Friday and here I am with my coffee

 It is early of course, but a few words before the Thanksgiving weekend. I read your woes about posting your message Pati and sorry that it has caused so much trouble. I am still not sure what to do with the blog when it acts up with me but far more comfortable now to go back in to change it to a draft and then to correct errors ( mostly the change of font in a message) before i resend it again.

Yesterday Harry went on the net to look for trails close by for us to walk our dogs. Always looking for an alternative to using the road with is very dangerous with fast cars and full of people and dogs. Up came the Almaguin Highland Trails adjacent to the new High School. Open to the public.  So we went there in the afternoon. We have to park in the school parking lot, but skirt around to the side and there are the trails. it is all season according to the Info Boards posted at the entrance, for walking, or snowshoeing or cross country sking. We walked for a bit to check it out. We took a wrong turn and ended up on the site of the septic system I think, but made it back to the right trails. We travelled only a short distance but can see how vast the area is - all in site and sound of the School and football field areas. The new school has been there for a few years now and we have never ventured near it until now, so I was actually amazed. We shall try it again and try to time it not for the end of school day and the line up of buses in the parking area..haha!

The Village works dept cut down the trees and bushes along the grassy area between our fence and the road yesterday. Did not see or hear them but discovered it in the afternoon when i was working over there. I liked the cover for privacy to our back yard but now it is very open and visible. I know they did this to increase visibility at the stop sign on our street at the entrance to the road but it bothers me that they do this to us where as i see other areas that are not touched. I often think it is vendetta for me making a formal complaint a few years ago about dumping ice and snow on our pine branches along the side of the road. The Manager came to speak with me at that time, and said I should be aware that they may have to trim branches at the corner for visibility which I knew they had done previously,  but to cut all the trees at the side yesterday I think was overkill. Maybe I am being too sensitive and getting myself all worked up. it is done so I better just move on,,,right???

So here is to Thanksgiving and a glorious weekend for us all. We are having Turkey on Sunday... and I must say looking forward to it. Take care and be safe. Happy Thanksgiving👋😄

You are right...

 It is Midsummer Murders that you watch now. But if you did watch Murdoch Mysteries then i was not too far off haha!  I shall continue with what i can get as a little down time before bed, after all is said and done, has been good for me lately.  Time for my meal which is stir fry veg and rice ...yummy ...oh, and a goblet of wine. XX

Miscommunication

 We've started using that word around here.  Which is only right as that's what seems to be happening. Sometimes the miscommunication is hilarious, but if it isn't, sometimes we just pretend it is. And sometimes we don't.

Beth, I don't watch Murdoch mysteries, on CBC.  I did the first season but not since.  I have to pick and choose my tv watching, and have chosen Midsomer Murders instead.  They are often re-runs, but the plots and photography are so detailed that I get something new out of every one I watch.   I get them on PBS out of Detroit.

Got some grocery shopping done yesterday, but came home somewhat exhausted.  I'm finding that sitting and reading, or sitting and dreaming leaves me wanting to sleep.  I studied arousal theories years ago, and very much believe in them.  If you want to move more, start moving.  A "rolling stone----" and all that.  Regardless, I ended up napping yesterday, and the hamburger and chicken breasts we bought are still in the fridge, waiting for me to do something with them.  We had planned to make up meatballs yesterday, have some for supper, and freeze the rest.  Guess that happens today.  We shopped at Freshco and got both hamburger and chicken breasts for a reasonable price.  The chicken breasts will just be re-packaged and frozen, but again that will happen today, before I step outside, or start sewing.  But the outside time will happen, as the forecast is for 27 degrees.  I may even give myself permission to wear a short sleeved shirt.

Had some thoughts yesterday about the difference between jobs that need to be done, and jobs that I think should be done.  Along with that were thoughts about changing standards, and letting go of standards that make no sense. Yes, it all started one day when I was just too tired to iron tea towels.  I guess you could say that my housekeeping has gone downhill from there.  But has it really?  I will hope to vacuum weekly.  It cost so much to have the rug cleaned that a little more attention to it makes sense.  I try to hand wash dishes once a day, as I can't stand looking at dirty dishes for more than 24 hours.  I've never been without a dishwasher, so can't say what my standard would be without it. So my question to myself, could this be a loosening of standards or a natural part of old age? This all goes back to when I worked and how we judged if some one, usually a woman, was capable enough to go home and live alone.  I remember a nurse, who was adamant that, because a woman only flushed for serious toilet use, she shouldn't be sent home.  My days, admittedly awhile ago, at the lake told me that this habit was a natural for anyone who lived with a septic system.  ( She was released)

I think I'm babbling.  David has started to process the meat, so best I get dressed and do my part.  Be safe ladies!

Me, too...maybe i can sit in the sun

 Next few days here call for sunny and warm so maybe i can plan a sit down and we can all pretend we are together having a few laughs. i did some more work outside yesterday and managed to clear out the one white greenhouse of the tomatoes in pots so now just have to sweep it down and bring in the hay! (I store my hay bales in there covered up and take what I need for inside here to put in the rabbit cages. i clean the cages every night so need hay to be handy)

The other evening I was cruising in Prime Video looking for an interesting movie or show instead of a Time Team episode. Oh, I still love Time Team but was just looking and out of the blue up popped Murdoch Mysteries TV show. Pati you speak of it as one of your "go to" shows and i never knew I could access it. So since then I have viewed Season 1 Episodes 1,2,3 and 4. very much fun. The first Episode i sat and racked my brain wondering where i had seen the star who plays Murdoch until it finally hit me ...years ago when I had TV, I watched a show called Sue (something) FBI about an FBI agent who was hearing impaired and used a guide dog. The other agent was this man who now plays Murdoch. So I am now also enjoying this show just like you. Cathy have you seen this show?

You folks probably experienced the Facebook shutdown yesterday, but since i do not go on I did not know or hear about the cause.But Harry was in need to see it so I had to troubleshoot the computer to see why he could not pull it up. Finally I just told him it was probably off because i could get all other stuff on the net so thought it was not our problem. Then by about 4 pm he was insisting i call our Geek Squad to get it fixed. I still had not heard anything on the news nor had he apparently, so i called and got a most understanding man to tell me it was Facebook and that all access around the world was shutdown. i felt a bit silly for calling then but was relieved it was NOT our problem for me to fix haha! Harry will be thankful now when he gets up that it is back on according to the radio news. I am glad I am not addicted to it as many others are.

So on with the day folks.Take care and be sure to sit and pretend. Be safe...💞

I hate to say it, but....

 While you two are so busy closing your gardens, and getting ready for winter, I'm spending as much time as I can sitting in the garden, watching the birds and squirrels, and dozing off periodically.  I'm also worrying about the price of meat, and how to deal with it.  We're almost out of chicken breasts, and there is no way I'm prepared to spend as much as $9.00 apiece for them.  We don't even look at beef anymore, but are discussing getting a package of hamburger  to make meatballs with.  With Thanksgiving next weekend, David would like us to have a special meal, and we're considering roasting a chicken. The small fryer size ones were just under $20.00, but maybe we'll just pick up a B-B-q'd one for $12.00.  They used to be $6.99.

Tonight I cooked four of the breasts we had in the freezer.  We cut them into small pieces which make it much easier to use them, in Dr. Phil recipes, over the next few days.  We were lucky, as I ended up with six portions, out of four breasts.

But enough of that.  I decided to make a small traditional quilt, using my treasured Kaffe Fassett fabrics.  There was just enough fabric for the pattern I had chosen.  I put together one square to make sure that pattern was true.  It wasn't.  So I worked backwards to see where the problem was, and didn't find it until I made it all the way back to the square I had drafted to guide the cutting of the pieces.  Somehow, I had made one side of the actual square only 11 3/4", rather than 12".

So I have re-drafted the darn thing, but need to salvage as much of the cut pieces as I can, so am laboriously taking my finished square apart.  A couple of pieces have sides cut on the bias, so it has to be done very carefully. I figure the taking apart is justified penance for the mistake I made.

No plans for the next week.  The weather forecast predicts lots of sitting time in the garden, and I plan to take advantage of every minute of it.  I know that there will be, at least, one trip to the grocery store, and that makes me sad, but it's necessary.  This may be our only blessing right now, so I plan to enjoy every minute of it.

The garden is empty

 We picked all the tomatoes yesterday and pulled up the plants. Jim took three full boxes of tomatoes to the SalvationArmy and people were taking some before he finished dropping them off.  Unfortunately our fridge went on the blink yesterday. Aaron (Appliance person) gave us a couple of suggestions to re-boot it. If one of them works, Great. If not he will come out and check it. Worst case is a new fridge, but they are making them so big now it is hard to get one small enough for our kitchen. Meanwhile there is no room for the beer and wine in the downstairs fridge😜.  So Manitoba moves back to orange on Tuesday. None of the new restrictions really affect me, except being able to visit with Barb (anti-vax). We will all go over tomorrow and visit outside but that will be the end of it. She really fixed up her sun room so we could get together inside but that is out now. Rrain officially gave notice on her house and will be moving by November 1. Nancy is giving her the keys this week so she will have a month to move in. It is still only two bedroom but there are more cabinets in the kitchen, plus a basement and studio. And her own washer, dryer and freezer!  And now I will do my hourly rounds with the flyswatter. The more you kill the more arrive

Raining again...

 Good Saturday morning and welcome to October. And surprise... it is pouring rain here again and will be apparently for the next few days. I was jealous of you folks with nice warm days and sunny backyard sits. Although to be comparable, we went for a ride around the Lake the other day to see the coloured leaves. They are almost at their best. Yesterday we took the dogs to the South River/Lake for a walk and was awestruck with the gorgeous view across the perfectly still water and of the landscape on the other side showered with the sun and reflecting into the water like a perfect mirror image. I could not take my eyes off the beauty. Some days can just take your breathe away. I store these times in my head to bring out when i need a lift haha!

Gradually getting some outside work done. More tomatoes out of pots and stakes and tomato cages carried and stored. i cannot move the pots and dump the soil anymore like I once did, so I pile them along the fence ready for next year. And the pots that were along the driveway have been piled in the garden the same way. As long as i can have access to the driveway to do the shoveling this winter, then I am ahead. And will deal with the Spring planting panic when it comes. Since it is raining today i shall do wash and hopefully vacuum. I love my new "Beast" vacuum so do not mind this chore anymore. 

I pulled out some liver from the freezer and that shall be my meal today - I love it done gently with bacon and onions in the fry pan and since Harry does not eat it, i can make it to my satisfaction.  Also have some fresh veg that was purchased from the Market stand set up on the highway - this fellow comes around May/June and sells fresh veg and fruit until Thanksgiving. There is always a line up for his offerings and i think he come three times a week here. Do not know from where he gets his produce, but obviously down south somewhere.

Now for my coffee and some breakfast as i greet another day . Hope all is well there and that you are still enjoying some nice weather. Thinking of you.. take care ❤