Another....Beautiful Day & Lockdown/Stay at Home

 The only good thing I can report so far today, is the weather, it is absolutely gorgeous, the sun is bright and warm, blue sky with not a cloud in sight.   Better take advantage of it because we are to have thunderstorm tonight and tomorrow, then cooler wetter days for a while.

We are also now as of midnight last night, once again, in lockdown and we have been advised to only go out for necessary purchases.  Only essential services are allowed to open albeit with restrictions on the number of people inside the store, and on line ordering and curb side pickup in bein encouraged.  Big box stores are only allowed to sell food, meds and cleaning supplies the rest of the store is cordoned off.  There were long line ups yesterday after the stay home order was issued.   People stocking up on items, so they could avoid the lineups that will be taking place in the coming days.   No toilet paper again! who knows.

I am going to persuade Hubby to take a couple of hours off doing things this afternoon so that we can take advantage of the weather and put the top down on the convertible and go for a ride.  The trees should be showing a bit more green than they were the last time we went out.  I know this is against everything I said in the above paragraph, but we will not be around anyone.  It might be out last chance for a week or so.

On my walk yesterday afternoon, I saw seven deer grazing in the field I was going through, they did not seem to be worried about me going through.  

Not much happening on the estate today, Hubby is putting out the garden hoses, they shouldn't freeze now.  I will get him to cook dinner tonight , steak on the BBQ.   Along with some mushrooms and a salad.  I will also make some turnovers, with fruit inside for dessert, as I have some puff pastry that needs using.

 

Daffodils

 We have a lovely sunny day, not a cloud in the sky but it is cold.  No snow, thank goodness, we had several flurries yesterday, however, it did not lay.  

A couple of days ago I was talking to my neighbour and told her the daffodils in her garden were looking very pretty this year.  Yesterday when the weather was so bad, she called and told me to go over and pick a bunch to bring in the house, as they would be whipped to shreds by the wind.  She has two different shades of yellow and they look lovely in the living room,  thank you M.B.

Baking a carrot cake today, it is currently in the oven and smelling nice.  I will let it cool and tomorrow add the cream cheese icing.  I am taking it to my youngest daughter's, she has invited us for dinner.  We were hesitant, but have decided to go.  Our Province in now under lock down, for the month of April.  Not much has changed for us, but stores must restrict the number of people going in even more than they were. Restaurants can only do delivery, pick up or drive through, no in house dining, not even on a patio,  Salons, gyms etc are now closed.   

Not much happening around the house today,  Hubby is working on the slats for his daughter's garden bench.  The iron legs and arms are in good shape, however, the wooden seat and back has been out in the weather much too long.   He is hoping there will be lumber in the stores soon as he wants to start making her shed.  At this point in time it does not look promising. 

Dinner tonight is pizza and a large salad,  not sure what we will have for dessert.  I have some banana bread that should have been eaten a couple of weeks ago, so I am defrosting it, and going to make cake pops with it.  Never made them before so an experiment.  I hate throwing food out that is perfectly good to eat but just looks a little dry, so thought I would try this.  Wish me luck.

Not funny

April 1st. April Fools Day.   If Mother Nature is pulling a joke on us today, I am not laughing.  We woke to beautiful sunshine, -3*C and windy.  Within an hour the sky had turned black and it looked as if we were going to be getting the snow which was predicted.  Now, however, it looks as if that cloud went north of us, so we are in the clear at the moment.   Our weather is very changeable in the Spring so we can expect almost anything.

Yesterday, I decided to clean out the kitchen cupboards, so Hubby suggested we purge some of the contents.  When I moved here, I brought a lot of things with me, at the time I just could not get rid of any of it.  Hubby had lots too, but it has got to be a little too much, so yesterday was the day.  At the present time I have a couple of boxes of dishes etc. on the dining room table waiting for family to claim some of it.  My youngest grand daughter needs some pieces for when she goes to University in September and another grand daughter is setting up an apartment with her boy friend so some of has been spoken for the rest will go to the charity shop.  Honestly who needs three toasters.  There is one more cupboard that will be done today and then the kitchen will be take care of.  Next on the list is the dining room.  Then I will take a break of cleaning out, until we are able to get these things taken to their new owners.  Plus it will give my poor legs a rest, climbing up and down a step stool all day, is hard on my legs, which I must admit have not been doing much exercise recently.

My birthday book quote:

APRIL

She who from April dates her years,

Diamonds should wear, lest bitter tears,

For vain repentance flow; this stone,

Emblem of innocence is known.

Birthstone: Diamond.

Dinner tonight,  Pulled pork, veg and salad.  Dessert is yet to be decided.

Dirt

 We did our early grocery shop yesterday morning, in the afternoon I did some errands in the neighbouring city,  

Once home again, the weather was so nice I decided to trim my two clematis.  The instructions that came with one  when I purchased it several years ago, indicates it needs to been trimmed in the Spring, leaving 2/3rds of the old growth about 12 inches from the ground.  I was surprised to find it had buds on it as did the one which was in the garden previously.   That done I decided to pull some weeds starting to emerge from the soil.  Gloves on and work started..........it was so nice to get dirty.   With a bag almost full, it was time to  call it a day and start on dinner.   Gardening season has started outside for me.  Tomorrow I am going to plant some tomato seeds which I will keep in the house,  these were saved from the plants I had last year.  Also going to put some marigolds in some soil too.  

The rain we had a couple of days ago, has made the grass green up so it should start growing once we get some warmer weather.  

We had another shower either over night or early this morning, it is still cloudy, however, the sun is trying to eek through.  It is still quite cool out there though.  Tomorrow is forecast to be downright cold. 

Dinner tonight, ham, some of the scalloped potatoes are left, so we will clean them up with some veg and a salad.  Not sure what is for dessert, possibly lemon pie.

Well I am off to start doing some housework. 

Back into Red

We have now been placed back into the red category due to increased numbers of covid  cases,  which means tighter restrictions  for everyone.  There are individuals that think going to bars and drinking green beer on St. Patrick's day was OK, wearing no masks, no social distancing etc etc.  We are now suffering the consequences of those few.  It makes me angry that people just don't get it, they think, "it won't happen to them", never a thought  about other people.

The change in restrictions do not make much difference to us, but it does to others who are trying to do the right things. Businesses are suffering and closing, people are now suffering because of loosing their jobs.  Everyone is paying the price of a few who did not do the right thing.  Rant over.

We have a beautiful sunny day, the sun is very warm coming in the windows that face towards the south.  My daffodils are in bloom, and the grass is greening up from the recent rain we have had.  Spring  has finally sprung.

Not much happening here today, we did go to the grocery store during the senior hour first thing this morning.  I need to travel to a neighboring city this afternoon to drop off a quilt on a guilds members  front porch.  She will be doing the quilting on her long arm  machine for me, this quilt is just too big for me to do it on my sewing machine.  Then to another members front porch to pick up some small batting pieces for the placemats our group is making.   

Not sure what Hubby is up to today, I know he is just itching to be able to get outside and do things out there.  He is going to make a garden shed for his daughter, but  it is a bit too cold to do that outside just yet.  Plus he is not sure if there is sufficient lumber at the stores right now to do it.  His daughters' neighbour  wants to finish building a fence, however, there is no lumber available for that.

Dinner tonight, our usual Tuesday chicken, scalloped potatoes , veg and salad, dessert there are two portions of chocolate mousses left, so that is all taken care of.

Looking Better

 Yesterday's weather was not nice at all, cold rain and windy, when we went bed last night the rain had flakes of snow mixed in with it.  This morning, there was a little snow on the roof tops.  Now the sun is shining but it is still cold.   Cannot expect much more than that I suppose it is still March.

My youngest daughter has invited us for Easter dinner on Saturday, I usually take dessert when she has us over for a meal.  I have decided to make carrot cake.  (Bunny!.......carrots)  lol.   I have a recipe that I always use, it is so yummy with the cream cheese frosting.

Hubby was at the dentist this morning, not happy when he came home, he has a small cavity that needs to be attended to, so he is back there again on Thursday.   He had a chipped tooth repaired a couple of weeks ago, today a cleaning and now the filling, it is costing him a small fortune.  Dentists are so expensive.  I am fortunate my late husband had a good government health care plan that was transferred to me, so I get my dental work almost paid for by this plan.

He was reading in the paper about a couple who had won a lot of money in the lottery and they were hoping to go to California for their wedding anniversary, which is where they spent their honeymoon .  Obviously that likely won't be any time soon.  Anyway, Hubby was asking, when our anniversary is. ... well we are not married, so we really do not have an anniversary.   I moved in with him on August 4th, so we decided that is our anniversary date.  So, now I am hoping the virus will allow us to celebrate somehow on that date.  We can only hope.  We both have a milestone birthday this year, so maybe we can combine anniversary and birthdays together and have big celebration.

Now, to find the carrot cake recipe and make sure I have all the ingredients I need because tomorrow is early grocery shopping day. 

Back to now.....dinner is beef au jus, squash and salad, dessert chocolate mousse.  

Have a great Monday.

  

Rain

 It was quite dark when I woke at 7:05 a.m. as the clouds were hanging quite low and it was raining.  Much needed rain, I might add.  In the coming days we will almost see the grass growing and more plants starting to come alive.   

Hubby cooked our usual scrambled egg breakfast again this morning.  In the past he has never had to do any cooking, after his wife passed his meals consisted of fast food, and opening a can of pasta stuff.  I hope he is healthier since I have been preparing better meals for him.   He enjoys his food, but always restricts the amount, so stays at a constant weight he feels comfortable at.  Quite slim and trim for his age. 

I worked in my sewing room yesterday, I wanted to make the blocks I am currently working on a bit larger, so had to do some designing for that to happen.  I am liking how the block is looking now, so will continue with those and will need to get some additional light grey fabric for the other blocks.  I was hoping to use fabric I already had in my stash, but had to buy a contrasting colour and the grey just mentioned.  Then I also need to decide what design I am going to use for the place mats our group is doing.  During this pandemic and lockdowns we have had,'t know what I would have done  in the Winter months if I didn't have my sewing to keep me busy.  

I am writing my memoirs for my children and wanted to research the village I lived in prior to coming to Canada.  I Googled it and to my surprise and almost shock, what was the first picture I saw on  Wikipedia but the house I lived in.  Oh! it brought back some memories, it had not changed much in the 67 years , I went onto the Google street view map and saw my Dad's farm, the places where my friends lived, the road I walked to school on, and the places where I played.  The village goes all the way back to 1268, which surprised me as I did not know this before.   Google and the computer is a marvelous thing.  Hubby and I were planning on going to England so that I could show him where I lived, introduce him to my friends and also the relatives I still have there, but COVID got in the way, maybe some day in the future, hoping that will happen.  In the past I have been back to the village twice, since I left, but that was also a long time ago.  

Dinner tonight is leftovers from last nights dinner, I do not bother with a big Sunday dinner as I use to do, when we would have family over for a meal.    

Have a great Sunday.