Friday Funny

Bonaire (November 3)

We sailed into Bonaire between 6;30 and 7:00 a.m. and for the first and only time, I was actually awake!

We were at dock when I went out to the balcony and spotted the Norwegian Dawn sailing into the bay.  We had company!

Bonaire is one of the ABC* islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao). It, along with Curacao is part of the Netherlands.  The Dutch influence is very evident.

It was a beautiful start to an absolutely gorgeous day weather wise.  It was the first day we had no rain at all, and it was the warmest temperature at 28C (82F).

I loved it!  We were told that Bonaire is the driest of the ABC islands, and as a result is quite arid so it isn't quite as lush and green as some of the islands we've visited.

We docked in the terminal in the capital city of Kralendijk and had no excursion booked so spent a good of the part of the day off ship walking around the town.

There were a lot of one-way streets. with parking on either side  We walked through the craft sale booths to the central shopping area and visited a few of the shops.

From there, after a few wrong turns we made our way to the Post Office where K bought stamps and mailed a few postcards.

Bonaire is known for it's pink flamingos.  Had we taken one of the ship's excursion we might have seen them in person, but instead I snapped this photo of the flamingos in a shop window.

From the post office we made our way down to the harbour.  OMG the water is soooo beautiful.

We considered finding a restaurant to have a bite to eat before making our way back to the ship, but we didn't find anything along the harbour.  I was surprised as this would have made a stunning view.

We stopped in at the fort; I looked into the interior but it didn't appear there were any steps to climb.  I suspect there were at some time and it seemed obvious this would have been the place where the inhabitants kept on eye on the bay watching for both welcome and unwelcome company.

Speaking of company, the tourists and crew from the ship swelled the population of Bonaire that day.  It is a small country with approximately 19,000 inhabitants.  According to CruiseTimeTables.com, between the two ships, they carry about 5,800 and 6,000 passengers with about 2,300 crew.  While not everyone would have left the ships, I suspect we added another 30% to the total population that day!

On our way to the ship, J noticed that several of the rocks along the waterfront appeared to have the imprint of fossils.  While I took several photos, this is the only one that turned out well enough to clearly show the imprints.

Sail away was early that day; we left Bonaire between 5 and 5:30 p.m.  We ought to have left earlier, but one of the excursions appeared to return late.  I was out on the aft deck when it came down the hill to the ship.  Since dinner was at 5:30 I didn't get any photos of sail away, as I needed to head back to the cabin to clean up and change clothes.
I took advantage of the waiting time to get some photos of the community from the ship.  Obviously this is the fort on the harbour front, with walled in buildings (perhaps a jail?) and the soccer/football field in the background.

The construction of the building are reminiscent of the Dutch influence and the colors are those of the Caribbean.

I was particularly curious about this development.  I even tried to find whether the units are for sale, searching the internet, but wasn't able to locate these particular buildings.  In the background is the airport and beyond that you can see how dry the island appears.

This is another shot of the harbour front and downtown of Kralendijk.  This is where I would have expected to find restaurants and bars.  There was an gelato shop on the corner....thinking back I wish we'd stopped!

I did stay out on deck long enough to see some of the lines let off.  This little boat brought the worker over to the where the ships lines were tied.

Only one of the workers stayed behind while the boat took the other to another set of lines.

I'd taken some other photos and turned back to see what was happening once the lines were released.  I laughed when I saw what the worker was doing.

Now there's a guy who knows how to relax!

These young men were having fun too.  At one point all three had "popped a wheelie".

It was fun ending to a great day in Kralendijk. One of the reasons I love cruising is that I get to experience a little bit of the island and its culture.  I hope that someday I'll get back to Bonaire so I can see the pink flamingos and spend more time in the community.


I do have a few more photos to share from the last couple of sea days, so will share those in my next post.

Have a great weekend everyone!

*The very first cruise I took visited both Aruba and Curacao...so now I can say I've visited all of the ABC islands.

This, that and another thing

The weather is much improved today, with lots of sun and warmer temperatures.  I think spring has finally truly arrived.  The trees are displaying their buds but so far the only green is in the fake grass in a couple of yards in the neighbourhood.  In the summer their yards look so lovely, with the lush green grass but boy do they look out of place in the spring.

I haven't seen the Merlin hawk again but have heard it a few mornings.  The bird feeder is still seeing lots of visitors, but unfortunately the sun room has taken a couple of lives.  I went out this evening to barbecue and found two birds lying dead on the deck.  I checked Amazon and placed an order for three packages of maple leaf decals, which were even on sale!  Fingers crossed they'll help keep the birds away from the windows.

******

Of course, while I was on Amazon I did a little more shopping.  I ordered a set of 100 Crayola markers.  No, I'm not planning on opening a day care.  I've been bitten by the coloring bug.  I find it so relaxing to sit with my coloring book and pencil crayons.  I like the pencils; if I make a mistake I can use the eraser to correct it.  But the intensity of the colors isn't there, so I'm thinking the markers will be brighter and more intense.  

This morning I sat and colored as I watched the quarter finals of the Grand Slam of Curling.  I thought curling was done for the year but discovered there is this event this weekend and a Championship event in two weeks.  I don't have to worry about withdrawal for a little while yet!

******

Work is still work.  We made our move to the third floor from the dungeon basement two weeks ago and I'm so much happier.  I am the only supervisor with a window seat....it's caused one of my peers to make a couple of snarky remarks but he can't say too much as I had no choice in it.  My manager and her boss made the decisions.  I suspect the fact, I willingly took the worst space in the basement had some influence on their decision.  What they probably don't realize is I've not had a window seat since 2010.  I chose at that time to move to a cubicle without windows to get away from a very nosy employee.  

The desk space we have is slightly smaller than what we were accustomed to, and I have fewer drawers for storage.  But over the past few years I've rid myself of most of the paper.  I find I prefer electronic storage anyway...it's much easier use a search function to find.  The new desk can also be raised so that I can stand and work.  I really like that option and have used it a couple of times in the past week.  

******

Finally, I'll share an image I posted to Facebook today. Today has been a good day, but sometimes I need to remind myself to look for the blessing in every day. 

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend! 

Road Trip - Day 9 - Pugwash to Prince Edward Island

There is no post from Chetticamp to Pugwash, simply because it was a long day of driving with very few stops for photo opportunities.  C was feeling dreadful so we were in hurry up mode to get her to the hotel so she could rest and relax.  We stayed at a motel on the edge of Pugwash right across from the fire hall.  There was an attached restaurant so we didn't have far to go. Very good food, but it was a darn good thing we weren't a couple days later as the restaurant was closing the following day for the season.  The hotel stays open but not the restaurant.

We had a great breakfast there the following morning as well, before heading off for PEI. We took the more scenic route again, and were thrilled when we came across a turn off where the autumn leaves are starting to really show their colors.

This was the highway, just starting to show the colors.  The turn off area was much more vivid.  C thought it might indicate the trees are under stress.  I don't know enough about the process to know whether she is right.

The highway took us through the tip of New Brunswick before we reached the major highway leading into PEI.  I was driving because I wanted to be able to say that I'd driven across the Confederation Bridge.  You truly can't see much from the bridge other than the waves (and white caps....it was a very windy day).  But after 24 kilometers on the bridge you reach PEI and there is a place down near the water that provides a great view of the bridge.

We spent some time in Charlottetown, seeing the Province House (only the exterior as the building is undergoing renovations and repairs).  This is the birthplace of Canada, as it is where the Fathers of Confederation came together to hammer out the agreement to bring Canada together as a nation.  I had so hoped to be able to see the inside, but that will need to wait until another visit.

So we went shopping!  One of the places we stopped in was Northern Watters Knitting on Richmond Street.  They machine knit sweaters and other items for shipping all over the world.  The store is an eclectic mix of their work as well as those of other artisans, kits, and just fun stuff.  I fell in love with the maple tree which was simply branches, red lights, wrapped a maple leaf garland.  So pretty!  I didn't buy it but did get myself a knitted head band that will keep me warm this winter.


As we were wandering down the street, we spotted the theatre was offering Anne and Gilbert that evening.  It is the story of Anne Shirley of Green Gables, as a young woman and the long suffering Gilbert Blythe who has been in love with Anne since he was a young boy.  J, K, and I decided we'd come back into the city for the play, while C who has been feeling progressively worse decided to stay back at our hotel.

So after a brief stop on the street for J to have a chat with our first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, we headed to our hotel in Cavendish, about 45 minutes from Charlottetown.

We got checked in, then headed out to find C something to eat as there is nothing near to the hotel.  It was a mad scramble to get back to the city, but we arrived just 15 minutes before the play started.  It was a terrific play, with some very experienced actors.  We all very much enjoyed the show!

The three of us grabbed a quick dinner on the way out of the city, and then rushed back to the hotel to try to capture the supermoon/eclipse.  It all happened very quickly as the eclipse was just starting as we left the city and was nearly complete by the time we arrived at the hotel.  This is the best shot I managed, using a timer, and trying to hold the camera as very still as I could. A tripod would been a very useful thing!

It was another full day, with lots to see and do!

Again I'm late with this post and it is evening of Day 10.  I'll try to get something posted tomorrow morning, but we're planning to leave early so it may have to wait until evening.  Oh well, I'm sure no one is keeping that close track of what day we're on....but it's helping me keep track of the days as well. :)

Have a wonderful evening everyone!

Home from the Bridge City

I spent Monday through Thursday in Saskatoon working with my staff there.  I'm glad to report that G was back to work on Thursday, though he's still sore and looked a little pale.  He realizes how fortunate he was not to have done serious damage in his fall.

Monday I went out for dinner with one of my co-workers, D.  We started at the same time 17 1/2 years ago and did our training together.  We've become good friends since I was assigned to this group and try to get together when I'm in Saskatoon, normally on Wednesday evening.  She had to go to Regina, though, as her oldest daughter was scheduled for day surgery mid-week.  In the meantime, her younger daughter is due to give birth to her second child any day now.  As you can imagine, D was a little distracted!

Tuesday evening I went for a walk along the river.  The weather was gorgeous, about 7-8C (44-46F), with no discernible wind.  The sun doesn't set until after 7 p.m. so I had time for a nice long, leisurely walk.

Saskatoon is known as the city of bridges.  The Northern Saskatchewan river flows through it and there are at least a half dozen bridges (that I know of).

This time I walked south (south-west?) from my hotel along the river bank.

 When I stopped to take the picture of the bridge, something caught my eye to the right.  These two were just a short distance from me and totally unconcerned about my presence.

I'm not certain what they were finding to eat as it just looked like mud to me!

 Just south of this bridge I saw this goose swimming in the water.

Brrrr!!  The ice is still on the river, so I can't imagine how cold the water must be.

Maybe that's why this goose was walking along on top of the ice.  At least his bum wasn't getting cold!

He/she was honking like crazy and I could hear other geese honking back.  They were sitting up in the base of the bridge though....I assume where it was warmer.

This is another of the bridges, a little further west of the other.  However, this bridge is now closed to traffic.

I lived in Saskatoon from 1979 to 1981, but I really don't recall ever driving across this bridge.

This is my favorite shot of the day.  I've tried so often to catch the birds in flight, and always the wings are in the wrong position.  This time I kept clicking away and got lucky!





I headed back to my hotel for some dinner, and back to my room to relax.  The one thing I had forgotten when I booked my hotel was: Tuesday was St. Patrick's Day and the hotel has an Irish pub.  Yeah, it got a little noisy - especially the guy who kept hollering, "Everyyyyybodyyyyy" so I didn't as much sleep as I would have liked. When I posted a status update on Facebook, a friend suggested I should join them....but I suspect that would have been a very bad idea, since I had meetings the next day!

Instead of walking on Wednesday I went shopping instead. Nothing exciting, just a couple of pairs of dress slacks for work.  I left the office on Thursday afternoon  to head home, arriving tired and sore from the drive.  I still managed a 4 kilometre walk that evening (without my camera), slept well and felt much better by morning.

Friday morning I went for brunch with two current and two former co-workers.  We try to get together every 3-6 months or so and it's always great fun to catch up.  More shopping was done, I hit Target where I scored 500 thread count sheets for $45, and then picked up groceries as the fridge was looking rather empty.  Dinner was also out with friends at our regular Friday night spot, and then it was home again to watch curling and finish the laundry I'd started earlier in the day.

The rest of the weekend will be spent watching the Grand Slam and World Women's curling, and doing housework between ends.  There will be no spring cleaning - winter has returned with a forecast of 4 inches of snow to come.  Oh well, the cats seem to have missed me more this trip and I've been getting lots of cuddles too so they'll keep me warm!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Weekend Wrap-up

It really was one of those weeks and I must say I'm grateful to see the end of it.

Monday was definitely the worst day.  I was busy catching up on e-mails and messages, and had talked to four of my staff by 9 a.m. when the phone call came.  On the other end of the line was another supervisor from our Saskatoon office.  She informed me, one of my staff had taken a fall on the stairs, was being treated by the paramedics, and she was looking for his emergency information so she could contact his family.

After giving her the information, I hung up the phone and went to inform my manager.  His response?  "Oh that's too bad, you better get started on the paper work." I walked out of his office shaking my head.  

Around 2 p.m. I called G's home and left a message just in case he was out of the hospital.  Shortly after that, one of his coworkers texted to say G had gone in for CT scan but it was looking like he'd be released later that day.

Later I heard from G, himself, and he let me know he had no broken bones, no concussion or brain bleed, however he had a laceration on the back of his head that had needed stitches and was, of course, very sore.  He let me know he'd be off work for a week but would be okay.

What a relief!  It could have been far worse, thankfully he was lucky that day.

*****

The rest of the week was busy, and my boss managed to annoy me several times.  I won't go into the details but suffice to say one of us needs to retire soon!  Since I know I've still got lots of marbles left it better be him.

I worked a half-day on Friday, then headed up to our Target store.  Talking to some of the staff there it sounds as though it will be one of the last stores in Canada to close, sometime in mid-May.  I've had my eye on a new ottoman

(Saku has pretty much torn up the old one), but unfortunately they are sold out.  They are however, getting in new stuff from other stores.  I found a new fleece jacket for just $11 and a couple of cushions for the couch for $16 a piece.  

One of my cousins calls me a bottom feeder for continuing to go back to the store to check out the deals.  Maybe so, but if they had kept the store as well stocked as it is currently, I suspect they wouldn't have gone out of business.  That, and if they hadn't expanded to so many stores in the first place.

******

The World Women's curling started Saturday, the first game was televised at 4 a.m. my time.  I had set the PVR to record it, but thanks to my menopausal bladder I was awake about 5 p.m and got to watch the final seven ends.  Today I'm watching the recorded version; I was fast asleep when the game started and woke up late.  Canada is playing Sweden in a re-match of the Olympics final.  It's early in the game yet, but Canada is up 3-2.
Once the game is over, and my last load of laundry is in the dryer, I'm heading out to take a walk. We've had temperatures above zero (32F) all week so the streets are almost clear.  I can feel safe now walking on the sidewalks.  It's a bit breezy but that will help dry up the remaining puddles.

This is my deck which faces south,  The first photo was taken on March 9, we'd had some melting before this but it was becoming noticeable.

I took this one this morning  - I suspect all the snow will be gone within a day or so.  It's wonderful to see, though I'd be foolish to think that winter is over just yet.

We had snow into mid-April last year; it's quite likely we'll get another skiff or two.  But in the meantime, I plan to enjoy the warmer than normal temperatures!

Have a great week everyone!

Random Saturday

It's August long weekend here in Saskatchewan.  I took yesterday as my EDO so I get a four day weekend out of it.  Hooray!

Yesterday I started applying the waterproofing to one of the sheds in the back yard.  By 10 a.m. I had completed one side (the shady side) and it was so hot I gave up and came indoors.  Then, of course, we got a thunderstorm and rain last night.  According to the instructions it should have two days of drying time, but it seems to have worked as there is a difference in the color between the other sides and the coated one.

I won't do anymore today as everything is definitely damp.  Perhaps tomorrow or Monday.  What a wonderful feeling to know I don't have to rush.

*******
I spent the rest of the day shopping and pampering myself.  I wandered through several stores looking for a small round table.  With my daughter moving away from home I have an empty room, so I have to fill it right?  I'm planning to turn it into a craft/sewing room, and library/office.  That way I can get the bins that are tucked beside the couch out of the living room and have a small sitting where I can go to read (or the cats can nap....who am I kidding).

I didn't find a table but I did find this mirror at Winners.  I've been planning on replacing the picture I had hanging there for some time but couldn't find a mirror that I either liked or was a reasonable price.  This one was $40 so right on budget.

Now that it is hanging I'm not sure I like it as much as I thought I would.  I'll leave it there for awhile before I make up my mind. It may end up being switch out with this picture on the other wall at some point, but I'll decide that later.

I also picked up four lunch plates that match dinner plates I'd bought earlier this year.  They were on sale for $2 a piece so I was thrilled. I can finally get rid of what's left of the stoneware I bought from Sears 36 years ago.  It was a catalogue purchase, for about $60 I got a set of dishes for eight including mugs and cutlery.  All I have left is a few of the smaller lunch plates and two dinner plates.






After browsing for a while I went to my hairdresser and had my hair cut and colored.  It's much shorter and should be much cooler for the rest of the summer!

*******

I've been having a bad time with my forearm and elbow recently.  Earlier this week, I woke up one night and was unable to unbend (is that a word?) my elbow. I was in excruciating pain
so got up to take a pain tablet and try working out the kink.

On Thursday I saw the doctor and was told to get a wrist support wrap.  I've been wearing it in the evening and through the night, and it seems to be helping a little bit.

Wearing it is real pain (pun intended) as it hampers my use of the mouse.  I've also learned, that though I write left-handed, I do a lot of things with my right hand.  Brushing my hair, brushing my teeth, cutting with a knife, and even eating a sandwich.  Perhaps I'm not as left-handed as I always thought.

*******
Since the weather isn't cooperating, today will be a housework day.  My daughter is coming over to do her laundry, and while she is here I'm going to get her to finish cleaning out the closet in her old room so I can start moving some of my stuff in there.

Then there is the kitchen floor to be washed (if you've the cat's blog you'll know why), bathrooms to scrub, vacuuming, and cat litter to be cleaned.

Later in the day our Riders are playing the Ottawa Red-Blacks.  I'll be planted firmly in my chair watching every play. Go Riders!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Easy on Sunday

It doesn't look like much progress...at least to me!

They did get the yard leveled and dug down the four inches for the new patio.  The next step was to put in the slag, wet it down and use that machine you can see in the pictures to tamp it down.

By the time they finished, it actually looked a little like a concrete pad.

 The brick patio will be in sort of fan shaped, coming out from the sidewalk and stopping short of the evergreen.

I was so excited, I went out and bought a small bistro table and chairs. Both table and chairs are actually folding so can be put away in the shed over winter.

And here is the boring space in front of the tree.  I have plans for this area.  For certain there will be planters, and possibly if I can find something I really like, either a statue or a bench.

I couldn't find anything in the stores and a friend and I are planning to go garage saling next weekend.  Maybe I'll find something unique and interesting that someone wants to part with.

I spent part of the day planting containers for the front yard.  I also got my tomatoes plants today, a tumbler and a beefsteak.

There are now fourteen containers in the back yard, and five in the front yard.  I'm under twenty!!!!  It's not going to last though because I bought more plants than I needed.  Oh well, the patio is going to need some color, right?

Hope you all had a wonderful, easy Sunday!

O'ahu - Part 5

We were mid-way through our trip on Wednesday and there was still so much to see and do.  We got a late start to the morning as we were both tired from the day before.  After a leisurely

Picture taken when we arrived on Friday (late in the day)

breakfast on our balcony, we hopped the bus out to the Aloha Stadium to visit what was advertised as a swap meet.  The only swapping going on was my money for the products on sale!

I found t-shirts for both of my children, a little travel purse for myself, and K found handcrafted bookmarks, and a Parrot Aloha shirt to wear to Jimmy Buffett concerts.

The so-called meet was a bit disappointing, but we had the Chief's luau to look forward to that evening.  We'd done some research before booking the luau as would be expected there are several to choose from on the island. Chief's came highly recommended, not only on Trip Advisor, but by one of my team members who attended the show in February.  We booked the tour on our own, and were not disappointed.

The luau is held at Sea Life Park, and had we splurged on the Royal Package we would have had a tour.  Instead we stuck to the standard tour but still got to see the sea turtles.

These pictures were taken out the window of the bus as we got closer to the park.

This is my cousin Veti,  Seriously!

At least that is what he told all of us on the bus, and K and I immediately adopted him.

He was an excellent guide and gave us both a great hug when we left later that evening.

The picture below was taken just beyond the spot where the pig was roasting.  What a lovely view for us, not so much for the pig.

The food was so-so, but the show was awesome.   The dancers were incredible and I wish I could have gotten some good shots of the final act, where the chief and some of the dancers danced with fire.  Wow!

Check out the tattoos on the man in the middle. The ones on his mid-section extended down to his knees.










After the show we were delivered back to Waikiki about 9:30 in the evening.

It was a lovely warm evening so we stopped at an ABC store for a couple of drinks to enjoy on the balcony.





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The next day, we spent a quiet day on Fort de Russy beach (part of Waikiki, but definitely a quieter part).

We relaxed and read, watched the surfers out in the ocean, and the many aircraft fly overhead.  Despite my attempts to be a human rotisserie, I managed to burn my back and shoulders, though not badly.

Later in the day we hit Ross Dress for Less (think Winners in Canada) where we each scored.  K got two pairs of capris and a blouse for under $50 and I got two pairs of shorts for $22.  Then it was onto the International Market where we each found dresses for $17 a piece.

We hit the Cheesecake Factory for dinner that evening (we have no store here), where we sat on the outdoor patio and watched the continuous traffic pass by.  We both enjoyed our meals, but the portions were too large, so we ended up taking at least half home for the next day.  And who can resist the cheesecake?  We ordered a piece of key-lime cheesecake to take back to the hotel for a treat later in the week.

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Friday was another quiet day, it was overcast so we hung out by the pool at the hotel, did lots of reading and just relaxed.  We did get to the fireworks that evening, but beyond that it was mostly a ``do-nothing`` day!


Tomorrow:  Northshore

Time for a nap!

Twas early on Boxing Day morning, and all through my house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a windup toy mouse.
My son was still sleeping, while my daughter and I
Were wandering the stores, visions of deals in our eyes.

'Nuf of that - I'm too tired to think of what rhymes with Kobo.  We were up and out of the house by 6 this morning.  Walmart, Michael's, Staples, The Brick, Canadian Tire, Shoppers, and Ricki's are all a little better off today after our visits!

Walmart was a bit of a bust compared to previous years, though had I been in the market for another TV, they had a 50" LED RCA model for under $600.  We did get a few groceries, some toiletries, and a few DVD's.

Michael's was great, as they had their storage items on sale at 50% off.  Plus my daughter had received a coupon for an additional 25% off all regular and sale priced items.  She got a couple of storage pieces for her scrapbooking so hopefully will get the area organized by the time she goes back to work next week.  I bought more yarn, it was such a good deal at 50% off and D paid for the yarn so we could use the coupon for my items as well.  I plan to crotchet an afghan for the spare room (yes, I know I have one started about the time I began blogging..it's not finished). This one is granny squares so hopefully with one square at a time I'll get it finished by next Christm
At Staples I got the Kobo Glo to replace the Kobo that was broken.  It wasn`t on sale - Merry Christmas to me!  I did get the Norton protection software, regular $79.99 for $19.99.  Makes one wonder what the true mark up is on those products.  My daughter bought herself a label maker - apparently she thinks it will help her be more organized.  I sure hope she's right!

We went to Canadian Tire to get plastic storage bins, but they didn't have the ones I wanted in stock.  January - Walmart...I'm sure they'll be on sale then.  D picked up a wooden bookshelf for $19.99 and when we got home she told her brother he gets to put it together.

At the Brick I ordered a small television stand.  The one I have doesn't hold the cable box or Wii so I have a small end table beside the television to hold these items.  The new one holds up to a 50": television...hmmm maybe I should have bought a new one at Walmart...and has two glass doors as well as openings for the components. I have to pick it up on Saturday at their warehouse location.

We ended up at Shoppers because Ricki's didn't open until 9:30.  I found a little stuffed reindeer on sale which I've added to my stuffed critter collection.  I didn't need it but it was too cute..and too inexpensive.

Ricki's didn't have the sale they've had in the past.  I did get a pair of jeans and three t-shirts for a reasonable price.  I need the t-shirts for my vacation.  The jeans I need because.... OMG....I've actually lost 8 pounds since the beginning of November.  A little more activity and a little less filling of the face seems to be working for me though I've been afraid to step on the scale the last couple of days.

This afternoon I'm going to call CAA to come boost my car.  The cord on my car snapped in the cold, and with this morning's balmy temperature of -30C, my car is "like a rock".  I'll trade places with my daughter in the garage until I can get the car into the shop to be repaired.

For now, though, I'm tired and ready for a morning nap!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying Boxing Day as well.

Sunday shopping hangover

It's freaking cold out there!  Current temperature is -23C (-9F) with the windchill near -30C (-22F).  And it even snowed a little bit.  I am so tire!d of winter and it isn't even officially here yet.

I plan to stay indoors today, do a little more baking, and finish the laundry I started on Friday.  I complain when my daughter does that, guess I should cut her some slack.

Yesterday I finished my Christmas shopping.  Thank goodness, because the crowds are getting too much for me.  I live within a 5-10 minute drive to the east end shopping are.  Normally that's a good thing but yesterday the traffic was so busy, it was difficult to go from one end Quance Street to the other.  Of course, if people would quit trying to make left turns off the street where there are no lights it would keep traffic moving.  ARRRGGH!

I started out at Winners Home Sense, one of my favorite stores.  There is always something interesting and unique, though I must admit sometimes it's frustrating to have to pick through things.  From there I headed to Walmart where I got my gift for Adopt-a-family and a few groceries.  My Costco membership card had arrived in the mail, so I went there.....it was so freaking busy I should have turned around and left.  My purchases there were a crockpot to replace the one I broke the other day, and a new set of cutlery.  (In other words, gifts for me!)

By then I was tired, and ready to go home for a bit.  I booked a tanning appointment (my first of the season...it will be time for my vacation soon!) and after warming up through and through, I headed over to mall to pick up a few more groceries.  Last stop of the day was Canadian Tire.  If you live in Canada and need a new set of pots and pans, CT had Lagostina sets regularly priced at $799 for $199.  (I don't so I had to pass that bargain up).  My daughter says the manufacturer must be coming out with a new model and is paying the store to sell off the old stock.  How different can pots and pans be?

At this point, not only were my feet and back killing me, but my wallet was feeling the pain too! Time to stop shopping before I dropped.

Well, the laundry is still waiting so I guess I'd best go take care of it before I need to re-wash a load.  Happy Sunday everyone!

My weekend adventure

My dad had a saying he would use as we were returning from town to our farm home when I was young.  It was, "Home James, and don't spare the horses".  Well, there were no horses involved, and the gas pedal was never to the floor, but we did make it home yesterday, safe and sound.

Friday, we left for Winnipeg in the midst of a snow storm.  It was snowing fairly heavily here but we knew it was moving east at a slow pace and we managed to get out of it about 100-150 kilometers outside the city.  From there to Winnipeg it was clear and dry.  The most interesting thing on the drive was the half-ton truck pulled over near Portage la Prairie by the RCMP.  Lined up on the highway next to the truck were several liquor bottles...I`m thinking if the driver got home that day he was in for a dry weekend.

We arrived in Winnipeg in about 6 hours which is pretty much normal driving time, assuming one drives the speed limit, and stops for fuel along the way (which I did).  My daughter was using Siri to give us directions to the hotel.  Siri did fine, we did not, as hotels.com had provided the incorrect address for the hotel!  We knew we were in the right area as we could see both Polo Park Mall and Olive Garden but couldn't find the hotel.   But it wasn't all Siri's fault, in addition to the incorrect address, the hotel had recently been purchased by Ramada, but the signage hadn't been placed.  After D called the hotel we got the correct address and were soon checked into the hotel.

From there we made our way over to Olive Garden, where we enjoyed a drink before heading into the dining room for dinner.  I don't know what they put in their food, it must be some additive, because it's addicting.  We both, however, managed to salvage a portion of our salads and entrees and boxed them up for the next evening.  It was an early night for both of us, as I was tired from the drive, and D was just tired - we were both asleep by 9 p.m.

Of course, that meant we were awake early the next morning.  I made a pot of coffee and we both had leisurely showers, and took our time getting ready.  We walked to the mall, just a couple of blocks away, when it opened at 10 a.m.  AND then we shopped, and shopped, and shopped some more.  We took a break about 1 p.m. and went to the Moxie's Grill for lunch.  Must say, much better food and service than I've ever had here in Saskatchewan.

After lunch it was more shopping.  The mall has about 200 shops including restaurants and food court kiosks.  We were fairly choosy, selecting to visit those we don't have at home for the most part, unless a great sale was being advertised.  Despite the number of shops we visited, we didn't purchase nearly as much as we thought we would.  My favorite store, Laura, had some sale items but nothing spectacular.  I did find a blazer at Rickis for 40% off...that was a better deal.  D wanted to buy a bunny hug at Lululemon but the sales person was so off-putting we walked out with nothing.  Same thing at Lucky Brand Jeans...you would think the sales person could at least ask if there was a specific size we were looking for.

We weren't quite done yet - because who doesn't go to another city without visiting Walmart?  Again we asked Siri for directions and she must have been annoyed with us because, instead of sending us to the one on Portage Avenue (where we were located) she sent us south to the area where Ikea is being built and a number of outlet stores are located.  Darn, right?

We spent another hour or so in this area, D got the socks she needed (doesn't everyone forget to pack something?) and I found a bathing suit bottom at the Additionelle (for my winter trip).  We located a liquor store on the way back to the hotel where we picked up a few coolers for the evening.  I was totally amazed that the store offers airmiles on their purchases. We certainly don't have that opportunity here in Saskatchewan - if they did I might be a more frequent shopper!

Saturday evening was spent back at the hotel, heating up leftovers in the microwave from the night before, and enjoying a drink while we watched television or read a book.  Not a whole lot different than a night at home except we had to share the remote!

The snow had reached Winnipeg Friday evening, but only a centimeter had fallen overnight (less than a 1/2 inch) so travelling around the city was easy.  Saturday night it began snowing quite hard, and by morning we found our car covered in snow (no room in the indoor parking lot) and I would guess there was another 10 centimeters (4 inches) on the ground.

I'll save the returning home post for later today, as my daughter has pictures taken from the car I want to share. Suffice to say for now, it was an adventure though not nearly as bad as I thought it might be.  Time for me to catch up on all of you...I had my laptop with me but the hotel only offered one hour of free internet....I was being cheap so I could spend more at the mall!

Weather warnings - oh my!

So...my weekend getaway to the States is off. :(  The forecast is for heavy snowfall and wind beginning on Friday, so travel isn't recommended in both southern Saskatchewan or North Dakota. Darn!  I was so looking forward to it.

But all may not be lost.  We talked about our options when she got home from work and decided a trip to Winnipeg might be a good idea.  After first checking the weather forecast, and finding the snowfall is expected to be much less - just a skiff - and then checking the stores at the Polo Park Shopping Center, the hotel is now booked.

There is a Lululemon for her, a Laura's for me, Skechers for both of us, and even an Olive Garden within a block of our hotel and the mall!  I found a TGI Friday's at the airport, though I expect we'll miss that one as D say's Mongo's Grill has wonderful food and we don't have one here in town.

I'm grateful it's no further than Bismarck, just in a different direction, and we won't need our passports!

It's just coincidence!

Here's what I saw from my front window this afternoon.

I went shopping this afternoon for items for our charitable campaign.  For the Rider fan package to be given away, I bought winter gloves, a scarf and toque.  Driving home the snow started falling, the blowing wind swirling it across the highway, and I saw the temperature dropping on the car thermometer.  The roads were even a little slick.

This is the first year I've ever put my snow tires on my car BEFORE the snow started to fall.  But there's no way it's my fault winter is coming early.  Nah, we'll just blame it on Halloween.

You know you are from Saskatchewan when....you buy your child's Halloween costume based on how well it will fit over the snowsuit. :>)

Oh well, it's supposed to warm up (at least it will be above freezing) later in the week. So the snow should be gone.  Have a good week everyone!!!

Simply random Sunday

Where did the weekend go?  It's already early evening* on Sunday and I'm not certain how I got here!  Someone tell me, wasn't it Friday a few hours ago?

Trying to think what I did and it wasn't a whole lot.  I did get most of the kitchen unpacked and back in the cupboards.  Anything that normally would live on the counter is still in the garage or on the table and will remain there until the tile is done.

I even did some reorganization.  With the changes to the cupboards and having everything out it made sense to move things around a bit.  As I put things away I tried to think where it was most practical to put the items.  AND of course the first thing I went looking for today wasn't were I expected it to be!

Today my daughter and I went to a craft sale.  I was supposed to go yesterday with a friend, but she was late getting back to the city and I wanted to watch the football game.  Sigh...we didn't win, so I should have gone then.

Apparently the things to sell at craft sales this year are jewellry and scented items.  Unfortunately I have a sensitivity to scents so by the time we left the show, I had a sore throat and my sinuses were aching.  I took some cold and sinus meds, and used a throat lozenge, it doesn't seem as bad but I still have the memory of the smell. 

I did find a cute little garden critter for my friend C for Christmas.  My daughter bought a couple of children's books direct from the author and she inscribed them for her.  And of course, we stopped at the fudge table and picked up four large pieces for a treat.   Yum!

It's been two really sunny days so the cats have been enjoying the sunroom,  Last night I had to go out about 8 to convince Saku to come in.  I guess with his fur coat he was fine!  They are all very happy not to be locked away in the bedroom.

That pretty much sums up my weekend, a little housework, a little shopping, and some relaxation too!

*With no hockey (which is quite alright by me), there was a Big Bang Theory marathon on television last night.  In one of the episodes Sheldon called early evening 'prevening'.  I like that...I think I'll use it from now on.

Have a great week everyone!