Quick and easy Halloween craft........

 You need empty toilet rolls, like in the photo.  Flatten them, and cut out two triangle's like in the photo.

Pick up a package of glow stick bracelets, from the Dollar Store.

Snap the glow stick, and make it into the bracelet.  Insert it into the toilet roll.

When dark place them outside in the plants, bushes, of your home and they look like cat eyes.........

I'm all for simple as we don't go big on Halloween around here.  I will take photos on Halloween night.

All done............

 with actually a couple of days to spare.......

It was a mystery one that daughter and grand daughter picked up for me.  It's not really my cup of tea, but I did enjoy doing it.  I will hang it up for Halloween.........now to start on the next project, which I think will be the Christmas cross stitch sew along.  Plus I have some good books to read and review.......

Before and After........

 This is what is looked life before

There were more piles around the side of the house

Hubby used his leaf blower to suck them up and mulch them.

Four full bags and one partial bag later......

It looks a whole lot better.

Well probably until tomorrow and more will drop........

By the way the garden waste bags from Costco are the best I find, followed by Home Depot ones.  I buy them in packs of 25 from Costco and they generally last all year.  It helps that the leaf blower mulches the leaves, so less bags used.

That time of year.....

 We have had a couple of very hard frost's which means the heating is on a little more now.  It also means that the cold will have killed the mosquito's!!!  So it's that time of year to remove the screens from the windows for the winter.

This is a close up of a screen, we have them over every window that opens to prevent the flies from coming in.  As I said this is a close up, we can see out of the windows clearly with them up.

Also removing the screens makes wiping the condensation up from the bottom of the window each morning easier.  We get maybe an inch until it gets super cold.

I will say you it was a lovely sunny bright, but cold morning on Monday.

I do store the screens either in the basement or in the spare bedroom.   However I have to wash them first.  I have put them in the bath tub so that Tuesday morning when I have a shower, I can scrub them while in the shower........multi-tasking!!!

Do you remove your screens for winter if you have them?

I totally agree.............

 

You're welcome!!

Busy week this past week........

It was one of those weeks when I got a lot of little things done that you probably can't see.  Those things that only you can see.

Did a fair bit of fall clean up in the yard.  Had three large bags to go out for yard waste which was good.  Hubby been raking up the leaves and shredding them.  However with two huge trees in our yard, which have barely dropped their leaves, there will be a lot more to rake up {{{SIGH}}}  However those big red and yellow maples are spectacular this time of year.

Got some stuff listed on Facebook Marketplace.  Also got some more Christmas stuff/decorations sorted out.  Some thrown out, some listed and some donated.  This is a job that's been wanting to be done for a while.  I ended up donating two large garbage bags of stuff.

Had some test results back this week, both positive and negative.

Car had to have a sensor replaced in it.  A long, boring, and VERY ANNOYING story which I can't be bothered to retell here.  Suffice to say, I LOVE the car but hate the service department at our local garage!!  Overpriced, never on time and if I hear the words, "it could be the gas cap," one more time I will scream...LOL  They use the excuse of you not putting the gas cap on correctly as a reason for the check engine light coming on.  In our case it was nothing to do with that, and we told them that numerous times!

Had my yearly cleaning at the dentist.  Funny thing is that I have never had a clean bill of health in years when going to the dentist.  I usually walk out of there with a list of issues.  Now I don't have benefits and are paying out of pocket, I had no issues what so ever!!  Cost me under $250 as well.  I have said this before and have witnessed this myself, if you have benefits they will charge you extra and I believe come up with "issues" that have to be fixed right away!

I went in with toothache earlier in the year and told them I didn't have benefits.  They discounted my bill by $100.........😕

Of course it's a big week in Toronto for the Blue Jays baseball team, that's all over our news.  I am not a baseball fan in general, but do hope they do well, as everyone is excited about it.

No reading at all these past couple of weeks, as I am trying to complete a Halloween themed diamond art project I was gifted, before the end of the month.  Let's just say it will be touch and go if I can finish it in time!!

Let's hope I can be as productive this upcoming week.

Do you remember the tale of Jimmy?

If not re-read this post too remind yourself.

Son has a pizza oven in his back yard.  To cut a long and not overly interesting story short, he had a second one that he sold to his co-worker.  His co-worker came over to see son's pizza oven.  Son has a specially made cover for his, just like a BBQ cover, he removed the cover, and his co-worker says, "what's that?" And steps back abruptly.  Son looks at the pizza oven and see's this:

It's Jimmy Junior!!!!

This one is a lot smaller than the original Jimmy and remember the pest removal guy did say Jimmy wouldn't be coming back.......😉  How this raccoon had managed to crawl under the cover and then make it's way up into the oven is beyond me.  

Now apparently raccoon's have a tendency to poop when frightened.  So son and family had to get this one out without frightening it.  When it went dark they kept flashing a light into the oven until it got fed up and left.  It was covered in soot, as was the pizza oven.  Son is now putting it in the garage for the winter, after he has burned all the soot out and cleaned it out.

I told son that when his co-worker said "what's that?"

He should have said, "that's supper!!" 😂

Told son if he's going to invite us over for pizza, the first thing I am going to ask, is what flavour are you making!!!  

Son, does however make really good pizza's in that oven, very tasty.

I swear it's wildlife central over at his house...............

A new to me product....

 image credit

Have you seen this in your stores?  I saw it a while ago and decided to give it a go.  I rarely use fabric softener, and occasionally I find that the towels have an odour even after I have washed and dried them, so thought I would try this.

My verdict: I love it.  One benefit I have found which I wasn't expecting was that my clothes are drying faster in the dryer.  Prior to using this the towels were taking forever to dry.  It doesn't have an overpowering scent either, which I like, but may just get scent free next time, as I do plan on continuing using this.  I did pick mine up from Wal Mart, but am guessing you can get it at all major stores, and even Amazon.

I have just had a thought though.  I am guessing white vinegar would work as well; then I had a look again on Amazon and saw this:

Do you use this product and if so what did you think?

Question: What meal do you enjoy but hate preparing?

image credit

A full English breakfast is something we enjoy every now and then, but not for breakfast, but for a main meal at night.

I hate making it though because of the grease.  I like my bacon nice and crispy so it has be to overcooked within an inch of it's life, so you know that's all the fat cooked out of it.  That fat is then to dispose of.  Fried eggs, need to be fired in oil.  Then the sausages give off grease, so all in all a greasy mess.

I did make a version of this the other evening, but I cooked the bacon and breakfast sausages in the oven on parchment lined sheets.  With parchment paper covering the top of them also, so the fat didn't go everywhere.  We also had baked beans and scrambled eggs as well.  It was tasty and made a nice change.

If you order this in the UK, you may also get, mushrooms, black pudding, toast, tomatoes, and if in Scotland haggis.

So what meal do you enjoy but hate preparing?

How to make this Mixed Fabric Cardboard Christmas Tree 🎄

This is one of those crafts I think anyone could do.  Dollar store ribbon would be perfect for this.  It is also a tree that will fit in even the tightest of spaces.  Someone also suggested putting in mini lights on it as well.  I think I will make one of these......will post it when I have made it.

Some days this would be too complicated for me....LOL

 

Please remove your shoes...........

 image credit

It's standard practice in Canada to remove your shoes when entering someone's house.  We would never dream of walking on carpet or rugs with outdoor shoes on.  There are exceptions of course for those people who find it difficult to remove their shoes.  Most people have a little bench though in the front hall where you can sit down and remove your shoes.  Of course as we live in a snowy country, it's common sense to remove your snow boots at the front door, other wise you would be bringing in the snow, sand and salt from outdoors.

All the elementary school children have indoor shoes at school.  Kids going to daycare, have indoor and outdoor shoes.  High School kids, wear what they want.....who wants to argue with a teenager...LOL  I have seem many a teenager walking through the snow in their running shoes 😕

Growing up in the UK, we never removed our shoes, although we always had slippers to wear around the house.  Even now when we visit we nearly always remove our shoes, especially in homes where they have lovely carpets throughout.  

When we went on vacation to the cabin this year, we always removed our shoes as soon as we entered the cabin, even though it wasn't our home and put slipper's on.  When we go to the kid's home's we generally take our slippers if we are going to be there for a period of time.

This is not a custom practiced throughout the world, but one I am glad we have in Canada, as goodness knows what's on the soles of your shoes.  You can read more about removing shoes when entering homes, here.

Do you remove your outdoor shoes when entering a house?

Fun Project for Cross Stitchers.........

 I saw this SAL (stitch along) on Facebook and I think I will join it....

I haven't heard of this person before, but it should be simple enough even for complete novice's if you want to follow along.  You can see more here.

Let me know if you plan on doing this?

You will tap your feet, or nod along, or even shake your booty!!!

and you're welcome!!

Vetiver.............

Our latest hand wash in our bathroom is Salted Amber and Vetiver scent.  Too me it sounds like a caramel/toffee flavour.  

It smells lovely, but I didn't have a clue what on earth Vetiver was?  

Vetiver is a perennial bunchgrass native to tropical Asia, known for it's extensive root system.

Did you know what Vetiver was?

Food Banks........

 The other day on the morning news was an article on Food Bank usage in Canada:

We are very fortunate that we don't have to use food banks, but many people have to use them.

Also on Facebook that morning I came across a new to me site called Dollar Tree Dinners.  She had a super idea where, put together a meal in cans or packages in a Ziploc/Plastic bag along with a recipe and it's a meal in a bag.  There are many examples of meal ideas on her site, all very doable, using what is available in your area/country.  These would be perfect to donate to food banks/food pantries.  This is one idea/recipe she posted:

She also has a You Tube channel called Dollar Tree Dinners.  As well as social media channels.  Well worth checking out her channels.

I also saw this article on Daily Mail UK, regarding Canned/Tinned "superfoods" you should always have in your pantry.  

As we are closing in on the holiday season I will pick up some extra cans of items for donation to the food banks.........

Interesting.........

Had to go to Michael's which is a craft store the other day.  Now Michael's is an American owned store.  

I have the girls overnight at the end of the month and decided we could do a craft together.  I found these two Halloween paint sets on sale for 50% off.  I thought they were cute and the price was right.  You can see the packaging is printed in both English and French, so this was packaged for the Canadian market.

Here is a close up of the price.  In the States, these are $2.99 USD and in Canada they cost $4.99 CDN.

So I go to pay for them, and we get an A$$ for a cashier guy.  Really, someone with an attitude problem.  Hubby was with me and even he said he had a bad attitude.  Anyway; we cash out and on my way out I look at the receipt and notice it is wrong.

So go back to the cashier and tell him that it's wrong, as I was charged $3.99 for each of the kit's.  He tells me the original price is $7.99 and half of that is $3.99.

As you can see quite clearly no where does it say $7.99 on the packaging, right?

He calls the supervisor over and she tells him to over ride the pricing and goes on to explain what the problem is............if you're Canadian you will probably guess right, other nationalities probably not!!

Tariffs.........those bloody tariffs.............the staff are having to go round with price guns and manually repricing everything due to the tariffs.  As with most retail, they work months ahead of time, so these items were all made and priced before the tariffs kicked in............

Now I did notice when I was looking around that there was different stickers (not the normal Michael's one's) on some items.  If you're in a Michael's store in Canada, keep an eye out for them.

The rising price of Halloween candy.........

I was reading this article and amongst the things it was saying, was that due to the rising cost of cocoa worldwide that giving out chips/crisps might be cheaper for you!

So when we were in Walmart over the weekend we had a look at various Halloween candy and did agree that maybe the chips route was the way to go.

So we picked up these:

I figure that I will give each child a bag of chips and a bag of candy.  I have enough there was 135 kids.  Now I have the girls sleeping over the week before, so at a minimum we will still be able to accommodate 125 kids.  After that I will close the door and turn the light off.  A lot depends on the weather.  If it's nice and warm, and dry I can see us getting 125 kids.  If it's cold and wet, who knows how few.

I do know my husband can't remember how to use the washer or dryer, but does remember where the guy gives out full sized chocolate bars, as he mentioned it when we were buying the Halloween stuff!!  Just saying 🙄

My surrogate daughter makes up over 200 bags, and lasts her around an hour.  Whether she will make up more, I'm not sure.

Do you open your doors for the trick or treaters?  How many do you buy for?

Signs of Fall.....

 So far the weather has been glorious this Fall.  We finally had a couple of morning's last week when there was frost on the ground.  Fall is my favourite time of year.  Here are some photo's I took of the large tree in the garden and so other's in the park.

The other side of this tree is still green........

Do you enjoy the Fall weather and colours?

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving.......

 

Hope you're having a restful Thanksgiving.........

Book's I read over the past couple of weeks........

 Here are a couple of books I have read over September/beginning of October.

A House In The Sky by Amanda Lindhout & Sara Corbett.

As a child, Amanda Lindhout escaped a violent household by paging through issues of National Geographic and imagining herself visiting its exotic locales. At the age of nineteen, working as a cocktail waitress, she began saving her tips so she could travel the globe. Aspiring to understand the world and live a significant life, she backpacked through Latin America, Laos, Bangladesh, and India, and emboldened by each adventure, went on to Sudan, Syria, and Pakistan. In war-ridden Afghanistan and Iraq she carved out a fledgling career as a television reporter. And then, in August 2008, she traveled to Somalia—“the most dangerous place on earth.” On her fourth day, she was abducted by a group of masked men along a dusty road.

Held hostage for 460 days, Amanda survives on memory—every lush detail of the world she experienced in her life before captivity—and on strategy, fortitude, and hope. When she is most desperate, she visits a house in the sky, high above the woman kept in chains, in the dark.

This was such a good book, well worth reading.  It was very eye opening.  Although I didn't feel any sympathy when she got kidnapped, as she was told multiple times by various people not to go to Somalia as it was so dangerous.  What they did to her while she was in captivity was not good!  You go through so many emotions while reading this book.  I do admire how she dug deep through the worst of times to just to get through the next day/hours/minutes.  Well worth the read.

"Our Woman in Moscow, by Beatriz Williams"

In the autumn of 1948, Iris Digby vanishes from her London home with her American diplomat husband and their two children. The world is shocked by the family’s sensational disappearance. Were they eliminated by the Soviet intelligence service? Or have the Digbys defected to Moscow with a trove of the West’s most vital secrets?

Four years later, Ruth Macallister receives a postcard from the twin sister she hasn’t seen since their catastrophic parting in Rome in the summer of 1940, as war engulfed the continent and Iris fell desperately in love with an enigmatic United States Embassy official named Sasha Digby. Within days, Ruth is on her way to Moscow, posing as the wife of counterintelligence agent Sumner Fox in a precarious plot to extract the Digbys from behind the Iron Curtain.

But the complex truth behind Iris’s marriage defies Ruth’s understanding, and as the sisters race toward safety, a dogged Soviet KGB officer forces them to make a heartbreaking choice between two irreconcilable loyalties.

I picked this book up while on vacation.  Wasn't sure where the story was going to go, but once I started it I could not put it down.  It's a mix of fact and fiction.  Some people mentioned in the book, were actual spies.  I did enjoy the twist in the book, didn't see it coming.  Lets just say I was impressed. Again another book worth reading.  I picked this book up in the clearance section in Books A Million (I think that's the chain) in the States.

"We Are Afghan Women, by George W. Bush Institute"

Here are Afghan women in their own words. Words that are by turns inspiring, moving, courageous, and heartbreaking. Their powerful stories create a compelling portrait of the lives, struggles, and successes of this extraordinary nation and its extraordinarily resilient women. With an introduction by Laura Bush, honorary founding co-chair of the U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council.

Afghanistan has been described as “the worst nation in the world to be a woman.” More than fifty percent of girls who are forced into marriage are sixteen or younger. Too many women live in fear and in many areas, education and employment for women are still condemned. The women featured in We Are Afghan Women are fighting to change all that. From rug weavers to domestic violence counselors to business owners, educators, and activists, these courageous women are charting a new path for themselves, their families, their communities, and their nation. Told in their own voices, their stories vividly capture a country undone by decades of war and now struggling to build a lasting peace.

Meet Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, who ran underground schools for girls until the Taliban fell, and today has established educational centers across Afghanistan to teach women and girls basic literacy. Or Freshta Hazeq, who as a female business owner, has faced death threats, sabotage, and even kidnapping threats against her children. Naheed Farid is the youngest female member of Afghanistan’s parliament. During her campaign, opponents cut Naheed’s face out of campaign posters and her family risked complete ruin, but her husband and father-in-law never wavered, encouraging her to persevere. Here, too are compassionate women such as Masooma Jafari, who started a national midwives association. Her own mother was forced into marriage at age twelve and gave birth to her first child at age thirteen.

With an introduction by former First Lady Laura Bush, We Are Afghan Women chronicles the lives of young and old, daughters and mothers, educated, and those who are still learning. These determined women are defying the odds to lead Afghanistan to a better future. Their stories are a stark reminder that in some corners of the world the struggle continues and that women’s progress in society, business, and politics cannot be taken for granted. Their eloquent words challenge all of us to answer: What does it truly mean to be a woman in the twenty-first century?

I had made a start on this book a while back and so I picked it back up when we came back from vacation.  It was first published in 2016, so unfortunately things have changed again in Afghanistan, and not for the better.  However, all these "stories" are still well worth reading.  Whether all these women are still doing what they set out to do and are still doing it under the leadership of the Taliban, who knows.

Regardless, they are very courageous and very determined individuals.  It makes you think that what we take for granted, by just going out for a walk by yourself, or playing sports, or talking to another man who is not related to you, is unthinkable for a lot of women in Afghanistan.

The one thing all these women and one man want is to make Afghanistan a better place for women to live in.  I do hope they succeed. 

I think I got this book from Book Outlet, where I get a few of my books from. 

"The Witness, by Nora Roberts."

Daughter of a cold, controlling mother and an anonymous donor, studious, obedient Elizabeth Fitch finally let loose one night, drinking too much at a nightclub and allowing a strange man’s seductive Russian accent to lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive.

Twelve years later, the woman now known as Abigail Lowery lives alone on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance security systems designer, her own protection is supplemented by a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing. Unfortunately, that seems to be the quickest way to get attention in a tiny southern town.

The mystery of Abigail Lowery and her sharp mind, secretive nature and unromantic viewpoint intrigues local police chief Brooks Gleason, on both a personal and professional level. And while he suspects that Abigail needs protection from something, Gleason is accustomed to two-bit troublemakers, not the powerful and dangerous men who are about to have him in their sights.

And Abigail Lowery, who has built a life based on security and self-control, is at risk of losing both.

I read this book in a day, as it was so good.........until the ending; which I thought was lacking.  The detail in this book, got you sucked into it from the very start.  That doesn't happen very often I find.  I rarely read Nora Robert's books, but picked this one up from Indigo in the 3 for $10 section.  

Abigail reminded me of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory.  The way Nora built up the storyline was great and she kept the leading characters to a minimum so it doesn't get awfully confusing as to who is who. There was action, romance, a bit of technical stuff, and a bit of cloak and dagger.  I did expect more from the ending though, as there was a lot more to tell to my mind.

I will look out for more Nora Roberts book's, as I did enjoy this one.

I didn't buy one, I bought 3!!!

I found the KitchenAid Mixer Wallflower plug in Bath and Bodyworks when we were in the States.  I bought one for me, one for our daughter and one for our daughter-in-law.

I just love it.  My mixer is cream though, not this lovely green.  Plus it's a night light as well.

Dollywood (Photo Heavy)

This is a longer post for me with many photo's.

We went to Dollywood while we were on vacation.  It was under a ten minute drive from where we were staying so very convenient.  We went on a Monday, in the hopes it wasn't as crowded and it worked out fine.  It was busier until around 5pm, then it was quiet until we left at around 6:30pm.  Some of the lights had come on at that time, but it would have been another hour or so until it was dark enough for all the lights to come on, and my poor feet were done walking by 6:30pm.

We arrived around 10:30am.  I bought my tickets online and used my cell phone to scan them.  For us it came to around $265 CDN and parking was another $25 USD or $35 CDN.  We parked in lot D which was a 10 minute walk to the entrance, but of course used the free trolleys to take us to the entrance.

It was the Fall Festival time, so there were pumpkin displays everywhere.

This leaf display was so pretty on the main street.  It was a red hot day when we went, so any little piece of shade was welcome.

There were lots of these giant award winning pumpkins everywhere as well.

All the stores were decked out in both Fall and Christmas displays.  Everything was over the top.  I did not buy anything from the stores.  I am trying to get rid of things in the house, not bring more stuff in....LOL

We go for the shows and I especially like The Kingdom Heirs.  Also in the theatres you can have a break from the heat.

There is a replica of Dolly's childhood home in the park.

The next three photos are inside the home, but there is a plexiglass screen in front of you protecting everything.

We bought a refillable cup.  It was $17.99 USD for one and you could refill it all day at the soda/pop machines.  We thought it was worthwhile.  Hubby drinks Coke zero.  I don't normally drink pop, but did that day.  We also filled it with water, as there are water fountains all over.  The cookie I think was $6.99 USD but it was huge.

As I said everything is over the top in the park, so wasn't surprised to see this!

I heard a member of staff say you get to take home the pan it's baked in as well.  It was huge.

As I mentioned in this post, we bought the tasting pass.  I was just over $47 USD with tax, so worked out to over $65 CDN.  

This is what you could have with it.

Although Dollywood isn't a huge park it is very hilly.  So anyone with mobility issues should rent a mobility scooter.  I think they were around $55 USD for the day.  There is something to do for all ages.  We personally do not go on any of the rides.  We go for the shows, and the programme of what's on that day, even gives suggestions on what order to see them.

As with every theme park it's not a cheap day out.  If you live local then a pass would be worthwhile.  We did find the tasting pass worthwhile.  We would have only got one meal in one of the sit down restaurants for that price I would think.  Of course you can bring your own food and snacks in with you, but we didn't want to carry anything extra.

I do not think paying extra for closer parking is worth it.  Also unless you are going when it's super busy do not waste your money on reserved seating in the theatre's for the shows, there's generally plenty of room.

I would love to go for all the Christmas displays, but it's not a "must."  The trolley driver mentioned to us that Dolly was not well and to say a prayer for her.

The staff seemed to think highly of Dolly and I know she has done a lot for the area.  It will be a very sad day when Dolly passes, that's for sure.  Our grandson is a recipient of Dolly's Imagination Library, as he is under the age of 5.  Again a super thing she started.

Overall we enjoyed our day, and slept like logs that night!!!