Another hill to climb

Here we go again. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned we had another bump in the road with Mom. We now have all the details and its not great news. She has breast cancer. As if Alzheimer's isn't enough??

Basically we have 2 options, both with their own pros and cons. Chemo or radiation are not options. I have stressed and debated what to do, changing my decisions almost daily. Auntie and I decided to wait to see what the surgeon had to say before we decided. I was expecting him to present the options (which I already know) and then leave the decision to me. And I knew that if that happened I would torture myself wondering if I did the right thing.

I met with him yesterday. Honestly, I have never met such a kind, compassionate man. He was wonderful with Mom (and me). He understood how I was feeling, he didn't try to rush us. He was patient with Mom, even as she resisted some of the examination. And he wasn't all wishy-washy with his advice. He very clearly expressed his recommendation and then we discussed it. I felt completely comfortable with him.

He has completed the report as an emergency case so we were able to book the surgery quickly. Next week we have pre-op and anesthesia consultations and her surgery will be February 14th.

It's been a bit of a roller coaster ride but now we have a plan. So I'm going to try and not dwell on it and put my trust in someone else.
I will get around to visit all of your blogs soon. I've been reading them but not commenting much. Now you know why.



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Just beige

This weekend was very much like this pile of wool - beige. Not that there's anything wrong with beige, but its not very vibrant or exciting.

I did the usual weekend stuff - groceries, laundry, cooking, and hooking on the butterfly background. I did get a fair amount done, but there is still lots left to hook. Lots and lots of beige. My next background will have color. ANY color. I've seen so many great patterns lately its hard to decide what to hook next.

I'll work on "beige" for the next hour and then its Downton time! I wish I had something fun or eventful to post but who knows what the new week will bring.

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It's a thing! And some background

Happy Friday Folks. And a new "thing" has been born. Recently some of the girls have been meeting after work on Friday for Happy Hour at the downtown pub. Kind of random and impromptu. Last Saturday a few of us accidentally met at the Deli for coffee and we chatted about it. Someone said " It should be our new thing". We all laughed and never thought much about it again.

This afternoon I got a text message, something like "Is our thing still on this afternoon?" So our new "thing" is official. A few quick text messages were sent around and led to this


We stay about an hour, chit chat about our week, and our weekend plans - just some good old fashioned girl talk - with wine (of course)

Then I came home, heated up some homemade chili and had some amazing potato and cheese bread sticks. I'll be buying some of those again! Now I'm slowly (very slowly) hooking in the background of the butterfly


I hope to get lots done this weekend. The date for the auction is getting dangerously close. At this rate I might be binding this at the same time the bidding is happening!

I've had lots of visits and some new followers through the Grow Your Blog party. Thanks to all of you, old and new, who read and/or comment here. I really do appreciate each of you.

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Crazy C-c-c-cold

I know, I'm whining. But I'm not one of those great winter loving Canadian girls. I'm a wimp and I don't like winter. This continuing minus 30-ish temps are wearing me out!
The heated car seats and steering wheel were a nice treat today. But the walk across the parking lot quickly erased any warm memories.

Miss Millie is not wasting anytime outside either. No checking around to find just the right spot. She goes about 6 inches from the door :). I swear this reminds me of her reaction when she went outside this morning



Nothing to do tonight except sit by the heater, hook some more on my butterfly rug and watch another episode of Downton Abbey.

Oh, and dream of Spring .... Instead of thoughts like this....



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Chats on the Porch and the 3rd thing

It's time to have another visit with Patrice from Everyday Ruralty.  She hosts a weekly chat from her porch and offers a series of questions for us to answer. 

But before we dive into the questions, I thought I would update you on........the 3rd thing.  The law of 3's has struck again.  I came home from work to learn that the vacuum died.  It has been sent to the repair man.  Poor Auntie is beside herself.  They were very close :)  It's like her best friend left her.  Me - I couldn't care less.  The vacuum is my least favorite household item.  So for me its a nice little vacation from the vroom, vroom.   And Millie is thrilled!  She hates the vacuum even more that I do (and that's saying something)

Now on to the questions:

1. Do you eat eggs? What is your favorite way to serve them?  I can eat eggs most ways.  But when I fry an egg and the yolk breaks I start over again!  It's best with a runny yolk you can dip your toast in.  Scrambled or poached are also great.
2. Do you have a favorite item that you really like having around? (a pillow, a chair, a sweater, a teddy bear, etc.)  I can't sleep without my pillows.  And I also have trouble sleeping if my little Millie isn't at the foot of the bed. (Even though it drives me crazy when she roams around the bed in the middle of the night)
3. Is most of the furniture in your home dark wood, light wood, painted, lacquered, or distressed?  I'm afraid all of the wood here is painted.  If I ever win the lottery I'm going to fix that.
4. Please fill in the rest of this sentence. "I could write a book about____________."   The effects on families dealing with Alzheimers.
5. If money and calendar/family obligations weren't an issue, would you prefer to spend next weekend at a Bed and Breakfast, a posh hotel, a cabin in the woods, or on a sailboat on a calm body of water?  I would probably pick a cabin in the woods.  It always seems like that would be a peaceful spot.  But a very close second would be on a sailboat.

Supergirl - perception vs reality

It's always interesting to compare perception to reality. This morning as I went through my morning routine it seemed a little chilly. I turned up the thermostat and continued to read the paper. After a while I noticed I didn't hear the furnace running (or feel any heat). Crap! Just what you need on a Monday morning, a busted furnace. Oh, and it was about minus 15 outside.

For some reason I can't explain, I decided I could fix this myself. Apparently i was having a Supergirl delusion. I grabbed my flashlight and headed down to the basement. (AKA where the spiders live). I checked the fuses, then the furnace and hit the reset button. It started to purr.

So I was feeling pretty cocky. I was Supergirl - nothing could hold me down. I went to work feeling like I had saved the day. By the time the Golden Girls got up the house would be toasty warm and all would be good.

Then about a half hour later reality kicked in. Auntie called me at work, she was freezing and crabby. Apparently the furnace stopped purring the second I raced out the door. We had to call the repair man and the good news is it was fixed by 10:30am. So that's 2 (if you believe in the law of 3's). Last week the water heater and now the furnace. What's next?? And I hope it's cheap.

Monday morning lived up to the perception of being crappy. That's the reality!


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Grow Your Blog Party and Surprise Giveaway

Today I'm joining up with Vicki at 2 Bags Full in the 2013 Grow Your Blog Party. It seems like a perfect way to meet new bloggers and find new friends, right! This world of blogland is filled with so many interesting and talented people and has certainly enhanced my life since I nervously hit that publish button about 3 years ago.
So now we are supposed to introduce ourselves. Well, I'm a single gal on the backside of 40. I started out reading a few blogs related to my hobby of rug hooking. I found that soon I became "hooked" not only by the craft related posts, but also learning about the bloggers lives and interests. Here's just a sample of a few recent hooked projects









I am also a caregiver to my Mom who battles Alzheimer's. The stress of this illness as well as maintaining a full time job in government was taking its toll on me. I discovered blogging was a great release for me as well as opened me up to people who were also caregivers and crafters. The support has been a blessing.

My blog is a random mish-mash of everyday life, rug hooking, photography (occasionally), caregiving and friendship. I have a bit of a twisty sense of humor and try to find the bright side of things whenever possible. Oh and sometimes you will read about the adventures of Millie, the most adorable and quirky 4 pound toy poodle you will ever meet.


I hope you enjoy reading my ramblings and following along with all the twists and turns life provides us.

AND I'm having a Giveaway to celebrate. It will be a surprise box that I'll add little treasures to in the next few days. I'll make the drawing on February 1st and is open to everyone. Just sign up on this post and make sure I can contact you by email.


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Friday Random

It seems like random is the best word to describe things lately. Nothing really big or blog-worthy has been happening. It was kind of one of those "vanilla" weeks. I'm not complaining - but it doesn't make for very exciting blog posts.

So I tried to spice up the end of the week a little by stopping at the Pub after work for Happy Hour with a friend.


Nothing like a nice glass of red, a huge plate of nacho's and a bit of girl talk.




On my way home I picked up the latest Rug Hooking Magazine for a quiet night at home. TGIF

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Wednesday Wool Day?

I think that should be a new thing - Wednesday Wool Day. A day when fibre fanatics around the world get new wool. You know, you can never have enough! And what better way to break up the week? I've been debating what to do with the background of my rug to make it look less bland and plain. I picked up another shade of off-white and 2 shades of white/cream colored yarns.

Tonight I started playing around with randomly filling in


I hope no one asks about my border plan - because I don't have a plan yet. But I am open to suggestions.

It's snowing.....again. The curse of January, also known as the longest month EVER. Hope you all start celebrating Wednesday Wool Day with me :)

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Call me surprised

Today was week 1 weigh-in day at work. I was sure I gained. The truth is, I kind of gave up on the diet plans after Wednesday. That was the day we got another little bump in the road with regards to Mom's health. I'll wait until we have more details before I share.

But when I get unsettled I tend to eat in the evenings. And eat and eat and eat. Plus Friday nights dinner party was not diet friendly. (And a bag of chips on Sunday). However, much to my surprise, as I reluctantly stepped on the scales in front of co-workers........I lost 1 & 1/2 pounds.

So I am motivated again. If I can do that without really trying, maybe I can drop those 10 pounds. A sensible lunch, spinach salad for dinner and no evening snacks so I'm back on track for this week.

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Little progress

I got side tracked this weekend and because of it I made little progress on my rug. I'm now one of the thousands of people addicted to Downton Abbey. I downloaded just one episode. But by the time it was finished, I purchased the rest of Season 1.

However, unless you have a maid - don't start watching it until you've finished your housework. I didn't get around to doing the laundry until 4pm.

Likewise, not much done on the rug either. I did finish the butterfly, although it needs some tweaking



And since I took this overall photo, I've added a few elements to the bottom left corner......and then I pulled it all out



Now I'm debating my next move. I might pull the border in some. I'll sleep on it because I hate wasting time hooking only to tear it all out.

Once again the weekend has flown by and all the things I had hoped to do will wait for another day. Well, I need to finish season 1 of Downton :)

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Friends and fondue

It's been a few days since I posted. About mid-week the wheels kind of fell off things here. But it's funny how sometimes you get lifted up by friends without them even knowing you needed it. I've been trying to get out of my shell more this last year or so. It's so easy for me to let myself be a hermit.

Friday afternoon I missed a message from a friend wanting to go out for coffee. By the time I checked my phone it was too late, but it was nice knowing she was thinking about me.

Friday night was our Ladies Dinner Club and the theme - FONDUE. F-U-N
I forgot to take a single picture. But as usual it is something I look forward to each month. A collection of friends who always make me laugh. It was a day that helped end a crappy week. (Oh, and the diet was suspended for the evening.)

I'm hooking a bit on my rug tonight and then later I'll catch up on some blogs. And I have caved to peer pressure and downloaded the first episode of Downton Abbey. I need to find out what all the fuss is about.


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The power of positive

Those of you who have been following this blog for awhile know that I have some issues with impulse control. I have weaknesses for handbags, purses, wool (you get the idea). Within the obvious budget limits I find it not easy to deny myself. So this whole diet thing is a real challenge.

Today I attempted to use the power of positive thinking. I looked at the apple on my desk I brought for a snack. I stared at it and with all the positive energy I could muster said "Be a donut, be a donut, be a donut". It didn't work - it was still an apple!

Other than that, I did reasonably OK today. Except I didn't drink enough water. I forgot. Maybe if I used one of these glasses....




....I would feel more like drinking the water ;)

I managed to get an appointment for a therapeutic massage after work. My neck is feeling so much better. Plus, it was a pretty relaxing way to end the work week. (And take my mind off what I can't eat). I'm all set for tomorrow. I made a big spinach salad to take for my lunch tomorrow.

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Today's the day

The day that started a joy-less 8 week diet attempt. The annual Weight Loss Challenge at work.



I forgot I had a dentist appointment first thing this morning, so i missed the "official" and private weigh-in. The coordinator records our starting weight and we just post % lost each week. Since I was late I had my starting weight witnessed by a male employee who I immediately swore to secrecy and possibly threatened his children if he ever discloses. Lol



So I begin the punishment tonight, which happens to be my favorite snacking time. Sigh....



Tomorrow night I need to visit the grocery store and stock up on "rabbit food". I really wish they'd invent a lettuce that tastes like potato chips, or ice cream :)



Wish me luck.

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Winter's Butterfly

In case you were wondering where I was going with my latest rug - the one with the sparkly snowflakes - this might give you a little clue



Well, they say snowflakes are winter's butterflies so I'm going to try and capture that idea. It's funny how you notice little mistakes when you take a photo that you don't see when you are looking directly at the rug. Looks like I need to tweak the centre of the body a bit.

I still need to draw around the outer wings and hook a bit around the edges before I decide whether this is a go or not. Maybe tomorrow night after I get some more done I'll lay it out on the floor and take some more shots of the whole piece. I do have a back-up plan, just in case.

My plan to hook all day Saturday changed quickly. Friday night at bedtime I strained my neck trying to keep Mom from falling. I didn't think much of it at the time but woke up around 4am in pain. It was so bad I stayed in my pj top all day - mainly because I couldn't get it off. I used a heated therapy bag and handfuls of Advil all day. Today it's much better.

Tomorrow we start our little weight loss challenge at work for 8 weeks. I don't have high hopes but I will try to lose a few pounds. I will try to eat healthier and cut out the junk, but don't expect any big exercising posts. Lol

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A few flakes

As promised I did pick up my hook and settled the frame on my lap for the evening. I'm feeling a little flakey. Snow flakey!




This design is evolving as I go along. It's still holding the original concept, just adding here and there.




I absolutely love adding this sparkly ribbon to certain rugs. And it is a dream to hook with. There is just enough texture to make it not as slippery as some other types. It really holds its place as you hook around it.



It became impossible to get about a year ago so I selfishly hoarded my supply. My now its back and I'm stocking up!

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Frozen in time

Is it just me or is January just crawling along? (Prepare yourself, the January blahs are early this year). Today I looked at the calendar and it was ONLY January 3rd......

Two days back to work and it truly felt like it should be at least the 10th or 11th!! Ohh this is gonna be a loooong month.

One bright spot today was a family friend sent over a big container of ham and bean soup which was perfect for a cold yucky day. And another bright spot is that I've gained a few new followers recently. I'm getting close to the 200 follower milestone. Woohoo.

So far tomorrow night has no commitments so I WILL make some progress on the rug. Hopefully that will encourage a more inspiring post :)

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Bundle up

2013 has started with a rather frosty tone. Not only did I have to go back to work this morning, but it was a bitterly cold blustery day. Much like my mood I might add. Let me tell you, I was regretting not taking those few extra vacation days to get me through the end of the week. But I will say the best investment I made in 2012 was the new car with the heated seats. I toasted my butt all the way to work this morning :)

Tomorrow will be the same. Between the cold and the icy conditions everywhere I think I will keep Mom home from her Alzheimer's Day Care tomorrow. She's already unsteady on her feet so taking her across an icy parking lot is just tempting fate.

I've hooked a little more, but it doesn't look much different. I'm playing around with the background. Adding and removing, trying to figure it out as I go. I should have another photo soon. Be patient ;)

This is the motto for tonight



And Miss Millie is taking full advantage of her pile of fuzzy blankets




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All that glitters is gone

The holidays are officially packed away. All that sparkles and glitters is now stowed away in the basement. I was anxious to get the house back to normal. (But now the house just looks sad) And the long stretch of winter begins.......sigh

I saw this idea on Facebook and thought it might be fun



I won't add something to the jar every day, just special things. I think it will be fun to look back. I often do that with this blog, but we all know there are lots of things that happen to us throughout the year that don't make the blog.

Here's a little peek at my new rug project. And so I'm not completely without glitter, there will be some sparkly ribbon incorporated into the design later




My vacation is over - its back to work tomorrow morning. It seems much to soon. (Yes, my face is damp with tears). Lol

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