What's Happening in YOUR Neighborhood # 12.

why oh why am I still up @ 5:30 am........ I just can't sleep!

this morning I announce to the congregation that we have Handbells, and am looking for ringers! Looks like I may be the Handbell Director lol I'm so nervous, but excited to learn the Handbells LOL

I'm doing the Children's Time for the first time - have colouring pages & picked out the song for them & the choir to sing - "He's got the whole world in his hands"

I'm also on the Robbie Burns Dinner committee & am looking to find out all the Scottish family names in our congregation because I'm going to research their crest & tarten to print up for decorations on Friday the 23rd when we have our dinner.

Yikers!!

Mornin all ^_^

Carol (ONT Carol) .. I'd also like to hear Calgary Carols car buyin story :-)

My Ford is having it's 10th birthday this year. It's still in good shape, but, little things are happening that make me wonder when something BIG will occur and I will be forced to scurry for a vehicle.
I am looking at Imports simply because I have determined that their service track record and re sale value is far better.
I have it down to 3 choices now. Toyota Matrix, Toyota Corolla and Honda Fit. I would have said 4 because I liked the Mazda 3, however, the salesman was absolutely terrible .. basically he handed me a brochure .. pointed out the 4 available in the lot, and he left !!!!
My car shopping 'accompaniement' varies .. but .. my very best friend of over 45 years is just THE best .. a former banker, she is so WHIZZ bang on the financial jargon .. once I hear %s and over this long a period statements .. well .. my mind goes into auto pilot .. I'm there .. but I really do NOT grasp that particular type of lingo.
So .. Jo-Anne and I are making a day of it on Monday .. if anything .. the salesman will cave in as Jo Jo can talk the leg off a cast iron pot .. I am so used to her going into detail on things that I rarely even notice it .. others, however, do and I take EXTREME pleasure in watching them try to figure out how they can 'get away' LoL ... it's just 'her way' and one of the things about her that makes her so dear to me .. her Mom and Gramma were the same .. neither her daughter nor son are verbose .. and hubby is a quiet man ..
Lorna has gone with me as well .. but .. her time is variable given her schedule with the neighbours and the snow.
DH feels it is MY purchase and he would only make faces at me .. he's a 4x4 TRUCK man PERIOD !!!

Sure am hoping Betty has shaken 'the bug' .. and WOO HOO to BC .. Linda .. you should be breaking out the patio furniture any day now :-)

Off to do my 'morning feeding routine' ...

Enjoy your day ^_^

~M~

Slept off and on and didn't get up till just after 8..that's like sleeping in till noon for me...storm a brewing so good place will be to be inside..

Can barely swallow and feverish so that homemade soup will come in handy...

Although Kyle did all the work yesterday, I'm left with more of it as we've had quite a lot of snow and blowing through the night..not rushing out because with the wind it's most likely to be same by noon...

Interesting purchasing a car..I wasn't that brilliant, had a friend who owns a car dealership said I wanted the best buy, hope he gave it to me as I left with the car that day...wasn't even fond of the car color - burnt orange but it's grown on me and it's cheap on gas and dependable..though not big once the seats are done I manage to get a good amount of area I can fill with craft supplies...lol...

So off to make some raisin bread, why I don't know, just me and I'll end up eating the entire thing..lol

Glad some of you are experiencing good weather ..

Lordy I also am getting antzy for spring..want to see my gardens..1st clue to 'antzy' is going back through photo's daily looking at what is under that vast amount of white...

Talk later
Stay in/stay warm and enjoy your day

Thought I'd share....

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon, before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60's & 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.


I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.


I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.



As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it).

MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP NEVER COME APART, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART!


MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE A RAINBOW OF SMILES ON YOUR FACE AND IN YOUR HEART FOREVER AND EVER!


FRIENDS FOREVER!

"M" must be out buying that new car..lol

Tallulah_B how did the bell ringing go yesterday...bet all enjoyed

THAT, my dear Betty , was a wonderful read .. and SO true !! The older I get the less affected I am by what 'others think' .. have discovered life is NOT a dress rehearsal .. you get your life to live ONCE and ONCE only ..

Well .. the plan WAS to be out car shopping .. but .. I really did a number on my left arm when I shovelled :-( totally my own fault .. snow shovelling is one of the things I am BANNED from doing by my orthopaedic surgeon .. but .. if you can believe it .. I LIKE shovelling snow !!! I like being out and being active .. besides which, ME using an AUTOMATED snow removal apparatus is tant amount to letting a 2 yr old drive a car !!!! Well .. maybe not THAT bad .. but gruesome enough .. we have a tractor/blower and a blower (much like Bettys) if someone starts it for me I MIGHT do ok .. but .. I prefer just shovelling .. I try to go easy .. but .. I hit a couple of patio bricks on Sunday and I jarred my arm .. so .. I have the 'tinglies and OWIES' happening and the drugs prescribed for it render me sorta more 'goofy' than usual :-) Jo and I will tackle the car lots some other day.

My week is getting busy .. and elderly aunt passed away .. funeral is Wednesday at the same time I am to be meeting my new Hospice client .. so .. Tuesday night I will go to the funeral home and pay my respects to the family.
Am to see a Periodontist on Thursday to see if he can EXPOSE a root in one of my teeth .. am getting more and more fearful of that by the hour, and, will likely cancel .. I take GREAT exception and am grossly nervous about a dentist messin about in my mouth !! Goes WAY way back from an experience when I was maybe 7 and a dentist i HAD to see pulled a tooth out with NO freezing.
I seem to be OK with my own dentist .. but he has been such for years and knows my angst !!

How's your raisin bread turn out Betty ?? I have a loaf of Norwegian Rye bread on the make.

Susan .. how'd all your church activities go on Sunday .. did you get some ringers ?
Great song for the kids too ^_^
Will you have 'NEEPS and Tatties' with the Haggis ?

Hope you all are well .. sunny and lovely temps here today .. going to take wee Lilly out for a walk ..

~M~

Drats "M" you should know better...I enjoy shovelling as well, favorite all time, cutting grass..but for health reasons you'll have to give it up..now you'll be sore for who knows how long...sorry to hear about your Aunt..would imagine if you are going to funeral home she lived in your community...sending prayers..

Good thing about having all my teeth removed when I was 21, just after giving birth and kidneys shutting down is I NEVER/EVER have to go to a dentist..now that was almost 40 yrs. ago..got another set about 4 years ago..probably last (if I don't keep dropping them) the rest of my days...

Raisin bread turned out awesome..had 2 slices..was going to bring some to work but can hardley swallow so didn't..

Better deal waiting for you in a few more days with regards to the car "M" lol

Not snowing today..almost feels like spring..well not quite..wishful thinking isn't it...

Maybe 'wishful thinking' .. but .. what awesome thoughts ... while I was out with Lilly I looked over the snow out on the front of the property to the Weeping Birch .. for 3 years I have done the garden under the canopy of the Birch (we're NOT talking a BIG canopy) with red and white Geraniums and Dusty Miller .. C O S T L Y !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This year I am going for perennials .. so .. there I stood dreaming .. as Lilly tugged to be on our way ..
I was thinking perhaps some kind of Hosta .. BUT .. the deer factor popped into my head .. Do you remember that DEER SCRAM stuff I purchased last fall? WEll .. used it around the veg garden and it was NOT effective .. maybe this area would be better to try it in.
AS well .. I have LOTS of perennials ready for seperating in the Spring :-) See that .. one thought and I am on a tangent LoL

Fingers Xd re the better deal Betty ..

My Aunt (actually an elderly second cousin I always called my Aunt) is from here .. born and raised .. she raised a large family .. 4 girls and a boy .. all in their 50s now ..
DH and I will attend the funeral at the Cathedral and he will take me and wait while I do my 'meet the client' ... a 91 yr old, spry and living alone .. will be accompanying her to her chemo appts as she is hard of hearing and finds it annoying that the docs will not talk straight to her .. she misses a lot .. she's an ex high school principal .. I best be on VERY good behaviour LoL


Off to check the bread

~M~

My car story ( with some old history) I grew up without a car although I did driver training at 16 cause it was free at school. Parents bought lst car when I was 18 but Dad and I still used buses to go to work. Mom finally learnt to drive when I left home at 21. Never bought a car because either I could not afford it or just had better things to spend money on! And having been brought up to walk or use buss that was the pattern. I just always made sure I was living within walking distance/bus route of work.

Anyway about 1997 I decided it was time to get a car - owned a house, difficult to get to some places to purchase things for house, had dog etc. But although I always read the Driving section of the paper I had no particular experience and didnt really know anybody I cared to ask to car shop with me. After much deliberation I decided it would be either a Honda Civic or a Saturn. Honda Civic place was not to far, on bus route. Saturn was across town.
Seduced no doubt by the Saturn advertising I called the dealership and asked if somebody could bring me a car to test drive. ( taxi across town and back would have cost almost $50.00) Got nice salesperson on phone who said yes,( subsequently told me he was probably the only salesperson in the dealership who would do that) when and what .The only thing I really cared about was 4 door and automatic shift. . He showed up a couple of hours later. We drove around for about half hour and I said OK. He said what Color? I picked green ( was always a bit sorry I didnt pick blackberry- it was a gorgeous dark purple) When did I want it - tomorrow is fine, dont want to drive in rush hour. Next day he picks me up, drive to Saturn ,sign all the papers, takes me to license bureau to get plates and back , goes over the car with me inside and out and off I go in my new car!
Never regretted it and still driving it.

Good story, Carol. Saturns ARE an excellent car. Their salesmen are always up front an honest. They don't bicker much because they know they have an excellent product. I have never regretted buying one.

Loved your story about buying your car Fancyvan.
Had a big grin the whole time reading it.
Sweet and simple.

Sorry you hurt your arm Marilynne.

Am grinning away .. wondering what a dealer here in TBay would say were I to call and tell THEM to bring the car to ME for a test drive ...
I am unsure as to whether we have a Saturn dealership .. am thinking we don't though :-( I'll look it up online)

Watched the Snow Bunny eating the bottom of the Spruce trees .. the actual picki branches .. just reached up .. plucked one of and chewed it .. BLEAH !!!! Sure is sweet .. I will try to get a pic tomorrow ...

Thanks Starzz .. my hand is sure tingly !!!! Drives me BUGS !!!!! This too shall pass ..

~M~

Betty - We didn't play the bells yesterday - I just told the main congregation about them, and showed/rang a couple. Our church is thrilled about it!
I meet the handbell teacher on Saturday, and she'll meet the choir & show them a bit about the bells next Thursday (Jan 29). Our 2nd "class" is on Feb 3. After that, I'm on my own as a Handbell Director LOL
I'll get over my initial nervousness in about......... 6 months LOL

-Susan-

Fancy..loved the story..see "M" that's how it's done...

Probably the only (well maybe not only) bad thing I did as a youth involved purchasing a new car...got to run, time to leave for work and I'm driving myself .. if you want I'll tell you the story later today?

Just finished with one student. Will squeeze in a few minutes here before watching the inauguration.

Tomorrow we are off to Vancouver for a few days. Gotta see that grand-daughter who will be 7 mos on Friday.

Ann

Beautiful age Ann...it's been a few months has it not since you've seen her..drats forgot to bring in the t.v. - brought it home when we moved to Barrie and forgot to bring it today..I'm sure when I get home this evening I'll be able to catch the high-lights..

Yes. We last saw Leila in September. Here's a pic I grabbed yesterday from Facebook . Leila seems not overly impressed by the snow.

OH MY Ann .. your daughter certainly favours you in looks !!! As for the snow .. well Leila and most of CANADA aren't impressed with the snow ... such a wee sweetheart .. nice you can fly out to see them again ^_^
Have a safe trip.
My grands were at PEAK form at 7-8 months .. FULL of smiles and giggles and coos .. ENJOY !!!

Kinda just hung tight today .. had laundry to do .. and I found yet ANOTHER recipe for my sour dough bread starter .. the loaf turned out HUGE .. but very good ..

Watched bits and bats of the Inaguration .. course I like looking at Barrack .. but .. I do think most women were watching to see what wife Michelle was wearing .. she DID look lovely !! Quite the event ... tomorrows news will be replete with pics of the 10 + functions they attend .. exciting times !!

Spoke with a bud today who drives a SUZUKI !! SHEESH .. now I have ANOTHER car to go and look at .. so .. the funeral (my Aunt) is at 11 .. I meet my Hospice client at 2pm .. maybe I can scrooch in a Suzuki visit .. have to confuse myself even more !!!

Off I go ..

~M~

Hi! have been reading your thread........looking for people in my zone which is 4(Montana) Have been posting to the Rocky Mountain forum for zone 4 but does not seem to be anyone there...
Being I was born and raised in Saskatchewan, you would help me find a zone 4 forum......for here in Montana.....thanx Wanda

Hello Wendy..can't help but can offer a friendly 'hello'

Night/night..settling in and yes it's only 5:30 but cold nearing pneumonia..fill myself with meds, warm bed and hope tomorrow will be better....

"M" got that new car yet?

have a god rest Betty. "M" go for the subaru.....

Please Betty, get someone to take you to the doctors if you haven't been. They are supposed to have medication that can help you get over the crap much faster. Anyway if you think you are close to pneumonia, you should be under the care of a doctor. I hope you feel better soon.

Wanda, there is no specific forum for Montana or for zone 4, unless you would fit in with the Rocky Mountain one. There is also one called Cool Climate Gardening that really could use some reviving, but I don't think anyone really knows who's supposed to be in there. Welcome to DG.

Hi Wanda .. as you can see Echoes and myself are from 3a .. so .. pretty much anything we grow in our HUGE 4 -5 months of growing would fit Montana .. and Calgary is 3b and Alberta is close to you too.

Betty .. if you think you have pneumonia .. you need .. blood work, xray and anti biotics at the very least !!! Pneumonia is a very insidious process !! You sure don't need your lungs scarred. !!

WELL ... I am ALMOST a new car owner ^_^

Went back to the Toyota dealer .. re looked at the Matrix and the Corolla .. and .. put a deposit on the 2009 Corolla XLE .. will test drive it tomorrow as I didn't feel I had sufficient time today .. besides that .. the roads here are a MESSSSSSS .. big melt is on .. slushy sloppy stuff ..
All that has to be done is the financial stuff ... ugggggggggggg ... never my favourite thing to do ... so many variables these days .. seems financing with Toyota will be my best bet .. wish I had a crystal ball !!!

Take care

~M~

Betty if you think you might have penumonia please get to a doctor ASAP. Nothing to fool around with thats for sure! For sure you would need a chest X-ray and if that is positive then antibiotics and bed rest.

Morning, somewhat better, if I don't cough, I'd never know I was sick..not quite the truth..think it is breaking up though..both Suzanna and Paul over the past 3 weeks have had pneumonia..although they say it isn't contagious parts of the cold must be..lol Suzanne's husband who drives transport came home last night, he's in bed ..germs/germs ...
I am looking after myself though..only have parts of kidneys so I really don't take a chance..

Quiet here at work so have my head against a pillow I brought in and am able to rest..not using my vacation time as a sick day that I do know...

Thanks for the kind words, cuddling up in this comfy chair and might even grab a wink or two...
One more day, think I can make the week..trying to decide if I hould call the painting studio and cancel Sunday's class? Guess I should do

"M" I sure loved my Subaru..went anywhere and everywhere...should have bought another when I bought my last car....photo's of the new one you chose please....

Enjoy your day..

Good morning from Vancouver. DD has stepped out for a short time leaving us in charge of DGD who is supposed to be napping but isn't. As long as she doesn't sound upset, that's OK.

Will head out myself in about 20 minutes for a haircut. I have a Vancouver hairdresser who does as good a job as my Ottawa one and charges about half. Had an appointment for next Tuesday so it was an easy decision to cancel it.
Get thee to a Dr.

We're here until Saturday and have an afternoon flight back to Ottawa. DH broought his laptop and hopefully we'll get it working on DD's wireless. I'm not partial to her keyboard and my regular email isn[t returnign messages correctly on her computer.

Ann

Well Betty .. YOU know YOU best .. listen to your body and take good care ..

What's it like in Vancouver Ann ?? Foggy ? Hope the haircut was as expected and DGD remains content ..

Well .. it's ALL over but 4 years of payments LoL .. I pick up 'MY GIRL' on Monday at noon ^_^
The finance woman was just awesome .. but .. she DID manage to sell me the extended warranty (TRANSFERRABLE) was stung on that once many years ago.
Seems all kinda surreal to me .. the test drive went very well .. the car rides beautifully .. my brother drives a BMW and I am sure he will be MORE than impressed .. I personally do not like the ride the BMW has .. looks kewl though ..

I will definitely have pics ..

Mild day today .. snow expected overnight ..


~M~

HANG ON TA YER FACE the wind is a blowin here in Thunder Bay !! It snowed overnight .. about 3 inches .. and now the wind has come up and is blowing it all from the trees .. took Lilly out and got a FULL blast .. woke me right up LoL

Just finished reading the local paper .. also watched CBC news this morning on the tube .. by gosh .. we certainly do live in quite a world .. and I am not being complimentary here .. makes me wonder if travelling afar is really safe .. actually .. one even wonders about the safety aspect of travel within Canada ... never EVER thought I'd hear ME saying something like that as I am a traveller ... but .. there comes a time when you have to weigh the pros and cons .

The weather kept me in this morning so I baked .. haven't made Date Squares in ages and this Banana pudding cake made in one bowl .. easy and moist .. once they cool I'll make up a couple of care packages .. too dangerous keeping both of those items close at hand LoL

Off to feed Lilly ^_^

~M~

Hi folks.

Finally a moment on the computer. Yes it's been foggy since we arrived, though this afternoon the sun has broken through. Pilot said, after we landed in heavy fog, "now we just have to find the terminal".

Haircut is good, I think. We'll get together with friends of DD's this evening for daughter and tomorrow, before we return home (leave around 4 pm), we'll get together with some extended family for brunch. DGD is a sweetie but is now napping with us in charge while DD runs some errands.

Congrats to marilynne on the new 'girl'.

Ann

Here a picture of what was happening this morning in Vancouver..taken from Cypress Mountain on the north shore

That's a great photo sydney. It looks like a modern day Atlantis sinking.

What a cool picture!!

Great photo Cindy!!!

YIPES !! Had to look at that pic a couple of times to realize exactly what it is .. awesome photo !!! Should be on Dave's 2010 Calendar ..
Reminds me of a scene in the movie "The day After tomorrow" ..

Our 'coldathon' persists .. but ... it's DUMP day .. so off we go .. be still my heart :-)

Hope Ann makes it (made it) home OK and that Betty is feeling better ..

Off to brave the wind !!!

~M~

It is very quiet here - Tango went to his new home last evening. I think we are all enjoying the peace and getting back to normal. Well not quite Jazz usually comes downstairs in the morning when I sit in the kitchen rocker with my coffee and walks up and down by the right side of the rocker demanding petting! It may take him a day or so to realize Tango has left and it is OK to come down again - he is not very sociable and when I have a foster dog in the house tends to stay upstairs in cat territory ( fosters are not allowed upstairs!)
We are in a deep freeze again since Wed evening, snow but not much on Thurs and miserable cold wind but Friday not to bad thank good ness as I had to go to Curves and get gas and take Tango across town for a groom - we have had a local groomer experienced with shelties, offer to do free grooms for us! It is about -23 right now but no wind I think. Still we probably will not go out today - if it is below -10 we dont go off leash and if it is below -15 we dont do our neighborhood walks.

Weather looks good here today for a good flight unless it changes dramatically. That's a great picture. Our DSIL had been talking about how the buildings sometimes stick out above the fog. We didn't happen to see it from the airplane coming in, but except for the buildings it's pretty much what it looked like. DD lives 2/3 block E of Commercial Drive. We've walked out to the local Italian bakery for croissants for breakfast. I'd be in BIG trouble if I live in a neighbourhood like this.

Ann

What a GREAT photo! I agree it should be in a magazine or on a post card or in a competition.
We in Edmonton are back in the deep freeze AGAIN. I think the saving grace is the sun shinning and the big blue sky, I sure don't like the fog.
Carol are you enjoying Curves? Have you met some chat mates for the rounds?
Marilynne where is the new "girl". Is it too cold to bring her home yet?

My ordered seeds arrived and now I'm dreaming of the planting part, deep sigh.
Ann

Hiya ... Ann should be leaving BC about now (Has anyone else noticed the time hasn't changed to the left of the posts.. when the time changed .. the time here stayed :-) kinda shocked me one of the first times I posted) Anywho .. I figure Ann should be flying over TBay about 11pm EST .. hope the plane doesn't freeze up !!! Gonna be -32 here overnight !!

My new GURL will be united with me in 'Holy Automotivearony' at noon on Monday .. it needed to have some stuff done .. like the upholstery protectant, rust inhibitor (which in a Toyota is done electrically) since I still have my old car .. will sell it closer to spring .. I told the salesman to have the detailers take their time. My sales fellah told me he will go over all the nuances of the car with me on Monday .. how to work the wipers, the radio, the cruise control. heater, air, trunk stuff yadda yadda .. he can try .. but I need to read that in a book as well !!

SEEDS :-) wonderful to receive .. since I have limited 'free space' in the house .. I will have to decide what I want to pre start .. fer sure Lavatera .. the ones from the greenhouse last year were awful .. and I saved their seeds :-(
Perhaps I will try some Hosta again as well .. the ones from last year did well ..

Have a nice evening everyone !!

~M~

Marilynne you can set your own timezone in your preferences on your home page. Mine didn't change in the fall and I had to reset it myself.

Thanks so much Dahlia ^_^
Now I won't be thinking I'm late for an appt !!

Looking out the kitchen window for a Brass Monkey .. should be travellin by anytime now !!!!


~M~