Friday, at last

It wasn't a bad week, it just seemed so dang long!  But lots accomplished.  I love waking up and looking out my bedroom window and NOT seeing that old brick chimney.  That makes me happy.  Paying the bill didn't make me so happy but I just couldn't convince those roofers to rip up the bill. 

And now that the roof is finished I can bring out the patio furniture.  I hope there is at least one day of sun before Monday.  My legs are so white they are almost reflective when I wear capri pants.

I did have a little surprise today - I won the weekly 50/50 draw at work.  That should pay for one bundle of shingles. Lol   I took the Golden Girls out to supper to celebrate my win.

Tonight I am just winding down and relaxing with a little rug hooking and a nice (big) glass of red wine.  

I really haven't hooked much since I showed you the last little sneak peek.   But here is the next section that I am working on tonight.  Julia thinks it is a hen (she is wrong)  hahaha

 Tomorrow, if it doesn't rain I might visit the garden centres to look for a few plants to bring home and kill.  The sunflower update is not good.  The first original sprout that is in the picture on my sidebar has wizzled up and died.  There was a 2nd plant that did sprout and so far it is the sole survivor of 16 pots. 

I may just go unside and throw a handful of seeds in the air.  It will probably be just as effective!

Wednesday Word of the Week

This weeks word is:   REPAIR

re·pair    [ri-pair]
–verb (used with object)


1. to restore to a good or sound condition after decay or damage; mend: to repair a motor.
2. to restore or renew by any process of making good, strengthening, etc.: to repair one's health by resting.
3. to remedy; make good; make up for: to repair damage; to repair a deficiency.
4. to make amends for; compensate: to repair a wrong done.  


–noun
5. an act, process, or work of repairing: to order the repair of a building.
6. Usually, repairs.
a. an instance or operation of repairing: to lay up a boat for repairs.
b. a repaired part or an addition made in repairing: 17th-century repairs in brick are conspicuous in parts of the medieval stonework.
7. repairs, (in bookkeeping, accounting, etc.) the part of maintenance expense that has been paid out to keep fixed assets in usable condition, as distinguished from amounts used for renewal or replacement.
8. the good condition resulting from continued maintenance and repairing: to keep in repair.
9. condition with respect to soundness and usability: a house in good repair.

We are in the middle of home repairs.  And if you have an old house you can imagine how scary that can be.  Anytime we have done any little job in this house it has snowballed into a larger more expensive task. 
 
However, the roofing job that is underway is going along as smooth as silk.  I am so impressed with this crew.  They are the nicest young men and they are even cleaning up as they work.  I expected that they would clean up the yard at the end of each day but about every hour one guy climbs down and cleans up. 
 
There have been no problems at all.  They were originally supposed to only replace the main roof, not the kitchen addition.  We have been having a lively internal debate (me and Auntie) over the smaller kitchen roof.  You remember - the one that leaked last winter and forced me to line the window sill with diapers!!  There was a visible soft spot under the shingles - which means water damage.  Auntie's philosophy is - if you can't see it - It's OK.   Arrrgh.  My philosophy is bite the bullet - pay the extra money and get it fixed before it becomes a much bigger problem.  I won this round. 
 
They gave us a new quote and we both make a 2nd visit to the bank and by the time I get home tonight all repairs should be complete but my wool budget has taken a serious beating.
 
The downside to the home repairs.........Mom and Millie.   Both are going crazy with the noise and the banging.  Neither one understands what is happening.   They are both acting like Chicken Little

I keep telling them both that THE SKY IS NOT FALLING

 

I find it frustrating interesting that Blogger is still not repaired.  Sheesh, and there has been extremely limited updates from blogger as to the problem and how they intend to fix it.   What really is interesting is that we - the users - have developed and shared several different solutions to assist in finding creative ways to still comment.   Selecting the name/url option works on some blogs and changing your settings from imbedded comments to pop-ups seems to work.  I gave up on waiting for blogger to repair itself and went ahead and changed my settings to pop-up this afternoon so I hope it helps. 

 

I wouldn't want to miss any comments and especially wouldn't want to miss Michelle's Word of the Week response.  So many of my followers wait for her creative response and last week I received 3 emails from different people hoping that Michelle wasn't affected by the blogger glitch.  

Todays Happy List

Yes, today is a happy day.  And none too soon, as yesterday I found myself having a little pity party.  BUT I am over it. 

My list for today:

#1 - I woke to bright sunshine and warm breezes.  Not a cloud in the sky actually.  And no humidity so my hair no longer looks like a crazed poodle.  The past 2 days I looked like some crazy science experiment gone wrong.  Like - stick your finger in this socket and see what happens!  lol

#2 - As I was reading the blogs over my morning coffee I discovered I won the giveaway from Teri at White Sheep Farm blog.  Yippee and the prize is WOOL.  My favorite thing!  She had such a generous giveaway with 3 winners.  (Shhhh, Lauren won too)

#3 - The air conditioner at work was fixed today.  It was getting a tad bit uncomfortable the past few days but we are nice and cool again now.

#4 - The AWOL handyman appeared out of the blue this morning.  He arrived to mow the lawn.  Boy, did he get a surprise when he discovered I had hired someone else to do it last week.  It was a field.  You could have almost lost Millie in the weeds.  Apparently he had hurt his neck and was sick for over 3 weeks.  (Not sure why he couldn't use the phone - but whatever)  He left with a new list of chores  (hahaha)

#5 - Auntie called me around 10am to say the Roofers had arrived.  YIPPEE........  I was home at noon and they are moving right along and I am so impressed with them.  They are even cleaning up as they go.  One side is already stripped and 3/4 replaced at 1pm.   The one downside to this is that Mom and the dog are both having nervous breakdowns over the banging and the confusion. 

#6 - Today is a HomeCare day so it is the VON nurse that will have to deal with them.  (Again Hahahaha)

So, what is on your happy list today?

Too cold for May

It is just not right that you still need a sweatshirt in the afternoon of late May.  There is just something wrong about the whole thing.

Gardens and flowers are about a month behind here.  And the scattered few hours of sunshine this month are just not enough.  I am hoping that the month of June will make up for it.

This morning I spent a little me time.  I had to drive to Parrsboro again.  Last weekend we were there and did a little shopping.  When we arrived home one of the necklaces I bought was not in the bag.  I called the store and she put it aside for me.  So this morning, I went to pick it up.  Even though it was grey and drizzly I did enjoy the drive and having a few hours alone with my thoughts.

And last night I finally started my new hooking project.  I have my mojo back.  Last week I felt like I was spinning but a few hours alone today has me centered again. 

You didn't think I was going to show you the whole thing all at once did you??  That would ruin the surprise.  And it might be a big surprise for all of us because I am going outside my color comfort zone.  I'm winging it.   

Millie hasn't made an appearance here for awhile.  She was polite enough to interrupt her nap to give you a little hello.

One last thought - I am impressed with the dedication and persistence of the blog community.  So many have found creative ways to continue communicating despite the tech issues with blogger.  There are several different hints out there for finding ways around the problems.   Maybe some of us should work for blogger - maybe the problem would be fixed by now!

Almost - but not quite

Blogger is still messing with us.   Robin at The Cranky Crow blog has posted a few suggestions that worked for her.  I am going to try and wait one more day for blogger staff to figure it out because I am scared if I start messing around with my settings the whole blog might blow up.

I did figure out that I can leave comments if I use my iPad.  So my suggestion is for everyone to go out and buy and iPad.  Hehehe  Well, they are pretty nifty.

After my finger getting tired from iPad typing I decided to try the laptop again a few minutes ago.  The first 3 blogs I visited, my comments went through with no problems.  Woohoo I was convinced the problem was fixed. 

Then I stopped by another blog and typed a comment and BOOM  --- broken again!  I tried a test comment on another one and failed again.  Sheesh!  Then my followers all disappeared.  

I hope that this all means that they are working on something........ 

Wednesday Word of the Week

This weeks word is  STIFLE

sti·fle  [stahy-fuhl]

verb, -fled, -fling.

–verb (used with object)

1. to quell, crush, or end by force: to stifle a revolt; to stifle free expression.

2. to suppress, curb, or withhold: to stifle a yawn.

3. to kill by impeding respiration; smother.

–verb (used without object)

4. to suffer from difficulty in breathing, as in a close atmosphere.

5. to become stifled or suffocated.

Blogger has stifled me.  Do you think they are sending me a message that I yap on and on too much??   I can't leave any comments on any of your blogs.
 
I am reading your posts but my wise and thoughtful opinions are being stifled.  (OK maybe I stretched it a teeny bit with the wise thoughtful remark)   Lol   I meant my silly rambling remarks on all YOUR wise thoughtful posts are not being recorded.
 
I love this cat.  Sometimes when I am rambling I imagine this is what you all are thinking.......hahahaha

It makes me twitchy.   I feel disconnected.  I checked with Blogger Known Issues and apparently it is not just me and they are working on it.
 
I have spent the majority of the past 2 days in meetings.  At times I envisioned myself as Archie Bunker and it was all I could do not to scream "Oh Stifle it".   But that would have been a BAD career move.

However, in the meantime, I will keep reading your posts and wait until blogger decides to stop stifling my comments - but for now....my hands are tied

Can you have too many cakes??

Can you have too many cakes??  Well, the answer to that is NO.

Julia spilled the beans this morning on her blog - Today is my birthday.   The truth is that I have been celebrating it since after work Friday.  Well, one day just isn't enough.

And apparently one cake isn't enough either.  The final count is (drum roll........) FIVE cakes.   One Friday afternoon from the staff,  # 2 made by a friend delivered Sunday, #3 store bought from Auntie,  #4 chocolate cake with boiled icing Monday night at my "official" family dinner, and #5 a second chocolate cake with boiled icing tonight at work from management/Council meeting.   (yes, I had to work the evening of my birthday)

PLUS a plate of carrot muffins with cream cheese icing from Terri,  a plate of my favorite crispy cookies and butterscotch squares from Alice,  and a donut from a cute boy.

Needless to say the diet has been on hold for a brief celebratory period.

The official first weekend of summer

The long weekend of May has always been the start of summer.  It didn't feel like it  temperature wise but it feels like it in our hearts.

It was busy, busy, busy but fun.  Saturday morning I grabbed the Golden Girls and we headed out to Parrsboro.  It wasn't a great day for it - rainy and cold - like sweatshirt AND a jacket cold but I wanted to go anyway.  The Harbourview Restaurant is open for the season.   A little seafood place on the beach with the best food.  I have missed their scallop burgers all winter.  Then a bit of retail therapy at Sweet Briar Boutique.  A tiny little shop with the cutest things.  Joan, the owner, takes care of Mom so we can shop.  We both got new handbags and I found a funky starfish necklace and earrings. 

And I did get a chore finished that I procrastinated for weeks.  I tackled our closets and switched out all the seasonal clothes.  The washer and dryer was going full tilt all weekend but now it is all done and put away.  Our closets haven't been so nicely organized since last year!

I did decide not to put out all the patio furniture yet.  As I mentioned, we are getting a new roof.  If the weather forecast would give us a few days in a row without rain - the guys could start.  I don't want my chairs and cushions covered in roofing crap.

This afternoon I am invited to my friend Terri's to gossip and drink "special" coffees on her new deck.  And then we are off to a family and friends dinner.

I looked at my new hooking project several times this weekend.  I looked at it - I didn't pick it up.  Next week. 

Eeeeek.....

It was only a matter of time.  I knew this day would come eventually, as it does every Spring.

Last night, as I took Millie out to do her business, I was under attack ---  JUNE BUGS.........Eeeeek

Hitting my head, pinging off the siding, their disgusting hard shells crunching under my flip flops in the dark.  Arrrghhh   I hate them.  I imagine they will get caught in my hair and I might actually have to pick one out.  Oh, the horror !!

All the while, I'm screaming at Millie - "Hurry up, they're going to get us!!"  

Thankfully they are only around for a short time.  Then it's the earwigs - oh joy oh bliss. 

On a less creepy note - I have lost my hooking MoJo the last week or so.  I can't get going.  I have blank burlap, wool etc but nothing that makes me want to hook.  So I popped into Deannes at lunch and asked Brenda to find me a small project to get me moving again. 

We picked out this very funky flower.  Perfect for inspiration.  Actually it really reminds of Cathy's work at Orange Sink.  And since I love her patterns I had to try it.  I know it won't match her fun style but it will be fun for me to give it a whirl.

And....I bought myself a new camera lens and it arrived today.  I hope the weather forecast changes so I can test it out this weekend.  I have to stop buying lenses now or else get a larger camera bag.  This one does not have a zoom but takes a wider angle shot for landscapes etc.   The photography lessons start in a couple of weeks so I want to practice.

Oh, and in the interest of public safety I did have 1 cookie last night.  Just one though. 

TGIF

Wednesday Word of the Week

Ferocious

fe·ro·cious   [fuh-roh-shuhs]

–adjective


1. savagely fierce, as a wild beast, person, action, or aspect; violently cruel: a ferocious beating.


2. extreme or intense: a ferocious thirst.

OK, I have been on a diet since Sunday.  No treats, no snacks, no over-flowing plates, no sugar.
 
Quite frankly, when I'm hungry and off sugar it just makes me mean --- like ferocious, mad dog mean.
 

I had the day off today.  I had an appointment in Moncton and planned to spend a relaxing day shopping.   Well, that was the plan before this stupid diet idea.  I avoided the food court because I was scared I might turn ferocious and knock some old lady down for a cookie.   And what is the deal with baby strollers now that are the size of a Volkswagon Beetle??  Good Grief - get out of my way --- I'm on a friggin diet and I'm in a mood.....

Thank goodness no drivers cut me off on the way home because I seriously might have chased them down.
 
I want a cookie........................ or an entire bag of chips............................

Lets hope I lose these ten pounds quickly or things could get ferociously ugly.

P.S.  Thanks for all you who visit Miss The Sea's blog.  Blogging is so much more fun when you have some followers and comments.