Another Year

2024 for me had it's ups and downs, ill health and all of the mixed emotions that only one person could have.

Thankfully, I can look forward to 2025 and hope it to be a year of better times. 

  

Have a great day

Cheers

 

It's all coming back to me now

Those words I believe are in a song, can't recall the name, but that is not what I am referring to in my title.

The SUN, it's coming back.  December 21st has the shortest day light hours and the longest dark hours.  Today, it reached the turning point, not that we have seen any sun for a good many days, as it has been grey and dearly.   And not that it will change anything any time soon either, we still have to get through January and February when our weather is usually the coldest and when we get the most snow.  Where I live there is no snow at the present time, however, that can change in a heart beat.

I need the sun to keep me in a happy mood, when it is shining I feel more energetic, there are a lot of other people feel the same way.  I am not depressed when it cold and grey, just love to see the bright sun shining.

Finished by Christmas shopping today, lots of cars on the streets, I was fortunate to not have to do what I needed to do in those big box stores.  Items at the grocery store for my contribution to DD1 B on Christmas day and bits and bobs for DD2 and her family who are coming on Boxing day. 

Very few mince meat tarts on sale here this year, I only buy a couple for myself, previous years I would make my own, however, being alone I can't eat all them as no one else in my family likes them.   The same with fruit cake.  I am thinking about making one this Spring sometime, giving it a drink every once in awhile for eating next Christmas.  A blogger I follow from "down under" sent me the recipe for a boiled fruit cake, which I made several years ago, and it was delicious.   Trying that one again.

Have a great day

Cheers.

Time to slow down-no life is too short

The past week as been a whirl wind of activities for me, and I am loving it.

A week ago Saturday the residents in the building had a Secret Santa party.  Women bought a $20.00 gift for a woman and men did the same for a man which were all wrapped and placed on tables.   We were all given a number, when that number was drawn you chose a gift from the table.  However, if someone had picked a gift, opened it and you wanted that gift you could steal it.  The person you stole it from had to pick another gift.  Gifts that were stolen quite often were the gift cards and wine.   Lots of laughs and good fun.  After everyone received a gift, a pizza party ended the day.  I ended up with a very nice dark blue over the body bag, my secret Santa spent more than $20.00.

Thursday last week, the owner of the apartment building invited all the people living here to a Christmas get-together.   A selection of sandwiches and wraps, fruit and cookies, all washed down with glasses of wine.  He also gave a small gift to every apartment in the building.

Friday, grocery shopping and then the evening happy hour.   

Saturday, a girl friend and I went out for lunch and then went to the cinema to watch Andre Rieu's  Christmas concert.  We love listening to the music his orchestra plays,

Sunday, out to lunch with the same friend then to the theatre to see "The Sound of Music",  it was a good play, however, not one I would have chosen to present as a Christmas play for children to come and see.  Home for a light dinner then walked to a church across the street for their "Carols by Candlelight" concert.  I am not religious by any stretch for the imagination, however, I do love listening to the carols sung by the choir accompanied by the organ.

Monday, Christmas shopping as I expected the stores to be a little less busy, and I was right so able to get a lot accomplished.  Had an appointment for an massage therapy session in the afternoon.  During the massage I was asked what I was doing for the rest of the day and replied I was going to the movies.  He said, I have a gift card I won't use and he gave it to me.  Thank you "S".   Had a light dinner, off to the movie, popcorn and a drink.  As there was nothing else that appealed to me I chose "Wicked".  It was an OK movie, however, if I had realized it was only the first half of the movie, the second part comes out late 2025, I would not have gone to see it.

Tuesday,  My ex called and we went to see "Conclave" at the cinema, it was an Ok movie, then we had dinner.   

Now, if you don't want to read my moaning and groaning skip this next paragraph.

The ex picked me up in his 57 year old daughters car, he had traded cars with her for the winter as she has trouble locking and unlocking the door due to the ice and snow!!!!!.  Your are a grown woman for heavens sake, put on the big girl pants.  This car is old, but runs OK but has seen better days,  How old is it, not sure but it does not have air bags, so that will give you some idea.  The glove box is held shut with a bungy cord, duck tape is covering the locks on the doors.   You will remember I had an accident while on vacation, fractured neck, skull etc. etc. I have recovered remarkable well, so riding in this car left me worried.  Our winters are cold, snowy and icy, what if we got into an accident, how would I be protected?  I wouldn't be.  I am too old to go through another session of being injured.   I will not be riding in that car ever again.  See you in April "D".

Today, Wednesday I am doing some baking, butter tarts and inside out carrot muffins.  Do my laundry and tidy up in my sewing room.  

It is dull and grey today, just as it has been for the last few days and the forecast is indicating more of the same for the rest of the week,  

Our postal strike is now over, the workers have been ordered back to work after walking the picket line for four weeks.  Packages and letters having been piling up, they need to be sorted and delivered, so the chances of my Christmas cards being sent to the UK are slim to none.   Will send Happy New Year cards instead.

Have a great day.

Cheers

Christmas Decorations are up

 Nothing goes Christmassy in my house until at least the first week of December.  

Yesterday was a day to stay inside, cold and windy and feeling colder than the actual temperature on my thermometer.   So what to do, Christmas decorations were found in the locker and brought upstairs.   I do not have a lot of decorations, I like it that way.   So, a few lights around the patio doors, they are not going to be opened anytime soon.  The big glass vase, it is big, filled with mini lights and blue, burgundy and silver balls and some artificial greenery,  looks quite nice if I do say so myself.   Jim Shore Christmas statues I have been given over the years.   Snowman designed cushion for my living room chair. Oh! also the wreath on my door.  A couple of weeks ago when the weather was mild,  I did put some decoration on my balcony railing.   

I was speaking to a friend in the city of L yesterday afternoon, they already had 15 inches of snow on the ground, still more coming down as we spoke and it was expected to do the same overnight.  So how much they have right now, more than I would even try and guess.   We had some over night, no more than a couple of inches by the looks of it.   We do have some sunshine today.

This weather has cancelled my lunch date with my DIL.  Both my son and DIL are here to look after their two granddaughters while Mum and Dad have a mini vacation.   Granddaughter A  attends school, but all of them have been closed yesterday and today due to the weather.  Granddaughter M goes to a child care school, it was also closed.  DIL is having a couple of hectic days she was not expecting.  My son always works from home, so he can ensconce himself in my grandson office and do his work.   Both of them will look forward to bedtime.

Sending or receiving Christmas cards this year is not  going to happen, as our postal service is on strike.  In my opinion, a bad move at this time of the year as they are reporting huge numbers of money being lost, as no one is sending mail or parcels.   

The cactus in my living room has decided it is almost Christmas, so starting to show buds, perfect timing.  The amaryllis I received three years ago was planted early last month and is now growing by inches every week.  

Have a great day

Cheers.

It's Here

As I have mentioned previously I live in S. W. Ontario, sandwiched between Lake Erie and Lake Huron.  At the beginning of Winter both lakes are still open water as it has not been cold enough for them to start freezing over.   When the North/West wind blows  over Lake Huron it picks up moisture from the lake and the cold temps change the moisture to snow, lots of snow.  This snow is formed into streamers blowing over the countryside, if you live under a streamer you can be sure of lots of snow.    If you live a distance away from the streamers, you might still have green grass and not a flake to be seen.  

That is what has been happening in S. W Ontario for the last few days.  "L" a city less that 20 kms from me has had so much snow, traffic has come to a stand still, schools closed, air port cancelled flights,  cars and trucks ending up in the ditches,  and police closing roads because the conditions are too bad for anyone to be on the roads, even the snow removal equipment.   However, where I live, not a single snow flake could be found.   

Last night, however, we did receive 4 or 5 cm  and it is very windy.    At 10:45 am the temp is -6*C and when the wind chill in factored in it feels more like -13*C.   Time to get the Winter wear out.

DD2 worked today and had to travel to the city "L" early this morning, after my call to her, she was safe and sound at work.   We are always Mother's no matter how old you children are.  

On Monday we are forecast rain, depending on how much we get, we could be into a messy commute on the roads again.  

Yesterday, the quilting guild had our December pot luck lunch meeting.   Lots of lovely food,  yes I ate way too much,  lots of laughs and fun from a game we played and some beautiful show and tell.

We donate quilts throughout the year so, at the meeting all of the members were randomly picked into couples.   Each couple chose the colours of the block we are to make and the month in which the block was to be handed in.   C and I were paired, we chose brown, teal and cream for the colours of our block to be made and handed in at the January meeting.  When we have all of the blocks we put them together, quilt and bind the quilt.   We also are responsible for an activity of some kind and a light lunch of some goodies and a drink at the January meeting.  Each paired couple does the same. so at the end of the year we end up with 12 quilts which have been donated.  

On Friday, depending on the weather I will be having lunch with my DIL and happy hour in the evening upstairs.   Saturday is the Secret Santa/pizza party upstairs.  

Have a great day.

Cheers.