurals with DI Charlie Priest. These are a little different, and contain a fair bit of humour. I cautiously suggested to David that he try one, and he has now jumped right in--even to the point of reading them before I get to them--not our routine at all.(lol)

Be - Another week and here we are...

It must have either been a very busy weekend for all of us, or a very quiet one as there have been few postings for a awhile. I am anxious to find out how your beading day went Patty on Sunday?
I spoke with Cathy on Sunday morning so sort of caught up with news on her front. But I must add that I made the broccoli and cheddar quiche today from the Whats Cooking book Cathy and I found it to be very delicious. Patty, Cathy made this for breakfast on Sunday and gave me the prompt to try it myself. Of course I had to go to the store today to buy a few ingredients but I had great fun putting it together and then enjoying it for supper. I made my own pastry though and not the frozen pie shell it called to use. I also bought some ingredients to try the Tuna patties on the page before the quiche - I will make this at Mothers on Thursday for lunch. This is the one that calls for Stuffing Mix which I bought today.
I had a phone call from my friend Janie Marshall from Winnipeg last night and I was thrilled to hear from her - it has been quite a while since we last talked. She has e-mail and suggests that we start to comunicate a bit more using the technology so maybe I will start to use it more myself - I could write to my friend Susan as well, who is so good to write me letters all the time, and also maybe Janie and try to build up a network of friends. It is just to find time where I can have use of the computer.
My registration for Nursing is coming due in December and I am having serious thoughts of resigning - would end any idea of Nursing again but maybe its time to hang up the old diploma. I know you had this quandry Patty when you finally decided not to continue with your OT registration. It seems so final and yet if not now, then when?
I go to North Bay again tomorrow for violin and look forward to these trips - I have not practiced near enough this time around but nevertheless, I shall go and pretend I know what I am playing!
Time for bed again, and intend to finish yet another novel from Cussler. I have been frequenting the local libray every week to take out another of his books but find I am running out of what is available so may have to start to order them in which they can do wiithout too much trouble.
Take care

Dental honesty

I'm glad I was honest with the dentist. I expressed my reservations about buying a partial plate with only one tooth on it. I could never get used to the mouth guard he made me a few years back, and I only wear my hearing aid when I'm going out--I'm just not a gadget person! Finally he mentioned that they could make me a temporary bridge, but it would mean going around for 10 days with a hole in my face. The cost would be no more than having the partial plate made. so this is what we're going to do.

The "Gallery Hop" last night was better than I expected. It was not the same beader, Cathy--this one does some really weird stuff! She is from Brandon, and actually has a fine arts degree in photography. She makes strange beaded pieces and then photographs them in fine detail. Last night she had the beaded pieces displayed next to the photos, and it made a very effective exhibit. Over supper I got mixed up with some some fellow fibre artists I knew (it was the only seat in the room). They were not encouraging about my work (is that diplomatic? They were subtly nasty!) But one of them is experimenting with fused glass. This is exactly the technique I had spent a bit of time last weekend discussing. I think I may explore it a bit more over the next few months. This might be one way to incorporate something (glass) into my work without having to give credit, and away of having more control over what the incorporated piece actually looks like. I don't think I would do it myself, but my friend Gail says that it just uses scraps, and she can fill her kiln with scraps and end up with several with the only cost being one firing.

Be - I love your messages

First I thank you for the e-mails - for two reasons: first to see the pictures of Jess and Samantha, and second, to actually receive an e-mail!
I just love to read about your adventures - both of you! What I would give to be able to share such exciting stories with you - I am getting tired of only telling (as I am sure you are equally as tired of hearing) about my visits to Mother. But nothing else much happens - so we went to Mothers again today and I did housework, laundry and some gardening.
Tomorow we go up to North Bay to pick up some Freecycle items Harry is receiving - one is an old wall clock and since he likes to collect clocks this should be a good item - he doesn't know if it works but frequently he fiddles with them and they start to work ( a little WD 40 works wonders to get things going)
We were to North Bay for the Remembrance Service - actually two since there was the main one at the arena and then another for the Algonquin Regiment at their cenetaph. Mike was in the Volley Team at both. Then we went back to the Armoury for a lunch and social.
I am having a great deal of trouble in finishing this quilt I am trying to do - mainly because I have no idea what I am doing and sort of just doing it by trial and error - and mostly error right now! I believe my main problem is that I do not have the space essential for ease of work. So I carry on hoping it will eventually work out not so bad - it will stay in this house and not be seen by anybody so I guess it really doesn't matter? But I have put so much time and energy into it that I really want it to look exceptional. And plus it is made from all your 2 inch squares you sent me Patty! Maybe I can take a picture and send to you both - to brag a bit, if for no other reason.
anyway - time for bed. Take care and keep writing!

Putzing around

So far this week I like to think I'm on holiday too. I've been clearing up loose ends in the studio ( Your quilt is fixed Cathy) There was a quilt I had made that was "just wrong!" But it contained all of the Japanese fabrics I bought at Quilt Canada in Ottawa, and I refused to throw away all that money. So I cut it all into as many 2inch strips as I could, even piecing some of them to get a 20" length. Now I'm quilting black fabric and cutting it into 2" by 20" strips. Then I'm going to butt them lengthwise and zig zag them together. I don't know what I may end up with, but at the minimum I could end up with a lap robe.

Yesterday was Jessica's birthday party. David and I met them at Ruckers to pick up Samantha. I had wanted to see the place, so Samantha and I went in. At first she was enthralled and walked around the whole place, but then went into sensory overload and started to cry. So we quickly took her out and brought her home. Amber told us that all of the children had a ball, and most of the parents stayed and played games too, including a couple that hadn't intended to!

A bit of a crisis here on Tuesday. The mouse for the desk top stopped working. So David was off late in the evening to buy a new mouse. He spent more than we had planned, but got a good one, then spent the rest of the evening setting it all up. You can't just plug them in anymore. There is a DVD with the program on it that has to be installed in the computer, and a gadget that has to be added to one of the ports. But he got it in and happily played poker. He quite likes it, and I think the tale is told, when he he mentioned that the technician, who had tried to fix the old one for him, said that, in the trade, they consider mice like the old one "throw aways". We had never been happy with it. So all is well, and David has a new toy. Hah!! Wednesday morning I get up to check my e-mail. the key board doesn't work. Since David never uses it, he had no idea. But it's a holiday, and how does he get in touch with the technician again? So discontent, and I'm reduced to checking e-mail on the lap top. (I hate the lap top for keyboard use--very awkward and uncomfortable, and the key board itself just doesn't suit my style.) But half way through the morning he comes in to say that it's all fixed. There was another gadget that had to be installed in one of the other ports to link the keyboard and the mouse to the mother board. I guess he didn't know what it was when he opened the mouse, and had got the mouse to work, so didn't worry about it!

This evening I may go out to what is called a "Salon Evening", with the Manitoba Crafts Council. I've been to one before. They are strange events, designed to help crafters/artisans meet each other and get to know each other a little better. Tonight's events start at a small cafe on Ellice where there will be a light supper (free to members), and a beader will talk to us ( I'm wondering, Cathy, if this might be the lady who made that absolutely marvelous beaded skirt we saw in that exhibit) Then it's off to the Crafts Museum where there is an exhibit on weaving and a weaver (You may have gone to school with her, Beth. Damned if I can remember her maiden name. ??Baker??She was one of a family of girls who lived at the corner of Hay and Brandon, right near Churchill High) will talk about the exhibit. Finally we're off to the Canadian Mennonite University to see the fibre art exhibit in their gallery, and where one of the artists will speak to us of the exhibit. I'm not really sure I'll go, but probably. I've seen the exhibit at both the Crafts Musem and CMU.

But this afternoon I have my "consultation" with the dentist, where we'll decide what is going to be done and when. I am so used to Dr. Tregobov just telling me what is to be done, that I had never thought that they can't do a thing unless I give permission. I hate this sort of decision! I really don't want them to do anything! but I know that, unless something is done, I'll get myself in trouble again.

Holidays?

I'm not sure why I called this holidays, when I am working the whole time. At least I am doing work for my self and not for someone else. Of course one thing leads to another and nothing gets completed (or so it seems) I am supposed to get my H1N1 shot tonight, but I have one heck of a cold (again) It's just so hard to get on the list for shots. Right now in this area, you have to fall into the first priority before they will even consider you. The washing machine gave up on Sunday. We had been having problems, but it finally went. Of course it waits until you have a tub full of clothes and water! At least it wasn't heavy jeans that I had to wring out by hand. I didn't even want to shop around. We just got one from Sears. We have to pick it up this morning. Then the meat order arrives this afternoon and I told Jim I would help him sort. I have to go to VCC to confirm my volunteer shift(s) at the craft sale, and then at 6:20pm to the Yellowhead for my shot. They tell me it takes about 2 hours even with an appointment. I did, however, get my living room clean yesterday. I didn't realize how much dust could accumulate behind televisions. I got my cd player to work again too. I figured it was gone for ever, but it played a cd for me. The TV broadcasts in beautiful shades of pink and lime green. Makes the people look interesting. (something has to make TV interesting. I am not a reality show fan) Jim just got up. I guess my day is beginning. At least I am not at work !!! :)

Be - Exciting compared to what I ask??

By my standards Patty your life is very exciting - my parallel to your diapers on dolls scenario is putting on a Poise when I go out so I won't dribble because I've had too many coffees in the morning! And since I unsubscribed to Ravenesque I don't get any more e-mails - I guess I cut off my nose to spite my face on that one!
The weather is contributing to some happy days lately as I have been able to go outside and putter away in the yard. I find this helps me to get my mind off other things and I've never seen our yard so well prepared for winter than this year.
We plan to go up to North Bay for the Remembrance Day Service at the Arena this year on Wednesday. Mike is part of the volley team again - I don't know how you spell that but it means he is part of the team that fires off the shots from the rifles at the appropriate moments during the ceremony. They look very smart in their official Military uniforms with white gloves and belts and their practiced timing is so precise that the eight of them sound as if only one shot were fired.
I have been giving my sewing some added attention as much as I can spare these days in order to finish the one quilt I have been working at for so long - I need to tidy up that back bedroom (Mikes's old room that I now use as a sewing room) in order for Mike to come for Christmas and have a bed to sleep on - the bed is piled high with boxes and I have my sewing machine stuck on a tiny table with all my stuff gathered around - so it needs some major cleanup if he is to have a bed over Christmas - he usually only stays for two nights or three but still needs some private space to spread out. So I will have to move everything - maybe down the basement for now. It may be a good time to sort out and throw out some junk or maybe I'll run out of time and just try to hide it all!
Anyway - hope Cathy is having a ball at home and that Patty is successful in her navel gazing. Take care - write soon and keep me informed OK?

No sales Saturday either

I've never had that happen to me before, and, of course, I' m making my brain ache trying to figure out what happened. There were a number of people who said " I bought from you last time", or " I saw you in Pinawa" , and this might contain a kernal of truth. My stuff requires just the right buyer, and maybe I've flooded the market in those towns. Before the sale I had planned to take at least six months off ( after the end of the month), and I'm going to stick to that. I've been so involved in producing things to sell, that I haven't had a chance to do the things I really want to do. BUT, that's when procrastination steps in. We'll have to see what happens. I actually have an informal beading class set up for next Sunday, and I'm looking forward to it.

Cathy, your quilt is next in the queue, and I should have it mended this week. I've taken a look at it, and I may have to change a couple of things, but you probably won't even notice them.

With David being sick, the children won't be over tonight for supper, so I'm going to give myself an artist's date and go out to look at Manitoba Art Expo at the race track. Dianne has a booth there, as well as a couple of other people I know, but I've promised myself that I'll look at everything. Amber tells me that her whole family managed to get their vaccine. The children were eligible, and, earlier in the week, when they took them into the clinic in St. Pierre, it was offered to the parents as well. Now Jessica is not really well ( and not really sick), so they were just as happy to stay home today. They're watching her pretty carefully, but not panicking yet. Just as well, the pediatric emegency is overwhelmed right now. After reacting so badly to the seasonal flu vaccine, David has no intention of getting the other one, and I'm not eligible for either--to young for one and too old for the other.

Amber has arranged a birthday party for Jessica at Ruckers on Wednesday ( Yeah--open on Remembrance Day-go figure) This is a local place that is a child's dream type of pinball parlour. I've never been in, but have looked through the windows. They have all sorts of fancy machines that operate off of tokens. Each child gets so many tokens as part of the party, and they have aparty room for cake and presents. We have to deliver our gifts there because it is a WebKin. Now these are cheap little stuffed animals that are connected to the Internet. Once you register your toy, you can go in and play games with it, or feed and care for it etc., but each registration is only good for one year, and the registration for the one Jessica got last year is up on the 14th. So she needs to get the new one registered by then--and then both toys can be played with. And Samantha is getting a baby doll that comes with it's own disposable diapers. She has taken lately to attempting to look after diaper changes in all of her dolls and animals, if she can find something to use as "bum cream". She actually got the real "bum cream" one day and smeared half a jar all over a fake fur teddy bear, and the ottoman in their living room. Amber was out and Darren had to clean it up--too bad!

Samantha loves to play with the baby doll we have here. It has its own blanket and eating utensils etc, but Amber told us they don't have one at home, so-o-o. We also bought a second package of diapers to keep here.

So-o-o My life revolves around changing diapers on dolls. What more can I say?

Short note

We sold nothing--repeat--nothing at the sale yesterday. Only six vendors even showed up, when nine were booked. By the time we got home, David was sick. I hope it's just a cold and not the flu, but he's been trying to fight off something ever since he got his shot for the seasonal flu. I also got an update for the sale I'm in at the end of the month. They had talked about a "commom till" where all sales are funneled through one cash location, where there is Interac, credit cards and sales tax capability. Well, they will have that for everything except sales tax. Vendors will have to process all of their own sales and only send Interac or credit card over to the common till. So Monday I'm off to apply for a sales tax number. I've been thinking of it anyway, as another of my "good" venues is doing away with their common till at their sale next spring.
I'm sure glad I bought that bottle of Southern Comfort when we were away last month.

Strange times here as well

I have everything packed and ready to go in the car for the "big sale" tomorrow. I did my pricing and inventory yeaterday morning, and now feel that I had yesterday afternoon and today to "play". I've actually started a new evening bag--something I haven't done in a couple of years. I'm also taking internet lessons on fabric paper. I had signed up hoping to learn about new things I could do with the stuff, but so far it seems almost too basic. But I do my lessons and post pictures. You have to post a picture of one lesson's project, before you get the instructions for the next. I actually won a poker tournament last night--first time in ages.

A bit of a kurfluffle in my Ravenesque group, which Beth knows about, as she had been getting the e-mails. I was told you had unsubscribed, Beth, and I would too, but knowledge is power and I want to keep on top of what is going on and what is said. So now I'm being careful to keep my personal e-mails away from the group, and I'm getting, what I would interpret, as supportive e-mail from other group members. I hate politics, but there comes a time when something has to be said, and you pay the price. I hope when the dust settles, my sacrifice was worth it. Right now I'm not responding to anything. Remember that saying "Never apologize, Never explain". Well, I'm keeping my mouth shut and letting obnoxious people rant. We have a beading day scheduled for next Sunday, and I'm sure people will have calmed down by then.

Anyway, right now we're off to Blue Cross to put in my drug claims so that we can eat later in the month when the cheque comes. I have a "consultation" with my dentist on Thursday, but we got a note in the mail from our Dental insurance reminding us that anything over $300 must be pre-approved, so I'm betting that he wants to sort it all out and apply for coverage before he touches my mouth. Old age sucks!!

Be - Time for a lift

It has been hard for me to read the last few posts and try to write anything of consequence when I have not exactly been having the greatest of days lately either. Maybe it's the weather, or the time of year, or something else but we all seem to be having a "time of it" right now. As with my way of thinking, I have to deal with what ails me on my own, but it gives me great comfort to know you are both there and to know in a second if I asked you would be happy to listen and perhaps offer a few words. So for that, I give thanks.
Up to North Bay today for violin and I must say that things are progressing quite swimmingly. I truely feel that I am improving, and this is being substantiated with positive comments from my instructor. We have been working on some specific techniques such as placing violin in proper postion under chin, holding bow properly, holding fingers properly etc, that are fundamental to my progress. Get it right now, and I shall be able to play that much better along the way. I still enjoy this little moment of time just for me.
Harry is sick with the flu and I just hope that I shall not get it. No sign of being able to get vaccinated in this geographic area - first I don't fit the priority categories, and second they keep runing out of vaccine. I take care to wash hands etc and try not to touch surfaces and then my face or mouth but it is really hard. Today for example, I was forced to shake a hand from someone offering theirs during an introduction. I did it, and then rushed to my car after and cleansed off with hand sanitizer before touching too much. Is this not a sign that we are being programmed to respond with great paranoia, anxiety and panic??
I had to take my car to the garage tonight after supper so it can be serviced tomorrow - ususally Harry will pick me up or vice versa when either of us takes our vehicle into the dealership. It is located on the Highway and is a good walk from home. But as he was in bed, I was on my own this time. Plus it was dark and so I found myself almost running along the edge of the Highway with an never ending line of huge transports passing me by and the glare from the headlights from oncoming cars near blinding me. I was ever so glad finally to reach the intersection and be able to turn off up towards my house. Stupid thing to do, but it does alleviate the need to go over early in the morning, leave it locked up over night, and put the key into the slot in the garage door.
Well, since I did not sleep even one minute last night, I intend to fall into bed tonight and go off immediately and sleep soundly the entire night. I know it is a dream but I can always hope! Tomorrow I have to do some more outside work and would like to be a little rested up - apparently they are calling for snow of all things in the next few days and I still have to put some things in order for the winter. That good old Alberta Clipper is pounding its way East and should hit us by tomorrow which means you folks are probably feeling its effects right now as I type.
So take care.....