Saturday, October 17, 2009

itgreat to see we're back online

I'm so happy to see our BB Chat board up and running again.

Heather, the pumpkin sweaters & caps are soooooo cute. That's a photo to be framed and hung in the home.

It's cold here, light frost warning tonight. Thank you old man winter. ;o) We've continued to have cloudy skies, lots of drizzling rain, some heavy, and collected 2" for October already in the rain gauge. The house smells moldy, outdoors smells moldy, and we're all sick of it.
I'll have a little cheese with my whine, too, thankyouverymuch. (ack!)

This week began the switching summer/winter clothes in the closet. Moving the summer things upstairs, bringing the winter stuff down. I decided my side of the closet desperately needed a searching & fearless inventory. I won't tell you how many pairs of shoes are now lounging at GoodWill, and I cleared out a lot of old clothes.

WHY is it that I cannot part with clothing, no matter how old and faded? This is tragic. I suppose because it is still .... serviceable ... for yard work ... and some of it I know GoodWill doesn't want, either. NOBODY would buy some of this. Perhaps I need to go on Oprah or Dr. Phil or even Dr. Oz? (AAAACK) But the deed is done. Clothing inventory has been severely pruned back and I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel. I allowed myself to keep one pair of 20-year old cotton/poly blend slacks from Lands End that have many rounds of golf played in them, then in their retirement were used for hard labor in the yard. For all the kneeling in the yard (you would not believe how much) those pants don't look worn. But they're horribly faded. Land's End would be proud. I wonder if I can dye thej back to navy again . . . .. aaaaaack!

Sophie (our pup) has noticed the cooler temperature in the house, and wants to spend more time on my lap. That is fine with me. (VB grin) She's almost 11 months old, is getting her adult coat, and it's hard to believe she's almost finished growing.

Hugs to everyone!
Doris

Warm, sunny posts...??

Heather, I wish I could send some warm sunny posts to the board but it's raining here again and very cold for an October day.

Thank you for sharing in my Bday celebrations with your good wishes. It was a great day and one which will go down as being very special.

I've just had a friend staying, my oldest NZ friend. She and her husband were our neighbours when I was first married. We were all farming at the time and spent a lot of time in each others company. She was very kind and we all enjoyed being together. Our husbands even took us both on a hunting and shooting trip with them...it was their idea..we were doubtful that it was something that we would enjoy but we went anyway... They thought we should have the opportunity to "go bush" into some of NZ's more remote countryside....I could bore you for hours with tales of our many adventures on THAT holiday, suffice it to say that we all survived and so did the friendships...(and so did most of the wildlife...) It was good to catch up again. Her husband died in an accident some 14yrs ago .. she has a daughter and family in Australia and she left yesterday to stay with them for a month in Queensland..

DD#2 Bday today, we've just had a chat, fancy my youngest being 43yrs old...

Enjoy the day.
Marion.

Friday, October 16, 2009

cute little pumpkins

Heather, I love the picture of your grandsons. The sweaters are cute too. You must be enjoying having them around. Do you have snow yet? I know they have up north of Wawa. It's disconcerting that the leaves haven't all turned here yet, and the flowers have just succumbed to frost in the past few days. The days are much shorter here; I'm not sure why. I hate that part of fall. Makes for some very down days.
On a somewhat quilty note: tomorrow there is a display at one of our malls called Common Threads. It's supposed to feature all sorts of thread art, including q;uilting. Sounds interesting.
Belated happy birthday, Marion. Sounds like you had a very happy celebration. I envy you (and Bee) for having spring happening! Our long winter looms ahead. Keep posting warm and sunny reports, please.
Off to run errands. One of the big differences about moving from a small town to the city is that running errands involves much more travelling around. In Manitouwadge there were 2 grocery stores - across the street from each other! A quick window shop through the entire downtown took only 10 or 15 minutes! I do like the wider choices though. And the fact that things come on sale very frequently.
Hope everyone is having a good day. Brenda in Nn Ontario

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

No Tricks, just Treats


I am hoping that the picture will attach......these are my grandsons....Brody 6 1/2 months and Adason 19 1/2 months. I got them to sit together long enough to snap this picutre with their Jack O'Lantern sweaters and hats......tho Brody seems more interested in the leaf than the camera !


Heather

This & that

Dog #1 had her inner clock off this morning and woke me up at 5:10, instead of the usual 6:00. Yawn. I took a nap on the couch this afternoon.
We have had a "cool" front come in, in my sinuses that is. Supposed to be down to 70 for a high the next few days. I'll be happy.
Ran around town today looking for black heels to go with the new outfit for the yearly banquet I attend -this year on the 29th of Oct. Had nothing to wear that wasn't 10 years old, so sprung for new outfit from Talbot's. Not really what I wanted, but a "classic" black wool skirt, dark red silk shell and cardigan sweater to match it. Cost $$$, but with my birthday 15% discount not too bad. Well, yes, bad. But in honor of St. Quilta I bought it. And 2 and 1/2 inch -maybe 3 inch black heels.
Every now and again I can dress up and look refined, but it takes effort!
Poor DH had more blood work, CAT scan, and X-ray to go through soon. His PSA test was high, outcome of biop./ very small cancer. It must be addressed, at least it is early. He is just so tired of doctors, blood tests, etc.
First gall bladder, then 1/2 thyroid, then "mystery disease" taking TB drugs, now this. Sigh. . . Good thing we are studying the book of Job in our Bible St. Maybe I won't be like Job's friends, or his wife either.
Thanks for letting me vent.
DD and family have pushed back the move until Sat. She evidently cut one of the boy's hair, not too well. He was a surfer dude, no telling what he looks like now. We will have a get together Thurs. night and take picks.
The kids are excited about the move. Two different sets of my friends have offered them ski jackets. They went skiing years ago and held onto the jackets. One couple even lived in Fargo, ND for 2 years.
OK, it's 5PM and I don't have a clue what to fix for dinner.
Sara in Fla. who is waiting for cooler weather

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Happy to read posts

So happy to have QP up again. I was thinking would never be able to read it again.
DD & SIL are planing to leave Thurs. AM for N.D. I tell them about the log spliting. Evidently there have been 2 snows there already.
They do have a house to rent. Yea.
More later when the doggies don't want to go out.
Sara in Fla.

Tuesday morning early

Marion, how wonderful that most of your family was with you on your B-day, especially the globe-trotting who seem to use planes like most people use buses to transport them from one place to another, half-way across the world with such aplomb. For me, flying is an adventure that I brace myself for, as I'm not a comfortable passenger. I admire anyone who can live life as your elder daughter and son-in-law do and keeping two homes going on both sides of the world with three children in one place and one in another takes a bit of juggling that only a calm person could accomplish. Did Russell know of the surprise or not?

There seems no explanation as to why the board was down for the week. I wonder why this has happened twice in recent weeks?

The annual log-splitting 'event' took place over our Thanksgiving week-end with my family helping out. Given the cost of heating with gas, oil or electric, wood is definitely less expensive but such a lot of work to cut and prepare for the winter months ahead. We buy whole trees, minus limbs, then it is cut into log lengths that will fit into our wood stoves and then it must be split. Each year a certain anxiety goes with it as to will we be able to get it all split in time for the first snow. We rent a large log splitter on our Thanksgiving week-end (3-day holiday week-end) and each year, thankfully, we manage to get it all done. I'll post a picture when it's sent to me by my daughter and then maybe Jean will be kind enough to post it for me...all electronic things that baffle me, the digital age.

Heather, I'm so glad you seem to keep your life on track and busy given all that you have going on up there in Thunder Bay. Quilting has a way of keeping life balanced, doesn't it.

Rosey

It's a good start to the day !

Everyday I have been checking and trying to access the board ! Sduccess today !
So good to see a few new posats since it left off last week.....let's keep it going ladies....We have had the weather turn on us and even have had snow on the ground.....there are still remnants of it and rain and snow to come......at this rate there will be no tulips in the spring as I still have not gotten them planted....oh well....there are always pots to be used in the spring I guess...

Finished three happy jack o'lantern small wall hangings that are now on the front doors of all the kid's houses.....and iInstead of putting away a different one that I made for me it is finished properly and hangs in the kitchen.....have now started on some christmas theme projects that I am enjoying......one especially is a 6' runner for a dear friend who is opening up her home to a Christmas house tour as a fund raiser......she has also borrowed my chandlier that has been stored for many many years to use the tear drop crystals for her tree......I think I have been drafted to help with bows and attach to the tree with her...should be fun...

Off for the coffee and to get at the neglected paperwork that has accumulated on my desk for my son's business......it is past year end and time to get it ready for the accountant.....just one of those things I have been avoiding

wishing one and all the best day possible!

Heather

Monday, October 12, 2009

GRACE AND MARION

Grace, I found myself suddenly feeling like an orphan with the loss of my Dad eleven years after Mom died. I grieved mightily for her, I was only 28 years old but the feeling that I was really and truly on my own without a parent to turn to when Pop went was a surprise to me. My brother later acknowledged having the same feeling. In any case it's a tough one to deal with and I am thinking of you and offering condolences.

On a happier note, Happy Big Birthday to Marion. How wonderful to have both daughters, their husbands as well as at least some of the grands all show up. What a delight. Welcome to the aging generation. Take good care of yourself and may you log lots of mileage from hereon.

Please, all of you including lurkers check out my post on the BB.

Jane

The big seven oh.....

Yes, it's come and gone and it wasn't too painful ! DH and I flew up to Auckland to spend the week with DD#2 and family. Imagine my surprise when DD#1 appeared at breakfast one morning... I had spoken to her in U.K 36hrs previously, she was about to return home to H.K. !!! Seems she stopped off in HK long enough to pick up her youngest child (aged 6) and then get on another plane for NZ ! She arrived early in the morning and my DSIL#2 in Auckland, kindly went to the airport to meet her and bring her back to us... Seems that DD#2 and husband knew of the plan but managed to keep it a secret (clever them !) It was totally unexpected as far as I was concerned and just wonderful to see them. It didn't stop there. DSIL #1 arrived later in the day. He had been in Beijing on business and decided to come down to NZ en route home ...!?! We had a wonderful three days together before they returned to HK. I felt very fortunate to have had so many of my family with me for my birthday. Only three of the seven grandchildren were missing and they were tucked away in Boarding school in Scotland...

Home again now and busy with the spring garden. It's looking lovely out there, lots of colour and
plenty to do after the recent rains.. Just as well, as it does seem quiet after the excitement of the last week.

On a quilting note... I am within sight of the finish of my friend Marion Mac's quilt... Some of you may remember that she died earlier in the year and I promised that I would finish the quilt that she was working on.... It's been a lot of work and I didn't find it easy to settle to initially but I've had a good run at it lately and should have it finished before the weekend....

Time to go. I've got a friend coming to stay tomorrow so had better prepare her room.

Enjoy the day.
Marion.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Board down again?

I can't access the BB, so thought I'd see if this posts to the Chat. I've heard that others can't access either site right now.

Kathi