Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Wednesday

We just returned from dinner with DS and DDIL, finalizing Christmas Eve and Christmas Day plans. I have some more presents to wrap, a few more decorations to put out, and then I'll be done. We'll be having twelve for Xmas dinner, but they'll all bring a dish so I'm not in a panic. Martha Stewart I am NOT. (ref: the cake I baked last month and forgot the flour!)

Rosey P. - There were not many instructions to the harness, other than just be sure to have it fit properly. Sophie is getting used to hers, and doesn't give it the stink eye when she sees it coming. (LOL) One day, I let her wear it for several hours around the house, and that was a mistake. Her fine, silky hair got matted up horribly in the front. She can't pull anymore when she wears it, which is wonderful. I have given up "training" her becuase she is so hard-headed, and look upon this harness as a "workaround." I'm keeping my finges crossed that she does NOT figure out any ways to pull while wearing it.

IT was warm here today! Got up to 70 degrees F and I played golf in it. Sun was shining, which everyone needed. The past week has been grey, drizzly mist, fog, etc. Rain returns tomorrow but that's okay. We had our reprieve today, and got our cheerful sunshine, which goes a long way.

MARION

Some day before I die (at my age that could be next week) I am going to land on your doorstep. I heard from an airline pilot when I was a kid that he'd been all over the world and that New Zealand is by far the most beautiful country. The idea of being right next to serious mountains and the beach at the same time is just tantalizing. Love the summer pictures all winter long. Keep 'em coming.

Speaking of pictures, when I get some of the gotta do things done I am going to add to the parade of doggy pictures. It's hard to catch Rocky being still enough although my grandson took a great picture of him sleeping on the sofa before I shooed him (Rocky, not Peter) off. Actually I think I may have already posted that one. Kit is tough to photograph because she's very leery of the camera as she is of many things but I've made many attempts. She is quite beautiful. As a field bred Springer she has more of the bench bred beauty than most.

Fighting a severe case of blues right now. My doc, trying to solve an unrelated problem, cut my anti depressant in half and I've had some cpap adjustment made and more about to be made so I'm really in the dumps. The primary doc is inaccessible at the moment as he's having a rotator cuff repair done this week and he's a sole practitioner. In the meantime I've gone back to the earlier dose of clomipramine and hope I don't feel like a wet blanket when I get to Rochester to be with DD and the grands. I'm heading up there on the 20th and my faithful neighbor is dog sitting. He's made a project of getting Kit to bond and has gotten within about two inches. That is, she has gotten within a couple of inches of him.

Sorry about the whine. You guys are such good sports and I had to say these things to somebody. The resident therapists are demanding a hike up the mountain and that's always a mood lifter.

Jane

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

well, well well......


Seems that it wasn't a naughty elf after all. Just "Himself" thinking he knew what he was doing ! We have now got yet another system in place and it has taken ages for this to transfer to the BB page. However, at least I can see what I am posting ! This photo was taken way back in the Spring. I'll take some more current ones when I have a moment. The roses are past their best though now.

Time to get dinner !

Marion.

If only....

Rosey, I'd love to post some photos of the garden , it's looking so lush and colourful. Alas....I don't seem to be able to even find the photos anymore, much less browse through them and post them. I'm beginning to wonder if we've got some naughty little elves doing things on the computer when we go to bed !! We're not very clever about naming photos or putting them in folders so when we now go on the page in "documents" we just see numbers, not even dates and there are thousands of pictures there... just another frustration on a hot, pre-Christmas day !!!

One bit of good news though...I was in the quilting shop yesterday and , low and behold...there was the quilt pattern for the nativity quilt I posted earlier in the week (before the elves visited..) It's an Art to Heart quilt, 2004 Nancy Halvorsen. www.arttoheart.com I haven't checked the web site out yet but it should all be there. I think it was Joleen who wanted to know...

Just another two days of "end of year" dos, then it's all over for another year ! A bit cooler today. yesterday was very hot.

Enjoy our day.
Marion.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Yesterday...


we had the fund-raising breakfast for the "On Eagles Wings" ministry, which sends Bible-school teachers (missionaries) to the Northwest Territories each summer, then church, then an Italian Christmas fellowship lunch. Then in the evening, we had the 13th annual Ring & Sing, followed by a reception. I have had way too much food...
This is in the Parish Hall, as we are expanding our sanctuary. We'll all be glad to have more room!

One more...



Just found a picture of Hope when Annie the pup was delivered to us at a predestination spot. If that isn't a hang dog look, I don't know what is.


Marion, it's about that time of year for you to post 'green and colourful pictures...isn't it?


Rosey

an early start...

I think the neighbourhood birds were all camped in the tree by my bedroom window this morning ! The noise of the "dawn chorus" at 5.15am was unbelievable ! If birds could say" I'm so excited, this is going to be a great day" that's exactly how they would sound ! I was not impressed, far too early for me ! Once awake, I could also hear the milking machines working in the milking sheds next door... Such a peaceful life, here in the country !!

Had some friends in for a meal last night. It was a perfect summers evening and we were able to sit outside. The garden is looking so pretty at the moment, the roses are particularly good this year. We had a very wet spring and this seems to have set the garden up well for the summer..

DGD Phoebe was 16 yesterday. She Skyped last night, it was lovely to see her on her Bday, we'll be up there with them all, this time next week. The Boarding school grandchildren in UK.are returning to HK for the holidays. Two of them are already there the other two follow next week. DGD Lucy, had a front tooth broken in half by a hockey ball last week (her mouth guard was in her pocket...) so that's the first thing that will have to be fixed !

Looks as if the day is going t be hot. Yesterday I had the sheets washed,dried and back on the bed in twenty minutes !

Enjoy the day.
Marion.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Would you believe, Doris....

I am now the proud owner of one Easy Walk harness and now comes the hard part...reading the instructions. Thank you for mentioning it...the odd thing was that I met a woman at the dog show who owns a pet food and grooming store and who also owns three if not more of my good cyber friend, DK, of Arrogant Aussies in Indiana. I admired the harness she strapped on her male and she arranged to have her husband bring one to the show this morning from Stratford, Ontario, where they live (about an hr. & a half from here). There is no way Sophie can finagle her way out of that harness as long as it's tight enough on her. This lady fitted Annie out and now we practice because it is clipped to the leash on the front and there is no way the dogs can move beyond it out front. Reading instructions is never easy for me but there are lots of pictured diagrams so that is good. I just need time and patience now to do it.

I love the pictures, too, Sara, it helps to feel that I know people better, too.

It's turned bitterly cold here in Southern Ontario, Canada, the real start of winter for us but we've been lucky so far...we've had grand weather up till now. The temps are due to go up some this week (above freezing), so we may loose some snow but it won't last. Time to hunker down with a good quilt project, which fortunately, I have. Need to go to the library to stack up on some books and I'm all set for winter and snow storms.

Rosey

Dogs (!)

ROSEY - Last week, I finally caved in and bought one of the Easy Walk harnesses to use on Sophie. She loves to pull, has no interest in walking nicely if there are other stimuli around, and I am at the end of my rope.... er .... her leash.

http://www.premier.com/View.aspx?page=dogs/products/collars/easywalk/description

The harness has her completely confused. LOL! She walks perfectly on it, so far, because she hasn't figured out a way to rebel on it, yet. Because it clips in front of her chest, when she pulls ahead, her front end is turned 'round toward me. Oh she hates that thing and gives it the stink eye when she sees it. LOL Our little diva, Miss BossyPants, is completely discombobulated by this harness, and it is such a simple device. What is really nice, is that all the raw edges of the webbing are sewn down on the *outside* of the harness. No rough edges on the "dog" side to bother them or mat the hair. So far, it has been worth every dollar I paid for it.

Loving all the dog/cat pictures

Those pictures are really great. You just feel like you know someone better when you see the pictures of the pets. I did go get Santa pictures with the girls and hope to use them in the Christmas cards that I have yet to send.
Last night we went down to the historic area of town for a 5 K run. A GF and I walked/jogged, and the husbands walked around looking at people. It was cool, about 55 with a light wind and a bit of spitting rain. Glad I was wearing the Santa hat. People had their baby joggers decked out with lights, dogs with "ears", and all sorts of elf costumes. About 300 or so ran, another 100 or so in the 1 mile fun run. I'm sure the area restaurants got lots of business. We had a great meal afterward of BBQ/I had catfish and veggies.
Going to sloth this afternoon, as it is rainy, windy, cloudy and generally yucky. Maybe watch TV and nap, then go to church this evening for the bell choir and kids singing. Love to watch the kids this time of year, since they are not mine I can laugh at all the stuff they do besides sing.
Some friends game me poinsettias so I have planted them in the front of the walkway, hope they will live a few months. They do look really pretty.
Will sit down in the morning and compose something "Christmasy" for a short letter. No big news this year, no trips or anything exciting, but we have been happy and healthy, so that is a good thing.
Sara in Fla.