I spent some time with tech support today seeing if there wasn't some way to have my lap  top recognize my camera card.  I don't know if I had previously sent this picture or not, but here is the finished African quilt.  Below is a close-up of a space ship quilt I tried to make. As you might guess, it will never be seen publicly.

Annoying tech support is the only thing I've done today.  None the less I'm grateful for the freedom to sit and do nothing but read romances.

ps

did you enjoy the Google animated Hallowe'en theme today - I really loved it! Go look if you have not yet!

And that's a wrap for another year

..Hallowe'en that is... I just closed down and it's only 8 pm and only 27 customers tonight. Raining outside so probably that may be a factor for a very slow and boring evening. Harry had the karaoke machine ready and provided sound effects for awhile but he too got bored and went to bed. I just brought in the decorations because they were getting really wet - I spent some time this afternoon putting up the decorations and it was quite nice out at the time, but then the rain started to fall. So a few hours dressed in costume with wig and mask on, and a bottle of sherry downed with great glee, and I'm now ready for bed. Maybe the best part is that there are lots of bags of little chocolate bars left - maybe not so nice afterall as I am sure I shall eat them all up !! So I guess I shall put away all the Hallowe'en boxes and soon get ready to bring up the Christmas boxes. Isn't it funny how we live by the seasons and celebrations. Aunt Evelyn has invited us to her church Bazaar and Tea on Nov 10 so we shall pick her up and attend. We were supposed to go last year at her invitation but then everyone died - both Mother and her husband Uncle Walter - so our attendance was cancelled . It is hard to believe it has been a year already since all that occurred.  And by chance, another Aunt in the family just passed away yesterday Oct 30 so there are many family celebrations and remembrances for this family in the month of October. Well, bed time - I have started reading a Brad Thor novel Patty that I picked up at Canex in North Bay last week as you had mentioend his name once and I thought I'd give it a try - interesting so far but I've just started it. Take care

Isolation

Got up and read the paper this morning.  OMG!  Earthquakes, and hurricanes.  When did this all happen?  Actually I had heard a bit about it on one of my internet groups.  The ladies were talking about how to stitch when there is no power or light.  How do you maximize the effect of a candle?  Put it in front of a mirror!
So we've sort of been watching on CNN to follow the progress of the storm.  In other words we were both sitting in a semi-stupor watching t.v. most of the evening.  Now we are wondering if we haven't both got a bit of the flu.  So it's early to bed for us tonight.

The last couple of months have been a bit tight, so this month we had to re-stock the pantry and freezer.  Over $400.00 in the first grocery store we visited.  But I have to confess that I bought a bit of meat, since all I have in the freezer is poultry.  We only did one store today, then I have to pay some bills and see how many more stores we can visit.  Maybe tomorrow.

For today I am very grateful for the stockpile of toilet paper in the garage.  "Nuff said.

Storm watching

but so far, so good. Very windy with rainy snow right now, but no torrential rains and if luck holds out, we should not see too much of the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy either. Glad to get the update on the Poker Tournament and congrats Dave on a good showing - more power to you to be in such a grand tournament. It would shake me up so sure, but then I really don't have any experience in playing as well as you both can. I can't even seem to buy lottery tickets worth a d---
Last few days I have purposefully spent some time in my studio ( haha what "studio") going through books and projects and just generally fooling around doing nothing and it has been the best time I've spent in a long time. I picked up some needles and wool and started a winter hat - found the pattern in my travels over last few days, and have wanted to try it for years. It, too, may end up just sitting in the basket undone, but it is the actual starting of things that is so inspiring after so long being idle. I found stuff that I did not even remember having and I wanted to jump right away into doing things - but realize maybe tiny steps at first would be prudent. I got out my book on Crazy Quilts and found the embroidery cotton I had and visualized all sorts of wonderful great finishes. Ain't it grand to dream!! Anyway, hope all is well your way - I hear about the snow in Winnipeg on the radio and hope it will not come here too soon, even though I have all the shovels neatly lined up at the front of the house ready for the onslaught. Take care

cabin fever

I haven't been out since last Wednesday, but David has been as far as the mall across the street to buy a lottery ticket.  He is getting quite ants-y.   Tomorrow is grocery shopping day, so we have been plotting our best action plan for getting to the most stores with the least amount of stress.   With snow on the ground we want to avoid all of the crazies out there for the next few days.

There still appear to be a couple of Juncos at the feeder.  Stupid birds!  Usually they arrive and disappear within a few days, but these two have been here for more than a month.  There are Chickadees as well, and this morning there was actually a Crow eating seeds off the ground.  The Squirrels are still quite active, although it mainly seems to be the red ones.  I don't think I've seen a grey in a couple of days.

David played in his big poker tournament tonight.  There were 240 players and the winner got $20,000 and a trip to the Bahamas.  David finished 33rd, which I think is quite an accomplishment, although I sense he was a little disappointed.

So our days are quiet, but we carry on.  How did you make out with the storm, Beth?

State of emergency up in Wawa

Highway #17 washed out in several spots and many people without access. This is the storm that is pending for here - they had over 100 mm of rain, and if that happens here my pump won't be of any use haha We cleaned out the eaves yesterday both for winter and this storm. Lots of leaves trapped so also trimmed down some of the branches hanging in the way. Then Harry got on Kijiji and offered to buy some coins so we had to make a trip to North Bay for 7:30 pm to pick up. It made for a long tiring trip as I do most of driving and I find night driving getting worse and worse for me with visibility. I took the dog out early this morning and scared two beautiful white tailed deer in our front yard - maybe eating bird feed or apples on the ground but nevertheless gorgeous animals. I have seen the pair on other walks in other yards but so nice to see them close. Unfortunately we scared them off down the street. I am mixed in my emotions about animals, as Mike is going hunting next week and terribly excited - he has taken all the courses and was fortunate to hook up with a hunting group that had a space for one more - I guess that is a concern if you want to hunt you need to be part of a group in order to have a chance at a "tag". I wish him well, but also wish the animals well. Today I have to totally clean the turtle tank. Long job and very hard. Harry plans to go to garage sales and then to Sprucedale.He will be taking a plant back to the people that live across from where his mother lived  - about four or five years ago the woman had to move down to Port Perry to care for her mother and the husband drove back and forth about every two weeks. Now they have sold her Mothers house and all three are now back living full time in Sprucedale. But he was a great help to keep an eye on Harry's mother so we were grateful. But when she left for Port Perry she left several plants for Mother to look after. We now have a beautiful Cactus that is flowering and so Harry will take this one back to her mostly because it is planted in a gorgeous ceramic pot. Just checked my ticket and it appears we shall have to keep on trucking folks - can't share a thing with you - sorry. Have a good weekend, and take care. I'll hope not to have to build an ark if those rains hit us.