Busy three days

 Monday was my usual birthday meeting with Gail, at Starbucks. This time she brought a mutual friend along.  We had a great time, and laughed a lot.  Then David bought us pizza for supper at the new store we had found.  It was great pizza.  We compared the cost with what we've been paying at Li'l Caesar's, and found that they were less than $1.50 apart.  Guess we have a new pizza store.  Then, Monday evening I checked my on-line banking account, and our tax refund was in, so yesterday we spent time disbursing the money.  Both credit cards have been paid off, and a payment made to the Line of Credit.  Then we went shopping.  We first went looking for a new CD player for the studio.  Those are getting very hard to find. We tried at Visions Electronics, and the fellow didn't even appear to know what we were talking about, and wanted to show us a sound system that included a CD player.  Then he turned us over to a younger fellow, who listened to us, but he, too, had difficulty figuring out that we wanted a stand alone CD player, not a sound system.  Finally, he said that he might have something but it would have to be plugged in.   It turned out to be a flat device that was meant to be attached under a kitchen shelf.  It still stood safely on something like our bar, so we bought it.  Tried it out as soon as we got home, and I can't believe how good the sound is when compared with the previous ones I had been using. Both of those are now out in the garage, and the new little thing is on the bar beside my fridge.  I love it.

The next thing was to find David an electric razor.  We were determined to get a good one, and that meant not shopping at Walmart, so I suggested that he search on-line to find out what was out there.  He found some on Amazon ( I know!   I know!) that were in the right price range, but I quickly realized that he was on Amazon and not amazon.ca, so the prices were in American dollars.  So we tried amazon.ca and found a very nice one but with a Canadian price that was lower than the American price for the what appeared to be the same thing.  It has been ordered, with delivery promised by Saturday.

Then we went to what is a new-to-us restaurant by our regular Starbucks.  There used to be a Perkins in the building, and there doesn't appear to be much change other than exterior paint.  The menu has certainly changed, with a separate Seniors' menu.  Usually this means smaller portions, often with lower prices.  I don't know if David knew that, but he ordered off it, and felt that he didn't get good value for his money. I disagree, but don't think we'll be going back.

This morning I had a monthly Zoom meeting with my sketching group.  This is a good group, and I really enjoy their meetings--enough to set my alarm in time to get up for the meeting.  No further plans until our concert Friday evening.  A trip to Walmart for pills today, and maybe a little grocery shopping today or tomorrow.

In all of our travels yesterday, we found that 50% or more of people were wearing masks.  We're glad to see this, a we are certainly planning on continuing to wear them.  The news is saying that there are fourth waves appearing in other countries.  No surprise there.

p.s. A few minutes after posting this, I realized that David was preparing to bottle the Elderberry wine that was made in 2020, and that I was expected to help.  After all, it was my wine.  Things didn't go very well but we finally had 5+ bottles of wine sitting prettily in a puddle of wine.  There were also two full crystal water goblets full.  We expected 4+ bottles, but had prepared for 5, and should have prepared for about 7.  David got the corker out and tried to cork the first bottle.  Didn't work.  After a period of unsuccessful fussing we realized that the bottles wouldn't be corked today.  So-o-o, got out a clean gallon jug and poured the bottles back in, added most of what was in the glasses, and proceeded to clean up.  David continued to fuss with the corker and after about a hour ceded defeat.

But, there's still a full water goblet of Elderberry wine for tonight.

To see the sun...

 To look out the window by the computer and see the sun shining would make you think it is a lovely day. But I just had the dogs out and although there is sun, requiring the wearing of sunglasses, there was also some bitter wind.

I cleared a bit of snow away from a metal shelf outside ( usually used during the Spring and summer to hold pots and plants etc) and made a path this morning so that Harry could clear out some of the stored stuff in the big greenhouse and so that he could transplant the seedlings growing wildly already. He can put the stuff into boxes and pile them on the shelf unit to store until we can organize it. The gazebo that covers the table on the patio next to the greenhouse has all but collapsed over Winter, The legs and brackets have all buckled and it is leaning at a terrible angle which causes me to fear it falling down completely. I had attempted to remove the snow and ice from the canopy several times over Winter but to no avail. Just too much ice and too heavy. So, we cannot store stuff on that table as we have in past years. 

I started another picture puzzle yesterday while I was idling my time in the afternoon watching some curling on the computer. This one will be a toughy I think as I have already had some trouble even finding the outside pieces. Although to be fair my attention was mostly on the curling and watching the cats who thought they would like to help me move the pieces around haha! 

Not sure if I mentioned that two weeks ago we lost one of the rabbits who died which leaves us only one. Also I bought some new baby bird formula to have on hand as there are three eggs being hatched but again, the time has elapsed and I think that these eggs will not hatch in spite of the poor mother sitting on them day and night. But that is OK with me actually not to wish ill on the mother and father anxiously waiting. 

I have received more communications from my Nursing Alumni group from Class of '69 at the request of our Coordinator to update the mailing list and so now I get email after email with classmates sending their addresses and a few words about their life. We did this at Christmas as well and after a bit I was getting frustrated with all the "good cheer" being passed around. I am not one of those off vacationing in Florida or at the condo in Arizona for the Winter so not really interested in much I am reading. I guess that is "sour grapes" on my part and I should be ashamed of myself??? But it is what it is haha!

Well off to check my laundry and then find something to eat. Hope all is well with you folks...it will soon be Spring and tonight we change the clocks ahead one hour Yeah!!  Tale care...and cheers 👌

It took courage

 Today I went to lunch with my best friend in the entire world….until Don left.  We haven’t spoken in over 30 years. She asked me not to contact her again cause she didn’t want to have to choose (duh!). Her husband died recently, and she came to meat draw with some friends. She thanked me for the card I sent when her husband died.  As Jim and I left I said if she ever wanted to get together for coffee give me a call. That was it for over a month. Last week at meat draw she asked if I would like to get together for coffee or lunch or come to her house. We settled on lunch today.  My stomach was in knots. She is still suffering from the loss of her husband and she spoke about the loneliness and all the things she had to do that she had never done before. You would have been proud of me. I let her talk and just listened. Then we talked about grandchildren. Cel phone pictures go a long way in catching up with friends. Her oldest granddaughter is a total clone of her daughter!  We avoided anything from the past and just talked.  We are going to do it again. Next time I pay cause this time Diane paid😊

A new hairstyle--sort of

  Finally got my act together and made an appointment for a badly needed haircut.  Since my most recent regular salon closed during Covid, I haven't really been able to get a regular hairdresser.  I don't know the name of the one I found last time I had my haircut, so would have to actually go in the salon and make an appointment, hoping that things would work out, and have been just too lazy to actually do that.

David suggested that I go to the woman he uses.  I called and got an appointment for 1:00 yesterday afternoon.  The shop is a pokey little place behind a large convenience store, but with its own entrance.  It sure had a lot packed into it.  Two barber chairs, a closet-sized reception desk, a massage table, a sink, and two kitchen chairs for waiting customers.  When I got there there was a fellow in the chair and one waiting.  Then it was my turn.  The weirdest cutting method I've ever seen, using lots of razor cutting with different types of razors.  Then she tried to use a curling rod to style it but my hair defeated her. She took 35 minutes and charged me $18.00.

The woman was quite young, and had a foreign accent.  David tells me that she took over a barber shop from an elderly man who had been there for years, and had done quite a renovation when she moved in.  But I think her main customers are the older men who were used to going there.  I was not impressed with the general hygiene, and really wondered if any woman would be.  Just messy and dusty, and hair on the floor etc.

After washing my hair last night, and combing it this morning, I'm not thrilled with the cut, and am not sure about going again.  But, at the same time I felt a bit sorry for her obviously tying to make a living with this, and maybe not getting the customers she needs.  And when have I worried too much about my hair anyway?

In my last post, I said that going to the casino was on our job list, but never explained why.  We have bought tickets for the Andre Phillipe Gagnon Show on Mar 18th.  This will be my birthday present, and any celebration will be that evening.  Gail and I will still be going for our yearly celebration at Starbucks, when I buy her lunch ,along with my free birthday coffee.  I tend to save my bonus points (stars) for this, and this year in no different.

Coffee with Gail

 Gail and I met for coffee yesterday. Since we talk for just over and hour every day, we sometimes struggle for a minute to find a topic.  I mentioned how much I was looking forward to getting my Christmas Dishes put away, as Gail had promised to come over and help on my birthday.  Yep, you guessed it. She came over yesterday and brought the big piles of normal dishes down from the very back of the top shelf of the pantry.  We found another handy place to store the Christmas ones, so we should never run into this problem again.

Loved your message ..

 Hi all,  I just read the latest post and loved to hear all about your days. Not so exciting here but still the days come and go and I am still here so all must be well. haha.

You speak of the Casino and just this week the long awaited Cascades Casino North Bay opened its door to the public. It is two years late in opening due to the Covid and construction delays. I went on line to view pictures and it looks very new and fresh and of the same sort of decor I remember the other Casinos I have been in..gaudy like carpet flooring and bright lights everywhere but it does look exciting. I do not know if we will ever go but I know it is there and close by.

I am anxious to get our paperwork into the Accountant now but will have to sort through it and see if we have all our papers so far. When they come in the mail I have just put them all in the same folder so now must reconcile it and make arrangements to take them in. Not expecting any surprises as we tend to pay each year. It would be a perfect surprise if we ever get a refund.

This weekend is to bring more freeing rain and I must say I am tired of this all and not prepared to go through what I did a few weeks ago when we had that horrible freezing rain storm. I just want it to end and have nice sunny days and see the ground and grass and watch the flowers come up...is that too much to ask for??? 

I too, desperately need a hair cut so I should just call and make an appointment. I have an Eye exam next week and hope to get new glasses as i find the ones i am still wearing after my surgery are not right for the eyes now and actually give me a headache. And i went to the dentist  the other day and had my cleaning and exam and thank goodness all is OK - I told them that my teeth are not the nicest looking but they are mine and i want to keep it that way.

Time for my coffee ( also not the best choice for nice looking teeth) and on with the day. I just took the dogs out and it is cold out there. And then they say 8 degrees on Sat with freezing rain - does not make sense. Enough... Take care 😁

Finally--something to talk about

It's been an interesting week -at least Monday and today were. I've been wanting to work in the studio all week, and have been dressing appropriately.  So Monday, during my lunch break  David tells me that his nails need cutting.  He also thought he would go for the whole experience of a pedicure, rather than just the nail cutting.  So he phones for an appointment. 

"When would you like to come in?" 

"Any time but Thursday afternoon"

"Today?"

" Sure.  What time?"

"1:00"

"Okay, we'll be there.

He tells me this and I look at the clock.  It 12:34.  "Holy s--t!  We've got to get out of here.  No time to change clothes or brush my hair (which desperately needs cutting)

We made it just in time, and I walked in ahead of David.  There was a Chinese couple there, but not the couple that we've always gone to.  And this time just the woman worked on us,  while the fellow sat in the back room laying some sort of musical instrument, but we have no idea what it was.  Similar to a guitar, but bigger with a longer neck and more strings.  She worked on me first, and certainly didn't speak English as well as the usual lady.  But we introduced ourselves, and she was able to tell me that her name was Jan, and she was a friend of the other lady who had left the day before to take her elderly mother home to China, and would be gone a month.  Jan told me that she has only recently retired and has been wanting to keep her hand in, so agreed to work in the shop while they were away.  It was pretty obvious that we were her first customers, as neither she nor her husband was used to the way the chair worked, nor did they know where all the supplies were.  But we carried on.  Since she could only work on one of us at a time, we were there for almost two hours.  So certainly not the day we expected.

Tuesday and Wednesday were fairly routine with trips to the library and Starbucks.  Wednesday afternoon David sorted through our tax papers, as we were worried about the federal T4's that we haven't received.  But we had had a phone call from H&R Block reminding us that it was tax time, and the fellow had said that they could access the missing forms via the internet (?).  But David was reluctant to make an appointment without the missing forms.  I finally convinced him that we should, at least, make the appointment as once the actual forms came out everyone in town would be wanting to get their taxes done.  So David got the number off last years envelope, and was put on hold.  After 15-20 minutes he was still on hold, and I realized that the number we were calling, was a national country-wide access number.  So I went on the internet, and found the closest location of an office, and the office specific number.  I called and it was immediately answered by a nice lady named Candace, who quickly arranged an appointment for us for today.  We arranged the appointment for 12:00 so as not to interfere with our 2:15 appointment to bottle wine.  (David was till on hold, but hung up once he was sure things were being arranged.) The fellow did everything while we sat there, including getting the forms from the gov't website.  Everything done, taxes filed, we paid the fee, and left.  It was 1:20 as we were walking toward the mall exit.  We had hoped to make a stop at Walmart between appointments, as we had pills to pick up, but I wanted a little time to look around for some potting soil and a plant pot--not readily found this time of year.  So we went to The Second Cup in the mall for a drink and a nibble.  While there David noticed some flavour syrups.  He had looked all over for them, and now he had found them twice within a couple of days, as he had bought one somewhere while he was out on Monday.

Then off to bottle wine.  A little confusion about what sort of wine it was supposed to be, but got that sorted out, and the wine ( Pinot Grigio) bottled.  Took the bottles home, where we found three young men shoveling our driveway.  Chatted with them for awhile, and then off to Walmart.  I found everything I wanted in short order, and David got the pills, and off to the car to catch our breaths and discuss what next.  Well, it seemd that a visit to the casino was next, but that meant getting some money out of the bank first. There was a lo-o-o-ng lineup in the bank itself so I waited for the machine in the lobby.  There was a couple ahead of me, and it took awhile to realize that it was an employee teaching a lady how to deposit cheques without using an envelope--and the machine wasn't cooperating.  It took ages, by which time the line inside the bank was even longer.  Since only two people  are allowed in the lobby at one time, there was a line outside behind me!  But finally it was done and we headed off for a pleasant afternoon, and quick supper at McDonalds,  and more fun into the evening.

While we are still wearing masks, it was sort of nice not to have to show our vaccination card everywhere we went.  But now to bed, after a strong drink, of course.