Music, Music and more music

Music is what I have listened too on and off for the past week and I will tell you all about it, but first.

Last Wednesday was the last meeting for our quilting guild until September.  At the June meeting we always have a luncheon as well as the meeting.  In the building where I live there is a common room upstairs that can be rented with a deposit and if it is left clean with no damage the deposit is returned --so really it is free.  Usually we have a pot luck lunch, however, another member also lives here and her husband loves to cook, and he prepared a delicious Mediterranean food luncheon for 18 members.  It was absolutely delicious to say the least. 

Start the music.  Wednesday evening, I went to a monthly jazz concert, always good music for two hours there.

Thursday, the ex and I went to a performance at a local theatre who's show was "70's" music.   Lots of songs which brough back many memories of those years.  Many songs from a variety of performers who sung the songs way back when.  A very enjoyable evening.

Saturday afternoon, the owner of the building I live in had a six piece band come and perform for the tenants in the park we have here. They started at noon and finished at 3:00 p.m. lots of music and some dancing too.  The weather was perfect, sunny, warm and a nice breeze.  Two food trucks also were selling their wares, hamburgers, hot dogs and fries, dessert could be an ice cream concoction from the other truck.  Both trucks were very busy, I lined up for a hot dog, had not eaten on for a long time and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I am not a fan of ice cream, so did not have anything from the other truck. 

Sunday also being a perfect sunny warm day, took me to a local park in the evening.  Why, yes again more music.  The monthly music in the park had it's first show, bring your chair or blanket and listen.  It started at 6:00 p.m. one break and finished at 8:00 p.m.   A band of four members and a singer played all kinds of music.

Today, Tuesday, June 9th, I will be meeting with two friends and have a nice visit in the local park, that is, if the weather holds.

Everyone is hoping for some rain as we have not had any measurable rain for at least two weeks or more.  Along with the sunny warm days there also has been a brisk breeze, so our ground is very dry.  farmers need moisture for their newly sprouted crops.  The forecast for today is scattered showers and a possible thunder storm.  We will see.   The forecast for the coming days also looks as if their might be more rain too, so we just hope the forecast is right.

So, must get a more on.

Have a great day

Cheers.

It's blue

I didn't realize it had been such a long time since I last posted, so here I am.

Lots of time has been spent doing the daily things that need to be done and also going out and about.

Earlier this month I went to a small town theatre with my ex.  (I know, but we get along better living apart and we only see each other now and then).  The play we saw was "I do I do" about the ups and downs of life after a couple got married.  It was a great play and I enjoyed it.  Comment from ex--- some of the tings in the play really home for me.   Yeh!!  

Last weekend I went to another play with a friend and we saw "Come from Away"  such a lovely story with so much music.  We both really loved it. 

May is a busy month for birthdays in my family, great grands, grand D I L, and a nephew which were a lot of  fun, visiting for parties and also sending some cards. Late sister, late husband not so much, they both received some fresh flowers.

The area where I live was under a tornado watch recently, a small one touched down a few miles away, and we had very strong winds and rain that came down so hard you could not see anything in front of your eyes.  Lots of trees were uprooted and other damage done, and thankfully not one was injured.

Now, the blue in my title refers to the sky, we have had clear skies for several days with quite hot days, with more to come as predicted by the weather on TV.  Is is a nice change after all the cool, dark and wet days we were having much too frequently.

My hair was cut today, went to the library to drop of books and pick up another.  Pharmacy for Rx renewal and dropped off a donation to the charity shop.  Decided while I was out to pick a few fruit and veg.  Looking at some of the other products on the shelves, it appears the prices are going up again and I swear the packages are getting smaller.  Are you noticing smaller packages?

Hope you are having a great day

Cheers,

Home

 Arrived home in the wee small hours yesterday, Sunday from a great vacation with my three children, one daughter in law and two sons in law.

We had a great time in the Dominican Republic for seven days, lots of fun, laughs, food and drinks.  Most of all we made some wonderful memories.

This was the first vacation that my children had taken together since 1977,  forty nine years ago.  

DD1 and hubby, did parasailing, something they had never done before and which can now be taken off their bucket list.  DD2 and hubby, did a day long city tour.  Both were enjoyed by all.   Son and daughter in law were not interested in doing a tour, so they along with me had a quiet day, reading and swimming.  Taking lots of photos, swimming, long walks on the beach, reading, eating and drinking were done with all of us together during the vacation.

We all met up for breakfast and dinner every night at the al a carte restaurants having, Italian, Mexican, American and Japanese and of course the buffet. 

 At the Teppanyaki restaurant I was recruited to cook the meal for everyone at our section,  lots of fun, and laughter while I was trying to do my best.    After I had done my cooking, DD2's hubby was then recruited to cook,, more laughs, it was a great night.

We are still taking to each other, and discussed a possible family vacation again, but one thing we did decide was to have a family reunion.  A reunion, hopefully later this year, which will include everyone in my late sister's family too.

Now back to reality, did some grocery shopping yesterday, laundry today, then out for lunch with two friends from the quilt guild I belong to.  We made a trip to a garden centre which had a lot of their plants displayed.  A Hosta and a potted rose left with us.  

Have a great day

Cheers.

 

Will it last this time

Spring is a fickle time of the year here, one day warm and sunny and within the blink of the eye the next day we are hauling out the winter gear or the brolly and wellingtons.  At present, 9:45 a.m. we have sunshine and 6*C , so hoping this is going to be a nice day.

The recent quilt show did well, when I signed in for a visit my name was on the 422nd line, there were more people coming in after me. Such a beautiful display of quilts were hung and displayed on the walls.  I arrived in the late afternoon as I did not want to make two trips, one to see the show and the second to pick up my two pieces after it closed.  (Price of gasoline).  Before leaving I assisted in taking down all of the quilts and folding them ready to be picked up a little later.  

My suitcase is ready for packing later this week, and I have been sorting out what will go in it.  I always pack too much, so trying to whittle down the choices I have made so far.  One does not need much clothing where I am going, a bathing suit and something to wear in the evening should take care of it.  However adding in shoes, a book, and all the bits and bobs it doesn't take long for the weight to start adding up.  This suitcase has done a lot of travelling, and no extra weight was ever as issue, so not to worry, it will all work out just fine.

Have a great day

Cheers

  

Winter please leave

 One day of spring like weather and we get several days of winter again.  That has been going on now for a couple of weeks, so tired of the cold.

I did see some yellow flower buds on the forsythia, and also green ones on some trees, that means the ground is warming up.  Should start seeing more signs of spring soon. 

I had a lovely Easter weekend in Ottawa, visiting two granddaughters with my DD2 and S-I-L, Have not seen them since Christmas, so it was nice to catch up with all their news.

The granddaughters and a partner cooked Easter dinner of ham, funeral potato casserole and roasted veg, home made apple pie and ice cream.  Delicious meal, lots of conversation and laughter around the dinner table.  

My youngest granddaughter  "C" is now involved in her final flight test, so is hoping the weather improves for that.   She is looking forward to being a flight instructor, which will allow her to accumulate the flying hours she needs to be able to fly for a commercial airline.  

Granddaughter "K" is on her final stretch for her PHD which should be at the end of this year. Her prof. is sending her on another conference in July.  This time to Spain, she is looking forward to that and plans on taking some time for a mini vacation too.

My vacation is coming up soon so I have started to sort out some summer weather clothes in my closet.  I did get a new bathing suit, but don't expect to need any more new things to buy.  

On Thursday this week I will be taking two of my fabric art pieces to a local quilt show.  On Saturday I will need to pick them up again, however, will go early enough to look at all of the displays before the show ends.

 It doesn't sound as if I have been busy for the last couple of weeks, but I really have been on the go most days.  Just hoping the weather warms up for a nice comfortable daily walk without having to bundle up in winter garb.  

Have a great day.

Cheers

It has arrived

Spring arrived a couple of days ago, however, someone forgot to advise Mother Nature.  We do not have any snow where I live, however, even with the temps on the plus side of zero, it does not feel much warmer.  The ground is still quite cold and along with the rain and windy conditions it still feels like winter still has it claws on us.  The forecast for the coming week is indicating it will be a wet one with every day having rain at some point.  

Not much happened in my world this past week other than the normal routine of yoga, housework and sewing.  I did, however, venture out and did some grocery shopping to replenish fruit, veg and dairy for the fridge.  As a vacation to sunny climes is coming up in April I needed to look for a bathing suit, one of which I found came home with me.  No bikini, but one that covers up the not so nice looking bits of an older body, you know the ones that have a little skirt.  

My yearly eye exam was on Tuesday, not to worry as the macular degeneration has not changed since last year at this time.  The vitamins I take on a regular basis must be helping.  Several years ago I had cataract surgery so have only needed glasses for reading or doing close up work.  No additional glasses needed now.  Next appointment a year from now.

While browsing the net, I saw that the Keukenhof Gardens in the Netherlands opened  for the yearly display of spring flowers.  Several years ago my late husband and I visited the gardens and all the flowers and sculptures were beautiful.  He was not a flower lover like I am, but he was impressed with the colours of the flowers and everything in the gardens.  While there I purchased a book for a souvenir, that book is now on my coffee table so that I can take a look any time I want.   Keukenhof will be open until May 10th, so it you are fortunate to be in the neighbourhood and you love flowers, it is well worth the visit.

So what am I up to today,  I will go for a walk before the rain which is expected later today then I will finish knitting a cardigan for my youngest great granddaughter's birthday next month.

Have a great day.

Cheers.

99.9% Gone

 Thanks for some warmer temps and quite a lot of rain during the last week or so, most of the snow has gone.  Only the piles that were ploughed from parking lots etc, and the drifts along the side of the roads remain.   Hope it is not all cleared away to make room for more snow in the coming days, we still have to remember it is March when we can expect almost everything and anything weather wise.

Last Monday March 2nd, I went to see my niece, as she had some things my sister had left for me.  The items that she gave me included some books,  my Mothers WWII Red Cross nurse pin, and some post cards and greeting cards.  The cards were the most lovely things I have every seen.  My Mother must have given them to her some time ago.  

Two were cards my grandfather wrote to his wife, one for a birthday and the other for Christmas.  I never met my grandmother as she died in childbirth, I believe in the mid or late 1920's, so these cards have to be at least 100 years old.  They were made from celluloid and paper with a fine string of thread. Written inside were words from a loving husband to his wife.    

The post cards have no writing on them to indicate who they were from or to whom they were to be given to.  They are made of a very fine fabric with embroidery on it and framed with cardboard.  

I wish I had seen these things before my mother passed as now there is so much information lost.

I would like to display all of these items instead of having them hidden in box, so I am thinking they would look lovely if they were framed.  

It was a nice sunny day, when I went to see my niece and I knew I would not be home for lunch, so I packed a picnic.   Leaving her house I headed to the lake shore, it was still covered in snow and the water was no where to be seen as it was all frozen as far as the eye could see.  It was still very cold, but nice and warm with the sun coming through the windows, so enjoyed my picnic in the car.

Busy with my quilting guild, going out with friends, pot luck dinners, and happy hours, life is good.

Have a great day

Cheers.