Hoping it continues

 Good morning!

We have sunshine again, three days in a row, and the temp is going up, just keeping the fingers crossed it will remain the same, and not revert back to some cooler winter type of weather.   It is still April so we can expect almost anything and everything.

Flowers are blooming, daffodils, pansies and cultivated primroses.  The forsythia is blooming also, which means the ground is getting warmer, that must be the reason for the dandelions too, which are attracting some early butterflies.  The magnolia and ornamental fruit trees are showing definite signs of forthcoming flowers.   Hoping it continues.    

On Thursday I delivered three of my quilting projects to a quilt show, which was held Friday and Saturday.  I needed to pick up the projects at a certain time after the show, however, I went earlier to see all of the beautiful works of art done with fabric, needle and thread.   Was not disappointed as the display of quilts was spectacular.   I was asked to help take down the displays and was more than happy to do that, as I was able to get up close and personal with those quilts.  

Sunday was the last day of the Masters golf tournament, I am not a golfer but like to watch.   This year all of the flowers on the course were out in full bloom, beautiful.  When I attended the Masters with my son and DIL several years ago, all of the Azaleas had bloomed early due to a very early Spring, so none of them looked as lovely as the ones yesterday.    Watched this year's with my ex at his house, after the winner had been given the green jacket, he cooked a steak on the BBQ.   He needs to know the reason why, soap and water, vacuums and dust cloths were invented or that will be the last time I visit.  There is absolutely no excuse as to why those things cannot be used.  Not a priority, I guess. 

Monday, Monday I go and get my income taxes done, I went last week, however, the young man helping me did not have enough experience to take care of the details in mine, another person will be doing it today.  Time is running out as it needs to be done by the end of April.   After that is done, it will be lunch time, then I am going for a nice walk to the local park it is just too nice to stay in.  

Have a great day

Cheers

Once in a lifetime

When I got up yesterday, it was cloudy and it had rained, Oh no, it is going to be a big disappointment for a lot of people.  Everyone was hoping for a lovely sunny day, the excitement had been building for days and days and now clouds.

As the morning progressed more blue sky could be seen and by noon hour, yes, lovely sunshine.  

All the preparations, extra policing staff, roads closed and some opened for all of the expected flow of traffic to converge into the area.  The special viewing glasses had sold out days ago.   Schools were closed,  restaurants opened early and I am sure stayed open late to feed and water the many people who were making a full day of  it.   Families made it a party/picnic day, and the television stations were running programs for hours on end to document this event.

Now, we wait.  The sun had a lot of heat in it and the temp rose to a high of 17*C  it could not have been any perfect for this once in a lifetime event.  And, we wait.

It's time,  the sun was not so bright as it was, over time, twilight, then it became darker and  darker, stars were shining.   It's cold, so cold I had to put an extra cardigan on.  Street lights came to life, and the birds stopped singing.  It's quiet, the workers putting up a nearby building had to stop doing their job.  It's so very quiet.  It's so very surreal.   

If this is happening in 2024 and we all know the reason why, it makes me wonder, what did people think was happening years and years ago when they had absolutely no idea.  I am sure they were thinking it was the end of the world.    So back to April 8 2024.

The sky was black but, in the distance it appeared to be sunset the sky was pink, orange and red.  Then very slowly it started to get lighter and lighter, no stars, all the lights when out and now sunshine again, and the temperature began to rise.

A total eclipse of the sun.  

Now, today April 9, 2024, the sun is shining again as it does, and it won't get dark until this evening. Everything is back to normal, children in school, people going about their normal daily lives, the birds are singing, construction workers on the job site working.  

All the photos have been viewed, and now the special viewing glasses have been stowed away as a souvenir of a once in a lifetime experience.   A total eclipse of the sun.  

Have a great day

Cheers.  

Lovely weekend

Back to a normal routine today.  On holiday weekends I never know what day it is, especially when everything is closed for Good Friday, and it feels as if it should be a Sunday. Then yesterday, Monday it is anyone's guess what was open or closed.

On Friday, DD2 came for a visit and gave me an Easter Lily for my March flowers, (flowers every month for a year, Christmas gift).  They were going to be busy helping their DD2 to move on the weekend, so would not be home for Easter.  The evening pot luck dinner was a big success, with dishes of food that I would not normally prepare, a great chance to try something new, which may end up on my own dinner plate some time.  The company and conversation is very welcome too.

Saturday's bbq at DD1's was lovely.  It was raining and cool, so the meal was prepared outside and eaten in the dining room.  Five of my great grands were there and I must say their Mum is doing a fantastic job in raising those children.    They range in age from 5 to 14 years,  and when it was time to set the table they all helped with not even being asked.  Lined up in the kitchen each one took something to place on the table, making several trips back and forth until the task was complete.  The same procedure after the first course, dirty dishes, serving bowls, etc. off to the kitchen and on their return trip, dessert course in hand.  After the meal, everything back into the kitchen and the 7 year old, picked up the dish towel and started to dry dishes, no dishwasher in the house. 

An Easter egg hunt in the house proved to be a bit hectic for a little while, however, everyone found a little treat.

Sunday and theatre time.  Have you ever played the board game "Clue"?  The play with the same name was the last one of the theatres performances until October.   It was fantastic, one of the best ones I have seen.   A revolving set with all of the rooms in the mansion, where the murders took place, great professional actors, lots of laughs, a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.  

Monday, was a beautiful sunny day, a lovely day for a walk, so off a local park, just a bit too early yet for any of the trees and shrubs to show any leaves, however, I did notice the buds swelling on the rhododendrons.  Sitting a bench soaking up some Vitamin D, I was approached by a woman who wanted to do the same thing and we had a nice conversation, solving all of the world's problems.  Cooling down as the afternoon sun was on its downward trip, I made my way back home.  Trivia night upstairs and our team won.  These nights really make you feel as if you don't know very much after all.

Today, I will be doing some errands and, visiting a friend.   April showers this morning and for several more days this week.    As the saying goes, "April showers, bring May flowers".

Have a great day

Cheers.

 

All fixed and moving

 Joyce the Janome, only need a little fix, which did not take too long at the shop, so she is now back in the sewing room.  Sally the Singer, is all clean and ready to go when ever a sewing day for the guild is scheduled.  All of the repair work done on these two did not cost a mint either, so very happy about that and no new sewing machines needed.  

As I have mentioned previously, when I moved into this apartment I purchased a lot of new furniture.  I still needed something in the dining area, and have been having a problem finding what I wanted, and to be honest did not want to spend a mint on buying something that I would have to wait for months to receive.  Then last weekend the light bulb came on, the fabric cabinet.   This wooden cabinet was made years ago by my late husband's friend..   It is tall, 6 1/2 feet tall, and 3 feet wide, with glass doors and shelves with two small wooden doors at the bottom.   Move it?   I can do this!!!   Moving!!! yes, emptied and with a couple of pushes and pulls it was in place in the dining area, looking good.  The sewing room, however, looked as if a bomb had hit it.  Needing something now to hold the fabric, so off to the store I go and buy a shelving unit, which is made up of several cubbies/cubes.  Furniture these days does not come premade, and neither did this.  With my trusty screw driver and hammer, a couple of hours later, I have put it together.  

As of this morning, everything is now in its proper place, collectables that I treasure which have been hiding in the cupboards are now on display in the cabinet.  The fabric, all sorted by colour is in their appropriate cubby.  Job well done, with only a couple of muscles that I know did some work they usually don't do.  

For once we have a nice blue sky and frosty rooftops so it is still not too warm yet.  The early daffodils are blooming, and green buds are showing on some shrubs, everything is coming alive.  

Last night I went to a Jazz concert, at a performance hall in a library in a nearby city.   It was an all woman trio I have never heard before, and a man on the drums.  A singer performed along with the trio in the second set.  A great couple of hours listening to some lovely music.  These concerts have a different group every month throughout the year and are free.

A busy weekend coming up.  Tomorrow, Friday, is the Easter pot luck dinner in the lounge, this month I am taking a dessert.  Saturday, having dinner at DD1's I am also doing dessert for that too,  both of those will be made early tomorrow morning.  Sunday, I have tickets to go to the theatre, looking forward to that, as it is the last one my friend and I have tickets for.  

Monday, sounds as if it should be a day to just relax.

Have a great day.

Cheers.

Joyce, Sally and Confused

 The weekend again, where did those five days go!  It must be due to me being busy in the sewing room, as the weather  was not that great to be outside for any length of time. 

Old Man Winter and Mother Nature must be having a terrible argument due to their confusion as to whether it is Spring or still Winter.   Most of January and February we had temperatures warmer than the average for those months and very little snow compared to other years.  The first half of March was much the same, so only conclude, Mother Nature had the upper hand.  On the first day of Spring, March 21st. Old Man Winter must have won the argument, as we were experiencing  bitter cold temps, winds which made it feel so much colder then snow for the past couple of days.  Currently we have blue skies, but still temps below the zero C.  The forecast is for milder temps in the coming week, so maybe they have come to some agreement, as I am sure the Old Man needs to take a rest after what he has done these past few days.  Hopefully, he will fall asleep for a long time and wake up in January 2024.   The Young Mother Nature can now do her work in peace and quite.

Joyce the Janome and Sally the Singer are my sewing machines, don't laugh lots of people name their sewing machines.  Recently I have been having issues with Joyce she has been in the repair shop twice for the same problem and will be going back in again, hopefully to be fixed once and for all.  Now, Sally is old and I can expect her to be a bit slow these days, however, it appears she has a seriously problem, which I am hoping can be fixed.  Sally made clothes for my two girls, family members and myself since the mid 60's, so really doesn't owe me anything, but it is a good machine for me to carry to the sewing days the guild has, as Joyce is very heavy.  

While both of those machines are being taken care of, I will be doing a big tidy up in the sewing room, moving the furniture around as I am finding where everything is situated at the present time is not working very well.  Then I will search through my pattern books to find quilts I would like to make and then use the fabric in my stash and start cutting to make my own kits.  It all sound very ambitious but I am determined to start using fabric I currently have and only buy some neutral colour to compliment the blocks.  

Have a great day/

Cheers 

  

Marching

 This month of March is appropriately named and it is stepping by quickly.  The days just seem to fly by,  we have reach the hump of the month and now on the down side.   As March always goes, our weather is like a roller coaster, temps up one day, down the next.  Sunshine and blue skies then clouds, rain and yes, snow.  Today is cloudy, with a few rays of sun now and then, not too warm.  Tomorrow, possible wet snow 

Tuesday and Wednesday of this past week were absolutely glorious,  Tuesday, I went for a drive to a couple of towns nearby and enjoyed the trip, and wandered around some, new to me stores.  Found a pair of dress slacks on sale which came home with me.  Wednesday, out again for a nice walk to enjoy the birds singing, the robins are back, the buds on the shrubs and trees are swelling and some even showing a little green, a sure sign of spring.  When I returned it was "happy hour",  got my chair, a gin and tonic and sat on the balcony soaking up some vitamin D.   

Friday, DD2 and I went and did our weekly grocery shop, I only needed to stock up my fridge with some fresh veg and fruit.  Also, did some sewing on our guilds charity quilt, then went to the lounge in the building for happy hour.  Just a ginger ale for me, and lots of friendly chatter with some of the folks in the building.  As the evening progressed, one of the men brought out chips, dips and chocolates, I should not have taken one chip, as it led to two or three.

That brings us to today, Saturday,  I was suppose to go to the theatre this afternoon with a girl friend, however, she was not well, so I rebooked the tickets we had for a day later this month.  That worked out well, as family was having a birthday party for GGS.  So now I can have lunch with my eldest great grandson and family, DD1 and S I L.  His 14th birthday was on Wednesday, however, with family working, a lunch was scheduled for today to celebrate.   He is such a nice young man.

Tomorrow, nothing is planned, however, with the forecast of not so nice weather, it could be a day to stay in.  

Have a great day,

Cheers.

  

It's Back

Yes, Winter showed it face again this morning with a little snow and cold temps, not really cold, but it feels that way after the balmy Spring like weather we have been having.  It will be short lived as temps start to go up again during the coming week.

 This past week has been non eventful, except for the quilting meeting on Wednesday.  I always enjoy getting together with these ladies.    I am putting together the blocks from our February meeting, as I now have collected all of them.  

On Thursday, DD2 and I went grocery shopping, trying to get the best buys we can these days, by going to a different store than we had been going to.  The specials they had were discounted more than some of the items I usually buy in the store I regularly go to.

In the coming weeks I need to buy some new dressy walking shoes, a Spring jacket and some under garments.  The shoes and jacket will be coming in handy for my up coming vacation, Oh! the underwear will too.  Ha Ha.   

Oh! the memories that come back from the use of one word.   Undergarments.   They have a number of names attached to them, don't they.  Underwear, bloomers, briefs, knickers, panties and thongs.  I remember the bloomers I wore as part of my uniform when I was in school in England.  The uniform---white blouse, grey skirt and cardigan, bottle green tie, beret, blazer and coat.  The underwear was also part of the uniform.   A baggy cotton bloomer with elastic around the waist and legs.  The colour, bottle green,  is a dark green and not very flattering for any type of underwear.  These bloomers were also used as part of the physical education uniform, along with white socks and plimsolls.   As I recall, the plimsolls were black, and would not be considered to be a gym shoe by todays standard.   Fast forward to Secondary school here in Canada, the only uniform we had to wear was the physical education gym suit.   A one piece navy blue garment, buttons down the front and, you guess it, baggy with elastic around the legs.   

The underwear I wear now,  not telling, however, it does not have any elastic around the legs.

Today and tomorrow I will be under in influence of a "time change lag", as we put our clocks ahead an hour last night.  Those 60 minutes are not that long but it sure does make a difference for a couple of days.  

So better get on with my day, it's still 24 hours isn't it.

Have a great day

Cheers.