A Setback

My friend who has been building my deck is going back into hospital tomorrow.  He left early yesterday for a scan at the Hotel Dieu hospital and was told he had to go immediately from there to the Emergency Department at Kingston General Hospital where he was seen by a neuro-surgeon. He has an infection (perhaps a result of radiation, they aren't sure) that is causing his brain to swell. We have noticed lately his struggle to find the correct words while he is speaking, but I know that I have been attributing that to fatique, even though he swore he wasn't feeling too tired. I spoke at length this morning to his wife who is beside herself with worry (understandably so). He is presently on oral antibiotics but she told me that he would be admitted tomorrow for intravenous antibiotics and a MRI to get a better idea of what is causing the swelling. We are praying that it is only the infection and hoping that the surgeon will be able to take care of things.

By noon I knew I would not be working outdoors today, I decided that I had better go into town to do my grocery shopping for the week. The forecast is calling for heavy rain and thunder storms.

I spent $17.04 on 4 lbs. of ground chicken and 14 Italian sausages. I saved $7.30 off the regular price.

Dairy cost $18.94

Produce cost $29.22 (Frozen butternut squash, California mix, and blueberries), 2 sweet potatoes, 2 eggplant, mushrooms, cabbage and 8 avocados.

 Pantry items cost $20.91  (MORE ground coffee, extra virgin Olive oil, Stevia and canned salmon)

I bought some non food items (toilet paper, 2 deodorants, and 2 gallons of white vinegar) for  $13.95, which brought my total expenditure to $101.36, including taxes. According to my receipt, I saved $27.99 in discounts.

When I arrived back home, who did I find working in my front yard?  I couldn't believe he had come to work. I gave him a piece of my mind, but to no avail. He said he felt fine and that sitting at home doing nothing was boring. He not only finished the stoop, but he also re hung the gate on my fence. He says he is going to ask his son to build the front step on to the deck while he is in hospital. He is not going to worry until he has something to worry about. I think it must have been that fortitude and strength that got him through his cancer treatment and he is determined to keep on going.

                                                                                                                                                                                            

Dinner and a Show

It was another busy day yesterday.....and very, very hot. My friend's wife brought her husband here and dropped him off before she had to leave to take her daughter to a medical appointment. She would be back at the end of the day to pick him up. In the meantime, I set about taking apart an old planter with shelves that I once used to store my extra pots and planters. Now it was literally falling apart. I emptied the soil from the planter itself and spread it out on one of my garden beds (where I placed the up cycled trellises.) Then I took the planter and shelves apart piece by piece, with hammer and crowbar, and threw it atop the wood pile that is waiting to go into the dumpster.  I removed crates of old leftover tiles (ceramic and slate) and glass bottles. I moved all the old pots to a new location, ( I will probably get rid of most of those) before I pulled out the tall weeds and mowed down the rest. I pruned back some wild grape vines that were trying to grow along the top of the fence. I really need to buy more vinegar this week to make some more weed killer to spray down that whole area. There are some bricks laid down there, but the weeds have grown in all the cracks. When it is cleaned up, it will be a perfect place to store the snow blower during the "off-season".

Here is that infamous wood pile that is waiting to go into the dumpster. It holds the remains of the back deck that was torn down last summer, the front stoop, the big old planter I took apart yesterday, some old fence panels, and several pails of glass and tile and generally old hardware. That 4x4 structure is being torn down and the deck it is sitting on as well. To the right, not shown, is another pile of old metal pieces which I will take to the metal scrapyard, to try to earn some money back. The cement bird bath I will probably give to my brother, if he wants it. I can't wait to have this area cleaned up again.

My friend's wife came back about 2:30 to pick him up. She just had a call from the hospital that they wanted to perform a scan on her husband at 3 PM, so he had to leave immediately. That was fine by me. It was getting so incredibly hot. I brought in the laundry from the line to fold and then I took a shower. I was meeting with some friends for dinner at Swiss Chalet and then we were going to watch "The Book Club" at the movies. But before I left, I got a call from the aggregate company that they could deliver my 3 yards of gravel right away. So I waited for the delivery.

Besides last year's 5 yards and yesterday's 3 yards, I think I can open up my own gravel pit. At least this will keep me busy in my spare time.

The weather this morning is so much cooler than it has been, Whew. There is a lovely breeze and I have some windows open and the fans are on. It is clouding over, trying to decide if it might rain or not. We are expecting rain in the next two days, but tomorrow is the higher probability for thunder storms. It would be really nice if I were to get a day off from having to work outside. My inside has been so badly neglected. But it is ALL work that needs to be done.  Shortly after 7 AM, my dumpster arrived. I was not expecting it to be delivered so soon, but here it is.

 It is 10x30 with doors that open in the back so we can walk in. We should be able to get a massive amount inside, because we will be able to stack it properly as opposed to throwing it in over the top. I only have one week to fill it up, so guess what I will be doing for the next seven days?  What are your plans for the weekend?

Building a Small Deck

It is now Wednesday morning. I have a front stoop with all the deck boards laid, but no railing yet. My friend is trying to save me money by reusing joist hangers and blocking with end cuts of old 2X6s from the back yard. I appreciate all his efforts, especially because he is working in the warm sun, but it is taking him longer. In the meantime the front of the house is looking pretty good because I keep looking for more front yard projects to keep me close by in case he needs a helping hand. Yesterday I had to look for another exterior extension cord and I provided a second set of hands when he was cutting the deck boards. Before he arrived, I was able to mow the front lawn and I took down my backyard gazebo. I laid the corners up against the side of my shed where I will move them together and sink into the garden bed to use as a decorative trellis.  I put down all the homemade weed killer I had in the driveway. I trimmed all the edges of the front lawn with my shears. I brought a step ladder to the front of the house to remove the screws left behind in the wall after the old shutters were removed, and I washed that part of the vinyl siding that was under the shutters. Those areas were very dusty and dirty. I pruned back hard my forsythia bush with pruning shears and a bow saw.

 When we move around the back to rebuild the back deck in the shade,  I will have more than enough work to keep me busy. Yesterday my riding lawn mower was picked up for servicing. He will call me when he figures out what it will cost. Tomorrow a dumpster is being delivered to the back yard so we can start filling it up. I will have it for one week.

This morning my day started with me leaving shortly after 8 AM for the lumber yard in Kingston to pick up some stain for the end cuts on the pressure treated wood, 2 more deck boards and another 2x4.  My friend has not arrived yet, but that is okay. He is only to come if he feels up to it. I suspect he may have another doctor's appointment.

Such a difference.

Beginning of a Work Week

Monday turned out to be a hot one....very sunny and very warm. The front of the house faces south and receives all day sun. My carpenter friend told me that he prefers to work alone, so I let him at it. I stayed out front though so I was available to run for materials. I had to look beside the shed for J-channel for the vinyl siding (found some), some roofing nails, (good thing I cleaned up those shelves inside), and a caulking gun for the clear silicon I bought the other day. I was another pair of hands to hold the measuring tape and lift the deck joists into place. So while I was out front, I weeded the front flower beds and dug out the weeds from the gravel driveway. I also planted up my two hanging baskets. I picked up my new coconut planter mats I ordered from the Home Hardware store in town on Saturday, used geraniums and some trailing vine I over-wintered inside and added a couple of wave petunias. I think they will be lovely when they fill out.

When he left at 3:30, I desperately wanted to mow the lawn, but I was exhausted working in the sun all day and I ached all over. So I came inside for the day. I face-timed with my daughter and my grandson. She has not been receiving my latest posts by email, and a friend at the birthday party on Sunday said the same thing, so I emailed them both a link. My daughter was concerned because she didn't know about what happened with the baby raccoons "trapped" inside my attic. I also had to figure out why my emails were not coming in to my desktop computer, so I fixed that problem. Everything is fine now and I am able to send photos again.  However, I find I am not receiving notifications of comments coming on the posts, so I am having to check each evening to see if anyone has left a comment on my blog.  ( *waving* at Bless.)  Supper was warmed up chicken and veggies at 7 PM, and I went up to bed at 10 PM. Maybe I can cut grass this morning before the carpenter comes???

My front flower bed with Snow-in-Summer and some flowers, finally, planted in the urn.

Daybook: Monday, May 28/18

Outside my window.....which is left open today to let in some breeze, the weather is trying to make up its mind about whether or not it wants to be sunny or overcast today. It was sunny when I arose at 8 AM, but has since clouded over. The lawn that was cut on Thursday afternoon, needs to be mowed again. More weeds need to be pulled. I am expecting my friend to come sometime this morning to begin work on the front stoop, and of course I will be required to give him a hand.

I am thinking.....of the wonderful day I had yesterday at Charleston Lake. I left my house at 8:15 AM and didn't get back until 10:30 PM. We set everything up for a BBQ birthday party and the weather co-operated until after everyone had eaten, after which the party moved indoors.

I am thankful for.....my friend's help in getting lots of work done outside the house because I cannot get it done myself.

From the kitchen.....I can barely get my meals made and the dishes cleaned up afterwards.

I am wearing.....blue jeans and a working t-shirt (stained and paint spattered). I f I am to work with lumber outside, I need to wear protective clothing on my legs and feet.

I am creating.....nothing for a while. Last week, I finished my embroidery project for my son's fiancee, a couple of new cards,  and I made a memory book for a friend's birthday. It turned out really nice.

I am going.....nowhere planned today, unless I need to pick up some more building supplies.

I am hoping.....that I can get my riding lawn mower picked up by the small engine repair shop so they can fix the broken starter and get the mower in working condition again.

I am hearing.....traffic noises and the conversations of high school kids walking past the house.

Around the house.....so much needs doing that I don't know where to start first. I will let the day unfold naturally.

One of my favourite things.....is cottage cheese. It makes a great lunch or quick snack with no preparation required. I just love it.

A few plans for the rest of the week.....include helping out with the build of the front deck. I can stay outdoors and weed while I wait to help out as a gopher or a second pair of hands. A dumpster is arriving Thursday, so we will be busy at that point in filling it with as much as possible. The lawns need mowing again and I have groceries to pick up some time this week.

Here's the picture I am sharing..... (no photo today) It was going to be a photo of my snow-in-summer, which is in bloom, but I am having trouble accessing my email from my desktop right now.

Exciting Times

Yesterday was a very emotional day for me once again. The day started out with me worried about those two poor little raccoon babies that I noticed the night before peering at me from behind the hardware cloth barricade. I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't want the raccoons in my attic, but I never intended to split up the family either, or have baby raccoons die for lack of food or water.  My son and his fiancee came over to visit first thing in the morning and brought some laundry to do with them. After the first load was put in, I took the battery for my riding lawn mower off the charger and hooked it back up in the mower. I found the key but I could not get the mower started, so then I knew it wasn't the battery. My son was the one who noticed that all the spare keys turned in the ignition, so we have surmised that it is the starter that is kaput. I paid quite a bit of money to have the mower fully serviced and tuned up last summer and then did not use it at all. But it looks as though I will have to get it back to the mechanic to have the starter replaced and get it running again. Lots of people have offered to teach me how to use the mower this summer, so I guess it will be worth the expense to have it done. If I do sell the house this summer, I should be able to sell the mower for a decent price. My son was able to pump up the rear tires on the mower for me.

We discussed the raccoon problem briefly and decided that I really needed to get professionals to come in, regardless of the cost, to round up the babies. Then as my son and his fiancee were leaving, I mentioned that I had an itchy spot on my back but couldn't reach it very well. My son's fiancee offered to have a look-see and as I fumbled around trying to show her the spot, I felt a mole where no mole should be. She had a look and exclaimed that it was a tic fully engorged  and ran off to find a pair of tweezers, a plastic sandwich bag and rubbing alcohol. She was able to remove it completely and gave me instructions to have it looked at by my family doctor. But by then it was time for me to leave for my long-awaited appointment at Kingston General Hospital for a colposcopy. It was my first time back to that hospital since Rick passed away and that in itself was stressful. I also didn't know where I was going because it was my first time in the women's health division of the hospital, and so I arrived a little bit late. I don't like being late for anything. More stress. When the receptionist asked if my next of kin was still my husband, I broke into tears. I wasn't expecting that the place where he spent the last month of his life and eventually passed away would not be fully aware of that piece of information. I recovered myself and settled in for a wait.

Long story short, I had a pap smear done about two months ago, and the results were negative, but my doctor "didn't like the look of things", and referred me to this clinic.  This doctor agreed and so a biopsy was done. Turns out that before my GP took on her own practice, she worked in this clinic. She was right to make a referral I guess, but I am not expecting any bad news. I find she is just very thorough and is an excellent doctor.

From there I made my way to my doctor's office where I did not have an appointment but I presented the receptionist with the tic now floating in alcohol in a plastic bag. My doctor happened by and told the receptionist to "fit me in". I got two scripts to fill out. She weighed and measured me. She examined the infection site on my back. She reported on my latest blood results. I am still losing weight and losing inches around my belly, so she is not concerned about my sugars creeping up....yet.  My thyroid is good. I don't have to go back until September, unless the biopsy results bring me back in. By the time I picked up my two prescriptions (one to prevent Lyme disease) I went home. It was too late to call an exterminator about the raccoons, so I placed some water and some cooked chicken and vegetables inside the access door of my attic. Keeping my fingers crossed that word doesn't get out about my accommodation being one of the best in town. *laugh*

Today, things are much better.  Last night my friend came by to pick up Rick's van, so it is no longer in the drive. When I mentioned my fears about the little raccoons left behind, he assured me they were already gone. He told me that when I saw them peering at me through the hardware cloth, mother had just been there. I probably scared her off again and she was hiding out waiting for me to go back inside. They were there he said because she was coaxing them to climb the wire to the 3 inch space over the top of the 2x4s. From there she would grab them by the scruff of the neck and carry them off. He was so self-assured in telling me this, he told me to check the bowls of food and water I left for them. He told me they would be untouched, and he was right. He said the babies wouldn't have been where I could see them unless their mother had called for them. So I was so terribly relieved, I cannot express how happy I am.

Have a lovely weekend, and to my American readers, enjoy a wonderful long Memorial Day weekend.

Today was my son's fiancee's birthday. Here is the pillowcase I embroidered for the occasion. I also gave her one of my handmade birthday cards, and since she has been making her own cards now, I gave her a packet of 15 stamps to use when she mails her cards out.

My New Tenants

My New Tenants

 A few years ago, a wind took down several pieces of soffit from under the back of the roof, and every Spring we would  have returning starlings come to nest inside our eaves.  We would determine that we would have to get the ladder and replace those pieces as soon as the starlings were gone, but my husband was not well and so it never got done. Last year, the deck was removed and so it wasn't possible to use the 12 foot step ladder to get the soffit re-installed. So a few weeks ago, when I could hear movement up in the attic, I surmised the starlings were back for the season, and indeed I could see them flying back and forth with nesting material. They were louder than usual, but I really didn't give it too much thought. I just figured they were comfortable and confident that no one would disturb their rental accommodations, as no one had kicked them out in the past.

Fast forward to two nights ago when I got a rare phone call from my next door neighbour. We "talk over the fence", but don't seek each other out. She told me to go outside to the back yard quickly, but carefully. There was a HUGE raccoon climbing up the corner of my vinyl clad house. As soon as I opened the door, just ten feet away was a raccoon going back UP the corner of the house. She was coming down at dusk for an evening of hunting, but I scared her. I watched as she climbed up to the roof, went across to the other side of the house, hung upside down over the edge, grabbed an exposed roof rafter and swung herself under the eaves, where she disappeared. OMG! That didn't look like a starling. That looked like big trouble.

Yesterday morning my friend arrived to tear down the front stoop, get my riding lawn mower working, and offered to go with me to pick up the lumber and hardware to start rebuilding the front stoop. I told him of the discovery of the racoon just the night before. He was determined to get her out of there so he could screw up some hardware cloth to make sure she stayed out. I have an access panel from my bedroom that would allow him to enter that attic area, so up he went with a broom. As soon as I removed the access panel, we were face to face with a MOTHER raccoon. He was able to scare the baby to the outside of the eaves, from where he could pull her down to the ground, hoping the mother would come out to "rescue" her baby. Eventually she did, but it was clear she did not want to come down. She grabbed the kitten in her mouth and she took off.....whereabouts unknown. We did not want her to return, so we enclosed the open space to the attic with heavy hardware cloth screwed in.

Last night, while returning my small kitchen step ladder back to the craft room, I could hear something trying to get past the hardware cloth. I grabbed the flashlight and went outside in the dark to dissuade mother raccoon from trying to break back in, but I didn't see HER. What I saw peering back at me through the other side of the wire, were two cute little faces. My friend had inspected the whole attic just in case there were more young 'uns, but didn't find any. Now I know there are at least two more up there....and none of them paying rent. The saga continues.

My New Tenants

 A few years ago, a wind took down several pieces of soffit from under the back of the roof, and every Spring we would  have returning starlings come to nest inside our eaves.  We would determine that we would have to get the ladder and replace those pieces as soon as the starlings were gone, but my husband was not well and so it never got done. Last year, the deck was removed and so it wasn't possible to use the 12 foot step ladder to get the soffit re-installed. So a few weeks ago, when I could hear movement up in the attic, I surmised the starlings were back for the season, and indeed I could see them flying back and forth with nesting material. They were louder than usual, but I really didn't give it too much thought. I just figured they were comfortable and confident that no one would disturb their rental accommodations, as no one had kicked them out in the past.

Fast forward to two nights ago when I got a rare phone call from my next door neighbour. We "talk over the fence", but don't seek each other out. She told me to go outside to the back yard quickly, but carefully. There was a HUGE raccoon climbing up the corner of my vinyl clad house. As soon as I opened the door, just ten feet away was a raccoon going back UP the corner of the house. She was coming down at dusk for an evening of hunting, but I scared her. I watched as she climbed up to the roof, went across to the other side of the house, hung upside down over the edge, grabbed an exposed roof rafter and swung herself under the eaves, where she disappeared. OMG! That didn't look like a starling. That looked like big trouble.

Yesterday morning my friend arrived to tear down the front stoop, get my riding lawn mower working, and offered to go with me to pick up the lumber and hardware to start rebuilding the front stoop. I told him of the discovery of the racoon just the night before. He was determined to get her out of there so he could screw up some hardware cloth to make sure she stayed out. I have an access panel from my bedroom that would allow him to enter that attic area, so up he went with a broom. As soon as I removed the access panel, we were face to face with a MOTHER raccoon. He was able to scare the baby to the outside of the eaves, from where he could pull her down to the ground, hoping the mother would come out to "rescue" her baby. Eventually she did, but it was clear she did not want to come down. She grabbed the kitten in her mouth and she took off.....whereabouts unknown. We did not want her to return, so we enclosed the open space to the attic with heavy hardware cloth screwed in.

Last night, while returning my small kitchen step ladder back to the craft room, I could hear something trying to get past the hardware cloth. I grabbed the flashlight and went outside in the dark to dissuade mother raccoon from trying to break back in, but I didn't see HER. What I saw peering back at me through the other side of the wire, were two cute little faces. My friend had inspected the whole attic just in case there were more young 'uns, but didn't find any. Now I know there are at least two more up there....and none of them paying rent. The saga continues.

Daybook: Tuesday, May 22/18

Of course I intended to write a daybook yesterday on our Victoria Day Monday, but as usual I got side-tracked when I picked a project to start and it took me much longer to finish it than I expected.

Outside my window.....it is presently drizzling rain. It is a gray overcast morning in sharp contrast with yesterday's gorgeous weather.

I am thinking.....that I may as well continue working on a scrapbook I started yesterday. When MOST people were enjoying the beautiful weather outdoors yesterday, I picked that day to mat photographs for a Memory Book I am working on.

I am thankful for.....being able to work on my hobbies when the feeling arises.

From the kitchen.....there is little going on. I ate simple meals of roasted chicken with vegetables over the weekend.

I am wearing.....my working wardrobe of capris (red) and t-shirt (stained), because I don't need to impress anyone.

I am creating.....more encouragement cards.

I am going.....nowhere today.

I am hoping.....to sleep better this week. I am not one who has trouble with insomnia, but this past week I have been waking around 4 AM and finding it difficult to go back to sleep (until about 6:30 or 7, when I should be waking up).

I am hearing.....traffic noise, since I live on the main road running through town. If my computer was at the back of the house, I would hear song birds.

Around the house.....it is demoralizing and depressing with all the boxes of stuff piled up waiting to go outside in the drive for a yard sale. But I can't do that until I get my husband's van out of there. I'm working on that.

One of my favourite things.....are still my Spring gardens. There is something new all the time.

A few plans for the rest of the week.....include a couple of doctor's appointments. My friend, who wants Rick's van, needs to take measurements for a few projects and let me know what materials to buy. I will be helping him in constructing a new set of stairs for the front door and a small deck out back so I can have access to my patio doors again. These are safety concerns that need to be addressed before I will consider selling the property. I also need to rent a dumpster to clear out the yard of old used lumber (and the old deck that was torn down last summer).  All of this costs money and requires more helping hands.

Here's the picture I am sharing.....

 The tall purple spheres, growing beyond the golden alyssum, are allium. Daffodils and crocuses alongside the house are all finished.

Dwarf purple irises are being choked out by snow-in-summer, which I am constantly thinning out of my bed. Behind you can see my dilapidated front step that needs replacing.  Perennial sweet pea will start climbing up the trellis soon. 

Another Grocery Shopping Trip

I probably should have gone out shopping yesterday, but it rained most of the day and I didn't feel like going out in the wet. I made a couple of cards instead. So this morning, when I had to use powdered creamer and hunt down a couple of loose packets of sweetener for my coffee, I knew I couldn't put it off even one more day. No one should allow their food supplies to get down this low.

 Dairy cost $51.76

Fresh produce cost $22.55 (4 large zucchini, celery, 2 cucumbers, mushrooms, 4-pack of sweet peppers, 2 sweet potatoes, and 10 avocados)

Frozen produce cost me $22.93 (Blueberries, 2 broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, squash, and spinach)

I didn't really need to buy ANY meat before the end of the month, but I found a few good prices.
I spent $26.72 on 3 pkgs. of chicken legs with backs attached (4 in each pkg), frozen  boneless, skinless chicken breasts, kielbassa, and two pkgs bacon.

I needed to get the sweetener, but this time I picked up 100 packets of Stevia where the packets are equal to two teaspoons of sugar. This cost the same as the other ($4.49) and is a much better value. I didn't need to get the coffee or the tea on this trip, but you have to buy them when they are on sale. These three items cost me $16.36   I also bought some antibiotic ointment and some toiletries for $14.78  I spent a total (with taxes) of $157.28

I drove to three different stores today. I went to Freshco first for the Stevia, chicken legs ($1.99/lb.) TataTea (216 bags at $4.99), and the fresh and frozen produce. I also bought a doz. large eggs for $2, but I knew I would pick up 2 more doz. at Shoppers. Next I went to Food Basics for Folgers coffee ($6.88), the frozen chicken breasts at $1.99/lb, bacon ($3.35), and turkey kielbassa for $4.49. I had to buy zucchini here because they didn't have any at Freshco. That is when I found 6 avocados for only $3.88, so I picked up another pkg. I bought 3 blocks of Black Diamond cheese for $4.44 each. I had checked the flyers before I left so I knew that Shopper's (my third stop) had butter on sale for only $2.99, cottage cheese for $2.49, and large eggs for $1.88 a dozen (limit of 2 dozen). I picked up another block of cheese because it was  Monteray Jack with jalapenos for only $4.49, and I picked up Maple Leaf bacon (usually really expensive) for only $3.99

My receipt for Shoppers showed I saved $16.22, and my receipt for Freshco showed savings of $22.18, but the sales slip at Food Basics does not indicate how much you get in savings from sales and discounts. I know I did very well though because everything I picked up was on sale. 

Today was a busy day for Facebook messenger. I have talked to my Dad and Dee, my son and his fiancee (who are staying there this weekend), my sister and my mom, and also my oldest son in Vancouver with my youngest granddaughter. We were expecting some rain this morning, but it turned out to be a beautiful day. Tomorrow is expected to be even better for the holiday. Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

Long Weekend in May

This weekend (Victoria Day Weekend) is the unofficial start of summer. We can plant our bedding plants, dust off the BBQs and we can all wear our summer whites after this weekend.....officially. This will also be a weekend for yard sales. I will not be having mine, but lots of others will, including my SIL in Smiths Falls. My son and his fiancee are only about an hour away from Elliot Lake (they must have left before dawn), and I am sure that "Dee" will drag them along to lots of yard sales up North. They are in fact legendary. Everyone who visits in the summer looks forward to the yard sales in Elliot Lake on a Saturday morning.

Yesterday I started my day by driving into town to the Recycling Plant. Thursdays and Saturdays are open to receive toxics. I filled the back of my van with old paint cans, thinners, automotive fluids, old cleansers and a battery. They took them all and now I have a much cleaner front verandah. I also took in two garbage bags full of clothes to the Thrift store. I feel much better that they are out of my house. Those were two big items on my To-Do List that I won't need to worry about any more.

When I got home I made my way outside once again to pull weeds in the garden beside the shed. I also pulled a lot of dead wood and pruned several branches from shrubbery in the back yard. Again, all the work I did is barely noticeable, but I know I worked hard and my sore muscles will vouch for me. I made some room to transplant some perennials and perhaps plant a few flower seeds. I don't want to waste too much money this summer on annuals since I know at some point I will be selling this house. I want to get rid of one of my flower beds entirely, so I need to move some plants out of there and allow the grass to grow back.

Having just said that I don't want to buy many annuals, I can tell you that I went into town again this morning to Canadian Tire to spend my "free money" earned from loyalty points. I bought three 6-packs of wave petunias on sale for $6.99 each, a 3-pack of forged steel trowels and cultivator because I broke mine while weeding yesterday, a box of discounted clear garbage bags to "package up" pillows, blankets, towels, cushions, and the like at my yard sale and a gallon of Bullseye white primer that was on sale. The total bill came to $81.85, but I had enough free money to pay the bill, AND I still have $18.58 left to maybe buy some veggie starts when I plant the vegetable garden. The wave petunias should fill my planters nicely without needing any other kind of fillers.

18 wave petunia plants cost $20.97, Primer cost $31.99, 40 clear garbage bags cost $3.49 and forged steel gardening tools cost me $15.99 Every item was on sale. I saved $24.50  On my way home I stopped in to FinAddict to buy a dozen feeder gold fish for change I had in my wallet (about $3.15 with tax). They will keep the mosquito population down in my one remaining pond, until I decide what to do with it.

I have yet to go outside today. After releasing the goldfish into the pond, I came inside to have lunch, shred and cook some cabbage and fried up some hamburger to make my supper tonight. I will probably plant my geraniums and my wave petunias in planters this afternoon. I know it will be a busy weekend, if the weather holds out. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

I noticed my candytuft had bloomed today. That is the white flower growing among the Campanulla stems.

Springtime Gardening

Monday night I fell into bed and was asleep before my head hit the pillow. After I wrote my Monday Daybook, I went outside to pull weeds from the long winding garden bed that goes back to the end of the yard. I pulled couch grass, dandelions and a tall flowering weed that I don't know the name of, but it was trying to choke out everything in its path. I needed to get it pulled up before it went to seed. For the rest of the summer I will have to check out that bed occasionally and keep pulling them out by the roots every time I find one. I would love to put down some mulch but it would cost too much, so I will continue to put down my shredded paper as mulch. (I have been collecting it all winter). I spent 3 or 3 1/2 hours outside pulling weeds and my muscles were very sore by the end of it.

 Bleeding hearts are really doing well in the side garden.

 My front garden bed.  The golden alyssum is blooming since the week-end and the forget-me-nots are spilling over the border.

These pink tulips showed up in the back garden bed that I weeded on Monday. I didn't plant them, so I am guessing the squirrels have been busily planting  for me.

I face timed my sister and mother before making dinner of pork chops and roasted vegetables.

Yesterday it rained almost the whole day. It would have been the perfect day to do some housework indoors, but I decided instead  to read and answer some emails and make out a card for my DIL in Vancouver. I got it in the post just in time for mail pickup. I cleaned off my kitchen counters and washed them down before having leftover pork chops and veggies for supper.

Today was another beautiful sunny day. I hung out a load of laundry before I decided to get my lab work done this morning.  I drove to First Choice Hair Cutters on the way home to have my hair trimmed ($22 with tip). Once home, I changed into some work clothes and went outside to cut the front and back lawns. I also weeded some more garden beds in the back yard. I made up a gallon of salted vinegar and applied some to my brick walkway but didn't finish because I got talking with my next door neighbour. I came inside to make up some more weed killer when my friend arrived for a visit. (He has recently been told his cancer is in remission, but his energy has not yet returned.) He told me he would still like to buy Rick's van but money is very tight right now because he hasn't been able to return to work. We talked about the possibility of him doing some work around the house in exchange for the van and some of the tools in the shed. I would buy the materials and he could pick the days when he felt up to working a few hours. I think we could both benefit. Hopefully we can come to an arrangement that will make us both happy, as long as it doesn't interfere with his recuperation.

I have broken down some corrugated cardboard boxes and tied them up into bundles for paper recycling tomorrow. I have also set out two recycle boxes of  thin cardboard and newspaper. I still have to walk over to the Pop In Convenience store to pick up my garbage tags. Still have not done that. Then I can stop for the day. Supper is a veggie stir fry with chicken thighs baked with Nathalie's 10 Things Farm Chicken Seasoning. Love that stuff.

Mother's Day Weekend

What a great weekend I had.  I got up Friday, showered, made a birthday card for my grandson, and then off to Walmart to find a birthday present. Usually I give money to the parents to buy something that the child needs or wants, since the parents should have the final word anyways. But this time, all my grandson would say was that he wanted Nerf guns. My daughter had already fulfilled that wish so she was at a loss for suggestions. His dad on the other hand thought that he had enough and didn't need anything more. Well, that was no help. Grandmas are supposed to buy toys as birthday gifts. At the last minute, my daughter came up with a winning idea....something she overheard him remarking on. So Friday morning I was in Walmart buying "Stick-Bots" ($50 worth of stick bots and accessories, which may sound like a lot, but really isn't) I was happy. My grandson was happy. My 8 year old grand daughter was even happier.

While my grandson and I were off shooting storm troopers with Nerf guns, my grand daughter was "filming" scenes with these stik bots and her mother's phone.

 I was able to fill some helium balloons and tie them with ribbon. That was one of my preparations for the party. My daughter was able to draw storm trooper faces on some of the white balloons which were weighted down so the kids and some of the big people too could shoot at them with Nerf guns or fight them off with light sabers. Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of those.

This HUGE R2D2 was a hit at the party. 

 These honeycomb decorations I put together on Friday night and hung them up so my grandson would see them first thing on Saturday morning when he came down to wake me up.

My daughter made this BB8 droid cake  by herself. She has always made her own cakes for the kids' birthday parties.

 Sugar cookies have always been her specialty. She has decorated these ones to look like storm troopers, C3PO, R2D2, and Boba Fett  (characters from the Star Wars series).
The kids had a great time, and so did grandma. My daughter made me my own special pizza crust using keto ingredients like almond flour and psyllium husks. What a special treat for me. On Friday night after I arrived, she made me hamburgers on keto buns she had baked for me. It was the first "bread" I have had in almost a year, which was  really delicious. I have never taken the time to bake myself substitute breads, so I was really beyond excited that she did this for me. And she did it while already being busy with all the party preparations. I stayed a night longer than I had intended and left around 8 o'clock on Sunday morning. My daughter gave me a lovely Mother's Day card and 3 scratch tickets that won me $15. Yay! I stopped at Napanee to pick up a few more groceries for this week.

Fresh veggies cost me $13.16  The bag of sweet peppers and the carton of white mushrooms were on sale for $1.97 each. The avocados were 50% off , so I got two bags.

Dairy cost $16.63

I picked up more stevia and two tins of tuna for $7.33  This stevia I have discovered is not the best buy I could be making. Each packet is equal to 1 tsp of sugar. Usually each packet of sweetener is equal to two tsp., so I have been paying the same for only half the product. Lesson learned. My total groceries cost me $37.12  I also picked up a couple of non-food items for a package I have put together to go up North with my son this coming weekend.

My day ended with my dinner prepared for me at my son's and his fiancee's apartment. It was a wonderful meal and a lovely evening. They had also invited over her family and they are always great company. I stayed behind for a few more minutes so that I could pack up a small parcel for my Dad's birthday, with a card I made earlier in the day. I also wanted to send up the Memory Book I made for my mother with photos of us five small children growing up at home. My son and his fiancee enjoyed looking through those old pictures and they could see a lot of familial features in the generations that I normally would not see until they were pointed out. It was a great reminiscence. I am sure my mom and my sister will appreciate seeing them.

So that was my weekend. How was yours?

Daybook: Monday, May 14/18

Outside my window.....it is another bright and sunny day. The flowers are coming up gangbusters and so is the grass. It needs mowing.....again.

I am thinking.....of the wonderful Mother's Day weekend I just had.  I stayed in Bradford for two sleepovers on Friday and Saturday nights. I "helped" with some of the birthday preparations for the party on Saturday and I stayed over until my grandson's actual birthday on Sunday, because it appeared to be important to him that I be there on the actual day he turned seven. I left just after 8 AM, and stopping for a short while in Napanee for a few extra groceries, I was home by noon. After lunch I lay down and slept for 3 hours before getting ready to have dinner at my son's and his fiancee's place. (Tuscan salmon with fresh green beans, followed by a fruit salad for dessert. Yum)

I am thankful for.....a safe drive on the 400 highways to and from Bradford.

From the kitchen.....I made my two egg omelet this morning with onion, zucchini and shredded cheese. I have taken out pork chops to defrost for dinner tonight.

I am wearing.....tan capris and a dark brown short-sleeved blouse, no socks but slippers on my feet.  My hair (which desperately needs a trim) is fastened in a bun.

I was creating.....this past weekend, a birthday card for my grandson and a birthday card and parcel for my Dad's birthday next weekend.  I took these things for my Dad and the finished memory book for my Mom over to my son's place so he can deliver them personally when he drives up there this coming weekend.

I am going.....nowhere today. At least I have no plans for going out. Lately my plans of combining errands has not been working out very well because of the urgency of needing to get things done asap. I need to get back to better planning on my part.

I am hoping.....that my daughter-in-law finds the help and inner strength to get through her cancer treatments that have begun with a vengeance.

I am hearing.....only occasional traffic noises (which I normally block out) and the tapping of the computer keys. It is very quiet here, but I am grateful for my sense of hearing that allows me to enjoy life to the fullest.

Around the house.....I have hung up two loads of laundry outside on the line and  emptied the dishwasher that I filled before leaving the house on Friday. I need to start pulling weeds in the back gardens, mow the lawns, and continue to plan for the upcoming yard sale. My floors need to be vacuumed and mopped very badly. I could also plant my geraniums that I over-wintered inside and get them out of the house to free up more space. All my indoor plants need watering again.

One of my favourite things.....is my outdoor clothes line. I love hanging my laundry out and I will miss that if  I move to an apartment.

A few plans for the rest of the week.....include mailing out another card to my DIL, go to the lab for more blood work before making my next appointment with my GP (She wanted to see me mid-May), and work on my goals list for this week.

Here's the picture I am sharing.....

Beautiful potted Mums from my son and his fiancee. I will plant them in my garden in a few weeks so I may enjoy a second bloom in the Fall.

Working On Getting My Weekly Chores Done

Yesterday turned into a very busy day. I wrote down what I hoped to accomplish but didn't get through half the list. I guess I expected too much of myself, and I certainly didn't account for all the time needed to complete all the items.

I started by trimming the front lawn that I had mowed the day before. I cannot operate the gas powered trimmer, so I use grass shears to trim around the edges....takes FOR.EV.ER, but it looks great. And now all the flower beds in the front yard are weeded and looking wonderful. I even managed to dig up some of the weeds in the driveway. Note to self....I need to make some more of my salt and vinegar weed killer. I sprayed myself with bug repellent before going outside, but I still managed to get bitten badly. I got a couple of bites behind one ear, and they are driving me crazy.

I also rooted out some dead wood from one of my shrubs and picked up a lot of dead twigs and branches that came down during the winter. When I took wheel barrow loads back to my compost pile, I noticed that a huge major branch came down in last Friday's wind storm. My neighbour offered to cut down that tree last summer but hadn't got around to it yet. I am thinking that he will likely want to get it done now. All in all, I spent 3 hours out of doors yesterday morning and didn't come in for lunch until 1 o'clock.

 My Bleeding Hearts are just starting to come out in the background, with daffodils still blooming.

 One of my circular beds with edges trimmed and grass removed from between the edging blocks.

Forget-me-nots just starting to bloom. I love Spring for the number of new blooms that appear each day.

I am just dying to start in the backyard where I have not yet cleaned up the flower beds and they are already filling out with Springtime blooms.

Back indoors, I cut up the pork loin into chops and one small roast. I shredded a cabbage and sauteed in butter, to which I added cooked ground beef and onions for dinner last night. I worked all afternoon on finishing up the Memory Book for my Mom by adding names to the photos and embellishments to the pages. I didn't stop for dinner until 8 o'clock. She will not be receiving it in time for Mother's Day, so I will send it along with my son when he goes up north to Elliot Lake two weeks from now. In the meantime, I ordered some cut flowers to be delivered tomorrow for my Mom and made a handmade card for her today. That also will not be received for Mother's Day, so I explained in the card that my intention was to stretch out her Special Day for as long as possible. After all, I just spent two weeks up there with her. That should also count for something. I went to the Post Office to mail the card and also to pick up another roll of 50 stamps because I am completely out. The only "break" I took was to drive into Amerstview to pick up a prescription.

Before I make my veggie and sausage casserole with cheese for dinner, I would like to go outside to trim back my clematis. I noticed yesterday that it has already started new growth. It is too late to trim my hydrangea,  so I will just let it go for this summer. I also forgot to pick up new garbage bags since coming back home, so I was not able to put out my garbage this morning. I have since added it to my To-Do list. I was able to pick up a clear plastic filing bin while in Elliot Lake, so I have been able to start my paper filing. I sold my antique desk with drawers, so now I need an alternative solution to filing my little bit of paperwork. My present desk holds my desktop computer with hideaway keyboard shelf, but no drawers. Tomorrow I will be heading off to Bradford to have a sleep-over with the grand kids and help prepare for the Star Wars birthday party for my grandson turning seven. I guess I need to make another birthday card tonight. I will probably return Saturday late afternoon after the party because I am invited to my son's and fiancee's for Mother's Day on Sunday. Have a wonderful weekend and I will catch up with you later.

Blackflies

Today was another gorgeous, sunny and warm Spring day, and with it came the inevitable black flies. They are pesky, biting insects that swarm around your head and will drive you mad. Instead of coming inside to douse myself with insect repellent, I stayed outdoors like an idiot and continued to pull weeds and curse them. Tomorrow will be different. I won't go outside until after I have armed myself with bug repellent and light coloured clothing to fend them off. It was such a beautiful day I couldn't resist going out to play.

My doctor's appointment with the ENT was for 12:50 this afternoon at the hospital. Good news is that I do NOT have nasal polyps. Bad news is that I have lost my sense of smell and there isn't anything they can do about it. After that horrendous cold I had 18 months ago, I probably "burned" the nerve receptors in my nose due to the inflammation from the virus. It isn't a big deal....just an inconvenience, an annoyance. The doctor will keep my file open for 12 months in case symptoms get worse or I am worried that there is more to it than just a loss of smell. When I got home, I had some cheese and ham rolled up in Romaine leaves for lunch, changed my t-shirt, and went out to drag the lawn mower out from the shed. I cut the front lawn and then proceeded to pull weeds from the front garden beds. I also dug out some Globe Thistle plants that were slowly taking over one of my beds. I have thinned them out pretty well now. The mulch I laid down in the fall made pulling out the weeds much easier.

 Wind flowers are doing well. I have pulled all of that grass between the blocks.

Passion flower is now cleaned up and growing well.

When I first arrived in Elliot Lake two weeks ago, people were still ice fishing on the lakes. While there, Spring arrived with a vengeance and I found myself in need of more appropriate summer tops. I went to the Salvation Army and picked up these three short sleeved tops for only $7 for all three. I wore the green one today to go to my doctor's appointment. Most of my summer shirts are "outdoor work" shirts, so it was nice to pick up some nice ones for leaving the house. The price was right. Now if only I can keep them looking nice by not wearing them to work in the garden. Tonight I will be having leftover moussaka that I made last night. Yum!  It is a lot of work but so worth it.

Daybook: Monday, May 7/18

Please bear with me. I still have not read my usual blogs. I am still replying to emails and phone calls from friends and other family members who have discovered I am back home. I have finally emptied the van and continue to wash up items that were packed up for me to bring back. I have been asked when I am going to have my yard sale, but the short answer is that I am still not sure. It was going to be this past Saturday but unforeseen circumstances interrupted that plan. My SIL and my niece were going to help me, but my brother who was going to have his back operation did in fact have that surgery. Coincidentally, it turned out he was finally called in the same day I left Bradford for the second leg of my my trip. The surgery was a success and two days later he was released from hospital. Two days after that, my SIL took him back in through Emergency very ill and severely dehydrated.  He was admitted and ran through a series of tests to discover WHY he couldn't stop retching. His white blood cell count was through the ceiling, but no fever. He couldn't keep anything down so he was fitted for total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Finally, after a week, he was able to eat something by mouth. They STILL have no idea what caused this very serious situation, but this past Friday he asked to be sent home after spending 24 hours without incident. He is now recovering at home feeling much more like himself and grateful that he has finally rounded the corner.  We are all very relieved.

Outside my window.....The day has been gorgeous. Temperatures were 14 degrees Celsius and sunny all day.  The grass is green and definitely needs mowing.

I am thinking.....I could definitely be outside right now to pull a few weeds, prune some bushes, and generally enjoy being outside again, but I have other work to do right now.

I am thankful for.....my general good health and ability to do things for myself.

From the kitchen.....I have made another big pot of chicken vegetable soup which I am going to freeze. I have frozen four of the packages of  ground beef and I have divided and frozen 2 packages of 3 sausages each. I have yet to slice up the pork loin into chops and roasts for the freezer (maybe later tonight). I roasted one of the trays of chicken thighs and had some for dinner on Saturday, used the meat from some for the chicken soup and still have some meat for a stir fry later on. Last night I made a sausage casserole and tonight I am hoping to make a moussaka.

I am wearing.....blue jeans and a printed pink t-shirt. I am still wearing socks which indicates that it is not quite summer.

I am creating.....a family scrapbook for my mom for Mother's Day. I took the scrapbook  with me to Elliot Lake, with blown up photos of the five of us children when we were very young.  My plan was to decorate the pages in the album and leave it with my mom. I was kept so busy while I was there, that I had very little time to work on it. I brought it back home and plan to finish it here, then mail it tomorrow (hopefully) with her Mother's Day card. She won't get it in time, but I think my family has come to expect everything from me to be late in arriving. That includes my son as well. His birthday is today and I just sent out his package this afternoon. I also took a finished card for my DIL (who begins her chemo and first radiation treatment today) to Elliot Lake as well. My plan at the beginning of this was to send her a card every week. I have been very good until I left on my trip. My intentions were good, but again, I didn't have a chance to mail it while I was away.

I am going.....nowhere else today. I have been to the post office.

I am hoping.....to get my chores caught up this week.

I am hearing.....just the sounds of traffic outside.

Around the house.....I am making preparations for a yard sale in the next couple of weeks.

One of my favourite things.....is Facebook Messenger on my tablet which allows me to face-time with my family and grand kids.

A few plans for the rest of the week.....include my appointment with the ENT (ears, nose, throat) tomorrow afternoon, picking up a prescription, a visit from a friend who I sent cards to over the past 8 months and who has been declared "cancer free"  at his last appointment,  my grandson's 7th birthday in Bradford this weekend  (I have been invited to his Star Wars party on Saturday), and dinner on Mother's Day at my son's and his fiancee's. It will be a full week.

Here's the picture I am sharing.....

Some blooms that greeted me on my return home this weekend.

May Days Are Here

What a difference two weeks make. I left here on a Friday with ice and snow still on the ground and came back on a Friday two weeks later with green lawns (that already need mowing) and flowers blooming in the garden.  I turned off the furnace straight away....not that it was on, but I make a point of turning it off on the first day in May. I was completely out of everything in my fridge. I pulled 2 liters of milk out of the freezer to defrost so I could have coffee and tea with the few extra packets of Splenda I took from the Tim Hortons coffee shop on my trip home. I  cooked a package of bacon from the freezer and ate that with some mashed turnip for my dinner that night. I didn't feel like going grocery shopping after traveling, and besides that, my van was piled to the ceiling with items that people in Elliot Lake had given me "for my yard sale" I barely had room to stuff my suitcase, so I certainly didn't have room to put a small bag of food. Saturday morning I slept in until after 10 AM and then had a bowl of oatmeal (no eggs) before going out to the van to empty the front passenger seat and the bench seat in the back. I still have the back of the van to empty out, but I will deal with the first load of stuff before I drag anything else into the house. I have been washing and hanging out laundry for the past two days. As I fold it up I am packing it away for my yard sale and for the Thrift Store.

With the van half-way cleaned out, I went to No-Frills to pick up the items on my stock-up list.

 Dairy cost me $32.33  Eggs were NOT on sale for $2.27 each doz. and I paid the regular price for Feta cheese (200 gm) at  $2.97. However, both cottage cheese and plain yoghurt cost $2 each  Not pictured is a block of old cheddar cheese for $5.55

Frozen fruits and veggies cost $19.00  (no-name frozen blueberries, 2 bags of oriental mix stir fry veggies and 2 bags of winter veggies)

Fresh veggies cost $18.65 The bag of carrots and bag of onions were $1 each. I also bought two romaine hearts, bag of sweet peppers, English cucumber, 2 eggplant, 4 zucchini, and two small heads of cabbage.

Meat cost a big $47.42  I picked up 5 packages of lean ground beef for $2 each, a package of Black Forest ham for $2, chicken thighs for $2 a pound, a pork loin for $2 a lb. and a package of Italian sausage. This was a great sale on meat and should hopefully last a while.

Last, but certainly not least, I picked up a box of Stevia for $4.79 making my total  bill $122.20

Today I went back into Kingston and spent another $50 at Staples. I needed  110 pound card stock to replace the package I left with my sister and mom in Elliot Lake so they can continue to make handmade cards in my absence. I discovered that I lost my charger somewhere for my Android tablet, so I picked up another one. If in the meantime it shows up,  I can always use a second one. Now I can message my oldest son tomorrow to wish him a Happy Birthday, since he will certainly not receive his package on time. I plan to mail it out to him tomorrow, ON HIS BIRTHDAY.

I have yet to catch up on all my emails. The family kept me so busy while I was in Elliot Lake, there wasn't much time for anything else. It isn't just my Dad and Dee that live there. It is also my sister and her husband, and my mother who lives there now. I had planned a 10 day trip but clearly that was not an option. I decided to stay another 4 days to make it two weeks. The days and nights were full of activity. I am guessing I lost a bit more weight since I was constantly on the go. I will talk a bit more about it this week while I am catching up on some of your lives in the past little while. Talk to you soon.