Feeling hot, hot, hot.......the weather that is!!

Great movie, and yes it's really feeling hot, hot, hot with this weather we're having at the moment!!!

Controversy over clear garbage bags...........

I'm in Dufferin County in Ontario and as of June 1st we have a new garbage pick up provider.  One of the changes that they are implementing is that garbage bags have to be see through/clear.  It's to make people recycle more because if you don't recycle and throw out recyclables in your garbage bag they won't pick up your garbage.

Well it seems a lot of people are up in arms about this as they are concerned about privacy.  I must admit I am not 100% happy about the idea of putting "personal" items in a bag for the world to see.  We are allowed a "privacy bag" the size of one grocery store bag to put those "personal" items in.

For us I generally only put out one bag of garbage a week, as I do recycle as much as possible.  So I do see the benefit of this.  Do feel sorry for the garbage men having to "look" at what is in garbage bags though!!

Would it bother you to have clear garbage bags?

Conversation with dh.......

Me: I have good news and bad news.

Dh: Oh?

Me: The good news it will cost less than $100.

Dh: What did you do with the car?

Me: I backed into a pole.

Dh: Why?

Me: Because I'm an idiot!

I was in a grocery store parking lot last week and I backed into a hulking big light pole, with a bright yellow bottom.  Why, I have no idea.  Luckily the bumper on the car is plastic and I didn't crack it, only broke some clips that hook it onto the car.  So I am off to the garage this afternoon to have it repaired...........(SIGH)  Another $100 I could have done without spending.

(Will catch you up with what else is going on over the new few days)

I NEED YOUR HELP..........

This I think is the first time I have asked everyone to help but it is such a worthwhile cause and one that has unfortunately touched all of our lives in one way or another, that I am sure you won't mind me asking.

Our son is part of a team that is participating the Relay For Life in Barrie Ontario, on June 7th, 2013. 

He wrote the following:

Hey Everyone,  

As you may be aware on March 6, 2013 Michael Bradley, a good friend and former co-worker of ours past away from Leukemia.  

Although unfortunate, sometimes it’s the loss of someone you care about that sprouts the idea to do something amazing or to try and help others in the hopes of preventing/curing what we all know as cancer.  

On June 7, 2013, Grant Thornton will be entering a Relay for Life team at the Barrie event.

What is the Relay for Life?

Relay For Life is an inspirational, non-competitive, 12-hour overnight fundraising event that brings you and your community together to celebrate life and fight cancer. Relay has a festival-like atmosphere that your family, friends and co-workers can enjoy regardless of age or fitness level!

When is Relay for Life?

June 7, 2013 - Mapleview Community Church Campus- 7 pm to 7 am

What are we asking for?

We’re looking for team members, we need 10-15 team members who will join us that night to celebrate life, fight cancer and, remember those who we have lost to cancer. While at the same time raising money for the Canadian Cancer Society in hopes of helping them search for cures and treatments to all types of cancer.

We’re hoping to raise $3,000 (even more would be amazing) for this event and I realize that the time frame for the Relay is close and only 2 ½ weeks away, but this is a good cause and I know that everyone in some manner has been touched in life by someone who has either had cancer or know of someone who is currently suffering from cancer.

I personally will be doing this for my friend Michael Bradley and for others that I know have suffered or are suffering from cancer. Please help us out.

 

Michael was a young man in his mid-20's and had a lot of life to live.  So I am asking you all if you could spare a few dollars, to help our son and his team reach their goal of $3,000.  For those of you in Canada you will receive a tax receipt.  For people outside of Canada, if you don't want to donate to this cause, please think about donating to your cancer charity in your country.

 

If you would like to donate to our son's team here is the sign up link: http://convio.cancer.ca/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFL_ON_odd_?team_id=295756&pg=team&fr_id=12391

 

It takes just a couple of minutes to donate and you will be helping a lot of people.

 

Please feel free to share this link amongst your friends.  If you have a blog share it on there and if you use social media share it there.

 

Thanks for reading this and I do hope you can find it in your heart to donate.

 

Gill

Visit to the doctors again & home of the week.......

Went to the doctors on Thursday as my poor ears are so sore.  Turns out I have an ear infection and so I am back on another dose of antibiotics.  Plus I got a Spacer for my inhalers as he wants me back on those to help me breathe.  I was struggling to use the inhalers without it, so this is so much easier.  

This week's "Home of the Week," is lovely; granted it's pricey at $2.8 million, but it does at least look like a lived in family home not a show place where you dare not touch anything.  The art work leaves a lot to be desired; otherwise I would leave it as is.  Love the kitchen so bright and airy.  If I had the money I would have it.

This week's "Condo of the Week," is NOT lovely.  If you are a single person, I guess it would be alright, but who wants a bedroom like that?  I could even put up with the frosted glass walls of the bathroom, but that "bedroom" would be like sleeping in the middle of a bowling alley.  The one thing I do like about this $850,000 condo is the view from the rooftop patio; great view of downtown Toronto.  However that isn't even enough to make me like this place, sorry.

Well it looks as though the "Cottage of the Week," is back again and what a stunner they have started off with.  However it begs the question, is this really a cottage?  No, it's a fancy dancy house with all the bells and whistles.  If I could afford the $2.35 million price tag I would take it though.  What views and great finishes to the place, but at the end of the day, that's no cottage!!

I finally got all my grocery receipts input into Excel and updated my totals on the right side of the page on my blog.  I have managed to spend $370.22 this month with $88.82 in savings, which is flipping crazy.  Even taking into account I bought $40 worth of allergy pills, that still leaves me way over budget.  I have been spending at least $125 a week instead of $75 a week, I need to take stock of what I have been doing.  I will be lucky if I can come in at under $500 this month (SIGH)  Oh well onwards and upwards as they say!!

Just so stinking cute.........

Our little Princess is on vacation and here she is in the pool.  Isn't that a neat floating device?

Here she is modeling her bikini and her cover up!!!

It's marvelous what they make for kids nowadays.

Priorities............

It's that time of year when there is too much to do in any given day.  If the body is feeling good then you get lots done; if its hurting not as much gets done.  Then if its stinking hot I need to stay indoors; if its wet and cool the indoor jobs get done.

At this point though it's a case of taking a deep breath and getting as much done as you are able.  I still haven't got any veggies planted.  Dug a tiny square of the veggie plot, probably enough to plant one tomato plant...LOL  Still have not made a start on weeding the flower gardens.  The weeds are as big or bigger than the actual flowers!!!  The grass has grown another two inches as you read this.  Can hardly see the raspberry bushes for weeds.  I can see a theme here, weeds, weeds, and more weeds!!!

The inside of the house is full of dust, so as it's going to rain, I need to get the duster out and take care of that!!  I have a quilt that needs sewing along with two baby books and a ton of other sewing to do.  On the plus side though I have more or less completed one of my cross stitch items on my list.  Also completed all my book reviews for the month.  Plus keeping up with my swagbucks.

Got a list a mile long to do in the house.  So I need to set priorities as to what to do first!! 

By the way in the 30 oC heat yesterday we did get the branches chopped up and stacked for use in 2014.  It's always a "pleasure" stacking logs on a red hot day!!!  Mind you with the way the months are racing by, it'll soon be winter!!!

Been good so far and not turned on the a/c..........not sure how long I will hold out for though.

I'm still around and the bloody kitchen....

just been busy and didn't think I had anything really to talk about.

Dh has been off this past week and has spent most of the week in the kitchen .  What started out as me wanting new counter tops has turned into a major kitchen reno!!!  When we took out the counter tops there was no drywall behind them, or behind the cupboards themselves.  So we decided to pull out the bottom cupboards and get them sent away to be professionally painted. This is the colour we are having them painted.  That was a cheaper alternative than having to install new kitchen cupboards, as remember, all we wanted to do is replace the counter tops; so hadn't budgeted any money for a full kitchen reno.  The kitchen cupboard with the blue tablecloth on it would not go through any of the door openings at all.  So the end was pulled off that needs painting along with the doors and they went with the rest of the cupboards.

Where the hole in the floor is, underneath that we found some rotting wood.  So that has all been replaced and sorted out and we found some "new" wood for the hole in the floor that matches the rest of the floor.  All the electrics have had to be replaced as they were wrong.  The plumbing has had to be replaced.  New pieces of wood have had to be installed to make the wall straighter, so when we install the counter top it will fit properly.  All new insulation has had to be installed, along with a proper vapor barrier.  Then new drywall .  The window ledge is having to be replaced as that had rotten wood on it.  Then of course everything was covered in mice dropping...........icky, icky, icky.

Once I get the cabinets back, hoping for the end of next week, we'll get them installed and I am hoping by August/September to be able to have the upper cabinets taken down and have them sent away to be refinished.  When we take down the uppers we know we are in for a lot of trouble again, so again poor dh will be spending his vacation in September in the bloody kitchen again.  We went up to the place on Friday to pick out new hardware; even that was an issue and we were there for an hour trying to sort that out.  Everything the guy we bought the house off has touched is an issue it seems.

Meanwhile I have been trying to keep up with the grass outside, as it's on bloody steroids and is growing as fast as I am cutting it.  There is so much to do outside it's crazy, plus I am super tired and still not 100% well at the moment.  Keep thinking I need to go back to the doctors but keep putting it off.

We did have a day out on Tuesday to St. Jacobs and on Thursday we did some running around, so it hasn't been all work and no play.  We are off to dd today, so that will also make a nice change, and are at ds tomorrow for a BBQ; so a lot of family time also this weekend.

Hope you have a lovely weekend.

For anyone in the Alliston/Barrie/Orangeville, Ontario area, this is the place we are getting our kitchen cabinets refinished, they do beautiful work and we will be using them for other things as well.  The do custom kitchens and all/any wood work.

Look who is four months old.........

Love the bangles on her feet.....

Her Nana in England (my mother) sent the bib, she's starting to drool more now.......... 

Here are our little Princess' outfits for sunbathing and swimming on her vacation!!!  Who knew you could get bikini's for babies!! 

Look what I got for Mother's Day from dd and hubby:

Yep, they're expecting their first baby at the end of November.  Honestly I was, and I think I still am in total shock.  I just wasn't expecting it, so it came as a complete surprise for for dh and I.  She goes for her first ultrasound tomorrow and she will find out the sex of the baby at 21 weeks.  My bet is on it being a boy; then I always say that!!!  This baby will also be the first great-grandchild on my side of the family.  Also Our little Princess  and dd's little one will both being going to school at the same time, despite Our little Princess  being born in January and the new little one in November.

Dd is well and hasn't had much in the way of morning sickness; mind you that is a blessing as when she has had it, she burst a blood vessel in her eye from vomiting that hard.  I had pretty easy pregnancies, so I would expect the same with dd.  When dd told Our little Princess  parents, they drove up to congratulate them and brought up the baby's first outfit.  Our little Princess  is 4 months old today.

Our little Princess , her parents and grandparents are heading to Mexico next week on vacation.  Our little Princess  even has a bikini!! I can't wait to see the photos of her in her bikini!!

So now I have another baby shower to organize this year!!!  Luckily I will have the capable help of dd best friend "K," who is a Martha Stewart wannabe.......yes you are "K!"  I am going to be a pro at organizing baby showers and sewing baby quilts before long!!!

So to all the mother's out there and you don't have to be a mother of a human, animals apply as children also, a Happy Mother's Day to you all.

Dd sent me this survey to fill out and it is really interesting and pretty quick:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/smiles/

What you have to do is say whether or not each person is smiling genuinely or its a fake smile.  I ended up getting 16 out of 20 right.  Let me know if you do it.

Homemade remedies, cleaning windows and Crazy Daisy

If you didn't know me you would think I was a two pack a day smoker with this rotten cough.  As I have finished my ten day course of antibiotics (thank goodness), my mother suggested lemon juice, honey and hot water.  Between me and you I think she is trying to poison me!!!  I do not like honey, unless it's heavily  disguised.  Suffice to say drinking this is nasty.  Not sure how often I have to drink this, must ask her when I talk to her this weekend; and believe me I will be whining.  Though as she says, I'm not happy unless I am whining about something!!!

I did have more energy than I have had in a while on Friday; or it could be we have company coming this weekend and I just got off my butt to tidy up a bit!!!  Anyway I cleaned some of the windows inside and out.  Which upstairs means me sitting on the window ledge and hanging out of the window.  What it does do, is make my stomach muscles groan in agony at being used!!! 

I love having clean windows, just like I love seeing straight lines on the grass when I cut it.  Does that make me a Crazy Daisy?  How often do you clean your windows?  One friend once said to me, she cleaned her windows once a year whether they need it or not......and she meant it!!

Talking of Crazy Daisy I love this new Portmeirion Crazy Daisy Line:

This toast rack is just so flipping cute as well:

Still haven't got around to writing about the kitchen..............

Interesting fact from my doctor........

As I have mentioned before I have allergies now.  Didn't start with them until we moved up here and when tested the guy thought it was probably due to some crop, and we think it is the yellow blooms on the canola oil crop.  However since then I have suffered with allergies more and more throughout the year.

Ontario is a hot bed for allergies for some reason and our doctor was saying that people from Western Europe who move over here normally take around 8 to 10 years living here before they become susceptible to allergies.  He was also saying people from California are the same.  So I guess I was lucky as we will have been in Canada 24 years at the end of this month.

This week's "Home of the Week," is lovely on the outside, but needs a bit of work on the inside.  The bathrooms and the kitchen need to be gutted, which surprises me, as I would have thought at  $2.4 million it would have all been updated?  It's got good bones and for someone willing to add a bit more money to it, it will be a wonderful family home.

This week's "Condo of the Week," is different with the three levels.  Also did you see the light "fixture" in the kitchen?  Also what's with the third level dining room?  Plus I wouldn't want to sit on that bench for any length of time.  I bet they paid a small fortune for that dining room set and its horrible.  I am not a huge fan of industrial lofts period and this one is no exception, despite it "only" on for $715,000!!

There's also a feature called: Condo Showdown: five sumptuous residences in Toronto luxury hotels; which you can read about here.  If I had that sort of money, I would not be buying a condo in the middle of Toronto!!

I finished dd table runner and thought I'd share a couple of photos.  It's around 58 inches long and 19 inches wide.  The photos don't do it justice.  This is the front:

This is the back:

Finally my goal is to finish up my kitchen post for tomorrow....but don't hold your breath!

Opening a big can of worms..............

It all started when I said to dh I would like new counter tops for the kitchen as ours are made with small mosaic tiles and I think are very unhygenic.  How I wish I had kept my mouth shut!!

THIS SHOULD HAVE NOT BEEN POSTED AS IT WAS THE START OF THE KITCHEN SAGA...............SORRY.

Sorry..........

I said I was going to post today about the kitchen and although I did make a start on the post, I didn't get too far. 

I spent most of Wednesday outside cutting grass as it wasn't as warm and it was over cast.  The grass is on steroids and I swear is growing as fast as I am cutting it.  Anyhow I ran out of gas around 2pm, so had to come in.  By the way despite it being over cast and despite me putting sunscreen on I got burnt to a crisp!!!  I didn't wear my hat as it was over cast, but did have my sunglasses on.

We're not putting much of a veggie garden in, as dh is too busy with other projects to give me much help; plus his other knee is giving him problems.  He had the right knee scoped last August and the surgeon said at the time he could have his left one done anytime he wanted, but dh wanted to wait until he can't stand the pain.  He has/had a torn meniscus in both knees.  He needs knee replacements, but is much too young at the moment.  I would think he'll be having his second one done by the end of the summer, as the spasms are getting more and more painful for him.

I am also trying to get dd table runner completed before they come up on Saturday.  So last night I sat and hand sewed half the binding on, and will get that finished today.  I will take photos when I am done, really pleased with the fabric choices.  Must say my hands were complaining about all the hand sewing last night.

Dh was watching the Maple Leafs versus the Boston team hockey game.  The guy who sang the national anthems was good.  He sang at the last game and is a soldier.  He actually didn't muck it up like the professional/famous folks do.  Also the sheer joy and pride in his face when he sang was a Kodak moment to my mind.  Dh was saying one of his co-workers had got tickets for the game.  They were sitting in the nose bleed section, so right at the top and paid $250 a ticket.  What a flipping waste of money!!  The tickets are generally $90.  I will say that the Toronto Maple Leafs do deserve to win, only because they have the most devoted and enthusiastic fans out there; that support them through tick or thin - and it's generally on the thin side!!!

Gosh that was a lot of writing about hockey, a game I can't stand!!!

Finally I wrote another book review on a really good book called, Mennonite Girls Can Cook - Celebrations.  You can read it here.  The book is a keeper and would make a wonderful gift, even a great Bridal Shower gift.  As I said in my review, I'm not donating it; its going on my book shelf.

Just a quick update.......

I am feeling a lot better.  Still coughing up ick and still tired, but at least I can do some things without having to sit down every half an hour.  I am now into week four with this, (SIGH)

Trying to get all the grass cut by the end of today before it rains.  Already broken the tractor once this week (SIGH) A spring broke on it so it wouldn't cut.  Dh has managed to get it to work again.  Yeah to dh for being so handy!!!

Our kitchen is now in an up roar.  We started to do one job and now it has turned into a huge nightmare of a problem.  I honestly don't know where to start with it all, but it's a mess.  I think I will compose a post to try and explain what happened.  Suffice to say I am washing dishes in the downstairs bathroom sink.

On a more positive note I lost ten pounds in weight, as I finally shaved my legs!!!!  Yes I was at the braiding stage and yes it took me three days to get it all off....LOL  Now instead of my legs being soft and hairy, they are now prickly!!!  So I guess it'll be a daily job of bloody well shaving them?  With it being shorts weather I guess it's necessary? 

So there you go, nothing much to say, sorry!

Horse wearing sunglasses, a baby with a tattoo, what next?

Actually the horses are not wearing sunglasses, they are to keep the flies from their eyes, but they do look like sunglasses.  That is UTI by the way, looking well looked after and groomed now.

Our little Princess got her first tattoo on Saturday, so cute; they were attending a children's birthday party.  She also go her ears pierced this week as well.  She's wearing a Mothercare bib, I always loved that store when my two were babies.

The trees are in full bloom and so are my allergies!!!  Luckily I use the Life Brand ones from Shopper's Drug Mart so not as expensive.  Paid $20 for 48 days yesterday.  Ontario is a hot bed for allergies our doctor was saying. 

I have used up all my storage space with Photobucket.  Any ideas what other free photo storage is out there?

2001 post today...........

I didn't realize it was my 2000th post yesterday.  I also missed our fourth anniversary of living in this house.  We are starting in at year five now.  Time flies by when you are having fun.

It was like Christmas when I received the mail on Friday:

Got two great books for review, and look at that gorgeous material.  I ordered it on Wednesday night and I received it on Friday morning......great service eh? 

I got it from Fabric Spot and it's from the Oh Deer range. 

I made a start on dd table runner.  Just love the fabric combination, its the Habitat selection from Benartex in aqua:

I went grocery shopping on Friday morning and spent $62.68, with savings of $4.47.  I am still as dopey as heck so not on top form with these grocery savings and deals at the moment.

Things are very quiet around here.....

I am barely talking as it hurts my throat so much.  Not sure if I have laryngitis now?  I do know that I have an ear infection in my left ear also now to go with the ear infection in my right ear and my bronchitis.  I swear what have I done to deserve this?  Fingers crossed the pills kick in soon as it is now over 48 hours.

The only funny thing about all of this, is that I can't decided if I am having hot flashes or I have a fever????    I do know that someone is still sucking the energy right out of me still and its bloody annoying when this weather is so nice.
This week's "Home of the Week," is gorgeous; well other than the wall paper in the dining room, and I love flowers!!!  However at the end of the day it's $3 million for a semi-detached house?  Where on earth do they get the pricing from?  Granted it's a swanky area to live in, but $3 million, I'll pass!!

This week's "Condo of the Week," in on for $1 million; I'll pass.  I don't hate it and I am guessing it has good views from the balcony, just think $1 million is much too expensive for what it is, don't you?

If you go to this link, you will also see some of the houses that have sold that we have talked about previously.

I have posted five book reviews here if you are interested.  With being sick I have caught up with all my reading!!

What do I get myself into?

Cindy is having an exercise challenge doing squats.  Seems easy enough for me, I think.

Now granted I have to look up how to do a squat.  So of course go to exercising for dummies and figure out a chair squat seems the way to go: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-do-chair-squats.html  Now due to the fact I am having trouble just breathing at the moment, I may have to wait a day or two before starting this.

I did some grocery shopping on Tuesday and Paid $48.70 for this little lot:

and $3.19 for this.

I ended the month going slightly over budget, spending $304.77, but did have savings of $103.76. May is a five Friday month, so not sure if I can stay under the $300, we'll have to see.

Good news, bad news.....

Good news it's not pneumonia,  bad news it's bronchitis, and another bloody ear infection.  So two inhalers and some sort of antibiotic wonder drug I should feel better in 48 hours.  I'll believe it when I see it.  At this point it would be very helpful if I could breath without it tiring me out.......