Just hanging around

One things that is still hanging around is "Old Man Winter".   It's the season that just keeps giving!!  We are now in day 2 of rain, freezing rain and sleet.   This morning as I looked towards the back yard I saw this.....

A large tree limb, cracked and hanging precariously across the yard.  Ughhh.  Thankfully it's not in a position to damage anything. 

There is more scattered power outages in town, but we still have lights.  (Fingers crossed)  it seems like a night to just tuck in, relax and sip a cup of hot tea.

Hmmm, I see a few stray wool snippets by my cup.  Yes, I did hook some yesterday on a new rug.  Can't wait to show you in a few days.  So far, one part of it sparkles.  Hehehe can't tell you anymore.  

I'm hoping the power stays on for another reason.  It's Dancing With The Stars night.  Cha cha cha

How to deal with indecision

Today I worked on my March Mystery Pattern from Deanne Fitzpatricks Pattern of the Month Club.  The Optimistic Owl was a fun project to work on.  I finished the owl portion

That was the easy part.  I always struggle with background choices.  And it's especially bad when I start a project without a proper color plan.  I remember telling myself at the end of 2013 that I was going to challenge myself in 2014 with making beautiful backgrounds.  It was my unofficial New Years resolution.  Stretch myself, be bold and expressive and create fun backgrounds.......

So, here we are with my first real project of 2014 and.........

I gave up!  Nothing looked right to me.  I trolled through my stash holding up various pieces of wool.

And then I said "the heck with this!"   So I made a pillow.  LOL

That's one way to avoid hooking backgrounds :)

Now I can start my April mystery pattern.   But since the rest of the participants haven't received theirs in the mail  yet, Meagan (who works at Deanne's studio) has made me promise not to show it yet.  Sorry ladies, but I can tell you that you will LOVE it when it arrives.

Just one word......

STOP.........

Getting reacquainted

It has been so long since I have hooked anything.  Since it was a storm day, I had no excuse so I dusted off my old faithful hook 

It feels great to have a project again.  I joined Deanne's pattern of the month club.  This is a peek at the March pattern.  

And after a few more loops were pulled.....

I was scared the April pattern would arrive before I started February or March.  I'm trying to hook as much as I can before the power goes out.  The snow is still falling, the wind is whipping it around and the lights occasionally flicker. 

Brrrrrrr. Just a quick post tonight.  

Calm down.....

Ok Mother Nature, calm the heck down!!  I don't know what her problem is this winter but she sure has her knickers in a twist!

The storm forecast for tomorrow is looking like a real doozy.  Maybe 40-50 cms of snow......Come On! It's supposed to be Spring.   

I've been to the store and done the obligatory "storm snack food" shopping.  Lots of Dr. Pepper, family size bag of potato chips, licorice, crackers, cheese (and wine).  Well, I won't be driving anywhere tomorrow so I might as well enjoy a glass of red, right? 

Everyone is getting a little fed up with all the snow.....

Everyone in the storm's path, hunker down and stay safe.  If you are not in the storm's path, please don't post pictures of tulips or spring blooms.  I might burst into tears.   Lol 

This little piggy......

This little piggy went to market -- the Saturday morning market downtown.  

And something weird happened......

The Market has this great little coffee corner at the back.  We've started a new tradition of meeting there for coffee around 10am.   They have really made this area cozy with several small, cute and different seating areas.  But the best one is the "Friends Sofa". 

Do you remember this?

Well, just like these guys, we have "claimed" the sofa as ours.   So this morning we were settled in "our spot", drinking coffee and chatting.  Well, all of a sudden this stranger interrupts our conversation.  It was the oddest thing.  She says she has a "dr. Phil" question for us.  And before we could react she asks what we think of this friend of hers who has 16 feral cats and is expecting a baby with his new Mail Order Bride.........(and sadly, the story didn't stop there) 

Huh???  Now, what exactly do you say??  I almost looked around to see if there was a hidden camera somewhere.  LOL   Has that ever happened to you? A total stranger just launches into a weird random story?  The bright spot is that we all managed not to burst out laughing and luckily someone else came along to distract us long enough for the lady to leave. 

Things are never dull downtown !!

Malfunctions, Mayhem and Macaroons

Today Auntie had a medical scan scheduled in a hospital about an hour from home.  The friend who was supposed to take her got sick so I took the afternoon off work and away we went.  

It was a nice sunny day and there were several deer along the highway, finally venturing out from the snowy woodlands looking for food. Great day for a drive. 

But once we got to the hospital things didn't look so bright!  They informed us the machine was broken!   I had taken time off work and it looked like we were heading back home.  The technician was great and took pity on us.   (Probably because we both looked like we were about to burst into tears at the "broken" news). He said they had been tinkering with it and had it running again but couldn't guarantee it would function properly or even stay running but he agreed to try.  I crossed my fingers and toes and held my breath........it worked!  Auntie got her scan and the repair guys were waiting to take it apart as we left.   Whew!!

And the day ended with a sweet treat - a box of homemade French macaroons 

Almond Blueberry........yummmmmmm.    Happy Weekend!

Tuesday Random

It's back to sub-zero temperatures here.  People keep "claiming" Spring starts later this week.  Pfft, I'm going to need more conclusive evidence than a date on a calendar!

I was watching the news tonight and there was a reporter complaining about certain networks that were doing around-the-clock "theory" stories about the missing Malaysian airliner.  They were calling the coverage "disaster porn".  Really?  Is there anything we can't create a buzz-name for?

Speaking of something I didn't realize was "a thing".......the other day I was shoe shopping with a couple of girlfriends.  We looked at one particular shoe and my friend says she doesn't like it because it shows "toe cleavage".  Have you heard this before?    Is that a real thing?  Have I been guilty of flashing some "toe cleavage" in my past?   Are people still talking about it/me?   Great......another thing for me to worry about. 

Still on the topic of body parts (sort of) - we have a friend who has had some leg issues and needs to wear a hard plastic support brace that fits inside her shoe.   While she was visiting she removed the brace.  As she got ready to leave I decided to bring her the brace in the living room so she could put it on easier.   It is similar to something like this, only it was still attached to her shoe

I put it in front of her and Millie went completely ballistic.  Barking, growling, running around in circles.   I think she thought her leg fell off!!  I've never seen her act like that but she was so upset. It was quite the sight.  Lol 

Last but certainly not least - yesterday I went to a St. Patricks Day lunch at a friends house.  Four lovely ladies went to great effort to cheer me up.  It was lovely

Everyone wore green.  There were fun hats and green feather boas. (No pics of that - to protect the innocent). Even the furry residents of the house felt the Irish spirit

Thanks for reading my random!

Time

Things were going well.  I was moving forward and coping very well.  At least once a day I heard "She's doing OK, she's strong like her Mother".  And I was 

I was functioning and taking care of business.  I was back to work and thinking ahead.  I thought I had things in control.

I was wrong.

This afternoon, for no particular reason, without any significant trigger - I felt a large hole consume my heart. 

No comments necessary.  I will be back when I feel more bloggy.  

What now??

Well, I suppose it's time to start looking forward at what is next for me.  My job as a caregiver has ended and after so many years I find it a daunting challenge to see beyond that role.  But, like every challenge that faces each of us, we somehow find a way through to the other side.  

So having said that, I will begin the challenge of adjusting to a new normal.  I am so fortunate I had so many years with Mom and have no regrets.  That has been a comfort, as has the support of an entire community of family and friends. 

I'm going to try and get back to regular activities, including blog posting.