Jan's Jabber

Books

2011-11-11T20:58:00.008-07:00

I must get these books posted as I have to return 2 of them to their rightful owner.

Sugar Creek by Toni Blake

This was a cute read.
Rachael Farris returned to her childhood home with one mission in mind: get Mike Romo out of her family's apple orchard business and out of their lives. But hard-nosed and totally hot Mike, who happens to be the law in Destiny, is convinced the Farris clan stole the land from his family fifty years ago and he's not backing down. Even when shapely trouble shows up in a pair of designer blue jeans.. However, neither the hunky cop nor the sexy prodigal hometown girl can anticipate the electricity that heats things up whenever they are together-adding new sizzle to an ongoing feud that's raged for generations, and soon putting both their hearts at risk.
Predictable but it was a good light read.

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

This is a memoir of resilience and redemption, and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeanette's brilliant and charismatic father captured his children's imagination, teaching then physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn't want the responsibility of raising a family.

The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way to New York. Their parents follow them, choosing to be homeless even as their children prospered.

This book is truly astonishing-a memoir permeated by the intense love of a peculiar but loyal family.
Prayers and Lies by Sherri Wood EmmonsWhen seven year old Bethany meets her six year old cousin Reana Mae, it's the beginning of a kinship of misfits that saves both from a bone'deep loneliness. Every summer Bethany and her family leave Indianapolis for West Virginia's Coal River Valley. For Bethany's mother, the trips are a reminder of the coalmines and grinding poverty of her childhood, of a place she'd hoped to escape. But her loving relatives, and Bethany's friendship with Reana Mae keep them coming But as Bethany grows older, she realizes that life in this small, close-knit community is not as simple as she once thought.....that the riverside cabins that hold so much of her family's history also teems with scandalous whispers.....and that those closest to her harbor unimaginable secrets. Amid the dense woods and quiet beauty of the valley, these secrets are coming to light at last, with a force devastating enough to shatter lives, faith, and the bond that Bethany once thought would last forever.

Songbird by Josephine Cox

Madelaine Delaney holds a dark and dangerous secret, one that she has carried with her for over twenty years. Madelaine is the star of the show at the Pink Lady Cabaret Bar. Her angelic voice and striking looks capture the hearts of many. But she only has eyes for club owner, Steve Drayton, a devastatingly handsome but terrifying man. Then one night, she witnesses a horrific crime and her life is irrevocably changed forever. The kindness and friendship of one girl, Ellen, rescues Madeleine. But in order to survive, they must flee London, leaving those they dearly love behind, and danger is following them wherever they go.

There are lots of twists and turns in this story so it keeps your interest all the way through.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Aibileen Clark is a black maid in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, raising her seventeenth white child. She's always taken orders quietly, but lately it leaves her with a bitterness she can no longer bite back. Her friend Minny Jackson has certainly never held her tongue, or held on to a job for very long, but now she's working for a newcomer with secrets that leave her speechless. And white socialite Skeeter Phelan has just returned from college with ambition and a degree but, to her mother's lament, no husband. Normally Skeeter would find solace in Constantine, the beloved maid who raised her, but Constantine has inexplicably disappeared.

Together, these seemingly different women join to work on a project that could forever alter their destinies and the life of a small town-to write, in secret, a tell all book about what it is really like to work as a black maid in the white homes of the South. Despite the terrible risks they will have to take, and the sometimes humorous boundaries they will have to cross, these three women unite with one intention: hope for a better day.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Finally, the third book came out in paperback. Because it has taken so long it took me a little while to get into this book as I couldn't remember all the characters. Once I got into it I really enjoyed it.

Lisbeth Salander lies in critical condition in the intensive care unit of a Swedish hospital. She's fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she'll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders. With the help of journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she will have to prove her innocence. And, on her own, she will plot revenge. Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Salander id fighting back.

I'm just sorry that there will be no more books by this author. I have really enjoyed this trilogy.

Bye for now.

Potato Crop

2011-11-01T15:42:00.006-06:00

I had read about potatoes being grown in containers on the internet last spring so I decided I would try it.

I got one of these collapsible bins and followed the instructions I had read on a gardening blog.
I would add a new bag of compost every time the plants would get about 6 inches high.

After adding 8 bags of compost I decided to let them go on their own. The plants never did flower but according to some of the reading I did not all plants do. I was anxious to see what kind of results I would have, so when the plants were droopy and dying back I decided to dump the dirt out and see what I would have.

Here you see the results!!

The biggest potato was a little bigger than a golf ball and it was downhill from there. We managed to have enough to have at two meals!! To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. With the cost of the container and the cost of the compost it probably works out to two very expensive meals. I really don't know what I could have done wrong so I'm a little leery about trying this again next year. It seems like such a wast of time, money and energy.

More 2011 books

2011-08-27T15:41:00.016-06:00

Down Our Street by Lena Kennedy

Amy is the apple of her mother's eye, she's the youngest of 13. With the outbreak of WWII the Flanagan family is sundered, shaken from their crowded nest in London's East End. Joe id made a sergeant, fighting in France. Billy volunteers for the Army Transport, young Dan fulfils his dreams and joins the RAF. The young ones are evacuated from the war torn capital-the girls to Devon and the boys to a school in the Midlands they reckon is worse than Colditz

The war brings tragedy-even the old home is in ruins, bombed and shell-splintered. It's Amy, with her fierce courage and determination, who pulls the family back together. Then handsome Sparky, full of wicked charm and Cockney banter, walks into her life and wins her heart. Turbulent happy years follow; times of great joy for Amy and times of bitter heartrending when family ties war against the needs of her feckless husband.
Quite a few surprises along the way, an interesting read.

Spider Bones by Kathy Reichs

When Tempe Brennan is called to the scene of a Quebec drowning, shocking discoveries await. The victim-identified as John Lowery-was engaged in a bizarre sexual practice when he died; and the same John Lowery was an American soldier declared dead in 1968, after a Huey crash in Vietnam. Who then, Tempe sets off to find out, is buried in the vet's North Carolina grave? Exhuming the remains and having them analyzed at a military compound in Hawaii gets complicated when Tempe's ex Detective Andrew Ryan, appears....and when a Honolulu ME consults with her on who or what lethally attacked a young victim-a shark, or a more sinister predator? And when Lowery's dog tags turn up linked to yet another corpse, Tempe must deconstruct a twisted tale of death that spans years, continents, and too many tragic losses.

Kathy Reich is one of my favourite authors but I must say I found this book rather confusing keeping all the corpses organized as to who was who.

A Time for Us by Josephine Cox

Lucy Nolan is the golden girl. The only daughter of local grocers, Sally and Mike Nolan, she's grown up in a home of total love and security. The one thing her heart desires is that Jack Hanson might ask her to marry him, and when he does eventually propose, Lucy is prepared to give up everything to be with him-even though it means leaving her beloved parents to live abroad where Jack has been offered an exciting business opportunity.

But then, almost on the eve of the marriage itself, tragedy strikes. And for the rest of her life, Lucy is forced to realise that Fate, which has been so kind to her, can also be just as cruel.

I found this an interesting read and do enjoy most of Josephine Cox books.

Love by Design by Nora Roberts

Two books in one

Loving Jack

Somehow her own fictional brooding hero had turned up in person right under her own roof, and now all romance writer Jackie MacNamara had to do was convince stubborn Nathan Powell that happily-ever-after began at home-with her.

Best Laid Plans

She was the sexiest thing in a hard hat that architect Cody Johnson had ever seen, but structural engineer Abra Wilson also had a will as strong as a steel girder-and just about as flexible. But Cody has plans for Abra that not even this spirited beauty could resist.

Two short predictable stories. Good for a summer read.

Promise Canyon by Robyn Carr

After years spent on ranches around Los Angeles, Clay Tahoma is delighted to be Virgin River's new veterinary assistant. The secluded community's wild beauty tugs at his Navajo roots, and he's been welcomed with open arms by everyone in town-everyone except Lilly Yazhi. :i;;y has encountered her share of strong, silent, traditional men within her own aboriginal community, and she's not interested in coming back for more. In her eyes, Clay's earthy, sexy appeal is just an act used to charm wealthy women like his ex-wife. She can't deny his gift for gentling horses, but she's not about to let him control her. There's just one problem-she can't control her attraction to Clay.

Forbidden Falls by Robyn Carr

Noah Kincaid arrives ready to roll up his sleeves and revitalize his new purchase, but he's going to need some help. An ad in the local paper brings an improbable candidate his way. "Pastor's assistant" is not a phrase that springs to mind when Noah meets brassy, beautiful Ellie Baldwin. With her colourful clothes and even more colourful past, Ellie needs a respectable job so she can regain custody of her children. Noah can't help but admire her spunk and determination and she may just be the breath of fresh air he needs.

This unlikely duo may come from two different worlds, but they have more in common than anyone would have expected. And in Virgin River lasting happiness in never out of the question.

The Shipping News by Annie Proulx

When Quoyle's two-timing wife meets her just deserts, he retreats with his two daughters to his ancestral home on the starkly beautiful Newfoundland coast, where a rich cast of local characters and family members all play a part in Quoyle's struggle to reclaim his life. As Quoyle confronts his private demons-and the unpredictable forces of nature and society-he begins to see the possibility of love without pain or misery.

I found this book very difficult to stick with, even though I did finish it. I kept thinking it would get better, but it didn't. Sorry I wasted my time.

Hey, Good Looking by Fern Michaels

Darby Lane and Russell Gunn had been inseparable friends from their early years in the Horseshoe, their wonderful Baton Rouge neighborhood of southern comforts and childhood fancies, all the way through to graduate school dreams and beyond.. Then a tragic accident takes Russ's life-and Darby's world is shattered. But her long journey to healing takes hold as Darby begins to see Russ's brother Ben through new eyes. Suddenly love blooms in the place of grief, and now, with the help of three wily and colourful aunts who raise her, Darby faces the challenge of reuniting Ben with his estranged father-if she and her aunts can get through the conniving schemes of Ben's social-climber stepmother, Like the custom dollhouses Darby creates with tender care and patience, she begins to understand that loss can build new life-and love truly can conquer anything.

I found this to be a very silly but funny read.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Harriet Vanger, scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families, disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blonkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption.
I enjoyed this book as much as the first book, The Girl Who Played with Fire. I'm awaiting the third book to come out in paperback.

The Woman Who Left by Josephine Cox

Louise and Ben Hunter have a happy, loving marriage, marred only by their unfulfilled longing for a child. Living and working with Ben's father, Ronnie, they quietly accept their uneventful but contented lives. But when Ronnie dies, their whole world changes. News of his father's passing bring Ben's lazy brother, Jacolb, back on the scene, in the mistaken belief that he stands to inherit Ronnie's small fortune. Added to which he means to have his brother's wife, though just as she did years before, Louise warns him off. Jacob, however, is not so easily dismissed. When he realises it is Ben who will inherit everything, Jacob is beside himself with rage, and commits a terrible deed, one that threatens to destroy everything his brother and Louise hold dear-their home and their family, their friends, their marriage and even their lives.

I enjoyed this book, but certainly had its sad moments.

Phew, that's it, all caught up. I find putting pictures into a blog post is the most time consuming, frustrating process. There has to be a better way. Maybe there is and I don't know about it!!!Then when you have it all spaced correctly and saved and you publish the post there are huge gaps all over the place. Drives me crazy!!

Bye for now.

Still Reading

2011-05-03T14:07:00.004-06:00

Still reading but not much else happening!

The Shadow of Your Smile by Mary Higgins Clark

At age 82 and in failing health Olivia Morrow faces a momentous choice: expose a devastating family secret, or take it with her to her grave. Olivia has in her possession letters from her deceased cousin Catherine, a nun now being considered for beatification by the Catholic Church. The letters are evidence that Catherine gave birth at age seventeen to a son she gave up for adoption. The young man who fathered Catherine's child, Alex Gannon, went on to become a world-famous doctor and scientist. Now, thirty-one year old pediatrician Dr. Monica Farrell, their granddaughter, stands as the rightful heir to what remains of Gannon's fortune. But to silence Olivia and prevent Monica from learning the secret, those who are exploiting the inheritance will stop at nothing-even murder.

Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb

When a murder disrupts the Irish vacation she is taking with her husband, Roarke, Eve realizes that no place is safe- not an Irish wood or the streets of the manic city she calls home. But nothing prepares her for what she discovers upon her return to the sop shop in New York.

A limo driver is shot through the neck with a crossbow. Then a high priced escort is found stabbed through the heart with a bayonet. Eve begins to fear she has come across the most dangerous criminal: a thrill killer, and one with a taste for the finer things in life-and death'

As time runs out on another innocent victim's life. Eve's investigation will take her into the rarefied circle that her husband, Roarke, travels in-and into the perverted heart of madness.

Lap of Luxury by Kristine Rolofson

The perfect husband-once upon a time there was a fair maiden who found a sleeping prince on her doorstep. But the fantasy had one catch...

Stuck on you-who would have thought hanging wallpaper would lead to the perfect man and the perfect ready made family? Still-it was turning into a sticky situation.

Make believe honeymoon-a jilted bride, a sexy duke-a make believe honeymoon to die for. Except marriage wasn't on the menu.

Bye for now.

Spring in Canada

2011-04-15T18:24:00.008-06:00

This is what it looked like two weekends ago.

We got 30cm./12" of snow.

Then we got 20cm./8" yesterday.

We are going to get another 20cm./8" tomorrow!!!

When will this ever end.

Books Again!!

2011-04-02T15:19:00.011-06:00

Someday Soon/Sooner or Later by Debbie Macomber

I had already read the second story in this book.

Someday Soon is about a lonely young woman who gets under the skin of a dangerous mercenary who discovers that love wins over war every time.

Where Yesterday Lives by Karen Kingsbury

Ellen Barrett is a Pulitzer prize winning journalist with an uncertain marriage, a forgotten faith, and haunting memories of her hometown and the love she left behind. The eldest of five siblings, Ellen longs for the time, long ago, when they were happy-when they were a family. Then tragedy strikes. Ellen's father is dead, and she must go back home. As she returns an avalanche of memories is unleashed. She is on a quest to make peace with the people who still live there.

An Afternoon Walk by Dorothy Eden

On an afternoon walk Ella and her five year old daughter come upon an abandoned house with an eerie overgrown garden. The house conjures up images of grand parties and bygone fashions. Then they hear a horrible scream and from a second story window, see the spreading white wings of an owl taking flight. When she tells her husband that evening he reminds her that having recently lost a child at birth she is still emotionally unstable. Then she starts receiving a series of anonymous phone calls. Who did she hear scream?

Staying at Daisy's by Jill Mansell

Daisy MacLean runs the country house hotel owned by her flamboyant father, Hector. When she hears who's about to get married there, she isn't worried at all-her friend Tara absolutely promises there won't be any trouble between her and ex-boyfriend Dominic, whom she hasn't seen for years. But Daisy should have been worried. Dominic has other ideas. And seeing Tara again sets in motion a chaotic train of events with far-reaching consequences for all concerned.

Devices and Desires by P.D. James

A serial killer of women is on the loose in a remote area of the Norfolk coast.

Overshadowing the bleak landscape and the lives of the local community is the Larksoken nuclear power station, run by the charismatic Alex Mair. Commander Adam Dalgliesh, who is staying at his aunt's converted windmill, becomes involved in the hunt for the murderer, a search that implicates him in the concerns and dangerous secrets of the headland community. And then one moonlit night it becomes chillingly apparent that the mass murderer isn't the only killer at work in Larksoken.

Bye for now.

New Year, More Books

2011-02-07T16:35:00.007-07:00

Breaking the Rules by Barbara Taylor Bradford

Following a terrifying encounter, a beautiful young woman flees her quiet English countryside in search of a new life. She adopts the initial M as her name and embarks on a journey that will lead her onto the catwalks of Paris to New York, where she meets and soon marries a handsome Hollywood actor. M believes she has truly put the demons of her earlier days behind her. But life in the spotlight is about to take a dark turn. Someone from her past, a psychopath with deadly intent, has made a vow to shatter M's world forever. M also makes a vow: to do everything in her power to keep herself safe and protect her loved ones-even if that means breaking the rules.

O'Hurley Born by Nora Roberts

Two stories in one book.
The Last Honest Woman

If sex sells, then so do lies-especially when the truth is revealed. And cynical journalist Dylan Crosby knew that the just-a-simple-widow routine Abby O'Hurley was giving him wasn't anything close to the truth. There was a story there. All he had to do was turn on the charm, turn down the lights and she would whisper all her secrets. Unless she uncovered his first.

Dance to the Piper

Maddy O'Hurley shone in the spotlight. Her passion for dancing set the stage aflame and left no one in her audience unaffected-including business mogal Reed Valentine. But Reed wasn't used to burning-not for anything or anyone. And he wasn't about to let the ruthless business skills he honed be affected by wild passion. So was he prepared to fight fire with fire?

More light reading with the usual predictable endings.

Exclusive by Fern Michaels

When Toots Loudenberry relocated to Los Angeles from South Carolina to be near her daughter, Abby, she expected to bump into the occasional celebrity. She just never expected them to be dead. Meanwhile, Toots, Sophie, and Mavis are concerned that the prestigious Dr. Sameer's budding romance with Ida may have something to do with his ailing bank balance. And Abby's attempted makeover of the celebrity magazine the Informer into the most talked-about tabloid in town could end more than just her career.

But the Godmothers wouldn't be Godmothers if they weren't pulling a few behind-the-scenes strings, and Abby's hopes of changing the fortunes of The Informer are still alive. Yet it'll take an assist from a source no one could have predicted, let alone see, to secure a story that will shake Tinseltown to its very core.

This was cute and funny although I think its part of a continuing story that I haven't read.

Bye for now.

Beautiful Orchid

2011-02-03T20:51:00.004-07:00

I changed the picture in my header.

I received this beautiful orchid as a Christmas present. It is absolutely gorgeous and has more than 20 flowers on it. It started out with four leaves but it is down to one now. I think I may have messed up . I was listening to a gardening show on the radio shortly after Christmas and they were saying that if you received an orchid and it is in moss take it out . So I took all the moss out and I was sure that they said to replace it with rock, so I did. Of course, now I'm thinking how will it retain water for the roots in rocks? I think that is why I've lost three of the leaves. I've only just lost one flower so that is pretty good as it's six weeks since Christmas. I think I need to get some wood chips and replace most of the rocks with that. Hopefully it doesn't die on me!!

Bye for now.

Books

2010-11-03T15:06:00.012-06:00

1022 Evergreen Place by Debbie Macomber

This is a continuation of the Cedar Cove books. This one focuses on Mack McAfee and Mary Jo Wyse, their budding romance. Also Mary Jo finds some old letters hidden under the floorboards in her side of the duplex. They are determined to trace who they came from. Another good light read.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larson

I found this book a little difficult to get into but once I was over the first few chapters I really couldn't put it down. The book is about Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist, and Lisbeth Salander, a computer hacker. They set out to solve the disappearance of Harriet Vanger forty years ago.

This book is number one in a trilogy and I'm already part way into the second one, and waiting for number 3 to come out in paperback. Unfortunately the author died so this will be it from him.

Birthright by Nora Roberts

When 5,000 year-old human bones are found at a construction site in the small town of Woodsboro, the news draws archaeologist Callie Dunbrook out of her sabbatical and into a whirlwind of adventure, danger, and romance. While overseeing the dig, she must try to make sense of a cloud of death and misfortune that hangs over the project-fueling rumors that the site is cursed. She must cope with the presence of her ex-husband, Jake and when a stranger claims to know a secret about her privileged Boston childhood, she must question her past as well.

I enjoyed this book, it kept you wanting to read more.

By Summer's End by Pamela Morsi

Some things are just too hard to imagine. For instance, Dawn Leland never thought in a million years that she and her girls would end up back with her in-laws. Sixteen years is a long time to be away, but life has dealt her something unexpected. Now she has no choice. And some things don't bear thinking about. Sephora Leland said good riddance to bad rubbish when her son's widow took her two little girls and left Knoxville all those years ago. And despite her husband's best efforts the bitterness still remains. But all things turn out in the end. It takes some forgiveness, a little understanding and the magic of two young girls to make everyone see that.This was a good light read.

Married in Seattle by Debbie Macomber

How to meet and marry a man in Seattle. There are all the usual ways, of course, but here's how Janine Hartman and Meg Remington did it.

Janine: My grandfather Hartman arranged a husband for me! Zach Thomas, the intended groom, was just as outraged as I was. But Gramps insisted we'd be "a perfect match"

Meg: My teenage daughter, Lindsey, had the nerve to place a personal ad on my behalf-Wanted: Perfect Partner. Worse, Steve Conlan, who answered the ad, was perfect, according to her

Cute, but sooooo predictable!!

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

Crusading publisher Mikael Blomkvist has decided to run an explosive expose of a wide-ranging sex trafficking operation. Just before the piece is published, the two reporters responsible are murdered. The fingerprints on the murder weapon belong to his friend, the troubled hacker genius Lisbeth Salander. Blomkvist, convinced of Salander's innocence, plunges into an investigation. Meanwhile, Lisbeth herself is drawn into a murderous game of cat and mouse, and is forced to face her dark past.

I think this second book was even better than the first and I can't wait for the 3rd book to come out in paperback.

This post was started way back in November and was put in the 'draft' area. It's taken me ages to get the pictures taken and the rest of the writing done and finally finish the post. Although this is actually being posted in February it is really the end of the books that I read in 2010.

Bye for now.

More Books

2010-05-21T19:36:00.021-06:00

This is such a long post, only because I keep putting it off and the read pile keeps getting higher.

The Whispering Room by Amanda Stevens

Detective Evangeline Theroux is feeling suffocated by her new baby as every time she looks at him she is reminded of her dead husband. She throws herself into her work-a high-profile murder case. Reclusive writer Lena Saunders offers Evangeline a provocative theory about the crime: it is the work of a lunatic vigilante. Lena spins the sordid story of Ruth and Rebecca Lemay, whose mother brutally murdered her male children in an insane effort to root out an "evil" gene. The girls survived and grew to adulthood-but one is carrying on her mother's grisly work. I enjoyed this book as it had a few unexpected twists and turns along the way. A good read.

Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark

When famous actress Natalie Raines is found in her home dying from a gunshot wound police immediately suspect her theatrical agent and jealous soon to be ex-husband, Gregg Aldrich. But no charges are brought against him until two years later when a career criminal suddenly claims Aldrich had tried to hire him to kill her. The case is a plum assignment for 32 year old assistant prosecutor Emily Wallace. She spends long hours preparing for the trial and unaware of a seemingly well-meaning neighbor's violent past, she gives him a key to her house to care for her dog. The trial makes headlines, threatening to reveal personal matters about Emily, such as the fact that she had a heart transplant-especially when she experiences eerie sentiments that defy all reason and continue even after the jury decides Gregg Aldrich's fate. This is one of MHC's better stories. I've read all her books and some are not so great but I would recommend reading this one.

Country Brides by Debbie Macomber

Cory Campbell has a pleasant, predictable life in San Francisco, where she's seeing a pleasant, predictable man. Then, one vacation, her car breaks down on an Oregon country road and horse rancher Clay Franklin comes to her rescue. This is so predictable, but a pleasant, mindless read. There is a second story in this book which is a continuation of the first.

Summer on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

The yarn shop on Blossom Street, owned by Lydia, offers a class called Knit to Quit. It's for people that want to quit something-or someone-and start a new phase of their lives. Phoebe joins because she wants to get over a man. Alix joins because she wants to have a baby so she wants to quit smoking. Bryan joins because he wants to learn how to deal with the stress of running a family business. Lydia's friend Anne Marie and her adopted daughter, Ellen, have to deal with a stranger that has come into their lives. Lydia and her husband, Brad, have to deal with an angry 12 year old foster daughter.

204 Rosewood Lane by Debbie Macomber
This another of the Cedar Cove books. This story is centered around Grace. She works at the library. Her husband disappeared 6 months ago. This story is about accepting that Dan, the husband and father of 2 grown daughters may never come back

The Mannning Brides by Debbie Macomber

Rich Manning and Jamie Warren have always been friends-and nothing but friends. However, that changes when she asks him to father the child she so desperately wants. Rich agrees-if she'll marry him. Because he thinks their 'Marriage of Inconvenience' could become a real marriage instead. Another predictable story. There is also another story in this book that is a continuation of the first.

Just for the record I don't buy Debbie Macomber books, my mum gives them to me. She's not an author I would buy but if I'm given a book I'll read it. They are very light reading and good for a quick read.

The Best of Times by Penny Vincenzi

This book has 880 pages. Because it has so many pages it is difficult to read lying in bed. Also, because the book is so fat it is difficult to get the pages open far enough to read the words close to the spine. They should make the pages another half inch wide. That's my only complaint about this book. I really enjoyed the story and had it read in 4 days.

It all centers around a traffic accident on a motorway in England. The consequences of this accident that affect many lives. People are with people they shouldn't be (married men with mistresses etc.) people are on that road when they are supposed to be somewhere else and all the truth comes out. Very interesting. I recommend this book, it you can hold the damned thing open to read it.

206 Bones by Kathy Reichs

Another author that I enjoy and this book didn't let me down.
206 Bones opens with Temperance Brenan regaining consciousness and discovering that she is in some kind of very small, very dark, very cold enclosed space. She is bound, hands to feet. She slowly begins to reconstruct...

Tempe and Lieutenant Ryan had accompanied the recently discovered remains of a missing heiress from Montreal to the Chicago morgue. Suddenly, Tempe was accused of mishandling the autopsy-and the case. Someone made an incriminating phone call. Within hours, the one man with information about the call was dead. Back in Montreal, the corpse of a second elderly woman was found in the woods, and then a third.

Black Hills by Nora Roberts

Cooper Sullivan spent summers of his youth on his grandparents' South Dakota ranch. His best friend and first romance was Lil Chance. Twelve years later he has come back to take care of his; aging grandparents and the ranch. Lil has let nothing stop her dream of opening the Chance Wildlife Refuge. Someone or something has been keeping a close watch. When small pranks and acts of destruction escalate into the heartless killing of Lil's beloved cougar, memories of an unsolved murder in these hills have Coo[ springing into action to keep Lil safe.

Remember When by Nora Roberts and J.D. Robb

In part one Nora Roberts introduces us to Laine Tavish. She lives in Angel Cap, Maryland, and owns Remember When, an antique treasures and gift shop. Nobody has any idea that she used to be Elaine O'Hara, daughter of the notorious con man Jack O'Hara. Laine's past has caught up to her. Her long lost uncle has visited her shop, leaving a warning before dying in the street, run down by a car. Soon after her house is ransacked and now it's up to her and a stranger named Max Gannon, to find out who's chasing her and why. The answer lies in a hidden fortune that will change Laine's life.

In part two J.D. Robb takes us to New York City in 2058 and puts Detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas on the case. The treasure that Laine and Max sought has never been recovered. Now someone else is pursuing the missing gems and is willing to kill for them.

Holiday in Death by J.D. Robb

No one likes to be alone during the holidays. For New York's most posh dating service, Personally Yours, it's the season to bring lonely hearts together. Lieutenant Eve Dallas, on the trail of a ritualistic serial killer, has made a disturbing discovery. All of the killer's victims have been traced to Personally Yours. As the murders continue, Eve enters an elite world of people searching for their one true ;love, and a killer searching for his next victim.

Born in Death by J.D. Robb

Just as Eve Dallas begins to investigate the double homicide of two young lovers, both employees of the same prestigious accounting firm, her friend Mavis needs a favour. One of the moms=to=be in Mavis's birthing class has gone missing. Eve tries to track down the missing woman, while simultaneously unearthing the deals and double-crosses hidden in the files of some of the city's richest and most secretive citizens.

Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb

Bart Minnock, founder of the computer gaming giant U-Play is found inside his locked private playroom, in a pool of blood, his head separated from his body. This is the most puzzling case Eve Dallas has ever faced and it's not a game. Eve can't find anyone who has a problem with the enthusiastic, high-spirited millionaire.

Bad Behaviour by Sheila O'Flanagan

Darcy has a great career, an apartment in the centre of Dublin and a wardrobe full of designer labels. She doesn't have Mr. Right but she's not short of admirers. So why does an unexpected wedding invitation send shivers down her spine? Because the groom, Aidan dumped her for her ex-best friend. Nieve lives across the Atlantic but is coming home to get married. It's going to be the event of the year and she wants ALL her friends to be there.

Finally, that brings me up to date with books read. Why does it take so long to download and orgnize pictures in Blogger? There must be an easier, faster way. I just don't know it.

Bye for now.

Book Update

2010-03-11T14:45:00.007-07:00

Some of these books were read at the end of 2009 and then the rest in 2010.
Purity in Death by J.D. Robb
Another good read staring Eve Dallas and Rourke. This one is about a rogue computer virus that is actually killing people.
Have You Seen Her? by Karen Rose
Special Agent Steven Thatcher has sworn to find the serial killer preying on this small town. He's a widower, worried about his son Brad who is struggling in school. The bright light in their lives is Brads teacher, Jenna Marshall. Steven and Jenna have both been hurt before but they start spending time together. At the same time the killer is closing in on Jenna.

The Collector by Cameron Cruise
This is one of those rare books that I didn't finish. I persevered and read about a 100 pages and then gave up. It starts out about the murder of a fortune teller and gets confusing from then on.

Dangerous to Know by Barbara Taylor Bradford

Who would have wanted to kill millionaire Sebastian Locke, the world's most beloved philanthropist? Vivienne Trent, a journalist, and Sebastians ex-wife intends to find out. She uncovers startling revelations that will turn her life around.

Dead Right by Brenda Novak

Twenty years ago Madeline Barker's father disappeared. Despite what everyone thinks, she is convinced her stepfamily had nothing to do with it. But the recent discovery of his car finally proves he didn't just drive away. and with what was found in the trunk the police say that there's more to this case than murder. Madeline hires a private investigator who begins to uncover shocking evidence. Sooner or Later by Debbie Macomber

No one in the tiny town of Boothill, Texas knows the real Shaun Murphy and that's the way he likes it. The postmistress, Letty Madden knows that Murphy is the only person that can help her find her brother. He is a missionary in Zarcero in South America where the government has been overthrown be a military coup.

6 Rainier Drive, 74 Seaside Avenue and 92 Pacific Boulevard - all by Debbie Macomber

These books are all from the Cedar Cove collection of books. If you enjoy DM books you'll enjoy these. I don't think I need to give a review. They are more of the same light reading that can be expected from her books.

Bye for now.

2009-12-25T15:24:00.006-07:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

More Books

2009-11-14T14:56:00.001-07:00

I just found the first half of this post in draft form. I had written it and then forgot to post it. Since then I had read several more books so I added those to the post and now I'm finally posting it.

Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs

In this book Tempe Brennan has put her vacation on hold to investigate charred remains and black residue from a plane crash There are also some mysterious bones found on a farm. Are they human or animal? Are the bones and the plane crash linked together? Another page turner, but not my favourite Kathy Reichs book.

Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber

This book centers around the owner of a book store on Bloom Street. Several widows get together on Valentine's day to celebrate...hope. They each begin a lost of twenty wishes, things they always wanted to do but never did. Anne Marie, the owner of the book store, has 'doing good for someone else' as one of her wishes. This wish leads to her being involved with a little girl at the local elementary school.

True Blue by Luanne Rice

This is about veterinarian Rumer Larkin. She has never left her home town, even after everyone she loved left. Now her childhood love returns to the village with his son. The question is whether they can rekindle what they had or is it too late?

Witch Season-summer and fall by Jeff Mariotte

It wasn't until I was almost at the end of this book that I realized there had to be more. A quick google told me that I had just read the first 2 books in a 4 book collection. This book is very different. It's about a bunch of college kids that stumble into the lives of a bunch of witches. Kerry Proffit, one of the students finds a stranger lying half-dead on their doorstep. His name is Daniel Blessing and he is on the hunt for a witch named Season. Whether they like it or not, these six teenagers are stuck in the middle of a deadly feud. Took a while to get into this book, but turned out to be pretty good. Now I have to try and find books 3 and 4.

Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs

A house under renovation with a forgotten cellar. A plumber finds animal and human remains, cauldrons and religious artifacts. Then a boys torso, carved with a pentagram, is found nearby. Panic over Satanism and devil worship has the citizens on a witch hunt. To Tempe Brennan nothing is cut and dried about the case. At the same time she is trying to decide whether to move on from her departed lover, Andrew Ryan. As usual, a good read, although it tends to get a bit technical (boring) in parts.

Where Are You Now? by Mary Higgins Clark

A 21 year old university senior walks out of his Manhattan apartment without a work to his roommates and disappears. He calls his mother once a year, on Mother's Day, but refuses to answer her frantic questions. When he calls this year his sister, now 26, tells him she intends to track him down no matter what. She reconnects with his old roommates to try and find out what happened to him. It keeps you guessing to the end. Another good mystery by MHC.

Faces of Fear by John Saul

Fifteen year old Alison Shaw isn't beautiful but she doesn't care. She'd rather be reading a book than primping in front of the mirror. But her mother, Risa, knows that beauty can be the key to success. Risa marries widowed plastic surgeon Conrad Black. Conrad claims that he can turn Alison into a vision of loveliness, so she agrees to have the first procedure. Then Alison finds a picture of his first wife and she realises that he is trying to make her over to look like his dead first wife. Her mother refuses to acknowledge the similarities. As Alison continues to dig into her stepfathers murky past she discovers dark secrets and dark motives. This is another good read from John Saul and keeps you turning the pages to see what is going to happen next.

Firefly Summer by Maeve Binchy

The Ryan family, Kate and John, and there 4 children live in a small town in Ireland. The children play in the ruins of Fernscourt, the great house that burned down during the Troubles. The ruins are bought by Patrick O'Neill, an Irish American with dreams and lots of money to rebuild the house to its former glory and more. This is about the children of Mountfern and how there lives intertwine with each other and the goings on with the rebuilding. There are 762 pages in this book so there are lots of twists and turns to the story. I enjoyed this book as I have enjoyed all the other Maeve Binchy books I have read.

Salvation in Death by J.D. Robb

Eve Dallas is on another case. This time a catholic priest dies after partaking of wine at a funeral mass. The wine was laced with potassium cyanide. The autopsy reveals scars from knife wounds , a removed tattoo and evidence of plastic surgery. Obviously there is more to this priest than meets the eye. Another good read.

A Quiet Belief in Angels by R.J. Ellory

1939 in the small rural community of August Falls, twelve year old Joseph Vaughan hears of the brutal assault and murder of a young girl. This would be the first in a series of brutal murders over the next decade. Joseph and his friends are determined to protect August Falls against the evil in their midst and form The Guardians. But the murderer evades them and they watch helplessly as one child after another is taken. Fifty years later Joseph is still troubled by the past and must confront the nightmare that has overshadowed his whole life. I found this book a hard slog to read. I had the ending figured out about half way through, and not one to give up on a book , I slogged on until the end. Not something I would recommend other readers do. Boring.

Play Dirty by Sandra Brown

Accused of murder, convicted of throwing games for the mob, former Dallas Cowboys superstar Griff Burkett spent five years in federal prison. Now free, he has no prospects and no forgiveness in football crazy Texas. There is someone willing to pay millions for Griff's services-airline CEO Foster Speakman and his wife, Laura. This is an interesting and different story. I enjoyed reading this book.

Bye for now.

Fall is Here

2009-09-25T20:54:00.022-06:00

Summers gone and it's already Fall and the temperatures here have been record breaking. We have had 32-34 degrees C. These temps. are record breaking, after all, this is Canada!!!

Some pictures of the flowers in my garden. This chrysanthemum must have over 300 flowers on it.

Summer was way too short. We managed to get away for a couple of weeks. We went to Spokane and Seattle. We went to Pike's Market. Loved it, but it was so hot - 103 degrees F. Way too hot for my liking.

Rows and rows of fresh fruit and vegetables.

HUGE lobster tails and shrimp.

Beautiful flowers.

We went to B.C. and stayed in Kelowna where we visited my sister and her family and we have friends there too.

These pictures were taken at one of the many wineries in Kelowna.

Scored a great load of fabric while in Kelowna. A friend of friends had fabric that she wanted to give away to a good home. Her mother, who had recently passed away, was an avid sewer and had one hell of a stash. I was invited over to 'help myself'. I couldn't believe the amount of fabric that this lady had. There were bags and bags and bags of it. The daughter kept saying don't bother looking through the bags, just take the whole bag. If I had to guess, there was enough fabric to fill 50 green garbage bags. I would have needed a U-Haul to take it all. I probably took enough to fill 3-4 green garbage bags. We didn't have room in the van for any more. She said if I come back next year to give her a call as she probably would still have the rest of it in storage.

I got some really nice wool, ultrasuede, lots of suiting, flannel, velvet, velour and lots more.

We had to go back to school early this year. It's been a long time since we went back before Labour Day. We had to go back August 26 because our city was hosting the World Skills Competitions. This would give students an opportunity to go on field trips to see the competitions. It sure seemed to shorten the summer though.

Bye for now.

Summer

2009-07-16T19:50:00.017-06:00

It's three weeks into the summer holidays already. I've tried to do something constructive everyday. It might have been clean out a drawer, do the ironing, work in the yard, anything. I don't want to look back and say I didn't get anything done while I was off.

I got my hair cut today. Oh boy, is it short. It's probably 2 inches shorter than I asked for. I don't think I've had my hair this short since I was in nurses training. That's going back a lot of years!! Oh well, can't do much about it, I'll get use to it and it will grow. DH is not very keen, I have to say.

We've had a lot of rain so far this summer. It seems like if it's not raining it's really windy. I have to say the plants and flowers are doing really well, although they are a little behind.

I have won several giveaways that I haven't blogged about.

From 'One World One Heart 2009' I won a beautiful 10x10 print of an Hibiscus from Marti Hicks. I don't think the picture I took does it justice. The colour in the print is so bright and vivid. You can view some of her work here http://shadoelandphotography.com/

I also won a gift certificate from Kristin Roach at Craft Leftovers which I spent on a fabulous set of stitch markers. They really are cool and really do the trick. Way better than the plain plastic rings I've been using for years. Visit one of her blogs here http://www.craftleftovers.com/blog/

Anything Indie http://www.anythingindie.com/ is always having giveaways and I was lucky enough to win one, I got a cute little fox necklace from Ji Ji Kiki http://www.jijikiki.co.uk/- so cute!
A Legacy of Stitches had a fabulous giveaway. She was celebrating her first year blogaversary and having a giveaway every day for 8 days!! I won day 3 and what a fabulous prize. There were 23 fat-eighths of Mark Lipinski Katmandu Fabrics, Mary E journal and bookmark and a cute little gift bag. Check out her blog at http://alegacyofstitches.blogspot.com/
Bye for now.

Books

2009-04-23T19:47:00.016-06:00

These are the books I've read so far this year.

Don't Wake Me At Doyles by Maura Murphy

This is Maura Murphy's memoir. I had a hard time getting into it because she was jumping all over the place and it was a little difficult keeping track of the chronology of the story. It did get better and reminded me a little of Angelas Ashes by Frank McCourt. There were similarities in the story but McCourt is a much better story teller.

The Survivor by Dinah McCall

I enjoyed this story. It was about a plane that goes down in the Appalachians. There are 3 survivors and this is the story of their rescue. They are not all together though and one of them is a murderer. It's a page turner.

Susannah's Garden by Debbie Macomber

I've enjoyed all of Debbie Macombers books and this is no exception. It's light reading, about a woman who has to deal with her young daughter and some of the decisions she makes, and her elderly mother who she has to put into a retirement centre. She then has the difficult job of going through the contents of her parents house and finding out the truth about things that happened in her youth,

The Very Thought of You by Lynn Kurland

I really enjoyed this book. It's about a very successful businessman in the world of corporate takeovers-but not happiness. At the family 'Keep' in Scotland he finds a pirate map that sends him on a journey that takes him back in time to Medieval England where he is captured by a knight in shining armor!! Then it gets interesting.

The Alibi Man by Tami Hoag

This is about Elena Estes a former undercover cop who is working as a horse trainer. She discovers a friends body, murdered and dumped in a canal. She, of course, gets drawn into trying to discover who killed her and gets to see the bad side of the Palm Beach bad boys. Among them is her former fiance. This was a good read.

Light of the Moon by Luanne Rice

This was another good read. It's about a young woman who decided on the eve of her birthday to take a break from the demands of her life. She travels from Connecticut to the French Camargue. Her late mother had told her magical stories about the famous white horses and finds a mysterious 'saint' linked to her family's history.

Queen of the Mersey by Maureen Lee

I really like Maureen Lees books. They bring back a lot of memories just by some of the expresions used. This book starts out in Liverpool in 1939. We follow the life of Queenie who is abandoned by her mother at the age of 14, and the war is just breaking out. She is evacuated to a little village in Wales where her life changes forever. The book then follows her life for the next 35 years. I really enjoyed this book.

That's it for now.

Yesterday

2009-04-23T19:23:00.006-06:00

Yesterday, at noon DH took Sam for a walk and ran into these new neighbours 2 blocks from home.

I got home from work at 3pm and this is what I saw.

What a difference a few hours make!!

Bye for now!!

Spring?

2009-03-23T20:06:00.011-06:00

How many days are we into Spring and this is what we woke up to yesterday morning - 12"/30cm of the white stuff. Very wet and heavy. As if that isn't enough they are predicting the same amount again on Wednesday. We are very tired of all this stuff. We have had way too much of it this winter. It's very depressing checking out all the blogs around the world with all the beautiful flowers and green grass in their yards.

I have won several more giveaways over the last few months.

I received a beautiful wall hanging all the way from Sweden from Helena at http://syverkstan-helena.blogspot.com/ I had it on my coffee table for a while and received many compliments on it. You should check Helena's blog out. She does some beautiful work.
I received a really cute crayon roll from Corinna at http://corinnaquilts.blogspot.com/ Hard to see in the picture but the crayon roll is made from the cutest dog fabric. She also included a colouring book, a really cute picture frame that holds lots of pictures in the back, cute pig tissues and some delicious chocolate. Go pay her a visit.

I received a beautiful lemon scented soy wax votive candle and matches from Jackie at http://wrensnest.typepad.com/wrensnest/ She has opened a fabulous store called Dreams of France. She has some gorgeous stuff, go check it out.

I haven't done much on the crafty front. I finally finished a scarf, headband and fingerless mitts set for #1GD. She loved them. Not a great picture but I think you get the idea. If I was making the fingerless mitts again I would make the finger part shorter.
I think that's about it for this time.

Bye for now.

Happy Valentine's

2009-02-14T12:47:00.006-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone. My husband and I exchanged cards this morning. That's about as far as it goes for our V. day celebrations. I have a terrible cold so I'm not up to going out for supper anyway.

I decided to change the picture in my header to a better one of Sam. The old one, he had a bad case of devil eyes!! He just got a haircut and looks much better. He's not the easiest to get a good picture of, as you can see.

It's snowing again today. It has been, on and off, for the past few days. We have had so much snow in the last month that we are running out of places to shovel it to!! The temperature has been up and down as well, so that makes for some very icy conditions on the roads and sidewalks. Taking Sam for a walk can be pretty treacherous at times.

I talked to my aunt in England yesterday. She said they have no snow. They have lived just outside Wigan in the N.W., not too far from Manchester for over 25 years and have only seen snow once. Too close to the coast I guess. They get lots of rain instead. At least you don't have to shovel rain.

I've been doing very little on the crafting front. A little knitting. I made Sam a new coat (he's wearing it in the new header picture). I

I'm finishing up a little knitting for my GD#1. It's a matching scarf, fingerless mitts and a head band/scarf thing. She turned 18 last week. Her Mom and Dad took her to the neighborhood pub at midnight and she was quite put off that she didn't get ID'd!!

Bye for now.

Books

2009-01-13T19:37:00.009-07:00

These are the rest of the books I read in 2008.

About Face by Fern Michaels

This is about a young girl who is accused of murdering her step-brother and thrown into a mental institution for many years. When she finally gets out she returns to the town she is from and wants to reconnect with her mother. Lots of strange things start to happen to her, but a young doctor befriends her and wants to help her get to the bottom of what is going on. This is a pretty good read. Keeps you wanting to read another chapter so you can find out the truth.

High Noon by Nora Roberts
I found this to be one of Nora Roberts better books. It's about a female police lieutenant who is Savannah's top hostage negotiators. One of her fellow police officers has no use for women and makes her life a living hell. Things start happening that are related to her past and the search is on to find the person and have Phoebe try and negotiate a good ending to this situation.

The Lazarus Child by Robert Mawson

This is a story about a marriage on the rocks when one of the couples children is run over by a bus. Seven year old Frankie is in a coma and they have been told that there is no hope. Their son, who witnessed the accident, is having many problems and the parents are desperate. Their only chance is with a neurologist who has dedicated her life to coaxing children back from the 'darkness'. They are hoping for a miracle and this is a story about that journey. Really good read.

The Things we do for Love by Kristin Hannah

This is about Angela DeSaria who wanted a baby more than anything else. This was not to be and her marriage fell apart. Divorced, she moves back to the little town her family is from to help her mother and sisters run the failing family restaurant. Along the way she meets a young girl who is from a bad part of town, with a mother who only cares about her next drink, and next boyfriend. She is going to a very expensive private school on a scholarship and is dating the football jock who comes from a very rich family. She becomes pregnant and Angela becomes very involved trying to help her. You have to read the book to find out what happens.

The Pagan Stone by Nora Roberts.

Book three in the Sign of Seven Trilogy.

I enjoyed all three of these books. In this final book it all boils down to kill or be killed for the 6 friends. I wouldn't want to spoil the story but I would highly recommend reading all three books.

That's 25 books for the year. Not very many, but, for the most part, I only read half an hour a night when I go to bed. Maybe a little more on the weekends.

That's it. Bye for now.

So many giveaways.

2009-01-03T19:45:00.011-07:00

I have been so lucky lately. I won several more giveaways in the last month or so. First there is this really cute little advent dove ornament. The beads above the dove spell out PEACE. I received this from Teresa at http://affectioknit.blogspot.com Check out her blog. She is one busy lady.

Next I received this half panel of a Santa stocking. It is so cute. I received it for signing up for the newsletter from http://saffroncraig.com/ It came all the way from Australia and took no time at all.

Next is a very cute set of coasters I won from Sara at http://www.theplaidpost.com/home/ they are so pretty. Included were some sweet puffy stickers and some yummy chocolate.

I joined another blog http://sweetbydesign.blogspot.com/ and received a darling pair of hair clips. They are so pretty. Check out the blog, they have some amazing hair clips.

Finally, I won a giveaway in the Fall into Fall giveaway. Ailisa from http://nettc.blogspot.com/-'Not Enough Time to Craft' sent me an amazing package. First there were 6 beautiful handmade cards that she makes. Believe me the picture does not do them justice. Also she sent 4 Fat Quarters from Sew Much Love by Diane Knott for Clothworks. So pretty, but I managed to take a really crappy picture. Also included were some very delicious chocolate bars. I love chocolate from the U.K. It's so much better than what we get here, even when it is the same brand.

So I've been a very lucky girl and there are some very generous bloggers out there. Thank you all so much.

My next post I must finish up posting the rest of the books I read in 2008.

By for now.

Happy New Year!!

2009-01-01T21:51:00.002-07:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. I don't know where December went. I know we spent most of it buried in tons of snow (same as many, many, places) and horrible cold temperatures. You know it's been really cold when you are really happy that's it's going to be only -12 degrees out!!! Balmey!

I had 2 weeks off work, which was great but that is rapidly coming to an end. Only 3 more days and then back to the grind.

Lots of fabulous gifts for Christmas. A 52" HDTV, lots of gift cards (love them) a Nintendo DS with Brain Age and so much more. Everyone was very generous. We saw lots of family and had a really good time.

We spent New Years at home. Our neighbours got home from their trip visiting their daughter (out of province) at 11:30 and called to say they were coming over. They knew we were still up because the Christmas lights were still on. They came over and saw the new year in with us until 1:30 a.m.

We just finished a wonderful baked ham dinner here with #1 son and his family.

Must find a new picture for my header.

I have won several more giveaways that I must blog about but I have to take pictures first.

Bye for now.

New Picture

2008-12-08T20:54:00.002-07:00

I thought after all the snow we had yesterday I should change the picture in my header. This is a picture of one of the displays at the retirement centre where my parents live.
We ended up with 22cm/9" of snow yesterday. Made for a fun drive to work this morning!!!

First Big Snowfall

2008-12-07T15:17:00.004-07:00

We woke up to lots of snow falling this morning and it's still at it. The prediction is for 30cm/12" today. We went out to shovel around noon. It's the wet and heavy kind. Great for snowballs but terrible to shovel. It weighs a ton. There was easily 10cm/4" when we were shovelling. By the time we finished, where we started looked like it hadn't been shovelled. Sam was sure happy to go for his walk though.

We were going to get all the Christmas stuff down from the garage rafters today but I think it will have to wait until there is a little less snow.

Books

2008-11-29T20:01:00.002-07:00

Trying to catch up with the books I've been reading. There's a few more but this will do for now.

Grooms by Nora Roberts

This is another book in the MacGregor series. Very light reading. You can predict what is going to happen in the first 5 or 10 pages. I guess the interesting part is in how they get to the predictable endings.

After the Rice by Wendy French

This is an interesting book dealing with family dynamics. Having to put up with a distasteful uncle that lands on the newlyweds couch and a sister that is a hippie trying to figure out where she's going. Having to put up with them because they are 'family'. Then the question of finding out the wife is pregnant when they had decided not to have children and what they will ultimately do.

Bombshell by Lynda Curyn

This is about a 34 year old marketing exec who works for a cosmetics company and lives in New York. She is confronted with the cosmetic company going in a new direction with a 'younger' image. Her private life is going nowhere, boyfriends with no ties or commitment and dealing with the fact that she is adopted and learning about her birth mother and the family that goes along with it.

Husbands and other Lovers by Jane Elizabeth Varley

This is about a very successful couple (on the surface). He is a brilliant city lawyer , she is in real estate and they have one child from her previous marriage. The have the big swanky house and all the trappings. What becomes evident is that he is an alcoholic and she is not happy in this marriage. The husbands brother is a millionaire who has his own PR agency. He represents some beautiful women and this deals with his relationships with them. I found this book to be a really good read. I will have to look for her other book Wives and Lovers.

Fixing Shadows by Susan Barrett
This was a very strange book to read. It takes place in 1873 London, England. The Duchess of Fainhope gives birth to a child that ddoesn't survive, and her governess, Miss Mantilla gives birth to an illegitimate child. Of course the inevitable happens. The dutchess needs an heir and so the children are switched at birth. It chronicles the lives of the two women and the child over about 25 years. I can't say much good about this book. I found it very boring and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

That Summer Place by Debbie Macomber, Susan Wiggs and Jill Barnett

Everyone seems to fall in love at Rainshadow Lodge. This is about three different women. Beth who's stuck sharing the lodge with a complete stranger. Mitch, a workaholic on a deadline who has to depend on Rosie who is a free spirit who likes ro function on 'island time'. Then there's Catherine who is falling in love with Michael, the lodge handyman. Again, the outcome for all involved is pretty predictable but this was an enjoyable read.

Strangers in Death by J.D. Robb

I really enjoy these futuristic books written by Nora Roberts as J.D. Robb. Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her billionaire husband, Roarke, are the central characters. This time they are dealing with the death of a prominent businessman, found in his apartment, tied to his bed-and strangled.

I Won, I Won, I Won!!!

2008-10-20T20:03:00.004-06:00

Over the last few weeks I have won three giveaways.

The first was from http://craftapalooza.com/ all the way from Australia. I won week five of Nicoles 52 weeks of nose. It is a lovely tissue holder using Denyse Schmidt's new deco weight "County Fair". The linen tape has been hand stamped with little matryoshka's. I just love it.

The second giveaway was the 'runner up' prize from Ann-Margaret at Piece of Mind. I feel really bad because I can't find her blog. She is a fellow Canadian though from Montreal. I got a package of 'scraps' that had 27 different fabrics in it. It is a fabulous 'runner up' prize.

The third giveaway I won was from http://www.hearthandmadeblog.com/

I won a beautiful pair of earrings from Bella-Bijou Jewellery http://www.bella-bijou.com/. Jaime Pickering is the very talented and generous artist that made these beautiful earrings. They are to die for.

September

2008-10-03T20:31:00.005-06:00

September has come and gone and before I knew it it was October.

Lots of things were going on in September. Started back to school. Of course it now feels like we were never away.

My BFF had her mother spend a few weeks with her. They came over for supper one night and she brought me a beautiful plant. It is an Anthurium. We saw them many years ago in Hawaii. They were known by a different name then, it referred to a part of the male anatomy. I'm sure anyone who is familiar with this plant knows the name.

I had my birthday in September and got a beautiful Pandora bracelet with 4 charms from my DH. I've since added 3 more charms. If you're not familiar with the Pandora bracelet here is a link. They are really beautiful. www.pandora-jewelry.com/AU.aspx

I also received a bunch of glads and soaps from GD#1 and another gorgeous plant from my parents. This is quite an unusual plant. It's an Aloha Lily 'Leia' (child of heaven).

We also have another resident in our house. My parents have moved into a retirement community. Beautiful place, just like a 5 star hotel. They have the own their apartment but they go to the dining room for their meals. My mum loves that part. No more cooking! They have lots of activities that they can join in with or not. My dad also has given up driving which was a big thing for him. But they have a shuttle bus that will take them anywhere they want to go within about a 15km radius. Anyhow, they also had a dog that was becoming too much for my dad to walk. My mum uses a walker most of the time so she is in no shape to walk the dog. They live on the second floor so that meant a lot of trips up and down in one day for my dad. The deciding factor was one day he took Sam for a walk and my dad fell. He didn't hurt himself, he fell on grass, but he couldn't get up. Of course, nobody stopped to help him. Here's an elderly man with a little dog down on the ground outside a retirement centre. You'd think that people would realize there was a problem and stop and help, but no, they just all drove on by. My dad finally was able to get up but it really shook him up. He started thinking that he wouldn't be able to do this in the winter when there is snow and ice. So, that is when I got the call asking if I (we) would like to have Sam.

He's a really good dog, 7 years old and very well behaved. He's a lhasa apso shitzu. He's great company and he's getting us out walking him every day. That is a good thing.

Bye for now.

4 days

2008-08-28T19:09:00.006-06:00

I've heard this question so many times, but I'm going to say it anyway. Where has the summer gone? Only 4 more days and it's back to work. Hard to believe I've just had 9 weeks off. Wow.
Didn't really do anything exciting this summer. We decided we didn't want to go away anywhere, just stay home and do our own thing.

For my dh that means spending lots of time at the driving range and on the golf course.

For me it means spending lots of time in my garden.

I decided to dig out an entire flower bed (about 24x2) that had become overgrown with tiger lilies (they grow like weeds and are very invasive) daisies (same as for tiger lilies) and other perennials, not to mention grass and weeds. The only thing I left intact were my roses. It was a lot of work but looks a thousand times better. Have to say I needed lots of dh's muscle to get the tiger lilies out. The roots must go to China!

I bought a second blueberry bush as everyone I talked to said that you need 2 of them for pollination. Hopefully they will be as prolific as my raspberry bushes.This was the first dish of many dishes that have been picked in the last several weeks. I even made jam, first time in a few years. I made raspberry/blueberry. Very good. I had to buy the blueberries though.

This is something that I don't particularly like to see. Christmas stuff in Costco on July 24th. Can you believe that. 5 months before Christmas. We haven't even had half of the summer break.

We had a surprise visit from my sister and her family. I was cleaning out closets one day and the door bell rings and my sister, her husband and 2 kids are standing there. That was quite a surprise as I had been talking to her about a week or so before that and she didn't mention they were coming. They live in B.C. They were staying at her girlfriends and were in town for 5 days. We managed to get a couple of visits in while they were here.

Did everybody get their fill of the Olympics? We watched quite a bit. The opening ceremonies were quite impressive (even with all the controversy-lip syncing and computer animation etc.). We were looking pretty sad in the first week though with so many near misses for the medals.

I took several of my sweaters to a store called Galleria http://www.calgarycraftedgifts.com/ here in town. It is the largest independently owned retail arts and crafts store in Canada. I have been making some bracelets which I took to show them as well. The owner liked them and took all 6 that I took in. Everything is left on consignment so I will have to wait and see how things go. Fingers crossed!

We finally went and applied for our passports. We have been meaning to do this for quite a while and finally got around to it. It will make things a lot easier when going into the states.

I read quite a few books over the summer but I will leave those for another post.

Bye for now.

Award!!

2008-07-27T15:29:00.004-06:00

I have received an award from http://milesawayinfrance.blogspot.com/. This is the first award I've received! I have to thank her, first for the award which was a big surprise, but secondly for making me figure out how to make a link in a post (so easy when you know how) and how to get the picture of the award from her blog onto mine. I don't know if I did it the right way but it worked!!

Once you receive an award the instructions are as follows:

1. Put the logo on your blog.

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3. Nominate at least seven other blogs.

4. Add links to those blogs on your blog.

5. Leave a message for your nominee on their blog.

This is my list:

Anina http://twiddletails.blogspot.com/

Karyn http://trailmixdesigns.blogspot.com/

Alison http://sotreadsoftly.typepad.com/

Niki http://nikisventures.blogspot.com/

Suzy http://georgiapeachez.typepad.com/

Tracy http://cupcakesathome.blogspot.com/

Kim http://raggedroses.blogspot.com/

Hope it all works!

Bye for now.

More Books

2008-07-21T13:18:00.005-06:00

Here are a few more books I've finished.

The Hollow by Nora Roberts

This is the second book in the Sign of Seven Trilogy. The first, Blood Brothers, came out last year. The third , Pagan Stone,is coming out in December. I am loving these books. I think they are the best Nora Roberts books I have read. It starts out in the first book where 3 boys stand around the Pagan Stone and become blood brothers. This seems to unleash something very weird and scary. Then things start happening every 7 years. You just have to get these book to read. I can't wait for the third one.

An Absolute Scandal by Penny Vincenzi

I think I've read all her books. I've enjoyed them all. I love a really thick book to read (881 pages) but I do find them hard to hold when laying down reading in bed! It took me a while to get into this book as I had a hard time keeping the characters straight. Who went with who etc. Once I got into it I really enjoyed it. All about what can happen when people put all there money in a sure thing and then it turns out its not a sure thing after all and the dire consequences

With You Beside Me by Catherine Anderson

The first two Coulter Family Novels: Phantom Waltz and Sweet Nothings. I'm going to have to see if I can find any more books about the Coulter Family. The first one is about a barrel racer that has an accident and becomes a paraplegic. The second one is about her brother who helps a women who has stolen a horse. Both stories are quite predictable but I did enjoy them.

All three are a pretty good read. Definitely nothing heavy-good summer reading.

Bye for now

Hail

2008-07-16T17:40:00.012-06:00

Every morning I go out to my back yard and spent about half an hour dead heading my flowers and pulling the odd weed. I was just thinking how nice the flowers were. The pots were so full and overflowing with blooms. I should have taken some pictures but I got busy with other stuff.

We went out shopping this afternoon. While we were out the sky became very black and the rain came down. As we were driving home we were listening to the radio and they were saying there had been a lot of hail not far from where we live. Well, I guess it was a lot closer to where we live because this is what I found when we arrived home.

You couldn't see any green in the pots this morning because there were so many blooms. I guess I shouldn't feel so bad because we just heard on the TV that some houses have flooded basements in areas only a few blocks from our house.

I do love my flowers though and I sure hope they come back.

Bye for now.

Summer Time

2008-07-15T19:02:00.014-06:00

My goodness, 2 weeks of the summer holidays have gone already! Time flies...and all that jazz.

It was Stampede time in our city last week. We went down to the grounds for the day and saw everything that was on offer. Well, almost everything. We spent far more time in the barns than I usually like. The smells didn't seem to be too bad this year. I'm most definitely a city girl and don't particularly like all the animal smells.

This is one of the horses that helps to pull the Budweiser wagon. He doesn't look that big, but these horses are huge.

This big boy was hanging out in one of the stalls.There were lots of miniature horses there.

Watched some sheep sheering. We went to see the finals of the marching band competition. This is a highlight . The competition goes on all day. They are some of the bands that took part in the Parade at the beginning of the stampede. This, the stampede, is a 10 day event. It was a band from California that won.This is a beautiful quilt that was on display.I love this quilt, it's all boxer shorts!!

I've been spending time in my yard just about every day. It's looking pretty good. We've been having quite a bit of rain though. Not a whole lot of hot weather.

Bye for now.

Books,Books, Books

2008-07-02T11:29:00.006-06:00

I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark

This is by the 'Queen of Suspense' so the cover claims. I think it was very predictable actually. It wasn't a bad story but you new what was going to happen right from the getgo. It's a very easy read though, so great for the summer. Certainly makes you think about sleep walkers though.

In the Dark of the Night by John Saul

I've read every John Saul book there is and I still enjoy them. This one was definitely different. It's all about weird things happening in an old lakeside house. Seems a doctor that lived there, years ago was up to more than dispensing perscriptions.

Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs

Another Temperance Brennan mystery. If you haven't read her books before Reich creates stories about a forensic anthropologist (which is what she is in real life). This one is about trying to find out what happened to a childhood friend, and whether some bones that were found are her. I enjoyed this one.

I'm shocked. The power just went off, right in the middle of me writing this post. I thought for sure I would have lost it but it got saved as a draft. Blogger came through, you don't hear that very often.

I think I'll quit while I'm ahead.

By for now.

Schools Out for Summer!!!

2008-06-29T16:01:00.018-06:00

Yeah! No school for 2 months. I'm really ready for this break.

In the last weeks of school we went to the zoo and had a great time. The kids really love seeing all the animals. It's amazing how protective the adult elephants were towards the baby.Many peacocks wander freely throughout the zoo.There was a baby giraff as well, but I couldn't get a good picture.It's hard to see but there is a baby gorilla that is only 2 weeks old.

It was a very special end of year for us this year. We had a student graduate and go on to Junior High and one boy move up to a higher level class. A great accomplishment for autistic kids.

The flowers in my yard are finally starting to look pretty good. We had so much rain and very little sunshine in the last month or so that everything was late. Finally we have some really nice weather (high 20's, low 30's C so far). With all that rain our hedge was so overgrown, it took a couple of hours to trim it this morning. It looks really nice when trimmed but it doesn't take long before it needs trimming again. I'm now at the point of thinking about having it taken out. It serves no real purpose, it's just along the side of our driveway.

My BFF gave me some lilies last fall from her yard and this is the first that came up this year.This is a blueberry bush I bought. I would love to have blueberries every year. Hopefully it will survive the winter.

Bye for now.

Procrastinating!!

2008-06-09T20:24:00.004-06:00

I think if I procrastinate much longer I'll forget I have a blog!! I can't believe it's been a month since I posted. I think my main problem is that I spend so much time reading other people's blogs I never have time to post anything on my own blog. Plus it has been raining so much that I don't have any pictures either.

We've had a few nice days and I did manage to get some yard work done. Managed to dig out a bunch of tiger lilies. They are worse than weeds for spreading. I took a chance and planted a blueberry bush. It said it was zone 3 so hopefully it will survive. Finally got all my tomato plants put in, forgot to put one in my upside down planter though. All my pots are planted but everything seems to be at a stand still because it's been so wet with little sun. Got to work this morning and half the parking lot was flooded from the rain on the weekend!!!

I had a beautiful big bunch of red tulips at the side of my driveway but we had an early morning visit from a couple of deer who decided they should eat half of them for breakfast. Not impressed. Eat my grass, eat my weeds, but leave my flowers alone!!! Actually it's really unusual to have deer on our street. We live in the burbs but we are a few kilometers from deer country.

I work for the school board and am part of support staff. Well, we are having rotating strikes. We walked out for 2 days last week and we will be out for the next 2 days this week. I don't know how much good this is doing but I hope something happens soon. We will have lost 4 days pay after this week which is not easy especially with the summer break coming up. We don't get paid over the summer so this strike on top of that is not good.

I've read a few books since my last post but I'll save that for another day.

Bye for now.

Time Flies!

2008-05-09T20:35:00.006-06:00

Where does the time go? It's been ages since I posted anything. We have had the weirdest Spring ever. One day it is snowing the next it is really nice. Last night we were supposed to get 10-20cm of snow but we only got about 5cm. Most of it was gone by this afternoon and once again it was really nice. We are supposed to be at about 20 degrees C by the middle of next week. I hope we have seen the last of the snow.

We went to see GD#1 in her baton twirling competition on the weekend. It was the provincials so it was quite important. She did really well. She got 3 firsts, 2 seconds and 1 fourth. This is all leading up to going to the world championships in Ireland in August. We are all very excited for her.

We really haven't been doing much around here. I think it's about 7 more weeks of school left before summer break. I know I'm really looking forward to that. Nothing major planned as of yet, just looking forward to the break.

Son #4's kids came over on Sunday for a sleepover. GD is 7 and GS is 4. They were so good, had lots of fun playing and went to bed with no fuss. DH had them all day the next day while I went to work. They had lots of fun at the park.

This is what they brought me when they came over. Two little vases of beautiful crocuses that they had picked on a hill near their house.

I've been playing around with the macro setting on my camera. Some pictures turned out really well, but others were very blurred. I need a lot more practice.

We got a lovely bunch of tulips at work last week for support staff day.

The knitting I had on the needles last post is finished. It's been finished for a couple of weeks but it has been sitting in my laundry room waiting to be blocked since then. So it will probably be a while before it is camera ready. I hate the blocking and sewing together part. I love the knitting part though.

Hopefully I will get my act together and post again fairly soon. I have read a few more books I want to post about.

Bye for now.

Spring? Winter?

2008-04-13T15:20:00.006-06:00

This is what I saw out of our dining room window on Thursday morning! We set a new record-23cm snow in one day-Yahoo! - NOT

My drive to work is usually 12-15 minutes . Thursday morning it took 11/2 hours!!

If that isn't weird enough , this is what it was like out the window Friday morning.

Today is really nice - 17degrees C. It's a constant dilema - do we put the snow shovel/blower away and get the lawn mower out or what.

I received a lovely parcel from son#2. He'd been in London and brought me a few treats. I absolutely love malt loaf. We can't get it here . We can get Bisto gravy powder but not gravy granules. The granules are much better.

The knitting project is still on the needles. I really should have finished it by now but I've got a terrible cold - again and a friend gave me a huge pile of magazines she'd finished with so I've been browsing through them.

Bye for now.

How I Spent Spring Break

2008-03-31T19:49:00.015-06:00

Spring Break is all over and done with. I went back to work today on a very chilly morning, -12 degrees C, and before you know it, it's like we were never gone! There were 3 or 4 mornings when I looked outside and the picture didn't look much different from the picture that is my header. We still have snow covering everything. No grass in sight.

Did I accomplish anything that I said I wanted to get done in my last post? Let's see.

"One project I hope to get done over the break is painting the upstairs bathroom, it's wallpapered at the moment. It is way overdue for a paint job.
I really need to get into my sewing room as well. It is a total disaster area at the moment. No exaggeration. I wouldn't dare show a picture." That's what I said in my last post.

Well, we spent all week working on the upstairs bathroom. After much debate we decided to wallpaper again. It took 21/2 days to strip the old paper. 12 hours straight to put up the new paper, and then 1/2 a day to put in baseboard and moulding and clean. Here are a few before and after pictures.

After all the work
Another job we did is put in these interlocking 22"x22" blocks in the laundry room. Couldn't leave the bare concrete now that we have the 'Pacific Blue' pair!! They are really comfortable to walk on, just like walking in crocs.

Unfortunately I didn't get into the sewing room except to go in and choose some yarn to make a little sweater. Still on the needles-pictures soon.

I did read a book over the break.

Very interesting. A mystery, suspense type. Basically, young teenage boys getting revenge on priests that 'took advantage' of them when they were younger. A very good read.

Bye for now.

4 more days!!!

2008-03-16T16:41:00.005-06:00

4 more days and it's spring break-yahoo!! Can't wait. I'm sure ready for it. I don't know about spring. It snowed off and on yesterday and today. Fortunately it's not too cold (-11degrees) so it won't stick around very long. It looks like there was only about an inch accumulation.

I don't think there will be too much yard work done over the break though. The general rule of thumb in this part of the country is that you don't do any planting out (unless it's is a really hardy plant) before the May long weekend. That is Victoria day May 24th. We really do have a very short growing season, because by mid to the end of Sept. we can have frost. It seems crazy really. We all run out and spend a ton of money on bedding out plants etc. and they only last 3 months. Oh well, better than nothing I guess.

I have definitely been enjoying my new washing machine and dryer - I didn't think I'd ever say that about laundry!!! They are so quiet, I forget they are on. I'm sure the novelty will soon wear off, but I do love them. lol

Got new taps in my kitchen this last week and new lino in both the bathrooms. Much better. One project I hope to get done over the break is painting the upstairs bathroom, it's wallpapered at the moment. It is way overdue for a paint job.

I really need to get into my sewing room as well. It is a total disaster area at the moment. No exaggeration. I wouldn't dare show a picture. As my husband is always telling me it should have yellow tape around it saying 'condemned'. It's really bad. I go in every now and then and it's so overwhelming that I don't know where to start and so I just walk out again. I really can't keep on doing that for ever. I'll never get any sewing done!!! I have very good intentions, but we'll see what happens.

Finished another book. This isn't a book I would have bought myself. I'm not usually a fan of 'western' type books. A friend gave me the book and I was actually surprised. I didn't mind it at all. It's another one of those very predictable books that you know the ending after a few chapters, a very easy read.

Time to go and make supper. We're having lobster tails-very yummy!

Bye for now.

Pacific Blue

2008-03-01T21:31:00.005-07:00

How d'ya like these babies!!! (Don't look at the crappy floor!) These were a huge surprise from son #2 for Christmas! I just want to get a chair and sit and admire them. The colour is Pacific Blue. The picture doesn't show the colour very well but it is very similar to Wedgewood blue. They have all the bells and whistles you can imagine. They were such a wonderful surprise, to say the least!

Son #2 is here to visit for a few days so this post is short and sweet!!

Bye for now

Riverdance

2008-02-17T19:44:00.008-07:00

It's been a while, but it seems that the weather has been really crappy all along. For me, really crappy is when it is cold and then it warms up with a chinook. That means a migraine!!! I had a MAJOR one on Thursday and Friday. Then the weather got colder and the headache goes away. But the forcast is for it to warm up again this week so my head will probably be pounding again.

On to better things.

I got these beautiful flowers from DH for Valentines. We also went out for supper to a rib joint. So good!!!

Friday night we went to Riverdance. I've wanted to go for years it seems. We got the tickets for Christmas. It was really good. I think it has changed a little from the original show. There seems to be a lot more singing and instrumental parts in it. I really enjoyed one part where the Irish dancers had gone to America. They meet some street tap dancers and it is like dueling banjo's. Incredible!!!

Has anyone read the new Nora Roberts book, Blood Brothers? It is the first book in a trilogy. It is quite a departure from her usual style. I really enjoyed it and am anxious to read the nest book. It's about stuff that happens every 7 years after 3 ten year old boys go into the woods to visit a Pagan Stone. Scary stuff. I highly recommend it for some easy reading.Tomorrow is Family Day, a provincial holiday here. Makes for a nice long weekend. #2 son is coming to town for a visit. Not sure how long he will stay. Usually just a few days and then he has to go back to work (for an airline).

Bye for now.

Sooooo Cold!!!!!

2008-01-29T17:12:00.000-07:00

It is so cold here. Yesterday and today it was -29degrees C and with the wind chill it is -50. That is really cold. We had quite a bit of snow on Sunday and the roads are pretty slippery. A third of the student population at school has been absent. Parents don't want their kids riding on the school buses for a couple of hours and they are worried about breakdowns too. I'm so glad we have a garage and an automatic starter on the van. Makes a huge difference-no scraping!!! Just listening to the weather forecast it is supposed to warm up a bit by Thursday (-7) but we should get more snow tonight.

Finished another book. It is actually two books in one. I think most people have heard of the Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood but I didn't know there was a book before it. I'm glad the first book was fairly short -2 hundred and some odd pages. I didn't really like it, it seemed to jump all over the place and had lots of characters. I only kept reading because I wanted to get to the second book. I found the second book way more interesting. Very interesting mother/daughter relationship.

This is just a short post as I haven't really done anything other than work, and read and watch tv. It's too cold to go anywhere. Hopefully more to say by the weekend.

Bye for now.

Snowing

2008-01-19T16:23:00.000-07:00

I just changed the header picture. I took that picture and the ones below 5 minutes ago from my dining room window! It's been snowing since yesterday. The forecast was for 5-10cm. today. I think we're there already.Didn't go anywhere today. Didn't want to drive in this lousy weather.

We went to a hockey game last night. We won 6-1. Great game. The tickets were the second pair we got for Christmas.

I thought I would keep track of the books I read this year. The three below are ones I read over Christmas break. Not exactly this year, but pretty close.

This is the first Tammy Hoag book I have read. I enjoyed it and will read more of her books. It's kind of scary and a mystery.
I enjoyed this book. Very light reading. Very predictable. You've figured out the end after the first few chapters, but getting there was fun reading. I think a lot of women can put themselves in the main characters shoes.

This is about 4 girls that make a pact in university to always be there for each other, no matter what, and how years later this promise is put to the test. Another very light reading but I enjoyed it.

I've been playing with my digital picture frame that I got for Christmas this afternoon. Haven't got it all figured out yet, but I've downloaded lots of pictures to it.

Time to go and make supper. We're having an "appetizer' night. Just a bunch a snackies!

Bye for now.

Out of Touch!!

2008-01-12T20:14:00.000-07:00

Here it is, 2 weeks into the new year and I haven't posted yet. Time flies!!! We have been back at school a week already, and it feels like we never left. It always takes the kids a while to get back into a routine when we have had time off so the past week was a little hairy to say the least!

Our kitchen for the program is finally finished (if you don't count the dishwasher that is leaking, the washing machine that the water doesn't go into, the paper towel dispenser that is too high, no soap dispensers, cupboards that are way too high and I'm sure I could come up with a few more things if you give me a minute). It was supposed to be ready by the time school started in September . Here we are, January, and we are finally going to start the lunch program next week and start cooking.

It's been a pretty tumultuous 4 months for the kids. New school, classrooms that didn't have dividing walls for weeks. We didn't have our sensory room for a couple of months. Then we had to move OUT of the classroom and into the half finished kitchen for a week so they could put new furnaces in the classrooms (portables). They are still in and out of the classroom fixing things, putting up bulletin boards and we still need baseboards and there's some painting still to be done. Maybe by next year it will all be finished!!

To add to all that we (the staff) have all been sick, off and on. I have had a cold every month so far. I had a cough and a cold the entire Christmas break and a 2 day migraine the weekend before we went back to work! It seems like every blog I read, they or someone in their family were sick over the holidays.

Enough of all that. Talk about out of touch. During the 80's I managed a yarn and craft store for 5 years. As you can well imagine, I have tons and tons of yarn etc. We won't even talk about the fabric store I managed after that. I received a gift certificate to a yarn store last Christmas and I had forgotten all about it. I discovered it in one of the recesses of my bag last week and thought I'd better get to that store and use it before they decided that it had expired. As luck would have it the store was closed for inventory!! But, the door was open so I went in. The staff just said hi, and let me wonder around. They offered me a glass of wine as they had been sipping and snacking as they counted yarn etc. This store was very different from the store I managed. This store was very sparse, had comfy couches and coffee tables. Yarn bins along one wall and a few stacked cubes in the middle of the store. There wasn't one textured, or knobby, or fluffy yarn in the store. Everything was very smooth, in different weights, colours and fibres. I guess I've been subjected to Michael's and the like for too long because when I saw the prices I had to do a couple of double takes. There were yarns that cost $49.95/50gm. hank.! Now granted it was cashmere but OMG how much would a sweater cost!!!!

This is what I bought.
2 skeins of Regia Silk. Made in Germany. 50gms/200m. 55% merino new wool, 25% Polyamid, and 20% silk. Very soft in a nice medium brown. The other 2 skeins of Supersocke Cotton. Made in Italy. 45% Cotton, 40% fleece wool, 15% Polyamid. I skein will make a pair of socks. For those 4 skeins I paid $57.97! Gulp! Am I out of touch or what?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2008-01-01T15:09:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and a fun New Years Eve.

We went to Son #1 on Christmas Eve and took our neighbours with us. There was so much food there that we could have eaten for a week, lol.

We had a great time. They have a Wii so we had lots of fun bowling and playing tennis and baseball. We received more hockey tickets and a digital picture frame. I'm hoping to get some time to play with the picture frame in the next few days.

Christmas Day had 8 of us sitting down for dinner. We had my mum and dad, BFF, son #1, DIL, and GD. We had lots of present opening first and then we all stuffed ourselves on turkey and all the trimmings.

Boxing Day meant we had to go shopping with the other million crazy people out there! We really didn't buy very much, but I always have to get my dated ornaments in the 50% of sales!!

We went to the hockey game last night. Calgary v. Vancouver. We don't usually go out on New years Eve but we received the tickets as one of our Xmas gifts so off we went. It was a little chilly -17, but it wasn't too bad. We enjoyed the game, especially as the Flames won, and they even had fireworks at the end for New years. We got home shortly after ten and because we had eaten supper so early we had a bunch of hot appetizers and cheese and crackers and wine and saw in the new year.

Today is just a lazy day doing not much of anything. My DH got an ipod for Christmas with several accessories so he is busy hooking up stuff connected with that. I've been putting away some of my Christmas dishes and taking a few more pictures of some of the new ornaments I got. I'll be taking the tree down in the next few days. We usually leave it up until after 12th night (don't ask me why, maybe 'cause I love the tree and hate taking it down!!) but I want it all down and things back to normal before I go back to work on the 7th.

Didn't make any new years resolutions, mainly because I'm not very good at keeping them. I want to figure out where I'm going with my crafting, knitting etc. Etsy was a bust for me, so I'm going to rethink that. We'll see what the new year brings.

I'm going to add a few pictures and then I'm off to make Japanese chicken for supper.

These little cupcakes are so cute, it's hard to believe that they are candles!!!

This is my BFF little hint (about # 100) to my DH that we should get another dog!!
A rather sparkly race car!!

I got these ornaments at Pier 1 yesterday. They are painted on the inside and come in beautiful satin boxes.

Bye for now.

Almost Ready

2007-12-23T17:08:00.000-07:00

I'm almost ready, the tree is up, all the presents are wrapped and ready to go.
We will be going to #1 son's on Christmas Eve, the first time we have gone out on Christmas Eve in over 30 years!!! Usually the kids come to us but we are having Christmas Day at our house so #1 sons wife said they would do Christmas Eve. It will be a very nice change.

We went to #4 son's house on Friday with all the gifts for the kids and son and DIL. We had a great time. We first had a very nice supper, linguinni and clam sauce with salad and then peach cobbler and ice cream for dessert - delicious. They are going out of town to DIL's family for Christmas and we wanted them to have their gifts before they left because we had bought them a DVD player with two screen for the van. They were very happy to get that because it will help occupy the little munchkins on the 9 hour journey.

They gave us two NHL hockey tickets for the middle of January and two tickets to see Riverdance that is coming to town in February. DIL also made me a beautiful necklace and matching earrings. She has been making jewellery for a couple of years now and makes some lovely pieces.

I received a package today from Black Eyed Susan's Kitchen. She sent me a beautiful icicle tree ornament. This is a picture of it on my tree. http://sueskitchen.typepad.com/black_eyed_susans_kitchen/ I wish I new how to add a link so you could go and check out Susan's blog. When you click on the link icon when creating a post it just asks you for the http address but I don't think that is what I want. I want to be able to put the blog name in my post and you can click on it and go there. If anyone out there in blogland can help me with this I would be very grateful. Thanks.

Anyhow, I'm going to leave you with a few pictures of some of my Christmas collections and my tree.

This is the first dated tree ornament that I bought. I have bought at least one dated ornament every year since then.

I love this ornament that my sister gave me one year. It's a diva poodle!!
This one is kind of hard to see but it's a nativity scene in a glass domed ball.
This guy is a favourite from the early 80's.

I have many Santas, these are just a few of them.

Here are a few of my snowmen and nutcrackers

This is Mr. Moose that comes to visit every year.Mr. Moose and all the little Christmas Stuffies stay by the tree and are there for any little kidlets that come to play.

I love this card wreath. It holds a lot of cards that usually take up a lot of room all over the place.

These are my bells that I hang on the inside of my front door. I have a great big red bow on the other side.
I love my fake poinsettias that I put out every year and my little reindeers. The red box and the green box came with hand painted (on the inside)round tree ornaments inside. But the boxes are so nice, velvet, that I leave them out on display too.

Man, this is a pretty long post.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and hopefully I will blog again between Christmas and New Years.

Bye for now.

No Crafting!

2007-12-12T19:23:00.000-07:00

Before you now it almost 4 weeks have gone by and no blogging has been happening. I've been reading all my favourite blogs everyday, getting lots of inspiration. I've had good intensions but no follow through! But here I am. So, what's new? Nothing too exciting. I'm now on my third cold since September-not impressed. The only good thing about that is that hopefully it will all be over and done with by Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas I'm sad to say I haven't made one handmade thing for Christmas - oh except for a pile of dishclothes. No sweaters knit for the g'children, no sewing or anything. Pretty bad I'd say!!!

I did do a little baking. I made some tourtierres that should be good for a few meals. But no treats baking done yet.

I'd love to say that the Christmas tree in the picture is mine and is in this house, but it's at son #4's house. We were there on Sunday for GD's 7th Birthday. For her birthday treat she had gone to 'Build a Bear' with her BFF and they made matching white poodles in matching red and white dresses. So cute! Other toys of 'the moment' are Tinkerbell anything and Little Pet Shop stuff. Her brother who is only 3 was not impressed that his sister got all this stuff and he only got one token present.

This is what he thought of the whole thing! It's sure hard to be 3!!!

I hope to get a start on the tree and other decorations in the next day are two and then I'll have more pictures.

Bye for now!

Christmas Market

2007-11-18T19:31:00.000-07:00

We (my husband, 2 friends and myself) went to the Christmas Market at Spruce Meadows yesterday. Anybody that is into show jumping is probably familiar with Spruce Meadows. It is a world class show jumping facility. Anyway, they now put on a Christmas Market every year. It is probably the best one in the area. There are over 200 vendors and several international ones.

They have everything from bread, cheese, fudge, chocolates to wood carvers, quilters, cutlery, tons of jewellery, pottery, and booths from several countries. There was Russia, Africa, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, Holland. Lots of entertainment, ice carving outside lots to eat and fire pits to sit around. The weather was so nice, you could have been there in shirt sleeves.

I bought a couple of pieces of pottery. Just 2 small bowls that are very similar to the pottery I already have. I bought some focaccia bread and my husband bought some really nice deerskin gloves. I didn't know that deer skin is washable.

I made seafood lasagna for supper tonight. We had the focaccia bread and ceasar salad and then pecan,cranberry pie with whipped cream. Delicious. Son number one, DIL and GD came over. The GD brought the boyfriend for the first time (for grandpa's approval). He seems like a very nice boy. The good thing is that he doesn't drive so GD has to pick him up at the train station and drop him off there at the end of the evening. Grandpa likes that!! GD got her drivers license 2 weeks ago (first try) and is very proud of herself. She is driving her dad's big Avalanche truck. Queen of the road!! Actually she is a very good driver. As grandpa said, he's not worried about her driving, it's the other idiots out there on the street he is worried about.

I have a mountain of dish clothes knitted now. I thought I would offer them for sale here if there is any interest. They are 100% cotton and I have used them for years, (not these same ones, but ones just like them). I think I would sell them 2 for $8.00 and include a pot scrubber as well. The pot scrubbers are made from 100% nylon tulle. We could figure out the postage, it shouldn't be too much as they are pretty light.

Not a very good picture of the pot scrubbers, but that's the best I could do today!

I think that's about it for today. Bye for now.

Dish/Face Cloths

2007-11-11T14:57:00.000-07:00

When I can't be bothered getting organized to start a new project or doing the million and one other things I should be working on I knit dishcloths. That's what I've been doing all week. I've got another cold and cough and no motivation to do much of anything so I knit dishcloths. I think I've knitted about a dozen this week. Been watching all the mindless TV-Survivor, Dancing with the Stars, Biggest Loser, ER, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes etc.

Hopefully I'll feel better soon and get busy doing something. Meanwhile I'm making a big pot of Turkey Soup, reading blogs and knitting dishcloths.

See you soon. Bye for now.

Time Flies!!!

2007-11-04T13:36:00.000-07:00

Where does the time go? I read other people's blogs every day but it takes me 2 weeks to put a post on my own blog. I don't get it. I keep thinking I have nothing interesting to say so I'll wait until tomorrow...and of course it's the same thing everyday. Everyone else always seems to have interesting stuff to talk about.

Okay, lets give this some thought,hmm.... What have I done in the last 2 weeks? I finished the sweater I started for my BFF to give to her coworker. I knitted the sweater and there was still some yarn left so I managed to get a hat, mittens and then a scarf until the yarn was all gone. I even took a picture!

I hope it's okay and what they wanted.

In the last 2 weeks we've had snow 3 times (one being last night). I guess winter is here. Halloween night was really nice though. Probably the warmest we've had in years. Even so, we only had 19 kids and there were no little ones. I think the youngest was about 9 or 10 and the rest were teenagers. I think most people take their kids to the mall or to the community centres for parties. I think that's a much better idea, and so much safer.

I've been finishing off some more vests for kids. I'm not having any luck with etsy so I might take them to a store in town that carries stuff made by many artisans in this area. I might have better luck there. They do carry kids sweaters but I haven;'t seen anything like the stuff I make. That's a good thing.

Work has been crazy, as usual. Half of the kids have colds, and consequently just about all the staff have colds, myself included. This is the second cold I've had since school started in September! It's a winning combination when you work with kids that have colds and don't know how to blow there noses, cough, they are getting new teeth, consequently lots of drool, not toilet trained so poopy pants. Oh boy. October 2010 (my retirement date) is looking pretty good!!

Glad to see that 'Miles Away from Home' blog is up and running again. In fact she has tagged me. I have to come up with 7 random things about myself. I think I'm going to leave that 'til next time so I can think about it and hopefully come up with 7 things worth reading.

See you next time. Bye for now.

Ticked!!!

2007-10-17T17:16:00.000-06:00

I'm really ticked!. I just wrote this really long post and when I went to post it blogger was not available and I lost the whole thing!!! GRRRRRRRR!! This is the first time this has happened to me but I suppose that it won't be the last. I'll try to recreate it, although after you've written it once it doesn't seem the same the second time around! Oh well.

I've been really busy at work and consequently pretty tired by the end of the day. Come home, read some blogs, eat, watch t.v. knitting and then bed. Nothing too exciting.

We had a birthday supper for youngest son on Sunday. We did bbq chicken and oven roasted potatoes and mixed peppers-delicious. DIL brought a homemade birthday cake so we were all quite stuffed at the end of the evening. It was very yummy.

Youngest g'daughter had to have a little surgical procedure on Friday so grandpa looked after the youngest g'son for the day. They had a great time together. They went to Costco and g'son pointed out what he wanted for his b'day and christmas- everything they had in the toy isle for a boy!!! They also went to the park and played on all the equipment so they both had to come home for a nap after that.

One of the blogs I like to visit is 'Miles Away from Home'. It's written by an English women who moved to France with her family. Her site has been unavailable for over a week. Does anyone have any connections.

I thought I'd try a different 'look' for my blog. What do you think? I think I like the colours better. I'll keep it for a while anyway.

I've been knitting a little toddler outfit for BFF coworker. (No pictures yet). It started out as just a little sweater but there was more yarn so I knitted a hat and there was still more so I made a pair of mittens and there's still more left so I think I'll use the rest and make a scarf. I'll take pictures when they're all sewn up.

I got these fabulous fabric boxes from my BFF for my birthday. I love them, there from EQ3. It's a furniture and accessories store that are in Canada and the U.S. I don't know if they are in any other countries.

That's it for this time. Be back soon, hopefully. Bye for now.

Thanksgiving/Columbus Day

2007-10-08T13:58:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving and Columbus Day to all Canadian and U.S. bloggers.

We had an amazing Thanksgiving dinner yesterday at #1 son's house. He and DIL did an amazing job preparing the meal. There was, of course, the turkey (delicious), dressing, carrots and turnips, corn, mashed potatoes, cabbage rolls, gravy and buns. As if that wasn't enough, the selection of pies was pumpkin, apple, cherry, banana cream and pecan cranberry - oh my!!! The apples and cherries were from the DIL's parents trees on their acreage in Saskatchewan. Needless to say we were all stuffed at the end of that. There were 10 people, but enough food for twice that many!!! I forgot to take the camera so no pictures.

I do have pictures of another fabulous meal we had about a week ago though. My BFF invited my husband and I over for a belated birthday fondue. Her mom has been visiting from Ontario so there was the four of us. Again there was enough food for about 10 people.

We had 3 fondue pots going, two with oil and the third with swiss cheese. There was beef, chicken, ham, cocktail weiners, shrimp, bread for the cheese, mushrooms, potatoes, snap peas, radishes cherry tomatoes, peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and so many dips and dipping sauces I can't remember them all. To finish it all off there was a fabulous chocolate mousse cake with chocolate ice cream and lots of white wine throughout to help it all go down!

On Friday night #4 son, DIL and the grandchildren took us out for another belated birthday dinner. We went to a little Italian place called Nicko's Bistro. Very small, very trendy in the 'yuppy' area of town that they live in. I think the restaurant only seats about 40 people and you have to have a reservation or you won't get in. There were lots of people that were turned away as all tables were reserved. We started with calamari and ceasar salads. The calamari was cooked in a spicy sauce. None of us had had them cooked that way before and they were very good. We had two veal dishes, a salmon dish and manicotti which we all shared with the g'children. All dishes came with penne pasta in a red sauce. For dessert we had a creme caramel, chocolate mousse and apple strudel with ice cream. We were all very satisfied after the meal and the g'children were very good and they are only 3 and 6 years old. The 3 year old was adamant though that he wasn't going to sit in the high chair they had for him but he did settle for a booster seat!!!

Well, this posting is definitely of the 'one track' variety - food!!! It was all very good though and thoroughly enjoyed by all! 'Til next time - bye.

Sewing Show

2007-09-30T14:40:00.000-06:00

I went to the Creative Stitches and Craft show yesterday. It is an annual event that has vendors mainly from western Canada. There is another one next month in Toronto for the east. I usually go with my mom or a friend but this time I went by myself. No one was available and my mom can't walk that far anymore. I had gone by myself once before and quite enjoyed it because I can take my time and spend as long as I like looking at one or another particular thing without thinking I'm holding anyone up. There are lots of quilting stores there and more and more yarn stores. Some scrap booking and a few selling the latest and greatest iron, sheets, dog grooming tool etc. But I'd say 95% is crafting of some kind. I didn't take as many pictures as I'd liked, mainly because I'd forget and then not bother going back to take pictures.

These are just a few of the beautiful quilts that were on display. The one of the wolf is amazing!

This is a scrap bag that I bout for $7.50. It probably has enough fabric to make a baby crib blanket or play mat.

I bought a couple of fat quarters, you can't see but they have raised paint on them. The bundle of fabric is a 5 meter package. There is a double panel and 4-1 meter pieces of co-ordinating fabric. It is the Tropical Safari collection by J. Smith and Lynda S. Milligan, Possibilities for Avlyn Inc. The booth was a quilt shop from out of town. As it was getting late in the day she had reduced everythingby 50%. I only paid $12.50 for the 5 meter bundle - very reasonable!!

The colours are quite a bit brighter than what the pictures show. I took the pictures on the bed in the master bedroom. I still have to figure out a good place that I can take pictures year round.

It took me about 3 hours to see all of the show and by then I was ready to call it quits. Cement floors are not kind to the feet or back when walking on them for any great length of time.

That's me for now. Back soon I hope!

Fall

2007-09-23T14:58:00.000-06:00

Today is the first day of fall and it is raining and a little chilly. It's supposed to get nicer during the week. Hopefully we will have an Indian summer. Lots of the trees are changing colour and loosing their leaves.

It didn't take very long being back at work before we all had colds. One of the students came back to school with a runny nose and before you now it 5 out of our 6 staff, including me, had a cold. It's been about 7 days now so hopefully it will be gone in a few more days.

Haven't done very much knitting this week. Really haven't felt like it. Spent most evenings watching tv or reading.

Dropped into V.V. a week or two ago and picked up 2 wool blankets.

Tried to find out about them on the web but couldn't find much, other than there was a slingby mill in Yorkshire many moons ago. I thought the price was pretty good. I washed them in hot water and they have started to felt a little bit, but I think I'll have to wash them a few more times for them to completely felt.

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend.

Finally Ready

2007-09-16T16:26:00.000-06:00

I think I'm finally ready with the etsy thing. I've figured out all the ins and out (I think, I hope) and I'll be ready to list a few items maybe today or tomorrow. Here is a little peek at some of my stuff.

Size 2

Size 4

Size 6

Fits size 2-8

I make hand knit vests, sweaters and hats (toques in Canada) for kids, sizes 2-6. Hopefully people will like them and buy, buy, buy (lol).

I've been pretty busy the last couple of weeks. What with school starting again, yard work, house work. airport runs and my birthday in there somewhere there hasn't been enough time for posting. I try and read my favourite blogs (there are so many of them, and the list is growing all the time) every day and then I don't have any time to write my own posts. Have to get more organized around here.

Must go and make supper so that I'll Hopefully have time to get back here later.

Bye for now!

Back to Work

2007-09-08T20:03:00.000-06:00

How soon we forget how exhausting it is the first week back at school. I thought I would have everything ready for my etsy store by now. Obviously I forgot that for the first week or so I'd be bagged at the end of the day and end up doing nothing in the evening except watch t.v. and do a little knitting. Hopefully I'll get my first wind, never mind my second wind, by next week.

It was good to see all the kids. They were so excited to be back at school with their friends. We have a couple that have never been to school before so it's proving to be a little traumatic for them. But they should settle in pretty soon. Our classrooms are still a mess but they should be putting some walls up this weekend and things should start falling into place.

There is a chance of frost tonight so I will have to go out and cover my tomato plants soon. I've picked a lot of them but there are still some that I would like to see get a little bigger. The upside down tomato plant from the last post is really easy to grow. The green round part has a collar inside at the bottom. You have to buy any old tomato plant (mine is a roma) take it out of the pot and put the root part inside, inside the collar, with the green part on the outside. Then you fill the green thing with potting soil, hang it up, water, and watch it grow.

Hopefully I will have more to report the next time I post.
Bye for now!!

End of Summer Holidays

2007-09-01T19:03:00.000-06:00

This is the last weekend before it's back to work on Tuesday. It was sure nice having the last 9 weeks off.
Had to go into school last Wednesday for meetings. Our program has only just moved to this school for the coming school year. As of Wednesday they had only just started the construction required to get the rooms ready. They promise it will all be ready by Tuesday-we'll see!!!

How do you like my upside down tomato plant. It's really neat. I've got quite a few tomatoes on it, they just need to do quite a bit of ripening.
These are my flowers on the deck. They are a little bedraggled and wild looking.
This is the last of the roses. They'll probably all be gone by next week.

I went to the garden centre today. I wanted to get a heather plant and English Lavender. I was told that neither do well here in zone 3. My aunt has heather in her yard so I know it will grow here, I just have to find it. They didn't have any lavender either for the same reason. They did have a plant called Sea Lavender. I've never heard of it. The picture looked like regular lavender and it said zone 3 so I bought it. I''ll find out next spring if it survived the winter.

I've been busy this last week trying to get things organized for opening my etsy store. I got all the banking part figured out. I'm in the middle of opening the Paypal acct. My husband just came up with the name for the store - Kinderstitches. Kinder as in kindergarten. I'll be putting in mostly knitted stuff for kids, but I also hope to do other stuff in the sewing line too. I still have to take pictures of all the sweaters I've been making and figure out my little blurb so it'll be a few more days yet.

Many thanks to Gill of Lucy Locket for telling me how to move the pictures around. So easy when you know how!!!
Hope everyone has a great rest of the weekend!!!

Haircut

2007-08-28T15:41:00.000-06:00

I finally got a haircut today. I'm such a procrastinator when it comes to haircuts that I probably only get it done about once a year. I had about six inches chopped off. Looks and feels much better, but it will take me a while to get it to go right, if you know what I mean. I don't have a picture, but that's okay!
I spent quite a lot of time today moving pictures from 3 computers onto one. I've finished now so I know just what we've got. I had no idea there would be over 500!!! Mind you, I could probably delete quite a few of them and they'd never be missed. My next job is to scan the pictures that I took this summer on my 35mm. I still have 3 or 4 films to use up and then I think it will be digital all the time. I was surprised to find out that Costco don't even develop film any more. I knew they didn't sell regular film but I thought they were still developing it. Sign of the times I guess.

How Could I Forget?

2007-08-26T12:41:00.000-06:00

Talk about a blond moment. When I was talking about what I had done over the summer how could I forget the biggest job that we did. We completely redid our bedroom. We tore out the carpet, put in new laminate flooring, baseboards (hadn't had any of those for 25 years, but that's another story), painted and finished the molding around the ceiling. That was a whole weeks job! Do you think it was removed from my memory banks because I don't want to sleep in the guest bedroom again with the hard mattress? I think so.
Today the weather is miserable. It is raining and cool. It went down to 5 degrees last night. My tomatoes aren't going to ripen on the vine at that temperature. Pretty soon I'll have to cover them at night!! It isn't even September yet!!
Everyone have a nice Sunday. I'm off to do some laundry and hopefully some sewing. Bye

Where Did the Summer Go?

2007-08-25T15:56:00.000-06:00

You would think when you get 9 weeks summer holidays I would get lots accomplished. But, I have only one week left and I still have so much to do!! I think I spend the first part of July saying to myself 'oh what's the hurry, there's lots of time left'. July was so hot here that I couldn't get anything done in the yard-and I had such a long list. August we went away on vacation for a couple of weeks to British Columbia and Washington. Came home, I've done a little yard work, made some curtains and pillowcases and I'm going to have to think really hard to think of what else I've done. Oh, I've probably knit 5 or 6 kids vest. I did start this blog but I also wanted to start an etsy shop as well. I'm still a little leary about the method of payment, but I'll have to figure something out.

I did discover, on our trip, that taking pictures out of a moving car is not as easy as it seems. I have many pictures of what I didn't want . The above pictures are of the Rocky Mountains. See all the snow on them. The picture of the lake with the lumber mill is at Salmon Arm in B.C. and the third is Lake Okanagan B.C.

I haven't figures out how to move the pictures around within the post yet. That's why they are all at the top, cause that's where they showed up!!

Time to go and read a bunch of blogs. Bye for now.

Finally

2007-08-22T19:12:00.000-06:00

I think I've procrastinated long enough, I originally signed on with blogger back in April, but it has taken me this long to take the plunge. I started reading blogs at about the same time and I have become addicted!! I have no idea where the time goes when I sit down at this computer and click "blogs" in 'my favourites' and start to read what everyone has been up to today. I hope to try and make this blog as interesting as all the ones I read every day!